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I pledge . . . .

Mos

Well-Known Member
None
What’s the purpose of a draft if you can’t be drafted to fight in a foreign war?
The point is defense of the homeland. Foreign wars, and specifically interventions, are not necessary to defend the U.S.; we occupy the most defensible piece of land in the world and the industrial capacity to equip a defensive force and maintain power projection capabilities. It can be argued that fighting a distance from our borders like we've been doing trades space for defense, but I think the aim has largely been to maintain order for other countries in the wider world. The U.S. has grown accustomed to and benefited from that order, but doesn't need it to exist as a country or defend itself, and the cost has been American lives, money and, at times, prestige. We're already on a slow trajectory of decreasing our role as the global hegemon, and I'm okay with that.
The draft is already nonexistent. We've fought the last ~40 yrs (since Grenada) with an all-volunteer military. We need to be able to draft people for wherever the conflict might require us to operate.
I'm well aware that the draft hasn't been used much. We were discussing the selective service and obviously entertaining hypotheticals. If we get into a defensive war and the best strategy includes OCONUS offensives, then sure, do what we need to do. But sending conscripts overseas to fight Vietnams and Koreas doesn't seem worth it.
If a future war were to be fought 100% in CONUS, and adults living here aren't already volunteering to defend the nation, and/or undermining the invasion in their own meaningful way (e.g. French resistance, 1940-45), then we've already lost our way of life and the Selective Service System ain't gonna save us.
I agree that it's desirable and probably likely that many and perhaps most Americans volunteer to counter an existential threat, but it's pragmatic to have a measure in place that ensures enough people do.
 

picklesuit

Dirty Hinge
pilot
Contributor
I already made the only pledge I’ll be reciting in the Navy, same one I’ll repeat if I am lucky enough to make the next rank.
I figured the words of the Sailor’s Creed are sufficient for any other catch-all...
“I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all.”
Yup, that’s good enough for me.
 

Python

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I already made the only pledge I’ll be reciting in the Navy, same one I’ll repeat if I am lucky enough to make the next rank.
I figured the words of the Sailor’s Creed are sufficient for any other catch-all...
“I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all.”
Yup, that’s good enough for me.

IMO, this is the most perfect take on the topic.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I disagree with this. GULITY individuals needed to be held to account. No need for heads to roll beyond that. That the NIS and big Navy did not have the time, talent, resources and leadership to deal with it the way any LE agency might does not justify how it was handled. Using the Navy's approach to Tailhook would have the FBI rolling up every black person in a community after a BLM protest went sideways.
You poor creature. The 20 seconds you spent signing that piece of paper must have seemed like an eternity. I can't begin to imagine the scars that experience left on your psyche. I'm not going to defend the manner in which the Navy handled the fallout from Tailhook, but I'm flabbergasted at the personal and professional fragility on display here.
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Who did you use for the coasters and how did they come out? Pics?
My Patch Monkey https://mypatchmonkey.com/ Heads up, there is also a Patch Monkey. Not the same. They do great work. Even got a hand written note from the owner thanking me for the business and commenting on the collection of Naval Aviation and LE patches I had done. I photographed the coasters I did because they were fairly ratty and you can see how they came out. They are mounted on nearly a quarter inch of black hard rubber type material, beveled, and a fuzzy Velcro loop like material on the bottom. My only complaint is that I'd prefer they not stand quite so tall. But it is clear they are well preserved, and functional if you wish.
2993029932
 

taxi1

Well-Known Member
pilot
My Patch Monkey https://mypatchmonkey.com/ Heads up, there is also a Patch Monkey. Not the same. They do great work. Even got a hand written note from the owner thanking me for the business and commenting on the collection of Naval Aviation and LE patches I had done. I photographed the coasters I did because they were fairly ratty and you can see how they came out. They are mounted on nearly a quarter inch of black hard rubber type material, beveled, and a fuzzy Velcro loop like material on the bottom. My only complaint is that I'd prefer they not stand quite so tall. But it is clear they are well preserved, and functional if you wish.
View attachment 29930View attachment 29932
I was thinking about embedding them in bar epoxy to make coasters.
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I'm not going to defend the manner in which the Navy handled the fallout from Tailhook...
Excellent. As to my reaction, I said it was the absolute lowest point, I didn't say I cried in my beer or developed PTSD. The insult and disappointment that I felt was hardly due to an investment in time to sign my name, but the trust and honor that was violated. I'll add, there are all sorts of indignities, disappointments, attacks, injustices, and insults that take mere moments. It isn't about the time or effort required. I dare say, the pledge at the heart of this thread was apparently born out of complaints by sailors who felt insulted and belittled by comments that took seconds to speak.
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I was thinking about embedding them in bar epoxy to make coasters.
A very good look. But the problem with any non absorbent coaster is that a sweating drink just pools water on the coaster which eventually runs off. These patches soak up the condensation running off the drink.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Excellent. As to my reaction, I said it was the absolute lowest point, I didn't say I cried in my beer or developed PTSD. The insult and disappointment that I felt was hardly due to an investment in time to sign my name, but the trust and honor that was violated. I'll add, there are all sorts of indignities, disappointments, attacks, injustices, and insults that take mere moments. It isn't about the time or effort required. I dare say, the pledge at the heart of this thread was apparently born out of complaints by sailors who felt insulted and belittled by comments that took seconds to speak.
I can only guess at what people's state of mind might have been at the time, but I suspect that most people didn't give it a second thought in the moment. "What's that? Sign a piece of paper that says I wasn't at Hook when I wasn't there? Sure, no problem. What are they serving at rats? I'm hungry." I also suspect that the negative emotions people have created about the whole thing came after much ruminating and listening to people like Rush Limbaugh tell you about how Pat Schroeder was your omnipotent oppressor and that you should all feel sorry for yourselves.

Since some posters in this thread are wielding the term "triggered" as a way of dismissing other people's hurt feelings, I'm left wondering why any of us should care about a largely manufactured affront to the collective reputation of Tailhook aviation so that those same people can pretend to be martyrs.
 

Hair Warrior

Well-Known Member
Contributor
My Patch Monkey https://mypatchmonkey.com/ Heads up, there is also a Patch Monkey. Not the same. They do great work. Even got a hand written note from the owner thanking me for the business and commenting on the collection of Naval Aviation and LE patches I had done. I photographed the coasters I did because they were fairly ratty and you can see how they came out. They are mounted on nearly a quarter inch of black hard rubber type material, beveled, and a fuzzy Velcro loop like material on the bottom. My only complaint is that I'd prefer they not stand quite so tall. But it is clear they are well preserved, and functional if you wish.
View attachment 29930View attachment 29932
But how do you make sure the gnome doesn’t drink all the monkey gin each night while you sleep?
 
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