Veterans

I grew up in a center-right household the the 80s and 90s. Through my skewed world view, I saw joining the military as a way to be on the front lines of making the world a better place. I ate up the whole “real American hero” thing of G.I. Joe and mottos of groups like the Green Berets “de oppresso libre” (liberator of the oppressed). In 1997, when I first enlisted, I wanted to be involved in peacekeeping missions like those of Bosnia and Kosovo. I wanted to stop genocide and create opportunity for people who were unable to do so themselves.

When it came to joining, patriotism was a distant second or third consideration for me.

It didn’t work out that way, but that was my intention. Anyways, as an officer (of the Infantry variety) my service apparently doesn’t mean anything according to this survey