Fighting for your country...Would you do it if you were in the Army but did'nt believe the reasons were right?

Susan K

Only if I wanted to be court martialled.

Jadis

Too bad. No one forces you into the armed services and you can't pick and choose once you get there.

There are a few issues at my job that I don't support, but I do them anyway - I have an obligation to fulfill my duties.

Joe Schmoe

The only order you can refuse without legal consequences is an order that is not lawful. One must way the value and consequences of both choices. If you would rather sit in a brig than support a cause that is contrary to your belief, then sit in the brig. Just don't wine about the results of your choices. American military men and women all volunteer, at least currently. They sign a contract. Breeching that contract has consequences.

Don't want to do what you're told? Don't join the military.

Team Chief

Are you in the Army? Are you in ANY of the armed forces?

No? Then it's clear that you have NO idea what you're talking about. If you did, you'd know that members of the Armed Forces do NOT have the right to refuse orders to fight.

Q-burt

I stand by my Country regardless.

Numb

Uhh, dude- let me fill you in on a little secret- shhhh don't tell anyone about this, it'll be our little secret: WHEN YOU JOIN THE ARMED FORCES YOU HAVE NO CHOICE ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WOULD "LIKE" TO FIGHT WHEN THE ORDER IS GIVEN. 'Nuff said.....

Von Stauffenberg

Well as an ex-British serviceman, with medals and wounds to prove it, I find the vast majority of answers absolute and total rubbish.
Did you know that you can be a conscientious objector and still serve in the army?
Check it out.
Load of drivel by a load of people, whom most, I assume may still be in school?

babyshambles

You should be able to be a conciencious objector, but unfortunatly it isnt what they want and what if the whole force objected. I think I would avoid anyjob that might compromise my principles. In my job I have done things that upset me, I have sectioned people and then injected them forcibly but I always feel bad, there is no way round it thoough its psychiatric nursing and I am there.

SAR13

Our's is not to reason why, our's is to do or die. Army motto, the best army in the world barring non.

If you want peace prepare for war.

cry havoc and unleash the dogs of war.

Philip L

Your are bound to follow your conscience. However, if the war is constituional you are required by you oath to obey the lawful orders of your officers and commnader in chief. So you can but will be lawfully punished for failure to follow a lawful order, AWOL or desertion.

Fred c

Yes without doubt I swore an oath to fight for queen and country and that is what I did, mine was not to reason why a good soldier beleives his countries enemies are his enemies and should be willing to fight otherwise he has just joined to play mr big in the uniform

airbob61@verizon.net

A member of the armed forces takes an oath where he swears to uphold the constitution of the U.S., to defend against enemies of the U.S. and obey all orders of the Commander in Chief and those of his/hers superiors. There is no room to question or pick and choose the orders that one will follow.

Bossie

It's a job, and it pays the bills. Some guys make a fortune without firing their weapon once. It's not up to them anyway to judge what is right or wrong.

hisemiester

From an old AF man. You give up all your rights to dissension when you sign the enlistment papers. An military cannot operate with people who can legally opt out.

Jan

First of all when you enter into the military you take an oath to fight to protect the freedom of the United States of America. In all jobs there are things that we do that we don't always agree with but we do them because it is a part of our job or we find another job. My advice to you is if you don't believe in saving the lives of others you don't belong in the military. I am not saying war is right but it is unpreventable. There will always be wars in the third world countries. If you don't want to fight along side of my son and watch his back while he watches yours the military is not for you

rowdy

Well, if you were being told to do something illegal, then you wouldn't have to do it anyway. There is no such crime in the army as "failing to obey an UNlawful command."

But if it was just that YOU thought it was wrong and you didn't do it, then that'd be desertion - the worst crime there is, both legally and morally.

Bottom line: the Army can't be made to do something that's clearly wrong (yes I know about Iraq), and therefore never is, so, yes I probably would.

Marv

yeah if im in the army i'd do what im told, i'd happily kill the enemy.

Ozi

Every man has a right to satnd up for what thay believe in.

