This tweet reply was serious enough that it deserved it's own thread. Every time someone shouts "You can't criticize them! They're a veteran!" It makes me want to punch them in the mouth. Everyone who EVER served knows a good portion of mil/vet people are utter idiots. https://twitter.com/RossElderWrites/status/1349705592378634241

I was Military Police, an instructor, and ended my career working for JAG. If your goal is to convince me all veterans are above criticism because they somehow earned extra rights by wearing a uniform, I have an entire career that disagrees with you.

I'm also the guy who got talked to by the EONCO because I had to interrupt my class to say, "You're a little bit retarded, aren't you?" I was an old school NCO and honestly had a difficult time adjusting to the "new army" when I came back after 9/11.

I literally bulled through a classroom to get my hands on a private who told a senior NCO "Man, y'all need to chill out, I'll do it when I'm ready."

So, another "talk" this time with schoolhouse leaders.

"You can't threatening to kill the privates, Sergeant."

Or, hearing privates yell and argue with an NCO, I approach out of concern and other NCOs block my path saying, "Now, now, SGT E, they don't need your help. They'll handle it."

Me: But they arent handling it.

Them: Just let them do it their way.

Me: Pussies.

This has just become a confessional for me. Let me get it all out lol.

I witnessed waste, fraud, and abuse (most of us did) on a scale that boggles the mind. Done by our "irreproachable" men and women in uniform. Spousal abuse, rape, child molestation, MURDER, and drug/alcohol addiction to rival any rundown slum.

And I watched military personnel and veterans, get this, CHEER and proclaim the day of the lord, when a president pardoned MURDERERS AND WAR CRIMINALS.

As an MP, a JAG NCO, and an investigator, OF COURSE I READ THE CASE. These people weren't heroes. They weren't "admirable"

I had a weird career. Army, Navy, back to the Army. Active Duty, Reserves, and National Guard. (If career progression is a thing for you, DO NOT DO THIS.)

I met few heroes and no one who was above criticism.

And occasionally you got to see real compassion. Real integrity. Feel real pride that made your chest swell. It wasn't a free meal at fucking Denny's.

Seriously, people who carry a copy of their DD214 so they can scam free meals should be punched in the dick.

We hated it and we loved it at the same time and none of us can adequately explain that. Not that I've seen anyway.

And we buried our friends. Far too many of our friends.

And then we look around at the world and see nothing is better.

May be worse.

But don't criticize us. We have GWOT ribbons.

And yeah, sometimes old school grumpy NCOs sit alone in their garage and lose their shit and shed a lot of tears about a lot of things.

I wasn't perfect either, nor am I above criticism. I probably deserve a LOT of criticism. I failed a lot. We all do.

But I was kind to someone once when everyone around me treated them like the enemy.

I accepted sweet cake offered to me by someone who tried to survive on the equivalent of $12 a month.

The act of friendship gave me dysentery but he never tried to blow me up. There's that.

True story, by the way.