A Real Job
 

:e: A Real Job

You know, some people still don't understand why military personnel do what they do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's explanation of why men and women in the Armed Services do what they do for a living. This a typical, though sad, example of what those who have never served think of the Military.

Senator Metzenbaum to Senator Glenn: "How can you run for the Senate when you've never held a "real job?"

Senator Glenn: "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by antiaircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program. It wasn't my checkbook; it was my Life on the line. It was not a nine to five job where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank."

"I ask you to go with me as I went the other day to a Veterans Hospital and look at those men with their mangled bodies in the eye and tell them they didn't hold a job. You go with me to the space program and go as I have gone to the widows and orphans of Ed White and Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their dad didn't hold a job. You go with me on Memorial Day coming up and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends than I'd like to remember and you watch those waving flags."

"You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell me that those people didn't have a job. I'll tell you, Howard Metzenbaum, you should be on your knees every day of your life thanking God that there were some men - SOME MEN - who held a job. And they required a dedication to purpose and a love of country and a dedication to duty that was more important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is what made this country possible.

"I HAVE HELD A JOB, HOWARD! What about you?"

For those who don't remember - During W.W.II. Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney representing the Communist Party USA.

PS Also posted over at Veterans Appreciation Forum

BlueHawk,

Great post. It's issues like these that cause the military to step back and look at those who are in the position of government. They are draft dogers or they've been hand carried their entire lives by others.

John Glenn is a American Hero who deserves more respect than what he was given. He like so many other's who've dedicated their lives to government services are left wondering - why should I put up with this?

The military is the best educational program on the earth. You learn basic fundamentals, you get physical training, you get additional training on state-of-the-art equipment. These kids put their lives on the line everyday in peace or at war!

Many of these fat cat's (as I like to call them) were protected by their families money and their famlies power (ill gotten in some cases) and they (their kids) were kept from the military so they could shine as our govenment officials. It makes me sick.

The system needs more military experienced personnel only because they know the big picture. I don't want a military run government but I want someone in office who - when issues become one of National Security - know how to take the approrpriate action and know what the cost will be.

Let me say this again I don't want a military state run society but I want those in office to know that insults such as these are not going to be tolerated by ingrates like this Metzenbaum.