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>I have a lot of experience of soldiers and junior officers competing to get posted into units scheduled to deploy on operations. In the Army there are three t

>I have a lot of experience of soldiers and junior officers competing to get posted into units scheduled to deploy on operations. In the Army there are three types of people: psychopaths, brainwashed patriots, and scared kids. You're describing the first two, and the second one will become the third as soon as bullets start flying.

chrisseaton 9y ago
I just can't relate that to the people I know in the military at all. Most people are skilled professionals who are keen to do the best job they can in what are almost always complex situations.
- aphextron 9y ago
  >I just can't relate that to the people I know in the military at all. Most people are skilled professionals who are keen to do the best job they can in what are almost always complex situations. I imagine you're talking about Navy/Airforce? They tend to be normal intelligent folks for sure. Line units in the Army are a completely different world.
  - chrisseaton 9y ago
    No I'm talking about my experience in line units in the British Army. I think you're working off ancient stereotypes. Modern land warfare is highly technical and extremely mentally and physically demanding. A modern professional army doesn't have any room for psychopaths, brainwashed people, or scared kids. Look at all the effort the military goes into in combating 'brainwashing' - mission command and encouraging people to use as much initiative as possible.
    - aphextron 9y ago
      >No I'm talking about my experience in line units in the British Army. Ah, that makes sense. Let me tell you a thing about the US Army vs. our European counterparts. The Army is essentially a "last ditch" choice for impoverished kids with no other option in terms of jobs or education. The smart ones join the Air Force or Navy, and the dummies get filtered into the Army infantry. I know because I was one of them. I went through basic training with a convicted drug dealer and an attempted murderer. It's technically a "volunteer force", but once you sign up you are bound as a slave by law for the length of your entire enlistment. (Obviously this does not apply to officers) Contrast this with European militaries which are 10x smaller, and thus only accept an elite core of people who are able to make the cut. The result is a completely different culture and force. I have no doubt that the British Army is full of complete professionals, as anyone who wasn't into it would quit or be kicked out or not even make it through selection in the first place. It simply doesn't work that way here.

chrisseaton 9y ago

I just can't relate that to the people I know in the military at all. Most people are skilled professionals who are keen to do the best job they can in what are almost always complex situations.

aphextron 9y ago
>I just can't relate that to the people I know in the military at all. Most people are skilled professionals who are keen to do the best job they can in what are almost always complex situations. I imagine you're talking about Navy/Airforce? They tend to be normal intelligent folks for sure. Line units in the Army are a completely different world.
- chrisseaton 9y ago
  No I'm talking about my experience in line units in the British Army. I think you're working off ancient stereotypes. Modern land warfare is highly technical and extremely mentally and physically demanding. A modern professional army doesn't have any room for psychopaths, brainwashed people, or scared kids. Look at all the effort the military goes into in combating 'brainwashing' - mission command and encouraging people to use as much initiative as possible.
  - aphextron 9y ago
    >No I'm talking about my experience in line units in the British Army. Ah, that makes sense. Let me tell you a thing about the US Army vs. our European counterparts. The Army is essentially a "last ditch" choice for impoverished kids with no other option in terms of jobs or education. The smart ones join the Air Force or Navy, and the dummies get filtered into the Army infantry. I know because I was one of them. I went through basic training with a convicted drug dealer and an attempted murderer. It's technically a "volunteer force", but once you sign up you are bound as a slave by law for the length of your entire enlistment. (Obviously this does not apply to officers) Contrast this with European militaries which are 10x smaller, and thus only accept an elite core of people who are able to make the cut. The result is a completely different culture and force. I have no doubt that the British Army is full of complete professionals, as anyone who wasn't into it would quit or be kicked out or not even make it through selection in the first place. It simply doesn't work that way here.