I am an American Soldier

Several days ago, I saw a post from a friend. It was a screen shot of a person who shared their views about the United States military and how we should not be given any respect of any kind.  The person claimed that soldiers deserve no respect, and that all they signed up for was a free education, free insurance, and the chance to travel.  Furthermore, this person(with the source being uncredible because the name was blurred out) that soldiers are not classified as heroes, "pussys" who waste a summer learning to shoot a gun. It also claims that if we want to be useful we should pick up a book and learn to save a life instead of being trained to kill.  Instantly outraged at the fact that this was even shown in my News Feed, I believe it is time I spoke out. Now for those of you who say "everyone is entitled to their own opinion" I will agree with you to a degree. Yes, everyone has an opinion, but sometimes that opinion should be kept to yourself to avoid being backlashed, unless all you want is attention.  You voiced your opinion, and now its time I voice my opinion on behalf of me and not only my brothers in arms, but on behalf of all of the United States military.

When I went through the recruiting process to become part of the Missouri National Guard, my recruiter told me about all of the benefits I would receive for enlisting, including the Montgomery GI bill(still considered one of the greatest programs the United States government has conceived after World War II), tuition assistance for college, and a few other benefits to name a few. Let me rest assure to you that those were not the driving force for why I swore to protect the constitution from all enemies, both foreign and domestic.

I have men in my family who were in the military, my grandfather on my mother's side fought in WWII, my grandfather on my dad's side was a sailor in Vietnam, and my step-dad was a marine who saw combat during the intervention in Grenada, and friends who have served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Kosovo, and other places around the world.  There is proud military history in my blood, and I thank not only them, but all veterans of all conflicts both past and present for the valor they show in taking an oath to defend this great nation of ours, willing ready to die so that freedom is defended from all tyrants who wish to see freedom abolished.

All of my brothers in arms, we go through Basic Training, Boot Camp, whatever you may call it, to learn the skills to survive in a combat enviornment, so that we can survive should we ever see combat. It doesn't matter if we are active duty, reserve, or national guard.  I have friends over in Korea, and a buddy currently deployed in Africa, and I guarantee you the last thing on their minds is all of those awesome benefits that they will receive when they come home.  They worry about home, when they will go back, will they be able to go back? Will their families still be there?

Me and the guys I graduated OSUT with my friends, we became part of the infantry, the backbone of the United States Army.  We sweated 4 1/2 months so that we may one day go and defend freedom.  We did not give up our summer just to learn how to shoot a "big gun".  There was much more involved in what you call giving up our summer.  We had to learn so much more then you think we did, and we had to be in top shape in order to meet the demands of our Drill Sergeants. They didn't drill it into us just because we had to know, but because they have BEEN to combat, they know what it is like to go and fight.  Other members of the military know what combat is like as well.  The Navy, the Air Force, the Marines, the Coast Guard, the Reserves, the National Guard, there are soldiers in every branch who have been there, and they all signed for their own reasons.  But there is one reason that I am willing to bet EVERY soldier, sailor, airman, and marine has:Pride.

Pride in this great nation of ours is what I signed for.  I am willing to jump to active duty after college to become an officer in the United States Army because I want to defend my country.  I want to be able to tell my kids and grand kids down the road that I had the greatest job in the world, being a soldier in the greatest military in the world, defending the greatest country to have ever existed.  How dare you tell us that we are nothing but cold blooded killers who are in it for selfish reasons. I could care less if you don't thank us or if you hate us, but come do the job that many of my brothers around the globe and do their job, to live with hardly anything, to be miles away from home, to have to ruck march many miles on missions, who have to fight tooth and nail just to SURVIVE being killed in action. To those who have fallen, I thank you greatly for the sacrifice you gave so that I may grow up in the United States of America, enlist as a soldier of the United States Army, to be able to train to one day deploy and serve my country honorably.

Before you even THINK about trying to say that we joined for just recognition you are sadly mistaken.  Would YOU give up a summer to become a soldier? Would YOU wear that uniform with great pride?  Would you be willing to go through what many veterans and present day soldiers did for your country.  In reality, I would love to see what you are doing that makes soldiers "deserve no respect".  We will willingly die for freedom, for our country, for our family and friends.  We are soldiers. No, not just soldiers, we are AMERICAN soldiers. We are guardians of freedom and the American way of life.  I ask not for complete respect, but on behalf of all the military, appreciate the support that Americans give us, so that we may continue to fight on and defend this great nation. Don't hate, and if you do, then keep that opinion to yourself.  For the last thing our military needs is for people to tell us we do not deserve any respect because we signed only to"enjoy only free college, insurance and travel."  Much more is required of a soldier and the Soldier's Creed explains who we are as American Soldiers.

I am an American Soldier
I am a warrior and a member of a team
I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values
I will always place the mission first
I will never accept defeat
I will never quit
I will never leave a fallen comrade
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills
I always maintain my arms, my equipment, and myself
I am an expert and a professional
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and DESTROY, the enemies of the United States in close combat
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life
I AM AN AMERICAN SOLDIER.