Military Nurses: What do you think of Bush and the war?

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Specializes in ER/Trauma/Critical Care.

I have been considering joining the Air Force after I graduate with my BSN this December. My step dad was in the AF and I have learned a lot about it over the years; I believe it is a great path to take in terms of nursing because of the opportunities available for travel, promotion, leadership, etc. plus more respect from doctors.

The only thing holding me back in my mind is that I am so opposed to what we are doing in iraq right now. I strongly disagree with a lot of President bush's decisions, and I am afraid this makes me the wrong type of person for the military. I love my country and have always been politically active/opinionated. But I have very little respect for our current administration.

Are you looked down upon in the military if you disagree with the president or oppose the war? I know this might seem like a dumb thing to ask, but i am the kind of person who wants to live my life in an honest way, and if I joined the AF I could not pretend to support this war when I don't. I support the men and women of the military, not the war. :nurse:

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

[/url] Well, I am VERY anti-BUSH 36_1_29.gif !!! My sister is in the air force and has been for about 14 years now.I fell that most people in the military are supportive of our current administration (keep in mind this is just MY opinion) but I am sure that there are those too that are opposed to the war. It makes for some interesting arguments at my parents house!! I am the one and only Democrat in my family!!

The military has served my sister and her family very well though. I wouldn't go as far as to say that you would get more respect from Docs though, my sister is also in the medical field and there are arrogant and ignorant Docs in the service just as there are in civilian life!!

Good luck with whatever you choose!!

And thank goodness Bush can't run for office again!!21_1_1.gif

sig.jsp?pc=ZSzeb063&pp=ZNxmk762DFUS

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Specializes in Combat Support Hospital; Geriatrics.

I support Bush.

Screw these terrorists!

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

I am also very much opposed to the war and Bush's bully tactics. BUT I support all the women and men in our armed forces, as many others do. This is my private opinion. As a member of the Army Nurse Corps, I go where I am sent, and I keep my opinions to myself. I am there to do a job, to the best of my ability.

Be well and good luck in whatever you do and decide.

athena

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I am also very much opposed to the war and Bush's bully tactics. BUT I support all the women and men in our armed forces, as many others do.

:bow: :bow: :loveya: :yelclap: :yelclap:

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
...The military has served my sister and her family very well though. I wouldn't go as far as to say that you would get more respect from Docs though, my sister is also in the medical field and there are arrogant and ignorant Docs in the service just as there are in civilian life!!

luvmy2angels- Agreed, arrogant/ignorant MDs exist in both the civilian & military sector. However, it has been my experience less such arrogant/ignorant MDs exist in the military. Besides, the MDs & RNs are all officers, and an RN can be a senior ranking officer over an MD. All & all, I'd definitely say more respect is received by military RNs vs. civilian RNs.

My wife & I have heated & short lived political discussions regards to my Commander-in-Chief, the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States of America. Obviously, she is a Democrat, and I, a Republican. I have been more of a Republican [never vote straight across the board Republican] since I voted for one of the best Presidents in US history, the Honorable Ronald Reagan, may he rest in peace.

baby-gurl0604 - You posted, "I support the men and women of the military, not the war." I support my Commander-in-Chief & our Troops 100% OCONUS, CONUS, and in my backyard. FYI, it is not my place, as an American Soldier, to discuss publically my political views on any subject matter in detail regards to the current administration. I will say I have a lot of respect for those in high political office. I realize some of those individuals are arrogant/ignorant, too, and are far more interested in personal gains, than what is best for the United States of America, both domestic, as well as abroad. This is not a perfect world, nor or wars perfect. My military brothers & sisters at arms die d/t friendly fire [i hate that phrase], lack of supplies, and questionable missions. However, as an American Soldier I must support the honorable intentions of our war efforts in Iraq, as well as our Global War on Terrorist. Do we wait until Terrorist strike again on our home soil? I think NOT!

