Why do we do it?

[from darkness lite]

So 9er Domestic's sister was asking why do we do it?  Why do we willing go where we can get ourselves killed or maimed when there are safer professions out there?

So what is it troops?  Patriotism - money - adventure - gongs - someones got to do it!  Why do you "risk it all" for queen and country?

I'd be interested in seeing what motivates everyone on this board - and to see if I guessed right!!  I'll toss my 2 cents in later.

"People ask me, why do you do it man? They don't understand, it's about the men next to you. That's all it is." Hoot - Blackhawk Down

FDL 

FDL

 

[Roy Harding]

Because it matters.

 

[Kat Stevens]

My family has served in the military since before 1066.  An ongoing thread in our family goes something like this: " If you're not willing to defend your homeland, you have no right to the benefits provided by those that are.." or words to that effect...

Kat

 

[Britney Spears]

My family has served in the military since before 1066.

Holy crap. I suppose you still exchage stories about the Battle of Hastings at the Xmas dinner table then...

 

[Kat Stevens]

We were in fact given the motto "Keep An Eye Out" by King Harold himself just before the battle.....who knew? ;D

Kat

 

[paracowboy]

Why do we do it?

if not me, then who?

 

[Britney Spears]

I did it so I, as an immigrant, would have the moral authority to make all kinds of outrageous commentary about Canadian foreign policy and her standing in the world. Otherwise why should those "real" Canadians take me and my opinion seriously if I don't put my money where my mouth is?



OK, not really, but I must say it worked out pretty well during most debates.....

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Why?  Because i am the only person I trust to protect my wife and son.

Dave

 

[from darkness lite]

So far some interesting posts.

My motivation has changed over the years.  When I first joined it was for the adventure/travel.  Now, many years later,I have a family so my reasons have naturally evolved.

I do not want my kids to have to clean up our generation's mess (although in reality they probably will have to).  Someone has to go out there and take care of business.  Who better qualified than me? (I use me in the everyone in the forces sense).  

I have always believed in the quote that accompanies every one of my posts (see below).  If we don't do it, what kind of world/dangers are we leaving for our kids?

FDL  

 

[Korus]

I didn't want to stand on the sidelines wondering why things couldn''t be better in the world, and safer at home.

 

[TCBF]

Growing up, listening to my kin tell how it was in The Great War and The Second War, I probably should have stayed clear of the whole shebang.  Me joining didn't impress my mother much.  Neither did me being in Kandahar when she was dying of Alzheimer's/cancer, but, "exigencies of the service" and all that.
She understood.

I was only going to do three years Regular, then back to the paper mill, but, it sort of turned out different.

The equipment makes it interesting - the people make it fascinating.

Tom

 

[S McKee]

We were in fact given the motto "Keep An Eye Out" by King Harold himself just before the battle.....who knew? ;D

Kat

Was that "keep an eye out" or "poke an eye out"  HAHA!  Neat family history! J

 

[Old Sweat]

It later morphed into "close the disengaged eye."

 

[Island Ryhno]

"I will not disgrace the soldier's arms, nor abandon the comrade who stands at my side; but whether alone or with many, I will fight to defend things sacred and profane. I will hand down my country not lessened, but larger and better than I have received it."

Ancient Athenian Oath

I go to make the world a better place, as those did before me.

 

[TCBF]

"I did it so I, as an immigrant, would have the moral authority to make all kinds of outrageous commentary about Canadian foreign policy and her standing in the world. Otherwise why should those "real" Canadians take me and my opinion seriously if I don't put my money where my mouth is?"

- Now THAT would be a good recuiting campaign idea.  Phone up the recruiting office in Edmonton and osuggest they set up a table at every citizenship swearing in ceremony.  They have linguistic and cultural skill-sets we need.  Not that recruiters want people outside of their PER loop coming up with good ideas.  If they didn't think of it first, it's probably not worthwhile.

- Someone once said we would not get the landed generations so much as we would the second generations - a good prediction.   Three Sergeants in a three bedroom German apparment in 1988 -  Kurzell, near Lahr:  I was born in Port Arthur, Ontario.  The Sgt in A Sqn was born in east-end London, and the Sgt in B Sqn was born in Frankfurt - his dad was a German paratrooper in WW2.  His mom lost something like eight brothers in the war.

Tom

 

[FITSUMO]

why do we do it?
    I believe in Canada, with all its greatness and its faults.  I will stand in harms way to protect all the freedoms and choices that we as Canucks have.  I will do it because a few generations ago young men made the ultimate scarifice to give us the life we have today.  I also like what was stated earlier, if not me then who.

 

[Tpr Parsons]

I too have a family history of military service. Great Grandfather in World War ll, and most of my family (father, uncles and cousins) served or are serving now. Strong sense of pride you could say... Another reason I do it, is for the defense of my family and friends. Stated once more  "if not me, then who?"

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Alright, I know I'm not in yet, but i'll put my two cents in for me wanting to join  .

I , as an immigrant, owe a lot to this country. Being able to have the options and the privileges this country provides, makes me proud to be Canadian.

This is why i want ot pay back my country for all it has done for me, thus by helping to ensure that the options and privileges i have, will be around for the next generation to enjoy.

 

[Gill557]

if not me, then who?

Hear Hear 

 

[Sh0rtbUs]

SO many factors came into play, but one that I feel isnt mentioned enough, is I simply want to fight. I never joined the Army to hand out HumRats to families in Haiti (although it is required and necessary of us), I wanted to go overseas, and combat those who threaten our way of life and insist on ramming their twisted idealisms and hatred down everyones throat. I wanted to get out there, and rather than sit back and watch our neighbors go into the thick of things and claim I wished I was there, i wanted to try my hardest to make that a reality.