Hey everybody, my name is Keith and I am on welfare. They call it defending freedom and democracy, a patriotic duty, or service to my country. I call it pointless political pandering under some waving flag and a pile of defense contracts. I am currently fostering the arduous task of learning the principles of liberty and following orders from arbitrary bureaucrats…daily. So on the positive side of that nonsense there is not much time left in my Navy career so I will soon be moving north to join in the free state project, (I will be there by Sept. 30, 2011 along with hopefully another 1000 more early movers). To make things even better I am only a short drive to New Hampshire for events so I am trying to make as many trips as I can to figure out which city or area to move to.
Anyhow besides all that, I entered the Navy to be a Nuclear trained mechanic, ended up railroaded into picking up collateral duties as a chemist, by the way the navy's definition of chemist is on the level of a swimming pool technician who also happens to know about radiations effects on water. Also soon I will be attending the navy's diver training just to finish enjoying the myriad of job skills I can soak up before this whole "career" of make work ends.
So far I have visited Keene and attended one of the disorderly trials, disorderly both because of the idiotic charges of disorderly conduct and the ridiculous behavior of the so called officials, and the Liberty forum. I am amazed at how open and welcoming everyone both in Keene and throughout New Hampshire is compared with Connecticut. I have been moving all over the country as part of the military first as my father's dependent and later as my own little mindless cog in the war machine, But I claim Florida as my home in the past. I can't wait until my home is the Granite state.
Welcome. ;D
Being in the Navy isn't being on welfare. People on welfare get money without work. You are a bureaucrat. You have a job and the ability to do more harm than someone on welfare.
Welcome to the forum. Several of us used to be in the military.
Don't be a bitch to the new people, And I Will Not. :P
I was a nuke mechanic also. I thought I wanted to be one of those glorified pool chemists but I wasn't in long enough to even see if I would ever get that training.
Never Again Volunteer Yourself, eh? Welcome to Keene!
that's a brilliant way to say you're in the military. You'll like Keene and I'll personally be glad when your feet are on NH soil. Right on.
Welcome, KeithO. You're introduction was spiced with bitterness and frustration, and yet also with hope and desire. It seems like you'll be very eager to be active for liberty when you get here. I look forward to meeting you on your next visit.
Welcome. 
[quote author=And I Will Not link=topic=1533.msg16421#msg16421 date=1251945206]
Being in the Navy isn't being on welfare. People on welfare get money without work. You are a bureaucrat.
[/quote]
Yeah, it's much worse than being on welfare. Ian and Mark call it being a paid killer.
You do know you can quit, right?
[quote author=blackie link=topic=1533.msg16595#msg16595 date=1252108360]
[quote author=And I Will Not link=topic=1533.msg16421#msg16421 date=1251945206]
Being in the Navy isn't being on welfare. People on welfare get money without work. You are a bureaucrat.
[/quote]
Yeah, it's much worse than being on welfare. Ian and Mark call it being a paid killer.
You do know you can quit, right?
[/quote]
I suppose bureaucrat applies…however as an enlisted man your the janitor or trigger puller, so its more of the hired goon. Regardless we are splitting hairs about what kind of a squandering of life and value I am currently.
As far as quitting, I came so close…I ranted at the wrong guy and they tried to diagnose me as angry or something. But I refused to be labeled with some mental condition over a difference of opinion…even if it would have granted me freedom. So far all the ways out involve destroying my resume or making me appear to be a mental midget (crazy person). I had heard of some banter about not being willing to serve under the new prez since he may not have his citizenship papers in order…but thats as much detail as I have found yet.
My personal problem with quitting the navy is first and foremost my background in a military family, and second the simple fact that I have already been through 2/3 of the enlistment… so it seems counterproductive to throw my reputation away on principle so far in.
And then there is the even thornier question, is touching the GI bill entitlement an act of joining/ remaining a bureaucrat? Or is it simply reclaiming funds which will be wasted anyhow with the intent of using them towards the slow dismantling of government office. Really I suppose this treads right into using the system vs. agorism, since education is really only designed for playing the game by the old rules.
I fear that I really want to just take the benefits of being in the military, even though I cannot be entitled to stolen money. If these gifts of the state were funded out of the pockets of war profiteers…(if they exist)… then it would be proper reparations to those who were drafted or deceived. I however despite the illusion of orders, do voluntarily return every day and every deployment and do the work. I suppose for that I apologize, but it was a rough transition to hold opinions counter to everything I have been taught, as I am sure it may have been and certainly will be for others.
Thoughts? Criticism? Pie-throwing?
[quote author=KeithO link=topic=1533.msg16737#msg16737 date=1252445300]
And then there is the even thornier question, is touching the GI bill entitlement an act of joining/ remaining a bureaucrat? Or is it simply reclaiming funds which will be wasted anyhow with the intent of using them towards the slow dismantling of government office. Really I suppose this treads right into using the system vs. agorism, since education is really only designed for playing the game by the old rules.
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You were offered it as part of your bonus for signing up so it is part of your pay. If there is a technical school or college you want to attend with the money, why not? There are plenty of those in NH
Who better to hold disdain for the government than those who have lived it. I think you will find many former employees among liberty activists. Welcome to the forum.
Just to Update,
I did quit the Navy after all, the ideas grew like parasites and eventually took on a life of their own. (The months of FTL archives definitely aided that cause.) I was a shell carrying out orders and such and still kept good marks and stayed on the promotion track, but in the end spending months underwater is pretty pointless if there is no crazed patriotism to make it seem worthwhile.
I left with an honorable discharge and picked up a private sector job in a few months, still hunting the New Hampshire Job market and saving up to make the move. I will be vending at Porc Fest out of Site 14, selling Home brewed beer and sharing the site with a Coalition of NYC and NH Iraq Veterans against the War members.
@Blackie thanks for the warisimmoral link, it helped quite a bit as I pursued the CO discharge even though eventually I settled for an admin discharge just to get out and on my way with an Honorable. Reclaimed a year and a half of my youth and avoided getting called back, or at least that's their claim that they won't call me back.
Thanks everyone for contributing and building a community based in principles. It can't have been easy, it seems like all the social or conformity benefits are at odds with liberty.
-Keith
right on bro.
Excellent.
Maybe check Seabrook Station for job possibilities?
Joe
Way to go!
Cool. I'm always happy to learn of entrepreneurs with an interest in being my neighbor.