Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why I'm in the Army Reserve – an explainer for my friends in tech

chrisseaton.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

501–510 of 608 posts

Re: Why I'm in the Army Reserve – an explainer for my friends in tech

#501

Post by chaostheory »

pixodaros wrote: post #307
chaostheory wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone wants to get into the Air Force, so if you are applying to say subsidize your medical education, you’ll find that there aren’t many openings; so most people tend to opt for the Navy. The Army is the last choice for most people.

This goes back to assignment of conscripts in WW II. Since the end of the Cold War, spoilsports have noticed that one reason the old German army did so well was that they got a higher proportion of high-quality recruits than their UK or US counterparts. The US and UK needed navies to fight the war, and they also gave their air forces a higher priority for recruits relative to their armies.

I’m not sure that’s relevant to even Gen X’ers. I think the real answer is which branch of the military is more notorious for abuse with their members. Historically, it tends to be the Army.

Re: Why I'm in the Army Reserve – an explainer for my friends in tech

#502

Post by edgyquant »

HWR_14 wrote: post #450
kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #353

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Space Force will be ramping up hiring as it takes over AF roles it's inherited.

As I understand it, space force is doing ramping up by keeping the same Air Force people in the same Air Force desks off the same Air Force building and changing their uniforms and insignia.

Well yeah, what’s it supposed to do rebuild all that infrastructure and institutional knowledge?

Re: Why I'm in the Army Reserve – an explainer for my friends in tech

#504

Post by bobsmooth »

dogman144 wrote: post #85
micromacrofoot wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can you call something a positive and then immediately call it a tragedy? that's not a positive at all!

I will never view military service as a bad thing in totality. Locally evaluated, it's a good option. Putting aside the more heady concepts of public service and sacrifice, it is one of the last remaining conduits to change your stars and "make a man/woman/adult out of you," *although it is certainly not without faults and has certainly caused horrible experiences for people who served*. It is an imperfect organizati…

Military service should be done because you want to serve your country or because war. It shouldn't be a convenient option to escape poverty.

Re: Why I'm in the Army Reserve – an explainer for my friends in tech

#505

Post by HWR_14 »

edgyquant wrote: post #502
HWR_14 wrote: post #450

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I understand it, space force is doing ramping up by keeping the same Air Force people in the same Air Force desks off the same Air Force building and changing their uniforms and insignia.

Well yeah, what’s it supposed to do rebuild all that infrastructure and institutional knowledge?

Not at all. But that's why they're not going to go through a crazy ramp up period.

It's also what happened when the Air Force split off the Army, which is why the Air Force has generals.

Re: Why I'm in the Army Reserve – an explainer for my friends in tech

#506

Post by sytelus »

So the guy spends 100% of his time outside of his job at Shopify in constant training to fight some war someday. That day may not arrive for years, if at all. Still, he needs to go and spend all of his free time in some imaginary war exercises every week. I am unable to fathom in what way this is a good and worthwhile use of anybody’s time. I can understand needs of many people to satisfy their caveman style hunting instincts, to fight, to feel important, to feel brotherhood, to feel adrenaline rush, to fund their education, to feel proud, to get medical insurance while rationalizing this entire enterprise beneath patriotism. To be honest, I haven’t understood the need for armies for “defense” (I understand it’s need for offense). If you want only defense, you should train every able citizen with basic and mandatory training with occasional refreshers. This makes a country with 10M+ population nearly undefeatable, even without nukes. Most countries can then get rid of 80% of the army this way and the associated costs. There is no need for human robots who act up in imaginary wars every day of their lives as their sole purpose and meaning. Human life hopeFully should mean something more than that.

Re: Why I'm in the Army Reserve – an explainer for my friends in tech

#507

Post by HWR_14 »

froh wrote: post #494
HWR_14 wrote: post #451

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's the military term for Humvee - the huge vehicle that was popular for a while when gas was cheap. Or rather "hum vee" is how it is pronounced and the civilians spelled it phonetically.

"Hummer" was the brand name of the consumer version: https://youtu.be/GEMRkQmh9WI

I originally wrote hummer, but I thought that was a slang term. Thanks

Re: Why I'm in the Army Reserve – an explainer for my friends in tech

#508

Post by chrisseaton »

chiph wrote: post #448
wolverine876 wrote: post #397

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you claiming that billionaires serve at the same rate as others? Or that there are many billionaires in the military?

They're even more rare in the military than in the general population. Firstly for the obvious reason - they don't need any of the benefits so they don't join. Secondly - someone that becomes that wealthy while serving (via a trust-fund, large inheritance, or winning the lottery) would no longer be a good fit for the military. They usually get offered an Honorable Discharge. However, if they still desire to serve the…

I just gave you an example of someone who was still in as a billionaire.

Re: Why I'm in the Army Reserve – an explainer for my friends in tech

#509

Post by chrisseaton »

sytelus wrote: post #506

So the guy spends 100% of his time outside of his job at Shopify in constant training to fight some war someday . That day may not arrive for years, if at all. Still, he needs to go and spend all of his free time in some imaginary war exercises every week. I am unable to fathom in what way this is a good and worthwhile use of anybody’s time. I can understand needs of many people to satisfy their caveman style hunting…

Who’s going to train all your citizens if you don’t have any professional soldiers? Who’s going to lead them? As the article says, the knowledge of how to fight can’t be generated from nothing on the day that you suddenly need it. You need some kind of cadre to maintain skills and knowledge.

Re: Why I'm in the Army Reserve – an explainer for my friends in tech

#510

Post by chrisseaton »

wolverine876 wrote: post #397
chrisseaton wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The man who did my job back in the 80s was a literal billionaire, putting on the same uniform as me for the same pay.

Are you claiming that billionaires serve at the same rate as others? Or that there are many billionaires in the military?

There have been many billionaires, or billionaire-equivalent for their time-period, in my tiny unit alone.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Cheshire_Yeomanry_off...

Post reply on HN