Utility linemen working through rain and wind
Construction workers in excavations and doing high work
Road Construction, & Bridge workers
Radio tower light bulb changers
Doctors & Medical workers risking deadly infections
Farmers using and working on heavy dangerous equipment, 1,000 lb. livestock
Laboratory workers of all types
Truck drivers
Factory workers
Racing teams of all kinds
Mechanics
Captain Sully
I guess just look at the insurance ratings for industrial trades to get the whole picture, but I hope you see my point. In all these trades and countless others, people risk their lives many times a week in the effort to help others who are busy practicing their own careers make their lives classier, easier, better and safer.
I grew up during the Vietnam era, and was in the draft lottery just for the last two years as the war there wound down. It was called a ”Police Action”, not a war, as I recall. Sorry, but when bullets fly between two opposing sides for over ten years, I call it war. And over what? I was never told, and our generation’s question came out at Woodstock when it was sung, “And it’s one, two, three, what are we fightin’ for”? Not really any incentive there for me to join the military when my own neighbors had been sent over there only to come home in a box.
I also felt no urges to get into law enforcement or firefighting, either, as I’m just not a “club person”. And, I don’t want to order other people around and forcefully manhandle them. It’s not that I don’t like being part of a team, as my construction career always made huge things happen well when all pulled together toward the day’s goal, I just enjoy the other 16 hours of my day away from all that and doing things for me and my own set of friends.
I did one day however, after Vietnam was over, walked in to the local Air Force recruiting office and signed up to take an entry test. I wanted to learn to fly and thought that I could use the AF as a stepping-stone toward that goal. As the recruiter came back with my test scores he had a big smile on his face and said I was just the type the AF was looking for. Percentiles were 95, 95, 95, and 89! He said I could do anything I wanted in the AF. I said, great, I want to be a pilot! He took my glasses off my face and asked, “How far can you see clearly?” I said, “About 18 inches.” He said he couldn’t put me in the cockpit of a (then) $22 million dollar plane and have my glasses fall off, but I could be anybody else on the plane; navigator, radio man, and handed me a list of careers I could choose from. I remember seeing trades like cook and heavy equipment operator on there and thought, “I can do ALL of these trades without having to go through boot camp and have a drill sergeant spitting in my face”. So, I handed the list back to him and politely excused myself and left.
Now, I have all the respect in the world for those brave young men and women who sign up to put themselves in Harm’s way in order to protect our Constitution and our safety and way of life here in America and will always admire them for signing up for the job/ career that they do and do realize that their level of risk can get much higher than mine. And I really hate to see our military men and women used in other countries as whores to Big Oil, drug trade, and arms trading. That’s not what they signed up to do and the statistics on suicide rates and mental issues in our military ranks speak loudly to that. If our politicians really hold these people up as heroes, they should quit treating them like crap, IMHO. It’s the same with police being treated like criminals for doing their jobs by the press and political leaders. And none of these trades are any more devoid of bad apples than all those in my aforementioned list, including the press and the politicians.
So, I want everyone to know how much I appreciate all people of all trades, and you are all of tremendous value either in the eyes of your families, co-workers, clients, or friends. We are all heroes to each other at one time or another, and I hold not one of you above the other, but as fellows in a class effort towards making a successful society. I hope that someday I have been or can be a hero to each and every one of you.
So, when I hear the all too cliché thanks to our heroic military, firefighters, police and first responders, I think to myself, without doctors, there would be nowhere to take me after picking me up off the road. Dead is dead, after all! Without manufacturing trades, none of the above would have weapons, cars, fire trucks, jets and tanks. When I hear that cliché phrase, I think of every one of my Brothers and Sisters of EVERY career that makes other careers possible, and really wish that we could get away from constantly mentioning the Holy Four.
So, when you see my eyes roll the next time I hear the Holy Four praised, you may better understand why.
Big deal snowflake. What do you want a participation trophy? No one really cares that you almost joined the Air Force. I can guarantee you this because I'm a marine, people that are in the military don't care to be called hero, however it is very nice to have people appreciate us rather than deal with one of the people like you that probably spit on the troops back in the 70s. Usually the people that speak negatively and say they should not be called heroes are the ones that did not serve.
ReplyDeleteGood response 7:56. The writer of the article would be the first to complain if the police/fire/EMT were not johnny on the spot if he had a problem. I also served during the Nam era (USN) and thanked my lucky stars I was not in the trenches and am forever grateful to those who were. They STILL have not received the accolades they deserved when they came home.
