Soldiers say to one another commonly the phrase you knew what you signed up for or some

[Augiedog]

variation there of. That is one soldier who signed up for the same thing remarking to another about their common cause or values.

That said, it is inexcusable for trump to claim a commonality with soldiers. He is a draft dodging, silver spooned wanna be who will never understand the brotherhood of being a member of the military.

Military service is never about yourself, it’s about teamwork, discipline and sometimes extreme sacrifice. Trump can lay claim none of these traits. But I am saying what we all already know.

What is truely distressing is that General Kelly has violated one the most sacrosanct principles of a soldier: you never lie. Lies cost lives. Lies cost you your credibility. Lies stain your reputation and lies always come back to haunt you. General Kelly has just shown himself as unfit for the position he now holds. If he has any honor left he will correct the record and resign.

[Madam45for2923]

1. At the time of death it is not the time. It shows callousness, carelessness; like he doesn't GAF

And also sounds like Donald does not think twice b4 sending troops into danger, since as he said they knew what they signed up for.

[Glorfindel]

2. Well said, Augiedog.

"If he has any honor left he will correct the record and resign." I really hope he will, but as a practical matter, I doubt it very much. All he had to do was keep silent. Nothing forced him to lie, lie, lie so blatantly. Now this is all he will be remembered for. I don't get it.

[Adrahil]

3. But you don't say that to the wife of a man who just died.

Kelly's buddy saying it to him is different. Kelly is a Marine. He's part of that culture. SGT Johnson's wife is not.

It was cruel and careless.

[pfitz59]

4. Never Again Volunteer Yourself

while standing in line to re-enlist. Military folks can joke with each other... but Trump is not one of us... ever!

[mercuryblues]

5. Most of the time

that is said during training, eating an MRE and no shower or bathroom for their 15th straight day. Filling out forms in triplicate for the 4th time. Doing inventory and missing a desk, only to realize after 5 hours of searching for it that what someone labeled a desk is actually a folding table. Being confined to base because a pair of night goggles are missing and before they can leave the goggles have to be found.

It is used sarcastically. Not as a condolence for a widow. Can you imagine getting a condolence card when your spouse dies in a car accident, "well you know what can happen when you get behind a wheel. Guess you are hurting."

[Aristus]

6. As a tank crewman in the Army, I shared with my fellow tankers

the rather ghoulish habit of calculating our life-expectancy in combat in a full-scale tank-to-tank battle with the Russians if the Cold War ever turned hot.

The number we all seemed to agree on was seven seconds.

If it had ever actually happened, and one of our comrades had been killed, we would have never, ever said something like "Dude, you were right! Seven seconds!"

And certainly not: "You knew what you signed on for."

The veterans who support him are such colossal idiots...

[chowder66]

7. Exactly right. I've been saying that this is for service member to service member not

service member to civilian.

All Trump and Kelly had to do.... is recognize this.

Kelly should have known this right away and told Trump to apologize saying something to the effect of....saying "he knew what he signed up for" is reserved between service members. I'm truly sorry. I should have been more thoughtful and recognized that you are a mother of a military man who lost her son. I regret my mistake, hope that you can forgive me and offer you and your family my deepest condolences.

But no, he appropriated Kelly's words and used them on a civilian because he has no empathy. So he doubled down and turned it on it's head in the most disgusting manner. Kelly then fucking jumped in the fray and added fuel to the fire.

Assholes.