[Hewitt]

Ok rant alert.

At my school there are a reasonable number of military children, many of whose parents are senior officers in the military. I find many of them to be incredibly arrogant. They seem to think that just because they have a military connection they are therefore more important and should be respected by all civilians.

Some of them seem to think that they and their family are somehow morally superior because 'they serve the country.' Whilst I have respect for what the military do I do not think participation in the armed forces should gain people any more prestige than let's say, a doctor. I certainly wouldn't say someone in the military is morally superior to a doctor.

These kids just annoy the hell out of me, they seem to have a superiority complex in which they look down upon civilians and see them as unpatriotic or of less worth. What is even more ridiculous is that they have personally not achieved anything of note, but are just relying on the achievements of their parents. I have heard ridiculous claims, such as civilians have to listen to soldiers and that soldiers can arrest civilians - bull****, soldiers do not have civilian policing powers and civilians are not under any obligation to listen to soldiers.

Has anyone else come across these sorts of people and what do you think of them?

I do respect members of the military, just not some of these arrogant children who have done nothing to earn my respect.

[Jack93o]

Their parents make a living out of killing people, whereas doctors make a living out of saving lives.
.
I sure know which one I respect more , just tell those army chavs to F off

[Fuzzpig]

I lived with a "military child" who was studying War studies in my final year of uni. He was a decent enough guy, but I do understand what you mean by the complaints of lack of patriotism and the idea that everyone should have huge adoration for all military people. He was due to go onto officer training afterwards in his fathers regiment.

I would say though if he is anything to go by, these things seem to die off more or less by the time they're adults. Kids will use anything to get respect from other kids. Adults (most), including these military kids when they grow up, realise they have to gain respect themselves. Especially if they do end up as officers who are often enough very respectful people.

edit: Something else to think of is this kind of bravado they put on can often be hiding their concern of their military parent(s) - there's a real possibility that they may not come back from their deployment. I think it's part of their coping strategy too.

Having said that, some kids can be and will always just be dicks!

[90pies an hour]

(Original post by Jack93o)
Their parents make a living out of killing people, whereas doctors make a living out of saving lives.
.
I sure know which one I respect more , just tell those army chavs to F off

You complete and utter ****.

[sabian92]

(Original post by 90pies an hour)
You complete and utter ****.

He has a point though. Sugar coat it however you like, that's what it boils down to. Enlisting in the Army to go to the front line as a soldier is the same as saying "Yes, I'd like to potentially kill somebody, please".

[Jack93o]

(Original post by 90pies an hour)
You complete and utter ****.

What? I'm just telling how it is, soldiers are nothing more than pawns to be used by politicians. Its okay to be proud of your job and all, but if they go over the top like the way OP described it, then you can always use this stick to beat them with, that'll teach them to be a bit more modest

[Maizy]

(Original post by Hewitt)
Ok rant alert.

At my school there are a reasonable number of military children, many of whose parents are senior officers in the military. I find many of them to be incredibly arrogant. They seem to think that just because they have a military connection they are therefore more important and should be respected by all civilians.

Some of them seem to think that they and their family are somehow morally superior because 'they serve the country.' Whilst I have respect for what the military do I do not think participation in the armed forces should gain people any more prestige than let's say, a doctor. I certainly wouldn't say someone in the military is morally superior to a doctor.

These kids just annoy the hell out of me, they seem to have a superiority complex in which they look down upon civilians and see them as unpatriotic or of less worth. What is even more ridiculous is that they have personally not achieved anything of note, but are just relying on the achievements of their parents. I have heard ridiculous claims, such as civilians have to listen to soldiers and that soldiers can arrest civilians - bull****, soldiers do not have civilian policing powers and civilians are not under any obligation to listen to soldiers.

Has anyone else come across these sorts of people and what do you think of them?

I do respect members of the military, just not some of these arrogant children who have done nothing to earn my respect.

Are you sure it's arrogance? Military brats are generally friends with other military kids because it's such a different way of life and of thinking. What could seem like arrogance may just be generally clique behavior, it's a lot easier to boast and act superior to civilian kids than it is to spend the day thinking 'hm, I wonder if it's my dad that will get shot today', other military kids understand this so you're more likely to become friends with them.

As for doctors being equal to the military well just compare working conditions, lifestyle, housing, salary and benefits.

Oh, and the military can arrest civilians in some circumstances. Why do you think there was talk of bringing the army in when there were riots?

[Annoying-Mouse]

This is merely in-group/out-group bias. You hear it all the time with rich kids who look at non-rich kids differently. I come from a poor background and working class kids do the same. They viewed non-working class as a bunch of rich ****s and somehow being born working class is better because "you live in the real world"/"not spoon fed" etc. This applies to pretty much every group nothing exclusive to military children.

[Otkem]

Children from parents in the British military needn't be arrogant. Our military is poorly equipped and poorly trained.

[Kiss]

Sounds like they only care about having power, not being patriotic.

(Original post by Otkem)
Children from parents in the British military needn't be arrogant. Our military is poorly equipped and poorly trained.

Better than many others, still in the top 10.

[Joinedup]

Sounds like my dad's better than your dad tbh. which is an obvious symptom of childishness and insecurity. Though imo the people in the military are morally above average. They're signing up to do something very alturistic; defend people they don't even know, possibly at the cost of their own life and limbs. they're not really highly paid for doing it in a society which throws money at people for kicking a football or fiddling with numbers in a spreadsheet until they justify inflating the launch price of facebook shares.
whenever there's a civil emergency or the blue light services go on strike, who gets sent for?

