Why do people disrespect the Air Force?

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2443741/Female-officer-service-Afghanistan-took-emotional-toll.html

 

Read the article...read the comments...post your thoughts.

[Fat Black Woman 257]

From my perspective, I think the comments are more of an attack using sexism rather than disrespecting the Air Force. The top commenters seem to be males, and they simply think that they uphold a stereotype of "if you're in the army/airforce/navy/whateveritmaybe then you have to be tough and strong and you have to endure things" even to women. Now, there are some people who do this very well, but there are also people who are not able to deal with this. To me, it's simply an issue with them being ignorant and not being tolerant of others needs or others situations. 

[Lvl. 100 Latias 711]

From my perspective, I think the comments are more of an attack using sexism rather than disrespecting the Air Force. The top commenters seem to be males, and they simply think that they uphold a stereotype of "if you're in the army/airforce/navy/whateveritmaybe then you have to be tough and strong and you have to endure things" even to women. Now, there are some people who do this very well, but there are also people who are not able to deal with this. To me, it's simply an issue with them being ignorant and not being tolerant of others needs or others situations. 

This. I also think people don't realize how dehumanizing drone work and other Air Force work can be. I'm not sure if I can find it but I remember watching an interview with a drone pilot and he talked about how he felt that he was a sociopath because he didn't feel remorse anymore when he killed people. That shit will get to you.

[Ichalvl 1752]

It's the internet, people are anonymous, and I think I saw this article on /b/ earlier. Probably got filled with trolls or something

She seems a little whiney but she also has a lot of fair points.

[Avery 794]

I only disrespect howwie

[IntoxicatedDog 125]

From my perspective, I think the comments are more of an attack using sexism rather than disrespecting the Air Force. The top commenters seem to be males, and they simply think that they uphold a stereotype of "if you're in the army/airforce/navy/whateveritmaybe then you have to be tough and strong and you have to endure things" even to women. Now, there are some people who do this very well, but there are also people who are not able to deal with this. To me, it's simply an issue with them being ignorant and not being tolerant of others needs or others situations. 

I didn't really see it as an 'ignorance' situation per say or a directly sexist attack (well most of the comments). They seemed to complain more about the fact that this is even news when there are other people that went through much worse. I do agree they argue from the 'no true scotsman' point but I kind of have to agree with the rude comments.

 

Really not to downplay her experience, because I really don't know and sure as hell wouldn't go to Afghanistan, but she worked with a Provincial Reconstruction Team. Not exactly the most dangerous trip ever. Example . Of course, there is always a threat but from what I have been reading about PRT's they aren't exactly the most high-risk tour you can go on. All in all her I can never understand her experience or how she was emotionally affected but it seems to me like the article just isn't very necessary. 

[Renegade 1198]

Because they wont shut up about podracing

[Oreo 2073]

This. I also think people don't realize how dehumanizing drone work and other Air Force work can be. I'm not sure if I can find it but I remember watching an interview with a drone pilot and he talked about how he felt that he was a sociopath because he didn't feel remorse anymore when he killed people. That shit will get to you.

Using a drone is no different than being in charge of cruise missiles. Personally, I can understand if someone gets PTSD from that situation but i'm going to argue that there are factors already in place that lead the person to developing it, it's not just the action of firing them. The difference between a drone and live combat is the fact that you see, hear and watch the person die. Sometimes even walking by their bodies, having to scour their bodies or hearing them gasp their last breaths of air. A drone is a screen with really just the mental knowledge that you may or may not have killed someone. It's like hearing about a tragedy in my opinion; you won't have nearly as bad a reaction to the event if you're hearing it on the news compared to if you actually witness it in person. That being said, PTSD is an issue and can occur from situations like this. Unfortunately mental health issues are a really tough field when it comes to preventing/treating/curing them.

 

As for the article, I wouldn't attribute it to sexism. Does she have a problem? Yes, however the circumstances of her problem are what people are looking down on. She never mentions combat, simply being affected by standing post, eating terrible food and seemingly being afraid of sexual attack without any sort of precursors besides what she's read or heard. The reason everyone's negatively commenting on her is because her issues are minor(Besides the sexual attack fears, although she never mentions being sexually harassed in any way) while on the front line men are dying left and right being showered with bullet casings, shrapnel and in some cases it comes from their own supposed allies. I have nothing against the girl, simply that she seems to be complaining about living in a base for a few hundred days and how tolling it was on her mentally, despite the fact she never went front line( she mentions donning armor and the front line, but to my knowledge i'm pretty sure that wouldn't be allowed at the time (June 2009-March 2010) but correct me if I'm wrong). It was probably tolling on her, but that's also an issue you actually do have with women in the military, alongside a lack of physical strength. Mentally women are more affected by emotions so it's not really hard to see her getting some sort of form of PTSD from stressing herself out. However, if she had these issues she probably should've seen the psychologist on the camp.

 

Tl;dr; Doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman; the people are commenting on her complaining because they feel that she has no reason to do so when there are thousands of people outside of the bases actually risking their lives.

