A message from the troops in Iraq to John Kerry

[fskimospy]

I know on my ship there was one enlisted man with a 4 year degree out of a crew of about 370. So according to my experience the numbers were a little high actually.

To be honest the numbers make perfect sense. If you have a 4 year degree, you become an officer. The deployment/work schedules make going to a 4 year university difficult if not impossible, so very few do it. A large percentage of people in the military (sorry, it's true) didn't do particularly well in high school. This doesn't have to mean that they are stupid, but they didn't do well in school. So you have extreme difficulties in scheduling and admissions... thus very low % of college educated enlistees.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: eskimospy
I know on my ship there was one enlisted man with a 4 year degree out of a crew of about 370. So according to my experience the numbers were a little high actually.

To be honest the numbers make perfect sense. If you have a 4 year degree, you become an officer. The deployment/work schedules make going to a 4 year university difficult if not impossible, so very few do it. A large percentage of people in the military (sorry, it's true) didn't do particularly well in high school. This doesn't have to mean that they are stupid, but they didn't do well in school. So you have extreme difficulties in scheduling and admissions... thus very low % of college educated enlistees.

well i didnt do very well in high school, but when i matured a bit and put my nose to the grind stone studied really hard at UND i made nearly straight A's, except math, i suck at math.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

LMAO - The link at the top of Drudge says "Kerry Apologizes to the Troops"

When you click on it you get.... this.

We're sorry... this story is not currently available




© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

:laugh:

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: eskimospy
I know on my ship there was one enlisted man with a 4 year degree out of a crew of about 370. So according to my experience the numbers were a little high actually.

To be honest the numbers make perfect sense. If you have a 4 year degree, you become an officer. The deployment/work schedules make going to a 4 year university difficult if not impossible, so very few do it. A large percentage of people in the military (sorry, it's true) didn't do particularly well in high school. This doesn't have to mean that they are stupid, but they didn't do well in school. So you have extreme difficulties in scheduling and admissions... thus very low % of college educated enlistees.

well i didnt do very well in high school, but when i matured a bit and put my nose to the grind stone studied really hard at UND i made nearly straight A's, except math, i suck at math.

Yep, and I can put together a long list of people I knew in college who came in bragging about their 4.0 average in high school who ended up dropping out after the first year or two because of bad grades.

The military guys I had classes with were probably the best students I was around in terms of commitment to studying and putting forth effort on group projects.

 

[fskimospy]

I wasn't exactly a straight A student either. The military did a lot of good things for me, and one of those was showing me the value of an education. (I was sleeping in a 100 man berthing while the guy with the 4 year degree was getting food served to him). I got out, and now I'm about to finish up at UCSD.

I think both of our experiences prove my point though, we were people without.. uhmm... exemplary credentials. The military was a good option for us because of that. Doesn't make us bad or stupid people, but it's just a fact of life... and the military tends to attract people in our situation.

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: Queasy

And here I thought that Kerry made it crystal clear yesterday that he apologized to no one.

Botched joke. Botched response. And now a botched non-apology.

Botched post. You did not understand his comment and you did not accurately quote him.

He said he owed no one an apology *for criticizing the president who put the troops in Iraq*.

He's perfectly able after that without any contradiction to apologize for messing the joke up and offending the people who thought he meant something different than he did.

 

[Queasy]

White House accepts the Kerry non-apology apology:

Sen Kerry?s apology to the troops for his insulting comments came late, but it was the right thing to do. Our military is the best and the brightest, the most courageous and professional or an military in the world and the President is honored to be their Commander-in-Chief

Probably the best you'll get out of Kerry so this is over as far as I'm concerned now.

 

[NorthRiver]

Joke was taken out of context, but that sign is funny!!

 

[senseamp]

Originally posted by: Queasy
White House accepts the Kerry non-apology apology:

Sen Kerry?s apology to the troops for his insulting comments came late, but it was the right thing to do. Our military is the best and the brightest, the most courageous and professional or an military in the world and the President is honored to be their Commander-in-Chief

Probably the best you'll get out of Kerry so this is over as far as I'm concerned now.

