This should go viral:

[PCIntern]

[RAB910]

1. Kick

[Lovie777]

2. Family members vary regarding the military...........................

Army, Navy, Air Force, Seals and in my circle the Marines. Attacking veterans and military service, etc. is frown upon.

Vance seriously has a problem. The stunt he did yesterday towards VP Haris at the airport is something bullies do.

Enough.

[MagickMuffin]

23. Republicans love bashing service members

They’ve been doing it for a very long time.


Swift Boaters were the worse of them, and GW didn’t put an end to it instead they doubled down.

[Sky Jewels]

25. And the Kerry team didn't fight back.

I've been enraged by Democratic passivity in the face of Republican egregiousness for 44 years ... I'm so glad we FINALLY have two fighters on the ticket!

(Caveat: ... "not all Democrats" )

[Backseat Driver]

33. That's true about family members' reasons to remain in any capacity of military service...

My FIL was one of five brothers of a divorced/remarried mother. The brothers all served in the Navy in WWII, one a survivor of the Lexington. FIL married, went to work, enlisted and served in Pearl Harbor after the attack until the war ended. My maternal grandfather enlisted in the Army infantry, but never came home from WWII; my dad served in the Army, and after specialty training served in the jungles of Papua New Guinea and the Phillipines until the war was over, and then he and mom got married. Neither of our dads had more than one employer thereafter nor took any benefit of the GI bill for further education -- one blue collar; one white collar from a "rust belt" state who often spoke of being a notch baby for the purposes of SSA benefits. Both our moms were SAHM who never graduated HS, never worked outside the home for pay, or even became a long-term driver of an automobile.

DH went to a tech school prior to being drafted into Army service and was not responsible for his assignment stateside in Washington, DC, at the Pentagon under the Joint Chief's staff during the Viet Nam conflict. He just lucked out w/a needed skill--IT. He did his time without overseas combat and returned to work as a public servant. Used some GI bill educational benefits but never got a 4 year degree. We definitely married too young, but I got as much education as I could afford debt-free (associates degree) as an alternative student while working after our two daughters were in elementary school in the 80s and returned to work and took early retirement - SMH

My female sibling finally got herself a dream job after college with an Air Force associated company and climbed the civilian GS ladder with her Master's during all those Republican admins. She's retired now. Oh, she's registered as a Dem all right, but judging from her behavior within the family, I suspect she was infected by the GOP and forced to fight, under years of Republican admins, for HERSELF along with her spouse for their child's welfare. She's a "fierce warrior mama."

My brother who never left home or had military service, beloved of my mother, died before he could retire from work and after dad passed. Mom and he found themselves together in the same hospice. She passed age 92 - Result - I was scapegoated early on, estranged, and finally entirely disinherited -- and sister dearest got it all supposedly for her disabled kid's benefit. - SMH

[soldierant]

45. And if he thinks there's one particular plane that gets designated as Ait Force 2 throughout an administration,

he's also an idiot (OK, he's an idiot anyway.) "Air Force 1" and "Air Force 2" refer to any plane carrying the President and/or VP. It's not always the same plane. It's whatever qualifying plane was available. It's the same with helicopters.

[chouchou]

3. What you say is true. Service people (past and present) would definitely take a second look...

....even if they leaned toward right-wing. Excellent idea!

[MontanaMama]

4. Kicking.

Even the MAGAts should be able to understand this.

[dalton99a]

5. Idiot also attacked Gen. McCaffrey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_McCaffrey

[ProudMNDemocrat]

6. Copied and pasted this to a FB group I belong to.

Urging people who see this, make it go VIRAL.

[highplainsdem]

7. K&R! Thanks for posting this!

[Hekate]

8. KnR

[enough]

9. Maybe there's a way to add a blank space for Trump.

[FDR4President]

10. Brilliant

This is fantastic!

