All you men that served are heroes in my book. Thank you!

Amen

25 years ago, I would have. Kosovo was heating up then and I was a junior in HS. Sept 11th happened when I was 20, and tried to join numerous times, but they would not take me because I am blind in one eye.

I was 100% for the war then and supported Bush indefinitely. He was the first president I was able to vote for and I was hooked, lined, and sinkered on the war effort; wore a yellow ribbon all throughout college as many of my close friends were over there. Some did not come home; others came home badly wounded.

Now, I say heck no. I agree with Danny on his many posts about war......

If we are gonna go to war, and send our loved ones to fight it, then we had better be willing to do what is necessary to win. That involves lots of damage; to heck with winning hearts and minds. Need to burn crops, destroy all agriculture, destroy bridges, bomb infrastructure roads, bomb pipelines and electrical facilities, destroy homes if necessary, and kill the enemy. Destroy the enemy starve them out if necessary, and kill anyone who supports them. I'm not on board with anything less.

These endless wars with no clear outcome only make rich people richer at our children's expense, and our whoring out weaponry to the most volatile countries in the world since Vietnam has made us nowhere near safer, or the world a better place IMO.

We have a war right now at our southern border. Lets start there first.

77% wont make the cut !
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/77-military-age-americans-arent-fit-service-dod

it would be the badger militia for me if it came too that.

Ihad my physical completed right after Kent State. Got a low number on the 1969 draft lottery and was drafted later in the year. Obviously a lot of negative atmoshpere during those times but served and would today if the government needed people to serve today. The military trains people to work as units to achieve the determined outcomes. Politicians work hard to sway those things and making decisions as is being asked here on this thread smells of the same.

Bryce

I have always said "I would do it all over again" and most likely would. I suspect my mindset comes from the generation I grew up in and the way I was raised. You need to understand that those of us who served in Vietnam had no idea at the time that we were being sold out by a government who had no intentions of winning the war. only to pad their pockets and make themselves all the richer. If the government wanted to win the war it could have been won shortly after TET 1968. I started to wake up and smell the coffee as they say when our government turned their back on the Hmong community from Cambodia, Laos and certain parts of Vietnam. The Vietnamese community was brought into the USA and taken care of. The Hmong community who fought side by side with us was more or less rejected. Yes, there is a BIG difference between the two nationalities. I really think LBJ wanted to and could have won the war but was handcuffed by congress. Tricky Dick took over after LBJ did not run for another term. The rest is history. I won't debate my thoughts with anyone but would answer sensible questions. These are just my thoughts from a person who served 2 tours and feel I have a right to my opinion as I respect anyone's right to their opinion. Maddog47 out.
p.s. Sgt USMC. 1965 TO 1969

I really wanted to go to Afghanistan, tried to join but I had cancer as a kid and only one kidney so was disqualified.

As a person I've changed a lot since being a teenager, now my country is me and my family and if that is under direct threat I'll do whatever I can, other than that I'm not interested.

i would rather die with my combat boots on than slither to canada like a worm.

AGREE with Maddog47... served USMC 1964 -1972 ...... Nam 1967-68 Semper Fi Maddog47

Um, I believe that you have MORE than earned the right to your opinion Gary!

I have nothing but respect for the Vietnam veterans and total disrespect for the cowards that ran to Canada. I'm far too old to serve, and would not want to serve under todays leadership. however if our country were attacked like in WWII I would gladly go. I believe in patriotism.

I have heard too many stories, first hand and documentaries, So no. I missed it by a couple years and thank my lucky stars. I have nothing but respect for all Vets, but also goosebumps for VN vets.

I have mixed feelings about that bunch.

On one hand the obvious cowardly afraid to go to war side.

On the other; it takes a bit of courage to give up your country, your friends and relatives, and whatever they had established in life to protest the government's criminal stupidity.

Giving those guys amnesty, almost makes up for Ford pardoning Nixon. And there are a couple more things that I have mixed feelings about.

I believe our veterens have been betrayed by our government, from today back to korea. When I enlisted in the air force , practically on my 17th birthday, I had not figured that out yet. But I am one of the few who legally never registered for the draft

I served from 1965 to 1969 and if I had it to do over again I would serve again.

We lost. The war was useless and destroyed 55,000 lives and families. As a politician said back then, I am tired of old men sending young men off to die.

Yep would do it again. I would rather go down while walking point than walking to the mailbox.

I've given it some thought since first seeing this thread.

Hindsight is 20/20.
I'm also privy to the conversation my father had with my mother the night before he shipped out to Nam or at least her recollection of it. I will not share that one ever nor do I think less of my father for it.
I'm also a veteran myself.

With some hesitancy, tempered by age, I absolutely would take up the uniform again if my country called. And can only pray that the cause is just.

As for those cowards that fled I'm still of the opinion that they should've been shot.