[Otkem]

The thing is though, most of the people I knew from school who joined the military did so not for altruistic reasons, but for the reason of getting their hands on a gun. I don't view military personnel in any special light.

[ANARCHY__]

(Original post by Hewitt)
Ok rant alert.

At my school there are a reasonable number of military children, many of whose parents are senior officers in the military. I find many of them to be incredibly arrogant. They seem to think that just because they have a military connection they are therefore more important and should be respected by all civilians.

Some of them seem to think that they and their family are somehow morally superior because 'they serve the country.' Whilst I have respect for what the military do I do not think participation in the armed forces should gain people any more prestige than let's say, a doctor. I certainly wouldn't say someone in the military is morally superior to a doctor.

These kids just annoy the hell out of me, they seem to have a superiority complex in which they look down upon civilians and see them as unpatriotic or of less worth. What is even more ridiculous is that they have personally not achieved anything of note, but are just relying on the achievements of their parents. I have heard ridiculous claims, such as civilians have to listen to soldiers and that soldiers can arrest civilians - bull****, soldiers do not have civilian policing powers and civilians are not under any obligation to listen to soldiers.

Has anyone else come across these sorts of people and what do you think of them?

I do respect members of the military, just not some of these arrogant children who have done nothing to earn my respect.

Well, I mean, we've living with constant war with a single country for nigh upon 10 years now. It's bound to have some kind of effect. But to be honest, Annoying-Mouse is probably the guy with the right idea.

[The Gentle Giant]

So wait, you're angry that kids who have suffered signfiicant phycological trauma from having parents who have served overseas and risked life and limb for their country seem to a have a superiority complex over you? Of course they do, its the only way that they can reconsile the fact that they have nightmares about losing their parents who are poorly paid and not looked after anywhere near enough by the nation while you have your parents 24/7 and don't have to worry about them getting maimed.

just realise that they must have gone through, and more than possibly still are, significant pressure from the fact that they are worrying about their parents, and that their sense of superiority comes from the fact that they are trying to emulate them.

[Annoying-Mouse]

(Original post by Joinedup)
Sounds like my dad's better than your dad tbh. which is an obvious symptom of childishness and insecurity. Though imo the people in the military are morally above average. They're signing up to do something very alturistic; defend people they don't even know, possibly at the cost of their own life and limbs. they're not really highly paid for doing it in a society which throws money at people for kicking a football or fiddling with numbers in a spreadsheet until they justify inflating the launch price of facebook shares.
whenever there's a civil emergency or the blue light services go on strike, who gets sent for?

Do you respect mercenaries (established ones not these 3rd word ones)? I don't believe the majority of those in the army are there because they're patriotic and have altruistic desires. I think they're there because of minimal qualifications needed coupled with relatively good pay (in comparison to other low-skilled jobs which start at minimum wage) as well exit opportunities /established career progression (no standing around 10 years waiting to be promoted, there are clear ranks and requirements to reach them). Same with fire-fighters or police officers.

Sure there job description is helping others but I think motive is the key when it comes to morality and I don't think motive is desire to help others.

[standreams]

(Original post by The Gentle Giant)
So wait, you're angry that kids who have suffered signfiicant phycological trauma from having parents who have served overseas and risked life and limb for their country seem to a have a superiority complex over you? Of course they do, its the only way that they can reconsile the fact that they have nightmares about losing their parents who are poorly paid and not looked after anywhere near enough by the nation while you have your parents 24/7 and don't have to worry about them getting maimed.

just realise that they must have gone through, and more than possibly still are, significant pressure from the fact that they are worrying about their parents, and that their sense of superiority comes from the fact that they are trying to emulate them.

It is a ridiculous assumption to presume that kids with military parents have suffered 'significant psychological trauma' and also to presume that all military employees are poorly paid (especially as the OP is talking about officers' children).

I grew up in a largely military area and did notice a division between civilian and military children. This tends to disappear as children grow older, and can be put down largely to the different lifestyles of the two groups. I certainly didn't detect any 'group arrogance' and had good military friends. Any arrogance is likely to be down to the individual and/or your interpretation of what may be legitimate behaviour rather than a collective arrogance among military children.

That said, the division between officer and non-officer children (or more particularly, their mums at the school gate) was very marked. Hopefully that is no longer the case nowadays.

[de_monies]

I don't quite get why they think that they deserve more respect because "they're giving something back" etc... I'd respect them more if they were conscientious objectors of what the government keep pulling us in to. I have far more respect for doctors than the military, and this is not just a jab at Western armies but armies around the world

[Reese_whitley]

My dad is currently a captain in the US Navy and never once did it occur to any of us that we were better than anybody.(my brothers and I). Hell, the military in the states has a fraternization clause(enlisted can't fellowship or interact with officers) and my father, nor any of us abides by it because it's completely biased and irrelevant in today's society. I do happen to know lots of children of high ranking officers who "rank ride" off mommy and daddy, but I simply point of to them how ignorant that is considering they have done nothing themselves to earn that accomplishment. As dependents, we don't go on deployments, wear uniforms, work 12-24 hour shifts, and take tests and do boards to increase rank; If none of that applies to me then I don't have the right to boast.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[prog2djent]

Can't you just tell them that killing a bunch if Shepard fanatics is not "dying for your country" or "protecting our freedoms".

[Bazlehman]

There was a guy in my school who went around beating the **** out of younger children with sticks and demanding that his shoes be licked because 'My Dad's in the army, he kills people, so I can to kill you too if I like'. Eventually I smacked him in the the spine with a plank of wood and locked him in a bin store. His Dad ran after me (also with stick) looking murderous but I Zoidberged away. His name was Toby.