Aus Vets Reject Airline Recognition

[Occams Barber]

Aus Vets Reject Airline Recognition

Earlier this week Virgin Australia announced plans to recognise Australian veterans by giving them priority in boarding its flights along with onboard, public recognition and thanks. This is similar to the ‘Thank you for your service’ type acknowledgement given to US veterans on US flights. Virgin’s announcement was met with some unease and general disagreement.

So, who objected to recognising veterans?

A mob of ungrateful pacifist snowflakes?

A bunch of left-wing socialist feminazis?​

Actually neither. The objections came most strongly from the veterans themselves, both as individuals and via their representative organisations. The head of the Australian Defence Association, called the move "tokenistic" and described it as a manifestation of American culture that was unlikely to translate well in Australia. A representative of the Returned Servicemen’s League suggested that discount fares may be a more practical way of acknowledging military service.

In an opinion piece, a 25-year veteran and former Army officer pointed out that Armed Service personnel were not the only group worthy of special consideration,

"What about police and emergency services who have to attend car crashes, or fish bodies out of rivers? Or paramedics who attend countless overdoses, suicide attempts and related traumatic events? Or staff in emergency departments in hospitals who have to make life-saving decisions every day?"

Tweeted comments from vets included:

‘I couldn’t think of anything more discomforting for vets. Isn’t this just wafting around patriotism US-style without substance?’​

And

‘I would not dream of walking on to an aircraft ahead of the other passengers as a veteran. Can’t imagine too many people I served with doing this either. …. Faux American bollocks’​

Australia’s other major airline, Qantas, said it carried "exceptional people every day", and indicated that it would not be singling out service veterans from the many medical and emergency service personnel it carries.

The overall view from both veterans and the public was one of discomfort with the idea and a disinclination to follow a practice which was considered by many to be inconsistent with Australian cultural norms.

Virgin is reconsidering.

******************************

I appreciate that many American readers may find this attitude disrespectful and even unpatriotic but it highlights one of several significant cultural differences between the U.S. and Australia. Our respective attitudes to outward shows of patriotism are markedly different. In Australia you’ll rarely see a flag or hear the National Anthem. Flag wavers are regarded with some suspicion and, if you happen to hear the National Dirge, we don’t expect you to Hand-on-Heart or salute or even stand if you don’t feel like it. Kneeling is a bit over the top…but...if it floats your boat…

It’s not all bad. The Australian Armed Services, past and present, are reverently (and enthusiastically) celebrated on Anzac Day each year. Armistice Day is also a recognised event and every city, town and village has a memorial to its fallen soldiers.

Sources

Virgin Australia announces US-style plan to honour veterans on every flight

Virgin Australia to rethink 'tokenistic' US-style priority boarding for veterans
OB

 

[USincognito]

In the U.S. we have sort of crossed over into Starship Troopers territory, but I think that's a response to the aftermath of Vietnam and has been building up since Desert Storm.

 

[Occams Barber]

In the U.S. we have sort of crossed over into Starship Troopers territory, but I think that's a response to the aftermath of Vietnam and has been building up since Desert Storm.

Thanks USIncog

I have a vague recollection of the movie but I'm not sure I understand "we have sort of crossed over into Starship Troopers territory.".

From memory the movie involved a total immersion in a militaristic environment. Is that the point you're making?
OB

 

[USincognito]

Thanks USIncog

I have a vague recollection of the movie but I'm not sure I understand "we have sort of crossed over into Starship Troopers territory.".

From memory the movie involved a total immersion in a militaristic environment. Is that the point you're making?
OB

Sort of. The "Service means citizenship" aspect, though not to that extent. The current manifestation is that they are super citizens and we see stuff like this:

Just for the record, my father was career Air Force, his half-brother was a Marine vet of the Pacific in WWII and his father was a Marine vet in France during WWI. I also tried to be an Army officer, but was medically retired after getting my commission and hurting my back during Field Artillery school. I greatly appreciate and love our veterans, but I don't fetishize them as some seem to do.

 

[Occams Barber]

Sort of. The "Service means citizenship" aspect, though not to that extent. The current manifestation is that they are super citizens and we see stuff like this:

Just for the record, my father was career Air Force, his half-brother was a Marine vet of the Pacific in WWII and his father was a Marine vet in France during WWI. I also tried to be an Army officer, but was medically retired after getting my commission and hurting my back during Field Artillery school. I greatly appreciate and love our veterans, but I don't fetishize them as some seem to do.

I can't imagine anything even remotely like that being produced in this country. If it were then vets would be diving for the exits to disassociate themselves.

If this sort of thing is normal then fetishize appears to be the right word.
OB

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

Thanks USIncog

I have a vague recollection of the movie but I'm not sure I understand "we have sort of crossed over into Starship Troopers territory.".