ReplyDeleteWell said 7:56.
ReplyDeleteUSN-RET
Considering the state of the world and our country, you better get down on your knees and thank all the first responders, law enforcement and military - just to name a few.
ReplyDeleteI spent 24 years in harms way in the military and I for one fully agree with the article. I never felt special although I appreciate when someone thanks me for my service. I do get tired of politicians paying lip service to the military but we chose our jobs not the other way around. I do feel differently about Nam era vets who were drafted. A generation ago things were different military and first responders were poorly compensated and in some cases drafted into the military or volunteered as FF. Things are totally different now. Me I feel sorry for my trash man out there every day in heat, cold, rain, etc. picking up my smelly trash.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's because the police fire ems and military are putting their lives at risk. Especially military and police, who have a target on their back. Fire and EMS also go into harm's way and in some areas are also shot at by the nut cases out there.
ReplyDeletejoe why do you give these liberal snowflakes a forum? Don't they have their own fake news sites where they can go throw their tantrums and suck their thumbs? as we've said in the marines numerous times this snowflake wouldn't make a pimple on my a$$!
ReplyDeleteThis type of snowflake or rather to her helps make Joe's job even easier. Joe can talk about them all day long however when they try to prove a point they make themselves look like a bigger fool than Joe ever could do. I keep posting these nut jobs Joe.
DeleteIs anyone else tired of hearing the term "snowflake", turd works for me. There are many more that can also fill in.So please, will all you turds stop using snow-----?
ReplyDeleteServed in the Navy at the end of our involvement in Viet Nam. Not popular at the time. Have the honor of knowing Nam vets. Would like to know where all the hippies went. You know the ones who spit on our troops and threw objects at them when they returned. I think a lot them of now sport American flag pins and say they always supported us. Also a lot of the guys who are linemen and in other dangerous jobs served proudly and with distinction. So yeah it is nice to hear a thank you every now and then. I have son presently serving proudly in the Air Force. A millennial who gets it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know who wrote this post , but they are right on . Since 911 fire fighters are heroes ,911 firemen were heroic , the rest after that are a boat load of crap. Firemen and women are the most over rated people in any job . This is their job , is it dangerous , sometimes , but so is driving your car . The military and police have the only heroes that I recognize. reconn 2nd infantry division 38th bat. company B. 1967
ReplyDeleteThe first few are missing the point, and no, I would never spit on the troops. In fact, If you had any reading comprehension at all, I said I had "ultimate respect for them all".
ReplyDeleteThe point is, without a doctor in the ER, and without a Philanthropist to donate the money to build and outfit the ER, what good is a paramedic?
Where would a paramedic take a patient, to the clothing store to freshen up?
Why isn't the Doctor thanked?
Why not the philanthropist?
The point here is, it takes more than the "Holy Four" to save the patient, but only the paramedic gets the thanks.
Do you get it now, "Snowflakes"?
11:45 Yes. some of us get what you are saying, and I never took offense to any of it. And I feel the same way
ReplyDeletePeople only read to respond and not to understand.
And others just make up crap in their head and do not comprehend a word you said.
I think one difference between the First res-ponders/Military and people like utility line workers and high rise construction is the pay.
ReplyDeleteLine Workers get paid well and so do high rise construction workers although it is hard to quantify a median income for high rise construction since there are so many fields that fall in that category.. Most people go into those fields for the money. Very little police officers or even people in the military go in because of the pay and many fire fighters are volunteers. This to me makes their profession somewhat more noble.
A utility Lineman Median $72,994
Police officer Median $53,194
Firefighters often are volunteer but the median is $44,000
Army Sergeant / Infantry $22,914 - 59,044 (Requires you to leave your home and loved ones and to some extent some personal freedoms).
My point is while people who do any high risk jobs certainly deserve respect Fire Fighters, Police and Military don't get compensated the same way and many do those jobs to serve others more so than to just serve their selves with a greater paying job (Not there is anything wrong with looking after yourself).
12:24
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, but never comment on here.
No one says that the other jobs aren't vital or appreciated. A police officer is one of few, however, who has a target on his back. Rap songs aren't sung about killing linemen or doctors. Few teachers don a bullet proof vest because if a likelihood they will be shot.
ReplyDeleteI understand your point but so long as I'm living, I'll go out of my way to appreciate the police and first responders for being underpaid and dealing with the worst of the public and running toward the danger.