I am a graduate student funded on a DoD grant. Not weapon's development, or anything classified, but I often find in conversation that once "I work at the base" comes up, I have to scramble and explain that I don't work on anything weapons dev related. Obviously, I bear some responsibility by choosing this field, but I often get to the point where I start to feel guilty funded by uncle sam. I'm curious if anyone else in similar places ever deals with this.
Ask HN: If you're funded by the military, how do you tell people?
1–10 of 16 posts
Re: Ask HN: If you're funded by the military, how do you tell people?
#2Easy.
You: "I work for the US government."
If anyone wants to probe deeper, you can tell them you work for the DoD. There's no shame in weapons development, either.
Liberals trying to impose their own feelings of inadequacy/incompetence are the real shameful ones.
Re: Ask HN: If you're funded by the military, how do you tell people?
#3You know, I'd rather that tax payer dollars go towards something good when it comes to research, rather than wasted on whatever else the government decides to waste it on. And while I don't know all the specifics of where the American tax payer dollars are going, I'm pretty sure they aren't always going to where they are needed or provide the value of what is supposed. Don't feel too guilty. You are probably given funding which amounts to less than 1% of all the funding available. I would hope you are contributing towards something that is for the betterment of humanity as a whole.
You know... we're all waiting patiently for that Star Trek future that awaits... oh and some semblance of world peace, that too ;)
Re: Ask HN: If you're funded by the military, how do you tell people?
#4People are probably skeptical that the Department of Death would fund anything they don't intend to weaponize.
Re: Ask HN: If you're funded by the military, how do you tell people?
#5"I'm a DoD contractor"
As for feeling guilty, why? Are they doing bad things with your work?
Re: Ask HN: If you're funded by the military, how do you tell people?
#6>I bear some responsibility by choosing this field
You bear 100% of the responsibility for accepting a DoD grant. You can't absolve yourself of some nebulous amount of responsibility because of who's writing the check.
Re: Ask HN: If you're funded by the military, how do you tell people?
#7I don't have any such experience. Nearly every nation has a military force, what's the big deal?
Re: Ask HN: If you're funded by the military, how do you tell people?
#8Please don’t feel guilty. Voting your conscience is fine, protesting a war is fine, but shaming people who work for the DOD is childish. Americans are risking their lives all over the world for our country. If you’re ashamed to help your fellow countrymen survive, to do their jobs better, and to return home to their families, that’s not good.
I spent over a decade in the military. I have issues with the military industrial complex. I have issues with a lot of the leadership. But I respect the people who need the tools you work on and wouldn’t want to see their lives put in jeopardy. I can understand not wanting to spend your whole life in the DOD world. If you want to focus on other things, move industries, I did, but don’t feel ashamed while you’re in and don’t let others make you feel ashamed either. I respect the job you’re doing. Thank you.
Re: Ask HN: If you're funded by the military, how do you tell people?
#9Please don’t feel guilty. Voting your conscience is fine, protesting a war is fine, but shaming people who work for the DOD is childish. Americans are risking their lives all over the world for our country. If you’re ashamed to help your fellow countrymen survive, to do their jobs better, and to return home to their families, that’s not good. I spent over a decade in the military. I have issues with the military indu…
They're not risking their lives for your country, they're doing it so that american corporations can make more profit.
I highly recommend you read "war is a racket" written by General Smedley Butlers.
I also want to point out that I don't blame anyone who's working for the US military, unless they're like Dick Cheney or something, I understand that people need to make a living, and that a lot might even buy into the big ol' patriotic lie.
Re: Ask HN: If you're funded by the military, how do you tell people?
#10If you are not ashamed of your DoD connection, why do you feel obliged to state that you are not involved in weapon's development ?
If you are ashamed of your DoD connection, what have you done about getting alternate funding ?