From memory the movie involved a total immersion in a militaristic environment. Is that the point you're making?
OB

Heh? The movie? Try the book. It's by Robert Heinlein. It is quite good, actually.

 

[Nithavela]

Heh? The movie? Try the book. It's by Robert Heinlein. It is quite good, actually.

I think that the movie is far superior to the book.

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

I think that the movie is far superior to the book.

Rule of thumb: The book is almost always better than the movie.

The book went into far more nuance as to the society structure, which the movie only presented in a mild civics class and intermittent cut-scene advertisments. The point is better made in the book of responsibility coupled with rights, than merely a showing a Stratocracy. To each his own though.

 

[Nithavela]

Rule of thumb: The book is almost always better than the movie.

The book went into far more nuance as to the society structure, which the movie only presented in a mild civics class and intermittent cut-scene advertisments. The point is better made in the book of responsibility coupled with rights, than merely a showing a Stratocracy. To each his own though.

I think that the movie starship troopers is misunderstood. It's actually an anti-war movie.

 

[Occams Barber]

I think that the movie starship troopers is misunderstood. It's actually an anti-war movie.

So now we have a German chicken fighting with a fake Latin who specializes in talking in extinct Italian with a Sithiffrrrricaaan accent, about a 1950s second rate SF pulp novel.

Stoppittt!!

It's my thread so you're supposed to acknowledge the fascinating concepts raised in the OP.
OB

 

[Nithavela]

So now we have a German chicken fighting with a fake Latin who specializes in talking in extinct Italian with a Sithiffrrrricaaan accent, about a 1950s second rate SF pulp novel.

Stoppittt!!

It's my thread so you're supposed to acknowledge the fascinating concepts raised in the OP.
OB

As a german, giving anything special to veterans (as in, anything except their pay, healthcare benefits and the likes) is a pretty foreign concept to me. Then again, we don't have that many war veterans.

We have a lot of war industry veterans, though. Maybe we should give the same honours to the guys who build the tanks and guns we export.

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

Then again, we don't have that many war veterans.

They get less each year, thanks to Mossad and prosecuting people in their 80s.

 

[Occams Barber]

Then again, we don't have that many war veterans.

Haven't you guys had any military involvement since the Big War (the one whose name must not be spoken)?
OB

 

[Nithavela]

Haven't you guys had any military involvement since the Big War (the one whose name must not be spoken)?
OB

Well, yeah, but as far as I know only a tiny percentage of german soldiers actually went to those wars, and of those, most saw little to no actual combat.

I wouldn't call someone a veteran when he spent his military career guarding barracks and maybe helping out with disaster relief twice a year.

 

[Paidiske]

Oi. Be nice to people with South African accents!

Seriously, though, this is interesting. On the one hand, yeah, the whole veteran-worship thing feels a bit un-Australian. On the other hand, try saying in Australia that you don't feel there's anything particularly special about ANZAC day... (an aside; if you check my profile you'll find I joined this forum on ANZAC day. That happened after I took a roasting on my usual Australian forum hangout for expressing pacifist sentiments, got tired of the nationalism and jingoism, and went looking for somewhere else where there might be interesting conversation...)

So I'd say we have a version of it, we just have our own particular taboos around what is and is not acceptable.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Interesting how immediately this is recognized as "a manifestation of American culture".

(The film and the book are both great, but are about different things. Do you want to know more?)

 

[TLK Valentine]

I think that the movie starship troopers is misunderstood. It's actually an anti-war movie.

Agreed -- it's a parody of jingoistic militarism.

 

[FireDragon76]

I think the Australian attitude of a fair go has something to do with it. Americans egalitarianism can be very selective. In southern US culture, there is a long history of reverence for hierarchy and anti-egalitarianism.

 

[dgiharris]

I think that the movie is far superior to the book.

Blasphemy

I think that the movie starship troopers is misunderstood. It's actually an anti-war movie.

(The film and the book are both great, but are about different things. Do you want to know more?)

agreed, and very clever.
Truth be told, the book and movie are completely different... almost like a writing prompt. Give two different story tellers the same prompt and they come up with completely different stories.

The book was in actuality a philosophy book
The movie was...

Agreed -- it's a parody of jingoistic militarism.

yeah... that

 

[Aryeh Jay]

First off I would like to thank the people of Australia and New Zeeland to celebrate my birthday as ANZAC day.

I am a veteran in the USA and I wait my turn like everyone else, I get so sick of the special marketing addressed to “me” and “Thank you for your service”, which sometimes almost sounds like “Better you than me”.

That being said, I am off the get my free Veterans Day meal from Olive Garden…