One good thing that came out of the Gulf wars, maybe the only good thing, is a belated recognition of Vietnam veterans. Somewhere in all of the “Support the Troops” fervor that gripped much of the country came a wave of guilt over how veterans of Vietnam were treated. What M.A.S.H. did for Korean War vets, “Mission Accomplished” did for Vietnam survivors. I received more thanks in one year than I had in the previous twenty. The appreciation ranged from a simple thank you to free food and drink. It was nice.
Unlike many veterans of Vietnam or those of the secret wars that followed, I never hid my service there. Acknowledging it was a quick way to separate people worth being around from those who weren’t. Lately, however, there has arisen a disturbing trend that requires more effort than coffee and donuts on the part of citizens who want to show appreciation for vets. It starts with ordinary people understanding their relationship to the military. Prior to, and including Vietnam, our military consisted of a blend of professionals and conscripts from the general population. Vietnam changed that. Vietnam broke the military, especially the Army.
One fundamental issue was that the unpopularity of the war set up a draft system that preyed upon those on the lower socioeconomic ladder. This led to many unmotivated and low-skilled troops. A military post mortem was conducted after the war ended ignominiously with Huey helicopters being dumped overboard into the South China Sea. The outcome of extensive failure analysis, was the Pentagon demanding and receiving an all-volunteer military to avoid all of the issues that the draft produced. The policy changes, as demonstrated in Iraq and Afghanistan, built a professional military that is arguably the best in the world. But it comes at a cost.
That cost is the relationship between civilians and the military. Previously, most people had relatives or friends in the military. That is no longer true even though the citizenry depends on the military for its safety and security. Everyone who enters the military pays a price that civilians do not and cannot understand. the rigors of basic training alone are something many people couldn’t handle. Most don’t want to even try. Add in service hardships such as long periods in isolated areas on land, on water, and under the sea. The personal costs of serving the nation add up. Military personnel endure these deprivations so you don’t have to.
Even training for war is dangerous. More people were killed preparing to invade Iraq than died in the actual fighting. In Vietnam, I spent a year going in and out of combat areas without getting a scratch. Then I almost died in a jeep rollover during a training exercise. I was prepping for combat, even though I had already been in a war so you didn’t have to go. Not all damage from military service is physical. Arguably, there is more hidden damage than there is external trauma. A society that send citizens off to fight in and train is responsible for treating both the visible and invisible wounds suffered by those who serve so that everyone else doesn’t have to.
Recently, as I was hobbling around on crutches for a few weeks, partially the result of that jeep rollover, I pondered society’s debt to me and my fellow veterans. As a side note, the VA has been very good to me over the years in spite of the reputation it has. I understand that my medical treatment and other VA benefits go a long way toward paying off the social debt incurred for my service and suffering. But there’s more, in my opinion, that needs to be done, and it needs to be done on a personal level instead of an institutional one. Parades, promotions, and the VA aren’t enough. Every year, the media make suggestions for how to celebrate Veterans Day. Exhibit A is MSN’s 2019 list, but I think it leaves something crucial out.
Certain political and media people have gotten into the habit of trashing veterans and the families of veterans who express opinions or criticism of government officials. Gold star families, decorated combat soldiers, and even prisoners of war who suffered horrendous torture have been trashed as everything from being unpatriotic to being actual spies working for our enemies. I don’t need to go into specifics . . . you know who’s responsible. I’m the canary who’s telling you it needs to stop. Now. Not for our sake but for yours.
The only way to stop these cowards, for that’s what they are, is through shame. I know that shame is a dirty word in the mental health community. And in a media landscape where a sex tape makes a no-talent Armenian family rich and famous, it may seem old-fashioned to suggest that shame is even possible today. But I believe that if enough people protest this behavior, it will cease, if not from shame then from the need to be liked. Yes, some politicians have decried these attacks. It hasn’t been nearly enough, and it hasn’t become a viral condemnation. The people behind the smears are hyper-aware of media. If enough people get angry and let politicians and certain media outlets know about their feelings of disgust through voting, social media, boycotts, etc., then change will occur. Low ratings, losing office, and loud public disapproval are the garlic needed to repel these social vampires.
We defended you. Now it’s your turn to defend us. If you don’t, then which of your sons, daughters, and neighbors will be willing to serve so that you don’t have to? Who will put themselves in harm’s way knowing that some of the elite will dismiss their sacrifices? You know the answer.
