In light of all of the new National Guard photos that are surfacing with "soldiers" acting in less than honorable ways while in uniforms, I have a lot to say about this. First off, even if I have NEVER worn that uniform, I have a right to speak my opinion on what happens when someone acts stupidly while wearing it. I am a United States Citizen, and it's our tax money that pays those salaries, and buys those uniforms.
For the Air Guard girl who thinks it's ok to tongue kiss a POW MIA flag, and then post the photo on Instagram, I say that you need to re-evaluate your being in our military! You have no right to wear it, as you will dishonor not just the uniform that you wear, and the oath that you took, and you have NO clue as to what that flag represents.
For the Wisconsin NG girl who posted photos of her Honor Guard class standing around an, albeit empty, casket draped with an American Flag, in a joking manner, while wearing your uniforms, and then posting that on Instagram, and then while in your Honor Guard uniform, on the way to a cemetery for an actual funeral, with an incorrectly folded flag behind your head, complaining about the cold and having to do a burial service outside, and then stating that someone was going to get a jacked up flag because it inconvenienced you: I say GROW UP, and SHUT UP! The Honor Guard is a volunteer position, and it's an honor to serve on it. It is NOT an inconvenience to you. As someone who has worked in the Cemetery Industry, I can say that I have personally stood outside in the snow, the rain, the heat and humidity, the freezing rain, and the sun, to help a family bury their loved one, and many veterans to boot. You need to be dishonorably discharged. I no longer wish to pay for your salary.
To the newest young woman who posted a photograph of herself, while in Uniform, working at Ft. Carson, as FULL TIME Army, with a caption that talked about hiding from the flag lowering at 1700 hours, and complaining about it, you have a lot to learn.
What surprises me that so many people will come to their defense, including a superior officer, Non-com, but either way, a member of these soldiers chain of command. I get that it's stressful to be in the military, I get it that it's no fun to stand at attention and honor our dead soldiers, veterans, and their families, I get that having to stand at attention for 2.5 minutes, twice a day, every day might just get old, however, when you sign up, VOLUNTARILY to join a military organization, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, you sign a piece of paper that states that you will honor your branch, our flag, and our country!
I also get it that some of you are young, and maybe just don't know any better, and that people make mistakes, however, most of us are not stupid enough to post them on social media, where the whole world can see us. Most of us aren't wearing the uniform of our country's military either, and most of us have a clue that everyone would go freaking crazy in seeing that kind of dishonor to our country!
Chain of Command needs to change, it is obvious that leadership in the military is slipping when these young "soldiers" are allowed to act in that manner, and are not taught any better. Maybe a couple of days on Military Manners is in order for every recruit during boot camp! I don't know, but I think that they need to face some severe consequences over these actions.
Here, here I agree!!!!
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