Well for everyone who doesn't know every man in greece is obligated to serve the Army for 9 months. You can stall it if you study etc but eventually you will serve.. that is probably the only thing that is 100% certain in this country ^^ You also don't get paid or anything. You just waste 1 year of your life there. But time wasted is not forgotten. We all create memories,friendships and stories to brag/get to tell for the rest of our lives. Every male in his early 20s hates it and every male above 40 wishes he could go back again.. same deal as school !
But as you all know corruption in Greece flourishes! We will all serve but how each individual serves.. well that depends on who you know and what phone calls he can make. You might serve near your house or you most probably will we sent to guard the borders! What i want you to keep in your minds is that you are forced to join and for 9 months you are trained to look and behave as a soldier but never to act as one. Greece has no money so we might at best fire 20 bullets each. What to we do then , and what orders do we take ? Clean , cook , clean , cook and every OTHER BITCH ASS LITTLE THING THAT your superiors feel like making you do. Paint the camp , clean leaves, guard thin air & a bunch of other nonsense. It is a place that plays with your nerves & psychology. Personality changes everything. Example : i had to cut potatoes for 6 hours today , I WANT TO KILL SOMEBODY i had to cut potatoes for 6 hours today , i met another guy that played SC II and had a great conversation.
But there are some places where you can choose to go that are different. The special forces for example where you will not slack but have a really hard time. Problem is that you choose to go there, you have to LIKE WEAPONS and GET A KICK OUT OF THE ARMY.. so mostly younger & not that educated people seem to join those forces..
Well i am Chris. I decided that having a hard time is worth a beer with friends every 2 days or a night with my gf every now and then.. So i volunteered to join the Presidential Guard because you train and serve in Athens , What is this ? It is the hardest and most honorable force you can join (The only people that will tell you otherwise are the guys from Special forces...rivals) Many people know them.. every tourist that visits our country at least does. Training is Brutal, 10 hours per day standing still , staring at the sun till tears appear.. The first six week you are now allowed to look at anyone above the chest , talk , smile , move ,sneeze , cough or anything else . You are trained to become a statue so that further down the road you can stand still for an hour and execute commands in a parade in the most perfect and spotless way possible. The ones who make the cut will become "Euzones" or "Tsoliades" And their duty is to guard an empty grave that represents all the men that have died for the country's freedom. Shit is so strict that we had instances where a bomba exploded a few meters away and they didn't even move an inch.. they had molotov cocktails shot at their direction and still weren't allowed to even flinch. It may sound stupid and it probably is.. but it takes a huge effort and training to accomplish so in the end.. Well you will be proud for doing it no matter the sacrifices.
Second video is better
I am only in the training camp for 1/6 weeks now.. 20 out of 80 people already quit.. I hope i make the final cut so that i can stay in my home town and make my 9 months more productive.. I haven't gone in many details but i would be happy to answer anything regarding the training etc Let's see how it goes!
I won't tell you to meditate to prepare for your 10 hours because it seems like you will be doing enough of that as it is. But it might help to have some form of mental exercise to do to keep your mind from breaking down. That's all it is, really, aside from maybe a hurting back and hurting feet - an impatient mind that you must conquer - and once conquered you WILL be as able to protect as the legends say you will be.
The shoe weights around 3.5-5. kg And the cottom ball is there because a couple of centuries ago when the Euzwnes where still fighting they had a hidden blade inside.
If you start sneezing while training you will get yelled at or maybe face day in prison (Prison means you are not allowed to leave the camp) If you start sneezing during duty.. Well more days! By hitting your tongue with force at the top of your mouth you can Prevent sneezing with some training
Any Greeks here mind telling me how the Presidential Guard looks to them? Silly, serious, odd, formal, stuff like that.
I ask because their marching style seems odd to me, especially when contrasted to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier guards, but it's probably just a culture thing. There's always a lot of tradition in these types of ceremonies.
So basically the government gets to siphon tourism revenue under the guise of "preserving traditions" through the use of unpaid and mandatory-conscripted soldiers?
Greece is a beautiful country with genuinely nice and friendly people, but I find it hard to believe that the government sees you as anything more than street performers.
My second cousin was in a similar position when serving in the us military. Its interesting, because they look for good looking guys that meet certain physical features, such as an exact height and weight. You become more of a literal work of art than a soldier, which is something I think is pretty cool. But you know what this means right? Op must be a banging hot dude.
On April 17 2014 23:46 [Agony]x90 wrote: My second cousin was in a similar position when serving in the us military. Its interesting, because they look for good looking guys that meet certain physical features, such as an exact height and weight. You become more of a literal work of art than a soldier, which is something I think is pretty cool. But you know what this means right? Op must be a banging hot dude.
