I just want to first state that this has nothing to do towards "the puppy" video or anything of that nature. Recently over the past couple months I've encountered a few situations where I've been in conflict with U.S. Soldiers and I wanted to know your opinion on it. I had a knife pulled on me by an Iraq veteran a few weeks ago over a bad attitude for no reason on his part and me standing up for myself. Luckily nothing happened, but his friends and other people started yelling at me and blaming me telling me that "I don't know what it was like over there" etc and that I shouldn't have started the problem. All I said to the kid in the beginning was the address of the place we were at. Since then I've had numerous occasions where I've felt disrespected by a soldier and have been told by people that I should have just "let it go" or "taken it." Does anyone feel this is hypocritical at all? They went over there to fight for freedom and my freedom of expression and speech is limited by, not all obviously, but some that have come back. I absolutely and 100% respect what they do, but I don't like this "Jesus Christ" assimilation that is going around. Where's all the respect to the Red Cross and Salvation Army who are helping out? What happened to all the respect to the Fire Fighters and Police since 9/11 has passed?

Elaborate please, I hope I'm not the only one that thinks it is getting a little out of hand. Obviously I come from a semi-biased point of view considering past events.

I dare say the soldiers you encountered were of the moronic variety - they exist. Some people are born jerks and like having excuses to 'act up' I served there in 03, 04 and 05 and i don't go around pulling knives on people or go around expecting special respect or thanks. Its a job, thats it.

Simply being disrespected is one thing, but brandishing a knife and threatening someone is a crime--misdemeanor or otherwise. I don't care if this individual is an Iraq veteran or not, pulling a knife on you is unacceptable. If he is still enlisted he could get himself in trouble if his superior officer is contacted. Of course, he could also find himself in jail. Being an Iraq veteran is not an excuse to pull a knife unless he has a legitimate self-defense purpose. If this soldier has issues then he should seek help before he hurts or even kills someone.

With all due respect, your explanation of the incident is very vague, especially the part which does not adequately describe your part in it.

The soldier was wrong for pulling out a knife. But I agree that there is more to this story.

Sounds like this guy is an Iraq war protester and he got a little too big for his britches.

I would have beat that punks ass. veteran or not. You had every right to get in his :q:q:q:q. Then you should have told him he didn't learn :q:q:q:q over their. Yeah, he's been to iraq leave him alone. How many people over their actually see combat? All that showed is he could not manup to his job over their. I think alot of these young soldiers are having problems dealing with their job. Thats what happens when kids sign up for school money then get shipped over their, mad at the world, got the short end of the stick. I know a bunch of vets that have been to a real war and they all act normal, most won't even touch a gun now. I know a bunch that had been to Iraq and their all normal also. Must have something to do with the society they grew up in these days compared to are fathers. I've been their , done that, and seen that. If you come back missing a arm, leg, or severly burned I can well understand being confused and angry. If you come back confused and angry because you were their it's your own damn fault, you signed the dam papers. If you come back with every body part you left with you should look at it as a experience and not an excuse. Some of these guys act like they hung on the cross for us. After being in the army I can say this person you ran into is only a small percent of the military population. First it was I'm black, then it was I'm a woman, now it's gonna be I went to Iraq? WTF

I went in at 18 and pretty much finished growing up in thier. It seemed like I had 4 or 5 dads. I learned more in 4 years about life then most people.

You should be proud and have a new sense of yourself when you get out of the military, not because you were their but because you had the strength and integrity to do the job that you signed up for. Fossten I feel bad for the situation you were put in looking like the monster. I bet if you talked to a bunch of people that been to Iraq you would only find a small handfull that act like this. I personaly feel embarased when stuff like this happens.

PTSD has all sorts of effects and I've seen them in numerous people numerous times. Defense of the country or not, going on some high horse to make others feel stupid or wrong just because you served is not right. I completely support the war but unfortunately a lot of the younger generation lacks morals or common sense. If they were drafted and had no choice as to whether or not their brains got scrambled from seeing all the atrocities of war then I feel for them and would gladly back away and let them cool off. But ones who willingly go over and come back acting better than everyone annoys me. It's also programmed during boot camp and basic training though. Some cannot genuinely shut it on or off and they should be getting help. Vet or not, he should've been arrested and the proper authorites should've taken care of him.


Anyone catch the Gangland episode where inner city gang members are joining the military for the experience then using the training back home. Sort of a Take the kid of out of the hood, but not the hood out of the kid type of scenario.

I'm not an Iraq War protestor at all. I'll explain exactly what had happened. We were at a party and this guy had just arrived there, so alcohol was not an influence at all. He was talking to his friends on the phone and I told him it's whatever address and he turns around with a bad attitude and says "I think I got it buddy." His friends didn't show up for another 45 minutes and I hear him giving a bad attitude to some of my friends so I went up to him and said what's you problem yada yada and the kid instantly pulls a knife out. I laughed in his face and then proceeded to get yelled at by 15 people saying I was wrong and that I should respect him because he's a soldier etc. I've gone back a few times and every time I get into an argument about how they think he was right when I don't even bring up the conversation about it at all, all with kids who just signed up for the military.

Sounds like this guy is an Iraq war protester and he got a little too big for his britches.

Elaborate on that.

The guy sounds like a thug who happened to join the military. Those on his side were a part of his gang, or whatever you want to call it. I would steer clear of that group cause it sounds like they're bent on mischief. It's just immaturity and ill will on their part, which is common everywhere, not just in the military.

Most soldiers are respectable men and women but like any job you're bound to get a holes.

Right I understand that there's bad apples in every bunch, I didn't want to really get into the situation but people asked for it. I'm more bent on if there is too much respect for soldiers at some times.

I wouldn't say the problem comes from too much respect for soldiers. These poor folks have to risk their lives every day and there is no way out for them. The fear should lay within too much blind faith in whatever the military or military leaders want to do, that's scary and fascist.

I absolutely respect what they do as I've said, but as far as the special priveledges etc. I think is getting out of hand.

I absolutely respect what they do as I've said, but as far as the special priveledges etc. I think is getting out of hand.

I just wish these soldiers could get decent medical care and pensions.

I just wish these soldiers could get decent medical care and pensions.
You have ZERO idea what kind of quality medical care and pension the US Military member gets. I can tell you first hand that it is better than what you get in the private sector. Any time you want details so you can be an informed idiot instead of an ignorant boob, let me know.

You have ZERO idea what kind of quality medical care and pension the US Military member gets. I can tell you first hand that it is better than what you get in the private sector. Any time you want details so you can be an informed idiot instead of an ignorant boob, let me know.

Careful...That could be spun into an argument to get away from private healthcare; basically, an argument for universal healthcare.

I do know of at least one soldier that recieved terrible healthcare, and it cost him severly (sorry, I can't get more specific then that for personal reasons). Of course he was in the field at the time, that very probably made a difference, as opposed to stateside healthcare for wounded soldiers.

Careful...That could be spun into an argument to get away from private healthcare; basically, an argument for universal healthcare.

I don't think so. Military healthcare is a subset of what Congress and the President gets - it's preferential, specialized treatment. Anecdotal evidence notwithstanding. There are special cases in every healthcare system, but by and large the military healthcare system is very good. But the military population is a small subset of the general population also; there's no way the government could afford to pay for everyone.