I won’t get too much into a debate about the worthiness of a vet in our modern times.
Vietnam was not a “just” war and for those whom served, my heart goes out to the men who were drafted into a mess that put them in jungles, fighting diseases and an enemy that couldn’t easily be identified. They were young, uneducated and had no choice in the draft, while other young men who came from wealthy families easily were able to dodge it.
I look at a just war, our greatest war, WWII. My father was 50 years old when I was born and served in WWII in the Pacific. My father didn’t sign up for the Navy for any heroic purposes.
He was born in 1926 in Hugo, Oklahoma. Until he joined the Navy at 17, he had never had any type of stability in his life, was always hungry and often went without shoes. He never liked hunting later in life, because it reminded him of how poor he had been growing up. Just saying this because we were raised in Texas, in a very gun/hunting enthusiastic community.
I have three cousins and two went to West Point. Both who went to West Point were born in Korea. They wanted the prestige, but also wanted a free education. Many other enlisted men I know went in for a free education and stability as well.
Many aren’t out to be heroes. They need stability, family, medical insurance and a path to affordable education. Maybe they haven’t fought a just war, but that doesn’t mean one won’t occur. If it ever happens, they are there for us and I do respect that.
