Separating politics from service

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BCTAv8r

Well-Known Member
How do those of you who currently serve or have served in the past go about separating the idea of serving your country from state of politics throughout the duration of your service? We get enough variety in leadership so that people are always serving under administrations they do not support. So how do you cope with that?

I've always wanted to join the military. I really like the military itself and its use as a defensive force, but I really dislike how it's used by our politicians for their own interests (regardless of what party). Any advice on how to separate the two in your line of thinking?
 
While I am not flying with an operational unit yet, I'd say from my perspective, the policies and leadership of my CO/XO are far more important to everyday work and morale than any big picture executive level policies. Traditional military etiquette in the wardroom/ready room/etc is that discussions of politics, sex, and money are minimized, and in keeping with that tradition, I'd say that politics aren't a major discussion point among my squadronmattes. I'm sure for operational guys, there are times when policies affect theater level affairs, but in the end, it just isn't something that you really have control over. Just do the job you are given.
 
Keep politics out of the wardroom, it's that simple. Don't talk about it, don't make it a big deal. So at the end of the day, it's not that big of a deal. At least that's my experience in 17 years and 2 months active duty Navy.
 
BCTAv8r said:
I've always wanted to join the military. I really like the military itself and its use as a defensive force, but I really dislike how it's used by our politicians for their own interests
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One of the reasons I left active duty and now only participate as a traditional reservist. I got sick and tired of being sent to a war nobody in the govt wants to win, and won't let us win. Not worth laying my life or anyone else's life down over, as there's nothing worth either dying over or risking anyone's life over in our current wars. Fight to win, or pull the troops out; regardless of political party.

It became not worth being part of anymore. I did my job, made my contribution, gave them the finger, and left. Of those that were left in the corporation to promote were a few good guys; but they were mostly surpassed in numbers by the screw-up, move-up nimrods.
 
^^ At least it sounds like the state of AZ is willing to support the mission you are now placing your life on the line for. Hopefully sometime in the future, other border states will follow suit.
 
I saw politics openly discussed and debated, and it just didn't make a difference outside of the conversation.

As far as having to cater to a political issue, that really doesn't hit below the flag level (generals and admirals).

There have been a lot of studies of why people serve, fight, and perform heroic actions, and the studies all say the same thing. They are mostly fighting for their buddy or that guy in the uniform that looks like what they are wearing. Politics just never seems to have an affect.
 
We discussed politics among ourselves if of equal rank, but never dissussed politics in the open such as writting a letter to the editor on a political subject. The exception might be where it dealt with military policy, but even then you needed to be careful.
 
From my perspective, unless I've been handed an order that contradicts the UCMJ or moral ethics, it's not worth fretting over. I think most of the people I work with feel the same way. We all have our opinions, but discussing them stays out of the work area. Really, most of us are primarily concerned with "on base or off base" and "what's the per diem", anyway. I'm not hitting any red buttons, though, I'm just a wrench turner.
 
I just do my job to the best of my ability regardless of the political situation which I really can't do much about anyway. Although there are plenty of people in my unit who won't hesitate for a second to offer their opinions on the current administration--maybe that's because we're reservists though and a little more laid back as far as all the "military" stuff goes.
 
germb747 said:
I just do my job to the best of my ability regardless of the political situation which I really can't do much about anyway. Although there are plenty of people in my unit who won't hesitate for a second to offer their opinions on the current administration--maybe that's because we're reservists though and a little more laid back as far as all the "military" stuff goes.
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Reserve unit in the south, most guys with a major airline job.... Sounds like a pretty conservative group.... Instrument check done!
 
Very good insight. I honestly appreciate the responses.

The question wasn't really about discussing politics at work, but more about how you personally deal with serving in the military even if you don't believe in what you're fighting for. I fully understand what you guys mean about focusing on the mission versus on the reasons behind it. That's a good line of thinking.
 
BCTAv8r said:
Very good insight. I honestly appreciate the responses.

The question wasn't really about discussing politics at work, but more about how you personally deal with serving in the military even if you don't believe in what you're fighting for. I fully understand what you guys mean about focusing on the mission versus on the reasons behind it. That's a good line of thinking.
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That's the thing, you're not always going to believe in the politics of an action or with the administration in office. Just do you what you were hired to do, regardless. Bite your tounge and carry on. If you can't then, maybe when your time comes, it's time to move on to another career.
 
bunk22 said:
That's the thing, you're not always going to believe in the politics of an action or with the administration in office. Just do you what you were hired to do, regardless. Bite your tounge and carry on. If you can't then, maybe when your time comes, it's time to move on to another career.
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Agree.

I got to the point where I couldn't stand the rank incompetence of the "leadership" above that were absolute jokes of senior officers. Robin Olds would've been rolling in his grave had he seen some of the assclown REMFs that were permeating the senior leadership ranks, not to mention most of the NCO corps. I've seen USMC E-4s with 100 times more leadership ability than most all USAF E-8s and E-9s. "Fly and fight" were catch words, much like the comical "core values" that leadership would expect but not follow themselves. Combine that with the fact that our wars abroad were becoming more and more of a joke in how we were fighting them without being allowed to truly win along with what the AF specifically found important (reflector belts and sock colors.....in a supposed combat zone) and it was time for me to go. My work was done. I'd made my contribution, I'd done my time, I'd tried to do what was right. But when raising the BS flag became the norm, when it should've been the exception, I couldn't hang around that anymore. So I left. I only do it part-time now, and even that can become too much to handle at times, seeing how the Reserves and Guard have simply become "mini active duty", what with this whole Total Force Initiative stuff.
 
frog_flyer said:
Reserve unit in the south, most guys with a major airline job.... Sounds like a pretty conservative group.... Instrument check done!
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Congrats! Have fun w/ form. It can be a little frustrating for the first few rides, but once it clicks and you "get it", it's fun as hell.
 
I'll preface this by saying I am not military, so take it for what its worth

I think its a fine question you're asking, and you're asking at the right time. i.e. before you go in. Understand if you go in as a pilot, you are looking at anywhere from 10 to 12 years commitment. That's a long time. You could have 4 different administrations in that time (not likely, but you could). It seems to me that, before you join, you need to understand why you're doing it, and also understand that you may be ordered to do something that you never thought you'd have to do. If military service is in your future, you need to reconcile yourself with this possibility before you go in. What's that line from Crimson Tide? You're there to preserve democracy, not to practice it.
 
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