Unless he isn't straight, in which case, it's more likely some hot due is banging him.
On April 17 2014 23:46 [Agony]x90 wrote: My second cousin was in a similar position when serving in the us military. Its interesting, because they look for good looking guys that meet certain physical features, such as an exact height and weight. You become more of a literal work of art than a soldier, which is something I think is pretty cool. But you know what this means right? Op must be a banging hot dude.
On April 17 2014 23:46 [Agony]x90 wrote: My second cousin was in a similar position when serving in the us military. Its interesting, because they look for good looking guys that meet certain physical features, such as an exact height and weight. You become more of a literal work of art than a soldier, which is something I think is pretty cool. But you know what this means right? Op must be a banging hot dude.
Haha We were told the kick represents Close Combat
Well one difference is that one marks you as performing your civic duty, whereas the other marks you as a commodity good. I imagine the way it works is that no male in Greece is obligated to perform the service, they would just have to give up their citizenship or right to be called a Greek if they did not. That is, at least, how it works in Korea. Except in Korea, once you pass a certain age, you are not allowed to give up your citizenship. If you're caught in the country, you will either be pressed into the military or thrown in jail.
It's not completely outlandish to compare conscription to slavery, especially when there's no way out and emigrating to avoid it is not easy and probably impossible much of the time. I've heard that in some places, you can give up your citizenship to avoid the conscription. Was it in SK? Either way, losing your citizenship is a massive deal.
That said, the difference isn't that obvious. You're being forced to work for the State instead of for some private entity. The difference is that you don't create anything, but defend the State's interests, which often happens to line up with yours. It's perhaps not as heinous as slavery because everyone goes through it, it doesn't reduce another 'race' of people to slavery - rather, it exploits existing potential in everyone. It's not racist nor exclusive...
The conscription is shit but significantly less repulsive than slavery which reduces people to the level of animals or machines.
On April 18 2014 02:57 Djzapz wrote: It's not completely outlandish to compare conscription to slavery, especially when there's no way out and emigrating to avoid it is not easy and probably impossible much of the time. I've heard that in some places, you can give up your citizenship to avoid the conscription. Was it in SK? Either way, losing your citizenship is a massive deal.
That said, the difference isn't that obvious. You're being forced to work for the State instead of for some private entity. The difference is that you don't create anything, but the State's interests, which often happens to line up with yours. It's perhaps not as heinous as slavery because everyone goes through it, it doesn't reduce another 'race' of people to slavery - rather, it exploits existing potential in everyone. It's not racist nor exclusive...
The conscription is shit but significantly less repulsive than slavery which reduces people to the level of animals or machines.
On April 18 2014 02:54 [Agony]x90 wrote: Well one difference is that one marks you as performing your civic duty, whereas the other marks you as a commodity good. I imagine the way it works is that no male in Greece is obligated to perform the service, they would just have to give up their citizenship or right to be called a Greek if they did not. That is, at least, how it works in Korea. Except in Korea, once you pass a certain age, you are not allowed to give up your citizenship. If you're caught in the country, you will either be pressed into the military or thrown in jail.
On April 18 2014 05:48 Disregard wrote: Actually conscription helps control employment problems.
If they're in the army and not being paid, they're still basically unemployed. Little money is being put in the system, plenty is being spent training, housing and feeding them. When people join the military of most countries, they're paid so when they're done with the military they've got money to inject back into the market as consumers. Now it's just basically a sink and it takes people out of the streets so they've got shit to do... better than nothing but still doesn't do anything about unemployment.
Served 1 year last year. Sometimes it was shit, but there was definitely more good moments. I made friends, had fun, learnt to shoot, some hand to hand combat, throwing grenades.... Service is a thing that bounds all men in our country together, everyone has memories to share from their time in service.
We also had these amazing practices : once we went to the biggest mall in Finland at night and arrested "enemy fighters" there, fighting as company vs some other company in a industrial area(not with real ammunation,these shells that dont have bullets but "bang", protecting "vip" and delivering him to the location via helicopter, announcing our platoon to a real general. More than I can even remember.
I served in military police company in Helsinki and became a reserve second lieutenant.
Have fun and try to make the most of your time in service. If you end up in these duties where you must stand still for long time, remember to move your toes and squeeze your fist unnoticed to keep your blood flowing.
On April 19 2014 00:11 SupplyBlockedTV wrote: What if you need to take a piss?
