Combating Negative Military Stereotypes
When I joined the military way back in 1988, it was fun, and everybody enjoyed their job. There was so much pride in wearing our uniform and defending our country.
Now it seems that for many people, the military is just a job, and they really don’t care about what they do because it’s just a paycheck.
It’s a shame people don’t have more pride in what they do. Personally, because of how much pride I have always had in being a sailor or soldier, I would sleep in my uniform if I could, and I always wanted to wear my uniform in public.
I have visited schools as a recruiter talking to kids and young adults who never had anything negative to say about the military. Now there is so much negativity within and surrounding the military.
Why All the Negativity?
There’s no doubt that being in the military today is very difficult due to the ongoing fight against terrorism. Deployments occur more often and take the service member away their family.
Serving in the armed forces brings so many personal sacrifices and professional challenges, but that doesn’t mean that servicemembers are bad people or are unstable enough to lead a prosperous life.
Because of these sacrifices and challenges, many people outside of the military seem to believe that all servicemembers suffer from PTSD and are on the brink of committing suicide or hurting others.
It is true that many servicemembers find it difficult to reintegrate back into civilian life. But that’s true for a lot of other people as well.
Take, for example, a teacher who goes back to teaching after being a stay-at-home parent. That kind of change won’t be easy, and it will take some getting used to. But the media never talks about that kind of thing.
I think a lot of the negativity regarding members of the military comes from the fact that those who have served in the armed forces are placed in highly stressful situations that most civilians will never be able to understand.
The Truth about Veterans
Even though it’s a reality that veterans face a lot of difficulties, it doesn’t mean that these negative stereotypes are true.
The truth is that not all veterans are standing on street corners asking for handouts, nor are they sitting in a hospital making up injuries and trying to live off the government. In fact, very few veterans are acting like people owe them something for serving in combat or overseas.
If you look around, most veterans and servicemembers are some of the most generous and helpful people you will find. They will give a stranger their last penny or the shirt off their back.
Often they are the first to jump in and help others. Whether someone needs help changing a flat tire or there’s been an accident, veterans help however they can.
Focus on the Positive
Sadly, the media is usually to blame for the negativity about veterans. Instead of stories about an Army engineer that built bridges so civilians could travel safely, they prefer to show us combat situations where soldiers are killed or wounded.
The shock value of these stories seems to make them more profitable.
By focusing on only one small aspect of what the military does, it leads civilians to think that’s all they do.
I think news organizations should try to present a broader, more accurate view of what the military does by including stories about soldiers engaging in humanitarian missions and not just combat operations.
When was the last time Hollywood had a movie about the soldiers of humanitarian missions? It is time to show that servicemembers and veterans have a positive influence.
There are so many servicemembers and veterans who would do anything to help anybody. They’re not damaged goods, they’re patriots.
How to Make a Difference
We veterans and servicemembers are the ones that can truly make a difference.
As leaders, it is our job to teach and educate. It is also our responsibility to make sure others know that we are not just warriors. We are also caretakers of countries and their people. We help them when they don’t have the ability or resources to care for themselves.
I also think we should create a nonprofit organization focused on the humanitarian efforts of the military. This would help us show show the real truth about the military and get rid of the negativity in the public about veterans and servicemembers.
- What’s Missing in Today’s Military: Integrity - March 20, 2018
- What’s Missing in Today’s Military: Honor - March 19, 2018
- Veterans without Care: What’s Wrong with the VA? - December 18, 2017