Kerry accepts the White House non-concern concern for the troops. So it all works out.
Everyone respects each other's feigned feelings and sings kumbayas

 

[PELarson]

Originally posted by: Citrix
LOL

Awesome pic. i hope the grunts who did this arent standing infront of their commander tomorrow. Im sure people at the Pentagon are saying "who the Frack are these soldiers, get thier commander on the horn ASAP!!!"

Bush's thank you.

But it is only one soldier! RIGHT???? :disgust:

 

[Wapp]

The sign was pretty funny but doesn't this violate the UCMJ? I remember reading somewhere we are not allowed to appear in uniform while making a political statement or endorsing a political candidate. I believe mocking or insulting a senator, regardless of the comments he made would not fly. Some of you might pull the freedom of speech card but while on active duty your rights come after the UCMJ.

 

[palehorse]

Originally posted by: Wapp
The sign was pretty funny but doesn't this violate the UCMJ? I remember reading somewhere we are not allowed to appear in uniform while making a political statement or endorsing a political candidate. I believe mocking or insulting a senator, regardless of the comments he made would not fly. Some of you might pull the freedom of speech card but while on active duty your rights come after the UCMJ.

There is no commander on earth who would push for charges against that group in the photo. They probably received a lecture along the lines of "Ok, you all know you can't get involved in politics while in uniform, so don't do that sh*t again, ok? that said, the sign you made was f'n hillarious! now, get out of my face and get back to work."

 

[Wapp]

Originally posted by: palehorse74

Originally posted by: Wapp
The sign was pretty funny but doesn't this violate the UCMJ? I remember reading somewhere we are not allowed to appear in uniform while making a political statement or endorsing a political candidate. I believe mocking or insulting a senator, regardless of the comments he made would not fly. Some of you might pull the freedom of speech card but while on active duty your rights come after the UCMJ.

There is no commander on earth who would push for charges against that group in the photo. They probably received a lecture along the lines of "Ok, you all know you can't get involved in politics while in uniform, so don't do that sh*t again, ok? that said, the sign you made was f'n hillarious! now, get out of my face and get back to work."

Understood, but when it's appearing on the the drudge report and msnbc it brings the whole thing into a completely different spectrum. Also, saying no commander would punish them for this is kind of a bad assumption. I've had some dick commanders that would do anything to get a little time to shine.

 

[palehorse]

Originally posted by: Wapp

Originally posted by: palehorse74

Originally posted by: Wapp
The sign was pretty funny but doesn't this violate the UCMJ? I remember reading somewhere we are not allowed to appear in uniform while making a political statement or endorsing a political candidate. I believe mocking or insulting a senator, regardless of the comments he made would not fly. Some of you might pull the freedom of speech card but while on active duty your rights come after the UCMJ.

There is no commander on earth who would push for charges against that group in the photo. They probably received a lecture along the lines of "Ok, you all know you can't get involved in politics while in uniform, so don't do that sh*t again, ok? that said, the sign you made was f'n hillarious! now, get out of my face and get back to work."

Understood, but when it's appearing on the the drudge report and msnbc it brings the whole thing into a completely different spectrum. Also, saying no commander would punish them for this is kind of a bad assumption. I've had some dick commanders that would do anything to get a little time to shine.

true, but the soldiers would all ask for attorneys and it would turn into a show that the Army can't afford to air. Someone from JAG, or another CDR higher in the chain, would let it be known to drop it.

Kerry got what he deserved in that photo. eye-for-an-eye.

 

[VooDooAddict]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: jpeyton
How much do you want to bet they aired Kerry's original comments all over Iraq, but never mentioned his rebuttal clearing up the issue?

Republican propaganda at its finest.

Fixed.

Time to get those absentee ballots mailed soldiers! The Democrats don't care about you, but the GOP sure as hell does

So much for all those close races in states with large military bases... ugg. *Slams head against desk*