Here's an update from my husband "I don't know of anyone who WANTS to go to war. It's part of the job, it's part of what we do."

Another opinion from the horse's mouth.

Yup! Everyone has their own reasons for joining the military and as far as I can see, no reason is any better or worse than another. What bugged me were the troops who wanted the benefits, but whined and complained just because they were expected to actually earn them.

Anyone who claims that they didn't think they'd end up going to war if they joined up is either painfully naive, or just whining that their butt got called up instead of someone else's... or only joking (which happens often also). ;~D

Yup! Everyone has their own reasons for joining the military and as far as I can see, no reason is any better or worse than another. What bugged me were the troops who wanted the benefits, but whined and complained just because they were expected to actually earn them.

Exactly.  What really matters is that they go off and do what is asked of them. 

Dave signed up to be a cop and to have job security.  Then he met me, got married, had kids...and the job security and the benefits just kept looking better and better.  Now here we are 13 years later, and he's 2/3 through his career.  The amount of people I know who are in a similar situation would really shock some of the civilian people, I think.  But you know, Ted.  You served, you saw it too.

I couldn't understand what the 'concientious objector' was thinking when they signed up either.  It's not like they were drafted...they must have known in the current climate that they would get shipped out to Iraq.

"Exactly. What really matters is that they go off and do what is asked of them.

Which IS the definition of honor, especially given such service could mean the end of your life in conflict you may or may not agree with. As I said on the other blog, your average accountant doesn't go back to a job once his life has been threatened, benefits or not.

If you want to focus on the mercenary aspects and downplay patriotism and honor, that is your right. I tend to think maybe the people you are around don't wear their patriotism on their sleeve, and perhaps being constantly surrounded by people dedicated to such duty you've lost sight of how rare it is in the world.

Maybe I don't understand why anyone who cares about people in the service would ever choose to downplay those qualities we hold in the highest regard, and portray them in the same jaded light those who hate the US do. I wouldn't think soldiers are anxious to hear yet another person play down their valor in favor of calling them dupes doing a futile job for a corrupt administration.

You'll forgive me if I don't join in.

If you want to focus on the mercenary aspects and downplay patriotism and honor, that is your right. I tend to think maybe the people you are around don't wear their patriotism on their sleeve, and perhaps being constantly surrounded by people dedicated to such duty you've lost sight of how rare it is in the world.

I think you are entirely right.  See, when you're isolated from the civilian world the way Tex and I are, you get so accustomed to people doing their duty all the time that you tend to forget that the 'real world' doesn't operate quite like that.

I'm not trying to downplay the honor aspect.  Obeying orders and doing your duty IS an honorable thing to do.  I'm simply saying that to tar every single service member with a patriotic brush is an error.  Some people, like my husband and Sergeant Neale, go to war because that's part of their job, not because they want to.  They do their jobs to primarily to provide for their family, not out of a sense of patriotism.

I would feel much better about what he does when he deploys if I thought that he was really and truly defending the American constitution and freedom - not just our fuel.

Dharma:

Now here we are 13 years later, and he's 2/3 through his career.

This may not be the best time to say this, but do enjoy it while it lasts, believe me, it is over far too soon enough. Like everything else, it's mostly what you make of it. You and D don't get to decide much in a military life, but you they can't tell you what to make of it.

Call me crazy (cause, well, I am on my way to my psychologists office right now), but MAN DO I MISS IT!

This may not be the best time to say this, but do enjoy it while it lasts, believe me, it is over far too soon enough. Like everything else, it's mostly what you make of it. You and D don't get to decide much in a military life, but you they can't tell you what to make of it.

Funnily enough, we were talking about this last night.

Whilst he's looking forward to retiring, he's also wondering how it's going to be.....because this life is all he/we know.

We're doing our best to make the most of this life, Ted.  We know that it will be over soon, so we're trying to take advantage of all that the military has to offer whilst we can.

Glad to hear it!