to wonder what's so heroic about being in the British army?

[poppylongstocking]

Both my brother in laws are in the army and spend 6 months at a time away from their wife & kids in a country we are under no direct threat from fighting a war which was started on dubious grounds. They are risking their lives, yes, but I don't see it as heroic, I see it as a bit stupid to be honest. I could understand the label 'hero' if we were under direct threat and having our homes bombed as in WW2, but it's very different nowadays, aibu?

Fin54 So sorry to hear that comment. How awful for your friend.
I named my son Wilfred after Wilfred Owen. He was a true hero. He served in WW1 and chose to go back to the front when he recovered from injury, he was killed the week before Armistice Day and his parents got their telegram with the news on the day the bells rang for peace!

YANBU

YABU
poppy do you also think that police and firefighters can not be heroic? After all they too risk their lives on a daily basis but knew the risks of the job when they signed up.

poppylongstocking, to extend your own logic, the wives/partners of people in the armed forces presumably also knew what they were signing up for?

YABU, by the way.

hear read.

I desperately hope your BIL's are never injured or worse, because by the sound of it you will be no good for your poor sisters in their time of need.

i spent a huge amount of the spring in selly oak seeing my cousin who came back in a coma, couldnt walk, was v near death, tell me he isnt a bloody hero.

i flew to lanzarote with my family to help my aunt and uncle at a huge fundraiser they done for help the heroes, troop aid etc and it was an honour to meet so many soldiers. some were injured, badly, others were there to support them and i was in awe.

you make me want to scream you stupid person.

qUITE A FEW MEN i KNOW JOINE DTHE ARMY AS THERE WAS NOTHING FOR THEM in civvy street[so they saw it] so canon fodder really...whichn we need

EEK to almost incoherent post.Whingy baby on knee!

YABVVVVVVVVVU

and I will use this rather that try to explain (in vain)why your attitude is stupid not them...

'The area in which they are fighting is a hotbed of extremism. It is a breeding ground of discontent against the West and the hatred fuels terrorism.'

there is a strong argument that says that the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with the presence of US/ our troops, have themselves fuelled hatred and terrorism

the thing is, when a lot of young men joined the forces, say, late last century, they could not possibly have seen this sort of conflict looming. And they really have no choice but to go- even if they think it's a crock of shit

YABVU. I spent 6 years in the Army, my husband is a soldier, my brother is currently in Afghanistan. I joined the Army in 1999 when there were really not much going on in the way of operational tours, however in 2004 I deployed to Iraq because that was what I was trained and duty bound to do, I do not think I was in any way heroic I was just doing my job, however the Infantry guys who I was attached to were heroic in every sense. They were out on the front line being mortared shot and bombed on a daily basis some of these were just teenage boys and yes a teenager was killed. All of this for the dizzying salary of just over twenty grand a year for working every day for 6 months.

If men and women were not willing to be away from their families to protect yours we could very well be in the position of the UK being attacked in some form.

Nice to see my baby brother spending xmas in a tent in the desert risking his life is so appreciated.

Yanbu.

But I think you'll get a lot of stick regardless. It's a brave question to ask, especially as obviously some have lost they're lives, and no one wants to think it's for a trumped up war, you'd want to tell yourself it's for something worthwhile. That's not they're fault though, it's the governments.

WW2 soldiers I regard as real heroes. The dubious reasons the war was started upon, cheapens the task the soldiers have to do, and the appreciation of what the armed forces are doing. Not they're fault but most people I know see them as soldiers and not heroes.

Having read and posted on this post, I have to add that I have found it very upsetting that people can think like you (poppylongstocking)I have spent nights (like many other people) unable to sleep/think/function/eat/work because my son is fighting in war torn country's.
Like everyone else you are entitled to your opinion but sometimes it is better to keep it to yourself or maybe you like upsetting others.
Yes I am a very proud mother and yes my son is a hero even if he is only my hero.

There's two types of soldier for me, the career soldier who has wanted to be a soldier since they were a boy and the 'didn't know what else to do' soldier. Both sign up to, amongst other things, defend Britain and in order to do so they are willing to sacrifice their lives. They have no choice how the governement see 'defending Queen and country' but they are loyal and committed to that role nonetheless. Often they are low paid, their living quarters are shameful and when they leave the forces they are bereft and sometimes not fit to work.

Rather than investing time being scornful and sneering at these men and women why don't you stop and think about them.

I wonder what you would call a hero?

I just think that my bil's should be looking after what they have closer to home rather than risking their lives on the other side of the world. They miss out on so much to do with their kids and I know my sisters find it very hard not knowing if they will come back alive or not. They seem so wrapped up in being heros over there that they forget how their job is affecting their wives & children

Our soldiers are doing a job that I wouldn't be capable of doing and it is absolutely tragic when any of them are maimed or worse BUT I can't stand it when people say that dying for your country is an honour etc - it's not - it's a tradgedy and a shit reason to die and leave wives/children/mothers etc behind.

My dh is out there now doing a minimum of 12 hour shift every single day for the 6 months he's there, for no extra pay- just some tax back when (if) he returns. How do you fancy that op?

YANBU (they're not fighting in my name)
but, you have been a bit insensitive IMO.

The dictionary definition of hero includes
a) one who shows great courage
b) a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities

I can understand you questioning what is heroic about signing up to serve in the armed forces; I think many people probably enlisted on the promise of a decent career on a decent salary, and didn't give that much thought, in a stable peacetime (thanks Blair ) to where they may end up being sent to fight.

But they were sent, and they have, it seems gone and done their jobs in searing 50 degree heat, under the constant threat of being killed or horrifically maimed, and watching their colleagues (to whom they are incredibly close) killed or maimed on a daily basis. To me that shows great courage, and is deserving of more admiration than I can put into words. And any woman who marries a man in the armed forces takes that decision (the same as the man does when he signs up); she knows what she is potentially signing up for.

So YABVU, IMO.

thequimreaper that's what I meant to say but I guess it came across wrong

heroic - depends on your definition of hero. But very brave, certainly.

Poppy,

They never forget how their job is affecting their wives and children. but they have to get on with it. most wouldnt choose to be out there, but they are.

and i dont bleive even 1 of them out there is trying to be a hero, they are trying to stay alive and keep their men/mates/comrades alive.