A Bit Sad
Whenever I see our young men and women serving, and I don't care what they are actually doing, I just feel so proud of them and also a bit saddened that I'm not doing my share.
As you know if you've read my profile, I'm a retired US Army NCO. I served 27½ years and did everything from Intel work with language and as an analyst to logistics, personnel and was an infantry platoon sergeant. I've been an operations NCO at Brigade level, acting First Sergeant, well, you name it. I served in the good old Republic of Korea for a total of 4 years and 9 months and I've had some special training here and there. But, I've also been retired for over 5 years now (the Army's cut-off for volunteering for recall to active duty). I understand that a LOT has changed as we've reorganized, retrained and, at least to some extent, re-equipped to meet our current threat forces and so I understand that I would need retraining in order to be deployed. But...
I'm also very thankful to be able to get up in the morning (and maybe not in the middle of the night, to sleep in some days, to be cool when it is hot outside and warm when it is cold, to see my grandson and children, to take in a movie with the wife (or not my choice) and to care for my aging mother.
So, what is a bit sad? That I don't see many other, darn few actually, people who are as conflicted as I am. They are unabasadley happy that it isn't them or their kids, or any family member over there. They have no concept of the heat, humidity, long duty hours, personal privations, the sacrifices of time with family, the continuous threat of attack, even the loss of comrades to wounds or death. Yet, they are willing to belittle the efforts made, the progress accomplished, in order to attack the President. Their President, who has kept them safe. They complain about an economy which continues to lift the poorest of our nation into the top 1-2% of the world in personal wealth and luxury. They are so very fortunate and at the same time can't realize how blessed they are. That is what is sad, and more than a bit...
