Veterans Day brings some mail from veterans after reading my article, “Worship the Veterans Day.” Here are the comments of five veterans:
I don’t stand, identify myself or even tell people that I am a veteran- I’m no one special, I’m just another human being, it’s embarrassing when someone says ” thank you for your service” it’s embarrassing when I see 600 veterans waiting 2-3 hours for a free 10 dollar meal at sizzler- really? Do you really need that much attention? I always tell my kids that being a “Veteran” in 98% of the cases means you learned how to obey orders and fold t-shirts, that’s it- nothing special.
I’m a two-tour veteran of Vietnam (’65-66 and ’67-68 when that little shitstorm was at its bloody height (with a 60% VA disability to show for it), 5th Special Forces Gp, and I find the current worship of veterans and the military one of the most vomititious displays of phony patriotism yet. “Thank you for your service.” Translation, “So I and mine don’t have to go.” (But we’ll cheer for you!)
I get the “thank you for your service” often, as people find out that I was an Army officer during the Vietnam War. People either forget or don’t know or don’t care that I returned from Vietnam with an anti-war attitude. Of course the tiniest segment of the American sheeple never have experienced war first-hand and their indoctrination by the state is pretty much total, so it is pretty depressing to hear even my family express unhappiness with my viewpoint.
As a USMC veteran of combat in two countries in the previous decade, I despise when someone blindly “thanks” me for my “service.” I should be instead apologizing for not having been able to overcome 12 years of pro-state/war brainwashing via government schools and media in time enough to not enlist.
I enlisted in the USAF at 18 following in the footsteps of my grandfather. My youth then caused me great heartache in the USAF because I was only interested in getting drunk and chasing women. So as you can probably guess that caused a lot of issues with those in charge. I see clearly all the harm that military worship brings. When someone now attempts to place that worship on me I refuse it by stating “the USAF was the biggest and longest lasting party I have ever attended”. It brings some disgusted looks and grunts from those I tell but I hope in some way it will bring to light that there is no glory with the US military and no worship is required for those that enlist … it is a job choice and not a hero’s role.
2:17 pm on November 11, 2014
