Stereotypes - The armybuck, pongo or the everyday hero?

[formerarmybrat23]

tried a search before starting this topic didnt find anything. So...

growing up in a military family. You see alot of the same type of person. Many memebers of the Cf talk alike and are into the same things.
Also having civie friends i found that some people have alot of hatered or stereotypes for military personel. Calling them cocky, programmed, etc.
Where does this come from? Has anyone been victim of or even heard of any positive or negative stereotypes? and if so do you believe any are justified or are people just jealous?

 

[Hockeycaper]

In my experience you will run across lots of different attitudes towards the military, some good some bad. Don't let it bother you. I say, they are all jealous..........That's right, everybody is jealous of the infantry  ;D

 

[Yrys]

Try that thread :

a problem...wonder if i'm alone....

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/58376.0.html

 

[orange.paint]

any memebers of the Cf talk alike and are into the same things.
Also having civie friends i found that some people have alot of hatered or stereotypes for military personel. Calling them cocky, programmed, etc.

Maybe they are misunderstanding cocky and programmed for confident and disciplined?

 

[geo]

Though soldiers wear a uniform, are taught the same way and use the same kit.... they are more "individuals" than the people who criticize them for being well... uniform and all the same.

Kids & young adults (No 1 son included) try so hard, they rebel & aim to be their own self, and end up dressing and behaving like their peers ... down to the same hair, shoes...
It irritates him to no end when I ribb him about it 

 

[Bobby Rico]

Living in a PMQ patch for a better part of seven years, I can say in all honesty that Canadian Forces people are some of the best people in the world.  I mean, you seriously cannot find a group of people more courteous, helpful and friendly than the men and women who serve.  I personally noticed a major major change in attitudes after I moved out of the Qs and moved into a civilian neighborhood.  People are rude, crude, abnoxious and would more likely spit at you than give you the time of day.  I have often heard people describe people in the forces as being this or that- a lot of it just stupid negative stereotypes coming from the mouths of the ignorant.  Fact is, I've met a lot of a CF people over the years, everything from NCMs to officers in the upper Command ecehlons (hell, the G3 at LFCA lived down the road from me) and I can say that personalities are quite varied- I've never met any so called 'robots', but everybody is very courteous (you won't find much of that on civvie street), and yes there is a certain healthy ego among those in the Forces, but that is well deserved.

Frankly when it gets down to it, the people who bitch and moan and say this-or-that about the Canadian Forces are just ignorant.  Likely, none of them have had any experience with the forces, probably don't even know a single soul in the forces, which generally makes their opinions count for very very little.

 

[orange.paint]

Though soldiers wear a uniform, are taught the same way and use the same kit.... they are more "individuals" than the people who criticize them for being well... uniform and all the same.

Good point.Look at this website as example.If we all agreed we wouldn't need the annoying :.Or mods. ;D

We are individuals with a desire to work as a team.

 

[formerarmybrat23]

good points bobby rico. Infact my friend is in BMQ right now. And i mentioned to him how i never ever thought he'd join up. It was him and his friends who used to ***** and complain every weekend about the army guys at the bar. So ofcourse i had to see why the change of heart after all these years.
Turned out it was pretty simple: his girlfriend joined up after they met. 3 years later, he was sick of working crappy jobs; while she got tons of benefits, a great pay, and less hours then him. Simple economics.
he called about a week ago. I can already tell hes proud of his choice. I think he is kicking himself for not joining earlier and letting his friends have so much influence over his decisions. Believe me those old friends are still up to nothing and going no where. He has no regrets now.
Proud of you Pte recruit Yorke!!!

 

[xo31@711ret]

I mean, you seriously cannot find a group of people more courteous, helpful and friendly than the men and women who serve.  I personally noticed a major major change in attitudes after I moved out of the Qs and moved into a civilian neighborhood.

man, Bobby Rico, you couldn't be anymore correct. I  retired last summer after 24+ years (joined when I was just shy of 18 and was an x-pmq brat for my first 10 years of life). I followed my wife ( a warrent officier clerk) on her last posting to a reserve unit. So  we bought and live on the civvie side. Wev'e been here for 8 months and still don't know our neighbours; the one across the street came over the day we moved in and introduced himself - when my wife & I introduced ourselves and told who we were as military (and x-military) he turned around without another word and hasn't said anything since, let alone nod a hello (tried numerous times and gave up). Same with all the other neighbours except for an older couple next door who say hello once in awhile or give a nod hello). The friends we do have are, guess - the ones who are at the local reserve unit wearing uniforms.

 

[Sig_Des]

I grew up in the military...lived in Q's most my life....

A PMQ patch is generally a very safe place for kids....you don't need to find the house with the neighbourhood watch sign in the window. If you were in trouble, you could knock on any door in the patch, and you'd get help.

If you knew that someones spouse was away on exercise or tour, well, that person's lawn always got mowed (and in the Q's, they all end up getting mowed on the same day!), or the driveway shovelled in the winter.

As far as individuals...well, people are sometimes scared of what they don't understand. Yes, you will find the military full of the A-type personalities...Confidence may come across as cockiness. And why not? We seek and accept responsibilities that many people would never even consider. We are trained well to perform our duties, and we are confident in our abilities, and those around us...

Personally, the military has always been family...And the military communities have all been better to me than some of the others.

 

[MattyH]

When I was 9 years old, we moved from Lahr Germany's apartment buildings into the "real world" of St. Thomas, Ontario. It was a horrible experience. The children were foul mouthed little brats and people were so rude. At least on base, we all hung out together and were friends.

I am handing in my paperwork today, as a matter of fact, and look forward to a PMQ life again. I want a house of my own eventually, but by then I'll have NORMAL people to invite over. lol. GO ARMY!