I have done my military service (compulosry, definitely NOT out of my free will
).
Why am I mad ?
- French army is at best useless, at worst of dubious political thinking (did I actually say "thinking" about the army ?)
- I was working abroad (good salary, nice flat, stable relationships and firends) and I lost everything because I had to come back for that (a very few years before it was actually terminated)
- it was at best a waste of time, at worst a nerv-breaking, mind-dumbing experience
- I had (actually more but here it fits) the high school level, which made me the hate focus of every NCO in sight.
- I wasted some time in the Intelligence service (now that is an oxymore if any) where basically I was told that my remarks were perfectly out of place since I had refused to be a CO and that there were plenty of COs around whose judgements HAD to be better than mine (and proved to be wrong
of course if I need say it ) = they had the largest Human Resources available to any corporation in the country and succeeded in wasting it totally. Too bad for Kossovo !
Good points (two) :
- helped me realize what the military really is
(if I am a human being, then they are certainly not, or vice-versa of course) and what the average French guy is (not really better).
- spent some good time during the second part (working with the Foreign Legion, don't ask me how I went fron Intelligence to there
). Speaking Polish and Chinese was of great help + most of them were actually of the serious kind about they were doing, not just a bunch of administrators.
So my conclusion would be that the army is probably more dangerous in itself for my country than its "enemies". In case of war I will probably leave and come back (maybe) only when the regular army has been washed away (kind of similar to WWII) or if conscripted before being able to leave, go and kill my responsible CO before he makes us all die trying to get himself a medal THEN join my unit.
Basically I am not a "good" soldier. I can fight if convinced of doing so (they failed), proved good (which gave headaches to my NCO
since I was supposed to be a "mere" intellectual (men we should have left these people with their woodsticks)) but did not think most of the actual fighting would be against my own people
. I can obey people whom I respect (that happened twice and you cannot believe how many I saw, went through,....) but skill and knowledge are more important to me for the job than rank (just the opposite philosophy in the army) so I was lost on the wrong planet.
Any further question ?
Actually I was surprised I found myself appreciating Padma (no hypocritical bootshining Padma). Maybe it is different in other countries ? Maybe but I am somehow doubtfull...
Side remark : did you know Greenpeace is considered by the French army as a terrorist and subversiv organization (probably since they blowed the French only working Carrier Rainbow Warrior probably !). Sorry have to go, start to feel sick.
Edit : albeit I made it probably clear I hate the army and the majority of its members (by experience) I am really trying to remain an open-minded person (tell you I did not learn the military ways very well
) I don't mean this post as an abuse towards people in the service. Anybody is allowed to do what they want. My personal limited pb is I was not given the choice. If choosing it the organization might have still disgusted me but I might have considered it as challenging rather than degrading. I like intelligent, creative, constructive people and these tend to be quite few, especially in the professional part.