[33taw]

11. I wish it said "highest enlisted rank available in the US Army" rather than "highest rank available in the US Army"

[jaxexpat]

13. Agree, it's easily confusedand that provides fertile ground for propaganda.

[33taw]

14. This meme is starting to go viral. I hope it gets modified, because MAGA are looking for anything to pick on.

[jaxexpat]

40. These days even spelling and punctuation are potential bombs.

Terrorist grammarians are everywhere. Loose participles sink ships, of state. Keep your pronouns dry and don't shoot 'til you sees the apostrophe in their contractions.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

49. 😂

[sarchasm]

12. Perfect

[anciano]

15. I served as an E4 in the Air Force and

also chose not to reenlist. As far as I know, both of those men served their country honorably. I am a lifelong Democrat and support our nominees, but to demean anyone's rank, service and their decision not to reenlist is rather petty.

[PCIntern]

16. In my generation

it’s unheard of

[Jarqui]

19. Particularly after 20 years of service, when the country was attacked in 2001,

Walz reupped for another 6 years - with the option to quit on a days notice because of all the time he had served. (applies to anyone after their first 6 years).

In 2003, he was deployed under Operation Enduring Freedom to Europe (like Vance, he went where they told him to go). And returned in 2004.

Vance runs a Swift Boat attack against Walz’s military service
The broadside is similar to the campaign to discredit 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry over his Vietnam service.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/07/vance-walz-military-stolen-valor-garbage-00173172

J.D. Vance’s ‘Stolen Valor’ Claim Against Tim Walz Is Total B.S.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/tim-walz-falsely-accused-stolen-valor-jd-vance-1235075718/

Most of the GOP hypocrite liars calling him our never served a minute - including President Bone Spurs

[GopherGal]

35. I think you mean "ex-President Bone Spurs"

Sorry to nit-pick. You stumbled upon my newest pet peeve.

I may have to start a personal drinking game for any time anyone refers to the Orange Abscess as "President" rather than "Mister" or "ex-President".

Even without putting on Faux News, I think I would be in danger of alcohol poisoning. As it stands, I'm in danger of losing my voice from yelling "do you know who's president?" "How can you have a job at CNN if you don't even know Biden is the president?" at my TV.

Maybe a throat-coat drinking game (can you OD on throat-coat?)

[Jarqui]

38. Point well taken ...nt

[jaxexpat]

41. It's worth noting that both 21st century Republican presidents......

we're installed by the electoral college after failing to gain support from the majority of American voters. Trump and Bush, both, have earned an * after their ill-gotten and gratuitous titles. Just so people don't forget the rewards of minority government.

[GopherGal]

54. Electoral College as DEI for rural states

At least that's my understanding of its historical basis: to increase representation of areas with lower populations.

[jaxexpat]

56. Thats the elementary school explanation.

The electoral college was invented because the founders needed to seduce southern slave holders to go along with the "united" part of the United States. We still have it today because it satisfies the desires of a powerful minority, the 0.1%.

[niyad]

20. You are kind of missing the point. couchhumper is LYING about Walz' record.

LYING. Therefore, his own record is up for scrutiny. He f'n DARED to accuse Walz of "Stolen Valor" when he KNOWS it is not true. People will be crawling all over jd's (or whatever his name is these days) record with electron microscopes, and rightly so.

Choosing not to reenlist is not anyone's disagreement with the marine correspondent. His lying about Walz' retirement IS.

[csziggy]

29. Last night on MSNBC they said Walz retired from the military

Because of profound hearing loss. Here:

?si=KDwlFhXH-AfHM0_K

[niyad]

39. Thank you for that excellent clip.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

50. No lie is too low for RWers to tell,

so no truth should be too low for us.

[Skittles]

44. ditto

also, we were full time

I think the biggest difference is one of them is not pimping for a draft dodger......

[Evolve Dammit]

17. K&R x 1000000000!!!!!

[gademocrat7]

18. K&R!!

I stand with Sargent Major Walz.

[av8rdave]

21. As far as anyone knows...

Vance served one tour of duty and was honorably discharged. This should be the end of the military story about him. Thanks for your service, JD. That’s it. Feel free to boast about it, as long as you don’t make any false claims.

Walz’s service was long and honorable. He has every right to include it on his resume and bring it up while campaigning. And his military background certainly doesn’t deserve to be disparaged any more than the Weirdo’s does.

