"Thank You For Your Service"

     E.C.V. called me yesterday, Nov. 10, to wish a Happy Birthday, as he does every year.  Perceptive readers of this blog may wonder about that since I was born Oct. 28.  Being a good Catholic, E.C.V. is probably not thinking of Martin Luther who was born on Nov. 10.  No, Nov. 10, is the birthday of the Marine Corps and under the rubric of "once a Marine, always a Marine" he calls me unfailingly every Nov. 10.
    Volunteering in a 5th grade classroom at Noble Academy today, the teacher asked how many years since my discharge?  I said "I was discharged in 1962."  She immediately made it a math problem for the class "How many years since his discharge?"  They quickly answered "52".  The students weren't much impressed...hard for them to visualize anything much beyond 15...but the teacher was wide eyed.  She's about 26 so 5 decades plus impressed her.
   In the first 40 years or more after discharge I never remember being thanked for my service.  After the poor reception many returning Vietnam Vets. received there was a backlash.  With the Gulf War and Iraq/Afghanistan wars it became popular to be visibly supportive of veterans.  "Thank you for your service."  Signs "WE SUPPORT OUR TROOPS"  sprang up in many places.
   Personally I think we owe it to our combat veterans who served honorably, many of whom were killed or wounded, to be a bit discriminating.  Using a "broad brush" thanking everyone who was in one of the military branches diminishes the true homage due to those who faced combat.  
   Why did I enlist?   Was I infused with patriotic fervor and love of my country?  Not really.  It was the 1950s and America still had the draft.  I'd been deferred for 2 years to attend college.  After 2 years it became clear to me that with my lack of academic focus I needed time to grow up. Therefore, I chose to enlist...3 years will give me time to gain some clarity and have a bit of adventure.
   It worked perfectly for me.  Prior to enlistment my world was very, very small...an insulated farming community in South Dakota.  Boot Camp was in San Diego, CA, and flying there was my first airplane ride.  There I met E.C.V. my buddy for  life. Subsequent assignment to Camp Pendleton, CA continued my exposure to young men from all walks of life.  A year's assignment in Asia continued to broaden my horizons.  While in Asia I gained clarity about my career path after discharge and I returned to college with the focus I'd previously not had.
   Given this experience, when people thank me for my service, it feels like I might feel if someone thanked me for driving on the right side of the road.  It would be very different had my service been in combat.
   Yet, there is another issue that should be considered.  Not everyone who received an honorable discharge served honorably.  All branches of the service have their share of crooks and sociopaths.  I saw my share of them, and,  this was in peace time.  The chaos of war brings out both the best and the worst in people.  Some people in the military do terrible things for which they are never held accountable.  Therefore, blanket accolades make me uncomfortable.
  One day I was wearing my "Marines" cap when a woman came up to me, shook my hand and said "Thank you for your service."  Being in one of my curmudgeonly moods I said "How do you know that I wasn't a crook?"   I doubt anyone had ever raised that possibility with her before.  The look she gave me was priceless.
   So, all honor and respect for all who served honorably in combat.  Some honor for those who served honorably in peacetime.  No respect for those who served with dishonor.