by Nick Palmisciano

[garyedolan]

Thanks to my fellow veterans:

I remember the day I found out I got into West Point. My mom actually showed up in the hallway of my high school and waited for me to get out of class. She was bawling her eyes out and apologizing that she had opened up my admission letter. She wasn't crying because it had been her dream for me to go there. She was crying because she knew how hard I'd worked to get in, how much I wanted to attend, and how much I wanted to be an infantry officer. I was going to get that opportunity. That same day two of my teachers took me aside and essentially told me The following:

“David, you're a smart guy. You don't have to join the military. You should go to college, instead.”

I could easily write a theme defending West Point and the military as I did that day, explaining that USMA is an elite institution, that separate from that it is actually statistically much harder to enlist in the military than it is to get admitted to college, that serving the nation is a challenge that all able-bodied men should at least consider for a host of reasons, but I won't. What I will say is that when a 16 year-old kid is being told that attending West Point is going to be bad for his future then there is a dangerous disconnect in America, and entirely too many Americans have no idea what kind of burdens our military is bearing.

In World War II, 11.2% of the nation served in four (4) years. During the Vietnam era, 4.3% served in twelve (12) years. Since 2001, only 0.45% of our population has served in the Global War on Terror. These are unbelievable statistics. Overtime, fewer and fewer people have shouldered more and more of the burden and it is only getting worse. Our troops were sent to war in Iraq by a Congress consisting of 10% veterans with only one person having a child in the military. Taxes did not increase to pay for the war. War bonds were not sold. Gas was not regulated. In fact, the average citizen was asked to sacrifice nothing, and has sacrificed nothing unless they have chosen to out of the goodness of their hearts. The only people who have sacrificed are the veterans and their families. The volunteers. The people who swore an oath to defend this nation.

You stand there, deployment after deployment and fight on. You've lost relationships, spent years of your lives in extreme conditions, years apart from kids you'll never get back, and beaten your body in a way that even professional athletes don't understand. Then you come home to a nation that doesn't understand. They don't understand suffering. They don't understand sacrifice. They don't understand why we fight for them. They don't understand that bad people exist. They look at you like you're a machine - like something is wrong with you. You are the misguided one - not them.

When you get out, you sit in the college classrooms with political science teachers that discount your opinions on Iraq and Afghanistan because YOU WERE THERE and can't understand the macro issues they gathered from books, because of your bias. You watch TV shows where every vet has PTSD and the violent strain at that. Your Congress is debating your benefits, your retirement, and your pay, while they ask you to do more. But the amazing thing about you is that you all know this. You know your country will never pay back what you've given up. You know that the populace at large will never truly understand or appreciate what you have done for them. Hell, you know that in some circles, you will be thought as less than normal for having worn the uniform.

Just that decision alone makes you part of an elite group. “Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few.” -Winston Churchill - Thank you to the 11.2% and 4.3% who have served and thanks to the 0.45% who continue to serve our Nation.

General David Petraeus
West Point, Class 1974

[Lefty]

Thank you for posting that, Gary.

Much of what he said could be applied to veterans of our era also. Other than the personal commitments of those in the military and their families, nobody in the US made any sacrifices during VN and all the subsequent conflicts. There were no shortages of consumer goods or any other impact on life beyond the frenzied demonstrations. And what was that, really, other than a reason to get together and party on the anti-war theme? I mean, what did the anti-war protesters have invested? They did what they wanted to do when they felt like doing it, and at minimal personal risk compared to those who fought in the conflict. You and I were part of the folks who made a real commitment, a commitment of our (pardon the trite phrase) blood, sweat, and tears, and for some of us, our lives, for the immediate goal to help VN preserve a form of self-determination and a long term goal of preserving this nation and its way of life.

I have been maintaining for some time that the US public has no clue about how thin is the veneer of protection of our culture and its way of life. It is a very thin sliver indeed of our population who stands between our rich material way of life and the outside forces that would destroy what the US has created. Despite the recent economic downturn, people of other countries are still trying to get here. Maybe it has slowed somewhat, but more are trying to get in than any who are trying to get out, which is testimony to how well off we still are compared to the rest of the world. So many, so very many, especially our elected officials, are just too spoiled to realize they neglect and denigrate our military at their own peril.
But, hey, don't ask me how I REALLY feel.........

[Troglodyte]

Lefty,

My generation, the current war's "old men," learned most of what we are getting right from our fathers and older brothers in your generation.

As long as the kids doing the heavy lifting in this war respect me, I couldn't care less what society at large thinks.

Very respectfully,
Trog

[rangertough]

I get sick and tired of the apathy I witness on a daily basis where our military is concerned. I even get it from my own sisters and their kids. The older I get the more I prefer to keep to myself. The pathetic , ignorant, and superbly educated folks I encounter in this little patch of ground make my roids swell!

Your family treated me very well. Especially your mom and dad (say "Hi" for me).

You Sisters were polite and asked good questions. I think because there was a personal connection with you there.

I'm starting to wonder if the Mil/Civ divide isn't mostly caused by a lack of personal connection to the Military vs Apathy.

Tough

[Jim]

I'm starting to wonder if the Mil/Civ divide isn't mostly caused by a lack of personal connection to the Military vs Apathy.

Tough

That would be my guess.

[Grifter]

yeah I have been out since late 03 and I still run into folks here in the Detroit MI suburbs that have never met a Soldier that served in either of OEF/OIF...which is a direct result of the percentages listed by the General. The majority of the pop walks around uneffected by the wars going on a half a world away. regardless of internet or TV coverage...Here on my local channels the NBC "news" stops for half an hr in prime news time to play todays edition of "Entertainment tonight" and the other local news channel stops a half hour later for an hr of "Inside Edition"...theres a reason the news takes second seat to those shows. better fucking viewer ratings. mindless sheep

sadly this epidemic is evident everywhere..here in Oakland County (used to be the fifth richest county in the country) in the first village of OC..my hometown of Rochester we have roughly 12000 residents. last local election. the polls manged to draw out just over 1000 of them to vote.. sad mindless sheep.

I was in the bagel shop yesterday getting break for the boys and over-heard two gents talking about the vote we have coming up next tuesday. One asked the other something and his response was something to the affect of .."I dont vote anymore because, whoever I vote for, never wins"

They dont watch the news, they dont vote their local elections. and when they do vote the big elections..they for sure dont research their vote and then they vote the best 30 second spot ad on TV..

Somehow the other %99.55 are supposed to be intune with us..the %.45 / %11.5 Go figure..

[Disinfertention]

Actually Nick Palmisciano wrote this story, which in no way diminishes the power behind it.

Here's the link for it.

http://rhinoden.rangerup.com/i-wrote-this/