You are or have served in the U.S. military, your choice of political views are?

I am not military, but my father was, he was a commissioned officer, but not in the armed forces. Anyway, he was a Reblican most of his adult life, but it had nothing to do with being in the military, and now he is a Democrat in his 60’s. I think a lot of people on the military are Reoublicans, because kf lot of them come out of the bible belt. There is also a belief that the Republicans support the military more, fund it better, so that is probably another reason military men are Republicans. I do have several friends in the Navy, or who were in the Navy who are Democrats. I would think a lot of minorities in the military are Democrats.

Hmm… while I have not had the honor of serving (too much problem with authority during my misspent youth), my father in law was a Korean era pilot. He leans way to the right.

OTOH, one of my nephews, who served in Iraq, seems to be a pretty darned left leaning anti military industrial complex liberal.

On still another hand, another nephew who served as an aircraft mechanic tends to be moderately conservative.

On yet another hand, a close friend of the family just returned from Afghanistan a few weeks ago. She describes herself as, and I quote, “a flaming liberal”.

I think you’ll find that there is as much variety in the political opinions of military personnel as there are among the population in general.

Former Navy, and I guess that Libertarian is the closest to my views; fiscal responsibility, social freedom, etcetera.

I still think the military is mainly conservative, but there are many liberals. I’m a “flaming liberal.” : D

Libertarian.

Six years Navy, ever so slightly conservative. Maybe a little more.

Independant.

@Blackberry It seems the Navy is a bit more Liberal than the USMC, at least in my experience. Then again, one of the most Liberal people I know was a Marine who was at Khe Sahn…

@jerv I agree, I think the Army and Marines are more conservative than the Navy and maybe the Airforce. I can imagine a liberal that has experienced war, as some service members becomes more liberal after war, due to seeing the horror of it, or some at least become anti-war, anti-military-industrial complex.

Served eight years in The National Guard.

Final conclusion: 95% of wars are not necessary.

I’ve been told by people who served in the armed forces that it’s well known among them that there’s a hierarchy of intelligence, from highest to lowest: air force > navy > army. I suppose it makes sense, since you need more native intelligence to fly and maintain planes than ships, and you need more native intelligence to sail and maintain ships than to slog around in the mud, bayonetting brown people. Since there is a strong correlation between stupidity and authoritarianism (fewer than 1 in 20 US scientists support the Republican Party), it seems to make sense that while all of the armed forces would lean right, the navy would lean farther than the air force, and the army would lean farther than the navy.

Mr. Laureth, who spent ten years in the Army (mostly as a defense courier), recently posted a link to this Navy guy’s essay to explain his own political views to friends.

@SmashTheState According to what?

34 years in the US Army, two years as an Infantry officer in Vietnam. Airborne, Counterinsurgency Ops., Company Commander with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, helicopter flight crew, combat medic, etc. [ @SmashTheState thank you so much for the insults ]

I favor maximizing freedom and limiting government to the most praticable degree possible, and these days, that’s the Libertarian Party.

So sorry to disappoint. : )

I have not served in the military, but Ron Paul has raised more money from military members than all other candidates combined, including Obama.

Army. Upon entering I was borderline Republican with some fingers stroking the necks of the Dems. After leaving….I am a socialist, with most of my fingers stroking the necks of communism. I think the two party system is a joke and hierarchy of the military is flawed more than anything else in this country. For the most part, everyone I served with were super great people but there were the occasional gang bangers, racists and general tool bags.
When I entered it was for all the wrong reasons. I did not want to kill myself but I was living in the shadow of my fathers amazing military career and my grandfathers medals. I felt if I went in and literally gave it everything I had that I would be killed or die trying….Turns out I was really good at what I did. I did almost get torn apart and my last words would’ve been classic. “that sounds really close.” I am now almost deaf with some loss of vision and heart issues
I am glad to be alive and kicking it now. I can’t believe I ever felt like I did, but I was a child. I am 36 now and leaning more and more daily towards leading the fight against banks and paid government.
I have a friend that just returned home yesterday from his last and final mission in Afghanistan. We lightly discussed politics and his reaction is the same as mine.
Really, I want whatever it best for people to be free, really free. IF that means a government that I disagree with then so be it.
Hoorah.

@SmashTheState that is not true. Depending on what branch you served you will have shit to say about the other branches.
Here is a break downs.
Every branch has pilots, radar, nuclear, medics, special forces, intelligence, etc…
Combat arms is entirely different than any other part of the military. This is the part that gets glorified and probably the hardest part of any job in the military. Sure, it does not take much intellect to aim down the sights but try doing it while being shot at with only a few yards of cover. Try remaining calm in a danger close situation. Try negotiating where to put your last clip. Try not sleeping for five days and only eating a couple of meals. Try spending six days searching for a needle in a haystack to find nothing and then being told to keep looking in an insurgent zone. My point is that is takes special people to do all of these jobs. Labeling them in degree of danger, specialty, need, etc. is unfair and really ignorant. I hear guys do it. I served next to a few Marines for awhile. They were pompous pricks most of the time but they did not do anything more than anyone else. For some it is a pride thing and I think most folks that have never had to keep their head down will speak about how proud they are. All in all, it is a big ass wheel and it turns all together but if you’ve not been shot at, shot, or had to call for help in the middle of an attack and your job is to fix planes…..Don’t tell me that you know my job because I will not pretend to know yours.

@SmashTheState I never had a soldier, airman, sailor or marine refuse to let me treat them because I was from an ‘inferior’ branch of the service.

I dare say, when the feces hit the circular oscillating blades I was the most popular man in the patrol.

@WestRiverrat

Not to mention the best protected! : )

I served in the German military in the early 80s and I do hold liberal and green political views. I see military force only as a last resort.

@mattbrowne isn’t German military service compulsory?

2 years in the army working with injured soldiers. I’m a liberal and would not vote for a war monger, ever. The only excuse is if we have to fight an enemy right here in this country or, as @mattbrowne said, as a last resort.

Army (active) during the early 90’s. I would classify myself as a liberal leaning libertarian (alot of l’s there).

@WestRiverrat – Not anymore since last year. But in 1981. it was. But I still was a volunteer, because I stayed longer to become a reserve officer. The Soviet Union at the time was a real threat and liberals rejected their totalitarian system just as conservatives did. Today the real threat is global Islamist terrorism and totalitarian countries like Iran and North Korea. Yet, I also see a new important tasks for the military of democratic countries: ending ongoing slaughter and genocide in countries run by deranged leaders. Good examples are Rwanda, Bosnia, Kosovo, Libya and Syria. Somalian pirates are another case in point.