 

Note: I've never been in combat nor do I plan on at the current moment. I've worked with the military long enough to know I'm in no position to make the choice now. Take my Drone/missile theory with a grain of salt, i'm not a psychologist, it's an opinion.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Oreo

[Fat Black Woman 257]

Just because someone has suffered or is suffering more than you doesn't invalidate your own suffering. Saying that "you can't be sad because so many people have it worse than you" is like saying "you can't be happy because so many people have it better than you". 

[IntoxicatedDog 125]

I have nothing against the girl, simply that she seems to be complaining about living in a base for a few hundred days and how tolling it was on her mentally, despite the fact she never went front line( she mentions donning armor and the front line, but to my knowledge i'm pretty sure that wouldn't be allowed at the time (June 2009-March 2010) but correct me if I'm wrong).

Not to be too choosy but there are plenty of women on the front lines today. Entire Marine squads full of women that they call lionesses. Women are much more prevalent on the front than you would think. However, she was most likely working as protection for her Provincial Reconstruction Team.

[Rune 2783]

Looks to me like an article that was spurred by a blog that she made sometime this year. Something that was supposed to be shared amongst the followers of her blog, and people who could relate to her in some way. Instead the media took interest and decided to make an article themselves to draw some attention towards her story. (Likely to give something to readers for the day.)

 

As per the usual, the magnanimous, anonymous users of the internet find it acceptable to degrade her sense of self even further because they see it as all complaints. Likewise, the article simply portrayed her inability to adjust to civilian life after serving in Iraq for six(?) months.

 

Typical scum of the internet.

 

Also, I didn't really see any sexist comments. It was pretty much a group of pissed off army vets creating a bandwagon for everyone else to follow in order to make her feel bad. I really don't see anything wrong with trying to portray your feelings every once in a while without having a bunch of faggots trying to make their opinions factual information.

 

"Airforce puke." - Sometimes I really do lose faith in humanity every now and then. More often than not.

 

I don't want to sound ignorant, but I get the feeling just from these comments that sharing your feelings even on a miniscule scale will have you ridiculed.(On the subject of the military, that is.) I don't see how people don't complain more about it since you're risking your life most times. I suppose, for me, it's a mystery of life unanswered.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Rune

[Oreo 2073]

Not to be too choosy but there are plenty of women on the front lines today. Entire Marine squads full of women that they call lionesses. Women are much more prevalent on the front than you would think. However, she was most likely working as protection for her Provincial Reconstruction Team.

 

Lioness was never considered a combat role nor considered frontline. From my knowledge they were relegated to checkpoints and public affairs with Iraqi women in safe areas. This woman is air force, hence why i'm mentioning the front lines at the time. It was more than likely she didn't serve frontline and was relegated to base duty, which her piece on the guardian suggests. I'm aware women server but front line was never cleared for women until this year. It is possible she was in reconstruction, although she never suggests it or what role she actually had.

 

 

 

Just because someone has suffered or is suffering more than you doesn't invalidate your own suffering. Saying that "you can't be sad because so many people have it worse than you" is like saying "you can't be happy because so many people have it better than you". 

 

 

That's not at all what i'm suggesting, i'm not quite so sure where you're going with this. There's a clear difference between a firefight and manning a desk. She was diagnosed with Chronic Adjustment Disorder, which was more than likely caused by the fact that she deployed, couldn't cope with the stress she was building up and because of her never properly seeing anyone she's now in this situation. Would seeing someone have made the situation better or worse? Probably, but we don't know which end of the spectrum it would be. Sadness is a completely different emotion than happiness, as well as how you react to it. You can't really put the two together and create a solid analogy.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Oreo

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

This article is essentially about confirming almost every military stereotype known to man.

 

Women in the military, PTSD, Air Force, etc. This article is the equivalent of an NFL team winning the superbowl and the waterboy provided an interview about the trials and tribulations of being a professional athlete.

[Rune 2783]

This article is essentially about confirming almost every military stereotype known to man.

 

Women in the military, PTSD, Air Force, etc. This article is the equivalent of an NFL team winning the superbowl and the waterboy provided an interview about the trials and tribulations of being a professional athlete.

Which raises the question:

 

Is this news site any good? I wouldn't know since I would probably never bother reading anything in it besides this. I've had generally terrible experiences with news articles as it is since they're all generally bias to some extent. It doesn't help with blatant hyperbolas amongst the series of inane commentary from the author. (That's excluding the articles that haven't even been proofread to any extent.)

Edited October 7, 2013 by Rune

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

Maybe I'm alone in my opinion, but this article makes me rage. She just set women, officers, mental health, and airmen back 10 years with her public whining. My first deployment was legit. My upcoming deployment will be club med. Even on my deployment which resulted in me wearing hearing aids for 5 years, I had baskins Robbins, lobster, shrimp, crab, cinnibun, etc. Like I said, its really hard to put my rage into words.

[driz 2626]

there is no front line in any combat operation non special ops have participated in since the gwot began.. the operation before that? so long ago it doesnt matter..

Despite changes being discussed women are not in those front-line roles because they arent specops and we haven't had any opportunity for them to be in such a role.. Women in the military cause issues, not because they are women but because dudes are pigs and chicks are sluts. you dont see ranger bats court martialing guys for adultery.. because there are no chicks. 