Think long & hard before submitting your paperwork for direct commission into the AF Nurse Corps. I question whether, or not your military material [no disrespect intended]. I'd advise further discussions with your step-dad. BTW, I thank him for his military service.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
I am also very much opposed to the war and Bush's bully tactics. BUT I support all the women and men in our armed forces, as many others do. This is my private opinion.

As a member of the Army Nurse Corps, I go where I am sent, and I keep my opinions to myself. I am there to do a job, to the best of my ability.

Be well and good luck in whatever you do and decide.

athena

IMHO, a very honest, reasonable, and appropriate answer from a fellow member of the Army Nurse Corps. BTW, I sure like this quote by Mr. Dick Cheny in your Sig; "It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you." Sounds like maybe you too, support the Global War on Terror[ist]?

HOOAH!

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

[quote=luvmy2angels My sister is in the air force and has been for about 14 years now.I fell that most people in the military are supportive of our current administration (keep in mind this is just MY opinion) but I am sure that there are those too that are opposed to the war.

The military has served my sister and her family very well though.

Good luck with whatever you choose!!

And thank goodness Bush can't run for office again!

And a big AMEN to that!!!

My younger daughter is a soldier in the U.S. Army (who was just promoted to the rank of Specialist, way ahead of schedule!! ) and she joined in 2003 in spite of her disagreement with the war in Iraq. She learned early on that it's possible to thrive in the military despite this obvious handicap: you simply have to keep your opinions to yourself, or, as she puts it, "It's better just to have NO opinions at all". In other words, she's become a political agnostic:chuckle

I, too, wish you luck with your decision. Personally, if I were of military age, I wouldn't join, simply because I've been dead-set against this war since it was first proposed (I felt Bush should've devoted our energies to capturing Osama bin Laden and his henchmen, the people who brought us 9/11). And it's hard on me having a daughter who could conceivably end up as cannon fodder, in a war that makes no sense to me, and be sacrificed in the service of a president I despise. We've already lost a close family friend (her ex-BF, in fact) to this misadventure; it would be the ultimate irony to send a child to her death for a cause I don't believe in.:angryfire

But my daughter's reasons for serving are her own, and I know it's not up to me anyway.........although I was the one who signed the papers allowing her to join under the delayed-entry program when she was only 17, knowing full well that she could end up in the war zone. It wasn't about me, it was about her and what she wanted from life and how to reach the goals she had set for herself, and she believed joining the service was the best way to get her start in life. Obviously, from her early successes in boot camp (she was 1st in her platoon in both physical fitness and marksmanship) and her quick promotions, it was the right choice for her........it could be the right choice for you too.

My best wishes and prayers go out to you.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
And a big AMEN to that!!!

My younger daughter is a Soldier in the U.S. Army (who was just promoted to the rank of Specialist, way ahead of schedule!! ) and she joined in 2003 in spite of her disagreement with the war in Iraq. She learned early on that it's possible to thrive in the military despite this obvious handicap: you simply have to keep your opinions to yourself, or, as she puts it, "It's better just to have NO opinions at all". In other words, she's became a political agnostic:chuckle

I, too, wish you luck with your decision. Personally, if I were of military age, I wouldn't join, simply because I've been dead-set against this war since it was first proposed (I felt Bush should've devoted our energies to capturing Osama bin Laden and his henchmen, the people who brought us 9/11). And it's hard on me having a daughter who could conceivably end up as cannon fodder, in a war that makes no sense to me, and be sacrificed in the service of a president I despise. We've already lost a close family friend (her ex-BF, in fact) to this misadventure; it would be the ultimate irony to send a child to her death for a cause I don't believe in.:angryfire

But my daughter's reasons for serving are her own, and I know it's not up to me anyway.........although I was the one who signed the papers allowing her to join under the delayed-entry program when she was only 17, knowing full well that she could end up in the war zone. It wasn't about me, it was about her and what she wanted from life and how to reach the goals she had set for herself, and she believed joining the service was the best way to get her start in life. Obviously, from her early successes in boot camp (she was 1st in her platoon in both physical fitness and marksmanship) and her quick promotions, it was the right choice for her........it could be the right choice for you, too.

