Thread: Soldier shot in shoulder during Tekapo live firing training exercise

Originally Posted by vbull

Guys, I didn't want to cause offence. But seriously I don't see the need of having like 15000 people on a payroll for doing wargames and pretend missions. Just consider how much it could be spent on uplifting the plight of the poor people we see in places like tokoroa/ Gisborne etc. It'll keep these people happy so that we won't even need an army to put down unrest etc.

A lot of small countries have a protectorate agreement with large ones, for example if we had US, Australian, French and maybe even Chinese bases here, we could play them against each other and get significant payouts in terms of investment etc.


I'm just putting another point of view, devils advocate sort of, just to see what discussion points could be brought up.

you didnt want to cause offence-well you did .spend money on the poor -firing money at a problem -politicians idea of a fix -often it just enables the bloody behaviour -hence we now have multi generations of beneficiaries.as an ex TF soldier one of the highlights of my career was to observe the limited service volunteer courses run by whom -the military!turned idle undisciplined aimless youngsters into productive disciplined persons with ambitions in life and iwas told 98%graduated to employment. hmm interesting too that idea now features in a lot of high schools.
my civilian career is mental health and if you'd seen half of what id seen in 4.75 decades in that filed itd make ya yoghurt curdle!a hell of a lot was the poor for want of a belittling term which you seeming use blase".
I realise youve got rights to self expression -we all have ,but sometimes old socialist peacenik pie in the sky nuts like this are better left unsaid particularly on forums like this.
finally who was out on the frontline with emergency services &police in Christchurch earthquakes-the bloody green machine -yes 17/18yr old partime soldiers and regular force and its not the first time! Id dsuggest you do a little research too and you may be suprised to find our defence force besides its primary role also does a lot of peacetime work in the pacific,and certainly one of the first called in if their is a natural disaster in polynesia. as for auusie -its now so far up trumps chuff they'll probably put his hairpiece on their new flag! their military machine is larger but in soldeir training Id back our own guys against em any time!!