 

The AF gets no respect because they get combat pay for flying 20000 ft above the combat zone, however, army guys stationed in kuwait enjoying mcdonalds and starbucks also get combat pay. It's all perspective; whether its right or wrong. 

 

grunts call non grunts names, rangers call grunts who arent rangers names, specops call everyone names; and everyone calls specops names, its a vicious circle and in the end if you cant take it, you probably shouldn't be in the military. man up or bitch out.

[Oreo 2073]

there is no front line in any combat operation non special ops have participated in since the gwot began.. the operation before that? so long ago it doesnt matter..

Despite changes being discussed women are not in those front-line roles because they arent specops and we haven't had any opportunity for them to be in such a role.. Women in the military cause issues, not because they are women but because dudes are pigs and chicks are sluts. you dont see ranger bats court martialing guys for adultery.. because there are no chicks. 

 

The AF gets no respect because they get combat pay for flying 20000 ft above the combat zone, however, army guys stationed in kuwait enjoying mcdonalds and starbucks also get combat pay. It's all perspective; whether its right or wrong. 

 

grunts call non grunts names, rangers call grunts who arent rangers names, specops call everyone names; and everyone calls specops names, its a vicious circle and in the end if you cant take it, you probably shouldn't be in the military. man up or bitch out.

 

I hope i'm not alone on this position. I have a feeling that the more we incorporate women into the military, as decided this year, the more pregnancies we'll have. Navy already has an issue with all the men and women being stationed on a ship in the middle of nowhere for weeks at times, I just feel like it will rise even more.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Oreo

[driz 2626]

I hope i'm not alone on this position. I have a feeling that the more we incorporate women into the military, as decided this year, the more pregnancies we'll have. Navy already has an issue with all the men and women being stationed on a ship in the middle of nowhere for weeks at times, I just feel like it will rise even more.

i agree completely. i just dont know if the best way is to incorporate them less or add physical punishment to violations of GO1. If you start beating the shit out of guys/gals for sleeping around i bet it will curtail the numbers.

[ChosenOne2000 4440]

i agree completely. i just dont know if the best way is to incorporate them less or add physical punishment to violations of GO1. If you start beating the shit out of guys/gals for sleeping around i bet it will curtail the numbers.

Dude, I don't know about that. Sometimes an erection can overpower the most rational mind.

 

"If I sleep with her, I'm going to receive a beating. Oh, she's has double D's? Eh, pain is temporary..."

[IntoxicatedDog 125]

Sterilize 'em

[centran 4457]

tl;dr;

 

Someone summarize for me. What was the bitch complaining about... that she could only get military issued maxipads instead of tampons to stick up her smelly cunt?

[driz 2626]

i agree completely. i just dont know if the best way is to incorporate them less or add physical punishment to violations of GO1. If you start beating the shit out of guys/gals for sleeping around i bet it will curtail the numbers.

Dude, I don't know about that. Sometimes an erection can overpower the most rational mind.

"If I sleep with her, I'm going to receive a beating. Oh, she's has double D's? Eh, pain is temporary..."

true dat been there

Sent from my HTC Ville.

[water.exe 725]

Being one of the few sG members that have served and getting a female LT to a combat unit(13M circa 2010) she didn't even whine like this. Sure we had to watch what we said for like a month then she said "You know what don't treat me special because I am a female I am just here to get the mission done" we proceeded to induct her to the field 'stache growing contest with sharpie and she enjoyed the comrade we all had with each other. Also this comment sums up my thoughts well. On base you get fed like fuckings kings and even while out you only eat a mre like 1-2 times a day.... She has more serious underlying problems if she is complaining about food in the military....

"jwalker21, Los Angeles, 18 hours ago

I'm sorry you all had to read about my fellow veteran whining. Her soggy vegetables must have been a real hardship. Perhaps if she spent a little less time behind the safe walls of the base, filled with it's modern luxuries (although it seems she felt the internet wasn't up to par) she would've realized we have infantry soldiers out there eating freeze-dried food from plastic bags for up to a year. Without complaining. Thanks for doing all your fellow vets a disservice lady. While I'm not excited about war, I'm grateful the citizens of the USA supplied us incredibly well, paid us well, and showed us a tremendous amount of gratitude for our service when we returned, even at a time when the economy was incredibly touch back here in the states. The vast majority of us have appreciated your support.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2443741/Female-officer-service-Afghanistan-took-emotional-toll.html#ixzz2h52nvdBH
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[Elmo 1272]

Air force.... 

Edited October 7, 2013 by Chaulklet.Shake(Elmo)

[DarkPredator 1193]

It doesn't really sound like she was on the front lines of any major conflicts. Especially being in the Air Force, she wouldn't be deployed for ground combat... right?

 

I think police officers and security guards in inner city areas face much tougher shit than any military personnel who haven't seen any actual combat (not talking about cops and security who sleep all shift at a hotel lobby or warehouse, I mean the ones actively patrolling social housing and low income areas).

 

Not to discount her feelings, maybe she was just a very sensitive person and this hit her the wrong way.