My best wishes and prayers go out to you.

mjlrn97 - LOL, we can get you an age waiver since your only one year past the age criteria limit of 46 yrs old to enter the Army Nurse Corps. ;)

Seriously, isn't this a great country, the USA! American citizens, not active duty military, have the freedom of speech, which includes public disagreement with the decisions made by the US government. I like your comments on your daughter's [an Army Specialist... CONGRATS!] viewpoint on the war in Iraq... she is a political agnostic. In otherwords, she has no public politcal viewpoint as a US Soldier regards to the war in Iraq.

I know your very proud of your daughter, and rightfully so. I, too, signed the papers allowing my son at the age of 17 to enter the Army. He went to Army BCT at Ft Sill the summer before his senior year in high school. BTW, he was an honor graduate at BCT. He thought it was kind of funny that he was an expert grenade thrower, and slotted to become a 91D, OR Tech in the USAR. Anyway, after 4 yrs in USAR he was accepted into the University of Houston Army ROTC program. He is a Pre-Med student.

Anyway, if baby_gurl0604 can adopt the political agonist military ideology, then she has my encouragement to see an Army Health Care Recruiter.

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Specializes in mostly in the basement.

Being opposed to this poorly justified and thought out war and in opposition to the current regime in no way makes one "questionable" military material.

A good officer who can do his/her job to the best of their ability and not engage in divisive politics on duty is most certainly military material.

In fact, more credit should be given to someone willing to make the sacrifices necessary to join the military at this point in time when they are fully aware of the ramifications of a policy they are choosing to follow while knowing they disagree with much of it.

That is the definition of a true professional and someone you should be proud to serve with.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
Being opposed to this poorly justified and thought out war and in opposition to the current regime in no way makes one "questionable" military material.

A good officer who can do his/her job to the best of their ability and not engage in divisive politics on duty is most certainly military material.

In fact, more credit should be given to someone willing to make the sacrifices necessary to join the military at this point in time when they are fully aware of the ramifications of a policy they are choosing to follow while knowing they disagree with much of it.

That is the definition of a true professional and someone you should be proud to serve with.

Me thinks your reply is in reference to my post #6 [9:52 AM], yet I wonder if you read my post #9 [1:35 PM]?

BTW, you must have missed where I posted members of the US Armed Forces are not allowed to discuss publically political viewpoints on any subject matter in detail regards to the current administration. In otherwords, I agree with you that a good officer will not engage in any political activity while on duty, or off duty.

I'm very proud to serve with all my US Armed Forces brothers & sisters, no matter there private opinions on US Foreign Policy... as long as such opinions are not against the safety of our nation. For which, I've seen no such detrimental opinions on this thread to this point.

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Am a Navy Nurse Corps veteran of Vietnam vintage. My recollection is that we were very limited by the uniform in terms of how political we could be. For instance, with the blue officer's sticker on the front bumper of my car, I was asked to remove the campaign sticker from the rear bumper.

So, what you have is this. The very people that are defending (at real risk to their lives) our freedom of robust political speech, are voluntarily surrendering some of their freedom of expression.

I was in NYC on October 7th, 2001. I flew into La Guardia directly over the smoldering heap that had 30 days earlier been the WTC. Every cab I got into, the driver had a personal story. One of them had been a chaffeur for one of the big brokerage firms. He wept as he told me about friends who'd died, just because they went to work one gorgeous morning in September.

Know what else happened on Oct. 7th??? We began hostilities against the Taliban. People all through the hotel were dancing when they heard the news.

God bless and keep George Bush and any other American President with the balls to ruthlessly pursue radical Islam wherever it can be found. No questions asked. No excuses accepted.

USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

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