[peppertree]

24. And as a combat photographer

Which is not to be dismissive - but he regularly insinuates he was some sort of Rambo, mowing down Iraqis while screaming "AAARGH!"

Iraq. The worst - and most pointless - use and abuse of our men and women in uniform since Vietnam.

We should hammer him on his support of that calamity alone.

[Rubyshoo]

22. K & R !!!

[surfered]

26. I was drafted into the U S Army in 1970, served 2 years and was honorably discharged as E-5.

[czarjak]

27. It's like it's no contest.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

28. Kick and Rec'd

[BoRaGard]

30. Stop the G.O.P. attack on our US Armed Forces

what slimebags the republicons are to piss on our soldiers and sailors.

[Zoomie1986]

31. As a short-termer veteran

I normally don't care about things like rank or time served. I'm okay with people serving as long as it suits them, and don't care to trash those who serve only 4 years and move on.

I don't even have a problem with criticizing someone who put in 20 and went no higher than E6. If you've served, then you know that most enlistees are E-4 at the 4 year mark. If you can't move up more than 2 ranks for the next 16 years, you may have an honorable discharge...but you were not a good service member.

When I have a really big problem regarding time served/rank is if you were an E-4 who put in only 4 years and you're trashing an E9 who served 24. And all I have to say to that is:

Sit down.

Shut up.

[wordstroken]

32. Yes!! Definitely should go viral. Military family here.

My father, Army combat, WWII;
husband, Army service-connected injury/death;
son, Air Force, served in Desert Storm.

Trump and Vance make me sick.
🤢

Thank you for posting, PCIntern.

[oasis]

34. Zing!

[GPV]

36. Shared to Fb with message

My Navy vet dad would not have been impressed by this, but what can you expect from people who made fun of John Kerry with those stupid ass purple heart bandaids?What was it that Trump said, I like people that weren't captured? And that was to fellow Republican and POW, John McCain. Just utterly disrespectful!

[sl8]

42. What's the source(s)?

Last edited Fri Aug 9, 2024, 04:33 AM - Edit history (1)

Both lists seem a little light, but maybe the meme maker deliberately left off the least significant.

I am curious as to why Vance (Hamel) doesn't have a National Defense Service Medal listed; they're pretty hard to avoid.

I tried to find a legitimate list of Vance's awards, or his DD-214, but with no luck.

[Skittles]

43. and one of them isn't pimping for a draft dodger

NO INDEED

[BlueWavePsych]

46. Kick

[Buttoneer]

47. I can't see anything.

[area51]

48. Yes, it appears to be gone now.

[sl8]

51. This is very misleading - some awards that both men received are only listed for Walz and not Vance.

I'm pretty sure sure that Vance was awarded both National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terror Service Medal. I think that because those two would be hard to avoid receiving, given his service, and his DD-214:

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25030454-resp-docs-1pgred-24-3265

It's possible that's a faked DD-214, but the awards section looks about right. It lists other awards that Vance received, but I think the others are all lower precedence than those already mentioned. As I mentioned in my other post, the lists for each man seem incomplete. That's fine, but if you're going to list a particular earned award for one, you need to list it for both.

[Think. Again.]

52. Kick and Rec!

[COL Mustard]

53. I'm retired Army Reserve

My only nit to pick is the Armed Forces Reserve Medal. That’s a 10-year award so he couldn’t have 5.

Otherwise a well done rebuttal to the Swift Boaters!

[calimary]

55. Just wanted to say THANK YOU to all the veterans on this thread - and, frankly, everywhere.

I've never served, and my husband was ineligible due to injury. Neither of our kids did, either, and when they were of age, there wasn't a conflict that beckoned to them.

So I am deeply, intensely grateful to all those who DID serve, who DID risk everything, who DID bet their lives and their bodies and their health both physical AND mental, on defending America. Folks like me can never fully understand, or "grok" that level of sacrifice. But I am grateful. For all those who served, YOU worked, sweated, ached, bled, suffered loss close-up, fought your fears, and in many cases STILL deal with pain and disability and distress so the rest of us - people like me - could live in a country like America, and have a good, safe, and peaceful life - I am grateful.

PROUD of you.

And GRATEFUL.