"Stray Anti-Military Vibes" on College Campuses?

[Marauder06]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...rate-as-thousands-of-veterans-head-to-college

The insult expressed in the Rutgers University class was aimed at the nearly 1 million veterans enrolled at U.S. schools under the GI Bill. And Scott Hakim, barely a year removed from combat, took the slam personally.
“Why should we pay for these guys to go to college?” Hakim said he recalls a female student asking during a discussion on the nation’s responsibility to service members returning from war. “Everybody who goes into the military is stupid – that’s why they joined the military instead of going to college.”

Hakim – a Marine infantryman in Iraq and Afghanistan – immediately vowed to out-study every classmate on the midterm exam and said he ultimately posted the highest mark: 98 out of 100. Later, he said, he overheard that same female student reveal her grade: F. Maybe now she realizes how idiotic her statement was.”

I've been in grad school at a very liberal school on the east coast for the last year and a half, and I've never had a single personal experience like the one cited above. Ever. So either it's not widespread, or the haters here are (wisely) keeping it to themselves. Plus ROTC is back on campus this year, for the first time since Viet Nam. So there is room for the military in the classroom; IMO it's even more important now than ever, since it is statistically more likely that the average American knows someone who works at Wal-Mart than someone who is active-duty military.

 

[RackMaster]

I don't think the average person realizes how technically and intellectually challenging it is to be a modern soldier. We expect the "Best and the Brightest" to lead our countries in every other way but those who chose to lead on the battlefield first, don't get the same opportunity is IDIOTIC. If more of us continued our formal educations during/after service before looking for a new career; we'd have more leaders in the private sector with military backgrounds. Even a private after 1 year has more innate leadership capabilities than a college dipshit 1 year after graduating, living on Mom's couch.

 

[Servimus]

Remarkable how different my college experience was in regards to veterans.

At Florida State we created the FSU Veterans Center that revolved around providing a hub of educational and community assistance for veterans. Veterans were welcomed and celebrated at FSU and in Tally. Never heard any disfavor towards them.

My buddy was attending FSU in 2001 and he enlisted right after the attacks. His grades prior to enlisting were poor. After leaving the Army years later he tried to go back to FSU. The Head Dean approved a grade edit/term drop to eliminate his old shitty GPA and get him a fresh start. Whenever I spoke with vets at FSU, they always told me how awesome it was.

 

[DA SWO]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...rate-as-thousands-of-veterans-head-to-college






I've been in grad school at a very liberal school on the east coast for the last year and a half, and I've never had a single personal experience like the one cited above. Ever. So either it's not widespread, or the haters here are (wisely) keeping it to themselves. Plus ROTC is back on campus this year, for the first time since Viet Nam. So there is room for the military in the classroom; IMO it's even more important now than ever, since it is statistically more likely that the average American knows someone who works at Wal-Mart than someone who is active-duty military.

If true, she was/is just an ignorant witch who needs to find a rich guy to marry as she can't make it on her own.

 

[Ranger Psych]

I had no problems with college other than my own. Counselor literally hand walked me and all my paperwork where I needed to go to get things accomplished, and the teachers were even great about dealing with me being an on-call firefighter...

It probably helped on that last bit that I actually dealt with things when there was an alarm activation at the school. Teacher was confused when the alarm went off and I booked out of the building... then the OH THATS RIGHT look on her face when I came back from the truck in full turnouts and air pack, grabbed an extinguisher from the wall and headed back inside past everyone while talking on the radio to dispatch.

 

[walra107]

I had no problems with college other than my own. Counselor literally hand walked me and all my paperwork where I needed to go to get things accomplished, and the teachers were even great about dealing with me being an on-call firefighter...

It probably helped on that last bit that I actually dealt with things when there was an alarm activation at the school. Teacher was confused when the alarm went off and I booked out of the building... then the OH THATS RIGHT look on her face when I came back from the truck in full turnouts and air pack, grabbed an extinguisher from the wall and headed back inside past everyone while talking on the radio to dispatch.

Gotta love being a firefighter in a college town!
We have 2 Universities that are in our response area within walking distance of eachother, and it never ceases to amaze me the level of ignorance that goes hand in hand with which University you attend. That goes the same for the Veteran/non Vet populace in both of our colleges that we respond to. One University has a very high level of Active/non-Active Veterans, and the response to ignorance related calls is generally low...however the private University down the road which has been outspoken in Anti-Military (not allowing OSO's or Recruitment on site) we generally head up there every night for purely ignorant people doing ignorant things (drunks, pot growing equipment that catches stuff on fire, etc.). It is incredible what real life experiences will do to the common sense portion of the human brain.

 

[goon175]

Are you in Ithaca?

 

[walra107]

Goon175, if you're responding to me, no I am up in Canton NY

 

[goon175]

Ok gotchya. I'm down in the finger lakes region

 

[104TN]

One of the perks of going to college in a military town was that if someone "had" said something stupid if a vet or ROTC cadet didn't squash that sh!t an Army wife or brat would have.

 

[walra107]

Up where I am were roughly an hour or so away from Fort Drum so our State school gets a ton of Military vets, literally less than a mile down the street is St Lawrence university, a very private/preppie/ close minded institution with sheltered lifestyles...it is rediculous.

