Patriotism or Other Reasons

Patriotism or Other Reasons

I have no intention of taking any respect or gratitude away from those who serve in the military. Our current yeah, troops mentality, however, tends to take away from the full reality, good and bad, of serving. Posting pictures and slogans to say we support our troops gives a false sense of having done our duty and is a backlash from the shameful public treatment of the Vietnam Veterans. I wonder if we didn’t hide our heads in the sand and swing too far to the other side.

Even in my father’s post WWII generation, when the draft still existed and the Korean conflict was underway, many chose to enter the Navy rather than be drafted as combat infantry in the Army. They saw no reason to risk their lives for a fight they didn’t believe was vital to their country’s welfare. The handling of Vietnam left countless men and women emotionally scarred, sick, or both.

A friend of mine lost her husband six years ago. He suffered from two rare cancers traced back to his exposure to Agent Orange. He was a Marine and proud to be one, deeply devoted to his fellow Marines, but had little respect for the politicians who handled what he considered the debacle of Vietnam. What does that do to the soul to have to follow orders you don’t believe in?

Lack of Options

Many go into the military because of a family history of service or a true calling to serve the country. A great many others through the generations joined the military to pay for the college education their families couldn’t afford to give them. Too many, perhaps naïve of or ill-suited to military life, go for reasons having to do with a lack of other options.

Not everyone has the ability to learn through our traditional educational system or has the aptitude or opportunity to learn traditional trades such as plumbing or electrical work. There are a disproportionate number of people of color serving, yet the vast majority of officers, especially higher up, are white.

There have been a number of investigations into the poor treatment and outright molestation of female members of the military. The topic of women in combat seems to have overridden the topic of their treatment for the moment but will certainly come front and center as everyone adjusts to a greater presence of women on the front lines.

Being Grateful

By all means, we should be grateful for the sacrifices of our military. That doesn’t mean we should romanticize military service and overlook its internal problems and the social problems that may lead to service without a true understanding of the sacrifices required that have the potential to crush unprepared young souls.