CLIVE C

UK Armed forces , you`ve taken the Queen`s shiling. So there`s no excuse. Fight or being branded a coward, I take the 1st one, + I`m proud to that for my country + most of all for my mates.

don't stop the music â™ª

No - I'd never join the army, ever. I cannot agree with war - I am from Iraq myself and I would never wish anyone to go through what the Iraqis have gone through and many other people from other war-torn countries. If I were to join the army and fight in a war, then I would be a hypocrite. War is not noble. Killing people is not noble.

Silent tear

Surely not ..sometime we find ourselves living under oppression and we have to fight ..and you dont choose ..it happens that you were born in that place and you have to struggle for the slightest detial in your dailly life so you wouldlive ... you will be fighting every second so you would make it to the end of the day and when you put your head on the pillow "or underneath it so you wont be hearing bombarding " you would say to your self ..tomorrow is another day ..and then it becomes clear you th that you are soldier who is defending his race or his country to stay alive ..but a soldier not in an army ..by living under segregation for 10 years and under occupation for 30 years "
my age" makes me soldier who is defending my daily routine ,,i fought to go to school and work and i risk my life for "maybe" better fuure ..so i am a soldier and i inherited that from my history .. a soldier in a very special way

nosdda

If you are in the Army on Active Service, you do not question the reasons why. You obey orders or face arrest and Court Martial for disobedience on Active Service. The Army will not tolerate anything that is detremental to good order and discipline. It carries a heavy sentence. There is no community service in the Army.

britchick

When you signed up you sign to to take orders whether your beliefs were in line with them or not.
Every soldier , sailor and airman, agrees to carry out orders to defend the country if you refuse you will go to prison in the end, though there are many positives to being in the forces , and we have a lot to be thankful for , for them,i would do so because i signed a contract to say i would go to war......any war i was told to pursue that line of action for what is beleived to be the greater good.
however , the long and the short of it is, a soldier signs to go to war and obey orders from their commanding officers, if they refuse its a punishable offense and you are made fully aware of this before you sign on the dotted line

LARRY J7

The agreement on oath when you join the military
gives up your rights to free choice and decision
and it is in writing and then double sealed by a verbal oath
All wars foreign and domestic that you are called on to deal with
And, as a matter of fact-- within this agreement you actually lose
a great deal of your Constitutional rights as an American citizen as well !!
So, Yes, if you are in the military---you serve at the pleasure of your commanders--- and it is on THEM as to what they utilize their position and policies for and in what manner they use YOU

The military-- once you are IN is not a democratic institution and it comes down to --- you either do as you are told---or -- you are in serious violation of your legal agreements to serve without question !! And, they can tack your royal rump to the garden gate in so many ways that kangaroo court would look like a meeting of the founding fathers !!!!

Nicki

Do you mean if you join the army but didn't believe the reasons that for example where they was sending you was right like fighting in Iraq. If you join the army , you have to go wherever they send you, not matter if you agree that they should be going into that country or not. You can't refuse to fight or go where they are assigning you. You will be at their disposal and you have no say so about where you go, if you refuse to follow their orders, then you will be lock you up and you'll face a military court. If your not in the service at this time, if I was in your shoes I'd find me a job that I could stay or quit. Once you signed those papers and pass the physical you become their property. You go wherever they tell you if it's Iran , you have to go, they own you.

gareth w

i fight for my mates not the goverment .
Yes i do have doubts about reasons for going to war with Iraq.

The Fat Controller

yes because i would have taken an oath to obey those in command of me

Pinkflower

Well if I was in the Army then yes, you have no choice on that really. That's what people join the army to do is go to war to protect their country, no matter what. Its a harsh world out there but I dont believe in the war but think I would do it if I was in the army. The army would frown upon you if you did. Plus the hassle you would get from friends and things like that. Army people stick together and fight together no matter what as that is what they have done training for and joined up for.
I think they are great people trying to protect the country and things like that.
But bring our troops back.

quasar

yes owt for a good scrap,

Martin14th

There is no such thing as there not being a right reason to fight for your country if you are in the forces

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