 

[Brian1/75]

I've seen the notion, but I wouldn't say it's widespread. The idea is that people join the military because they lack education, intelligence or money to get into college. For many, it's inconceivable that someone would want to do such a thing. It doesn't help when certain leftist try to pull out data stating poor minorities are fighting our wars while ignoring data from say heritage.org that's says the opposite because it came from a conservative think-tank. On top of that, you get some douchebag who joined the military as a Satellite Communications Repairman or whatever with a 99 ASVAB and he walks around like he's the most brilliant motherfucker in the military. Some NCO enforces some dumb reg that everybody in the military knows is retarded or has some 11Bang Bang who's only good at pulling triggers and dragging knuckles call him a POG and he gets out all jaded talking shit about all the idiots in the military to his new college buddies. I can't even touch on people calling the GI Bill social welfare. This whole thing is routed in the same belief that pseudo-intellectuals who vote Democrat hold about anybody voting Republican being bigoted idiots.

 

[Marauder06]

I've seen the notion, but I wouldn't say it's widespread. The idea is that people join the military because they lack education, intelligence or money to get into college. For many, it's inconceivable that someone would want to do such a thing. It doesn't help when certain leftist try to pull out data stating poor minorities are fighting our wars while ignoring data from say heritage.org that's says the opposite because it came from a conservative think-tank. On top of that, you get some douchebag who joined the military as a Satellite Communications Repairman or whatever with a 99 ASVAB and he walks around like he's the most brilliant motherfucker in the military. Some NCO enforces some dumb reg that everybody in the military knows is retarded or has some 11Bang Bang who's only good at pulling triggers and dragging knuckles call him a POG and he gets out all jaded talking shit about all the idiots in the military to his new college buddies. I can't even touch on people calling the GI Bill social welfare. This whole thing is routed in the same belief that pseudo-intellectuals who vote Democrat hold about anybody voting Republican being bigoted idiots.

That's exactly right. Some may remember some time ago when I posted a link to an op-ed that appeared in a college newspaper, bewailing the fact that the military was not joining up with the Occupy movement en masse let me see if I can find that article, it's worth the read.

The other thing I thought of when I read Brian's post was about that "Shit people say to vets" skit, there's a part in when one of the actors says, "I would have joined the Army... but you know, I got in to college." There is still that kind of perception out there. That's why I think it's really important to get vets and active duty into elite institutions across the country, either as students, faculty, or fellows. The burden of military service is borne by so few Americans these days, we're running a real risk of alienating the the two groups.

 

[goon175]

I was at a high school table set up the other other day. I had a senior in high school come up and ask a few questions. I asked him if he was considering the military after high school, and his reply was that if he didn't get accepted into college, then he would be giving me a call. I told him that the Army is no longer a last result, and I don't want guys who think that it is. He about shit his pants.

 

[walra107]

I forget who spoke about this topic, and forgive me for forgetting but it just slips my mind right now. However the topic was along the lines of one of the big fears of allowing recruitment on campuses will "militarize" college campuses. When in theory, by recruiting and making a presence on Universities will subsequently "liberalize" the modern military in time. The more you attract graduating students into the military the higher the pool will be for liberal thinking in all echelon's of rank. I believe this to be true, but fear closes minds...IMO

 

[8654Maine]

My experience is a little different than the OP article.

Went to Cornell after the Corps. Worked out with them for PT. Great group.

Also went to a few other Ivies, and for the most part, my veteran status was no issue.

Only witnessed minor idiocy, prob no more than than the opposite in the services.

By that, the view that a degree means that one has no street creds.

A leader masters the scalpel as well as the bludgeon. Rant off.

 

[Rampart]

That's exactly right. Some may remember some time ago when I posted a link to an op-ed that appeared in a college newspaper, bewailing the fact that the military was not joining up with the Occupy movement en masse let me see if I can find that article, it's worth the read.

The other thing I thought of when I read Brian's post was about that "Shit people say to vets" skit, there's a part in when one of the actors says, "I would have joined the Army... but you know, I got in to college." There is still that kind of perception out there. That's why I think it's really important to get vets and active duty into elite institutions across the country, either as students, faculty, or fellows. The burden of military service is borne by so few Americans these days, we're running a real risk of alienating the the two groups.

Not just an American issue.....

 

[Rampart]

I don't think the average person realizes how technically and intellectually challenging it is to be a modern soldier. We expect the "Best and the Brightest" to lead our countries in every other way but those who chose to lead on the battlefield first, don't get the same opportunity is IDIOTIC. If more of us continued our formal educations during/after service before looking for a new career; we'd have more leaders in the private sector with military backgrounds. Even a private after 1 year has more innate leadership capabilities than a college dipshit 1 year after graduating, living on Mom's couch.

The difference is real world problems with actual consequences for the soldier versus theory and a risk free retry for the academic......

 

[Rampart]

I suspect there is a certain amount of either fear or closet envy amongst academics when faced with proficient and accomplished service men who have actuall faced mortal combat and proven themselves in the ultimate test. One that no amount of study can ever match and they know it. Just my$0.02.....

 

[Marauder06]

I suspect there is a certain amount of either fear or closet envy amongst academics when faced with proficient and accomplished service men who have actuall faced mortal combat and proven themselves in the ultimate test. One that no amount of study can ever match and they know it. Just my$0.02.....

One of my professors here said something almost exactly like that to me, and he was talking about himself. It manifests itself in different ways; some keep it to themselves, some (like the professor I just mentioned) do what they can to help out the military, and some clowns like Jim Sleeper and Stephen Walt get all passive-aggressivey (yes I said "aggressivey") and lash out.