I'm a veteran, though I never saw combat (navy), I appreciate the thanks I get when people findout I was in the Navy, I always try and show appreciation to other vets, especially those who have seen the elephant.
However, having said that, if I knew when I was 17 what I know now I would have never joined the military. Now, I urge younge people to not do it.
I am very sad most days when I look at the state of things in the US, the Constitution, which I swore to defend is ignored on all levels of government. There is NO freedom anymore, only the appearance of it. The truly sad part is most of you don't care, you're just mind numbed robots, who are perfectly willing to live as slaves as long as your cable TV works.
I joined the Navy, to defend the constitution, but I realised after about a year of service that the enemies to the Constitution are ALL domestic. No Russian comisar ever told me I couldn't carry a firearm, No Chicom ever stopped me from holding church gatherings in my house. No viet cong searched me along side the road rifling through my cab because I happen to haul frieght. I was never forced by the Red Brigade to spend money on worthless carbonmonxide detector, even though my house has a raisedd foundation, electric heat. No foeighn invader ever wrote me a 189 dollar ticket for smoking a cigar on theboardwalk.
Anyway Patriotism truly is the last refuge of the scoundrel, Hitler was a patriot, he spit on the Weimar Constitution just like every US president has since Wilson, (except Coolidge).
The people deserve th Government they get, and friends we all deserve what's coming. It ain't gonna be pretty.