The widow of an Alabama airman killed during Operation Epic Fury has revealed that she and her children have been denied some of the benefits that bereaved family members are usually entitled to because the Iran war has not been declared an official war.
“The Air Force recently told me that because we haven’t officially declared war, my kids and I aren’t eligible for some benefits,” Libby Klinner, the wife of the late US Air Force Major John “Alex” Klinner, wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday.
Alex Klinner, 33, had just been promoted to major in January and had been deployed less than a week when the refueling aircraft he was aboard crashed in Iraq in March, killing him and five others. He left behind his wife, their 7-month-old twins and a 2-year-old son.
I mean this has been the case for a long time now. For all the “support the troops” performative bullshit that American politicians do they treat their soldiers and veterans pretty badly. They know that there will always be desperate young men and women that will sign up. I honestly think that one of the reasons the US refuses to implement public healthcare and free education is that it will cut into their supply of recruits.
What’s wild to me is that a single vet can come out unjaded, wool and all
Going from one look at Vietnam, seeing hell, then to Iraq and Afghanistan is surreal. It’s like a generational disconnect was kicked off with 9/11
Vietnam was drafted soldiers, so you got a whole slice of every type of person.
After the draft ended, it was strictly volunteers, so it’s exclusively the true-believer, Starship Troopers patriots. Even if they come out with problems, they’re less likely to blame the military for it.
That’s true. Wasn’t thinking about the draft
That’s not true in the slightest. Lots of people from poor families join because it’s probably the best way out of poverty. Once of my good friends who’s very left leaning joined did his service and then used the college benefits to get a career.
Because they deliberately keep the economy bad, healthcare and education out of reach. Specifically to ensure that there will always be desperate young men and women.
Not just for the military, of course. Desperate young people are useful for all sorts of things.
Just add more police when the crime rate increases. Park them outside of grocery stores to catch those criminals stealing baby food.
Desperate young people are great for police recruitment as well.