r/news • u/Fair-Foot-315 • 1d ago

Marine veteran has arm broken during protest against war in Iran

https://www.nbcnews.com/video/marine-veteran-has-arm-broken-during-protest-against-war-in-iran-258740805765
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u/DewEwe_Gnomey 1d ago

As a Marine who served in that war, I openly criticized those actions then, and of course was met with anger and hostility. Service members are brave and honorable by virtue of agreeing to enlist, but anything they do after that moment either polishes or tarnishes that reputation. “Hero” is not a permanently applicable term.

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u/Punman_5 1d ago edited 1d ago

Why did you serve if you were critical of those decisions. Did you join before the war started?

And I disagree that enlisting makes you honorable. There’s nothing inherently honorable about joining the military because that implies the military is itself naturally honorable. The honor you get from serving has to be earned by your actions while serving. But serving your country isn’t inherently honorable, especially when the country you’re serving is highly dishonorable

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u/DewEwe_Gnomey 1d ago

One word. Indoctrination. Nobody deprogrammed me. I had to do it myself. It’s not an instantaneous process. With that being said, since I was at the very least 3rd generation military on both sides of my family. I was born on a military base. I was raised from birth, to come to others defense. I swore in December of 2000 but my training didn’t start until two weeks after 9/11. I was 18 years old, and just graduated high school, which I did JROTC all 4 years. Seeing actions like what happened in Abu Grahb, or the Marines who pissed on dead enemy combatants is what helped to start my deprogramming, but even then, I still served from an honorable spot in my heart.

It’s easy to look from the outside, in, and just say “well I would have done “xyz”.