Well you have to take care of these things before.. New things i learned : Your duty lasts 24 hours. And every 5-6 hours you have to go and stand there.. Going to the place where you have to stand is around 500 meters and has a very strict number of steps and movements you have to make in order to get there. You walk on a red line which symbolizes the blood of the fallen & you have to hit your foot as hard as possible so that the dead can hear that you are still allowed to walk freely. While in the army no other person is allowed to step on it, for example generals etc. Only the ones that have passed training.
You also have to wake up 2 hours earlier if your duty is at night (as i said 6 hours) because putting on the uniform takes approximately 1 hour. Now here is the kick. During the last weeks of training you get partnered up with another guy and you become a "pair" You only perform duty together for the next 8 months and with no one else. One dresses the other , you shave together , you walk together , you get punished together and you are also awarded as a pair. If one is sick then the other waits for him to get better and so on..
The situation in turkey is almost the same(clean, cook, clean leaves, fire only 20 bullets etc.) if you are not assigned to eastern part of the country. I am currently 22 but i will have to do it after i am done with school
On April 18 2014 02:57 Djzapz wrote: It's not completely outlandish to compare conscription to slavery, especially when there's no way out and emigrating to avoid it is not easy and probably impossible much of the time. I've heard that in some places, you can give up your citizenship to avoid the conscription. Was it in SK? Either way, losing your citizenship is a massive deal.
That said, the difference isn't that obvious. You're being forced to work for the State instead of for some private entity. The difference is that you don't create anything, but defend the State's interests, which often happens to line up with yours. It's perhaps not as heinous as slavery because everyone goes through it, it doesn't reduce another 'race' of people to slavery - rather, it exploits existing potential in everyone. It's not racist nor exclusive...
The conscription is shit but significantly less repulsive than slavery which reduces people to the level of animals or machines.
On April 18 2014 02:57 Djzapz wrote: It's not completely outlandish to compare conscription to slavery, especially when there's no way out and emigrating to avoid it is not easy and probably impossible much of the time. I've heard that in some places, you can give up your citizenship to avoid the conscription. Was it in SK? Either way, losing your citizenship is a massive deal.
That said, the difference isn't that obvious. You're being forced to work for the State instead of for some private entity. The difference is that you don't create anything, but defend the State's interests, which often happens to line up with yours. It's perhaps not as heinous as slavery because everyone goes through it, it doesn't reduce another 'race' of people to slavery - rather, it exploits existing potential in everyone. It's not racist nor exclusive...
The conscription is shit but significantly less repulsive than slavery which reduces people to the level of animals or machines.
On April 18 2014 02:57 Djzapz wrote: It's not completely outlandish to compare conscription to slavery, especially when there's no way out and emigrating to avoid it is not easy and probably impossible much of the time. I've heard that in some places, you can give up your citizenship to avoid the conscription. Was it in SK? Either way, losing your citizenship is a massive deal.
That said, the difference isn't that obvious. You're being forced to work for the State instead of for some private entity. The difference is that you don't create anything, but defend the State's interests, which often happens to line up with yours. It's perhaps not as heinous as slavery because everyone goes through it, it doesn't reduce another 'race' of people to slavery - rather, it exploits existing potential in everyone. It's not racist nor exclusive...
The conscription is shit but significantly less repulsive than slavery which reduces people to the level of animals or machines.
Comparing conscription to slavery is pretty dumb. Why not compare public education to slavery while you're at it? It tends to be compulsory as well and you don't get paid for attending school, either...
On April 24 2014 04:18 Salazarz wrote: Comparing conscription to slavery is pretty dumb. Why not compare public education to slavery while you're at it? It tends to be compulsory as well and you don't get paid for attending school, either...
Its not slavery if you are teaching them shit. Oh wait.
Working with your parents since an early age could also be slavery in that sense.
There are actually various tenable justifications given for conscription. You can say it's a social obligation given that only through the protection of the nation you, in essence, exist as you do today. You can say that it's not only justified by not "mandatory" given that you've voluntarily decided to stay in the nation while fully knowing your inevitable conscription at a later date. You can say it's a means to break class barriers and create a more cohesive society by requiring all men to come together, regardless of origin, during a particular time in their adolescence. There's actually a lot you can potentially say. It becomes a problem only when justification is no longer valid in the current reality.
With slavery, there is really no justification. You can't appeal to history or religion, and current economic theory doesn't align economic growth with the establishment of slavery. Actually, it severely hampers it.
On a related vein, conscription is pretty expensive to the State under current economic theory. In a majority of cases it a vastly inefficient use of human capital. So it isn't very wise for the State to mandate conscription unless they have some overriding justification that outweighs the economic detriment from doing so. And especially so for a small nation like Greece.
EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/C0xrxwP.jpg)
