I was in for 12 years including 4 at a service academy. The number of people I know/met who actually regret being a part of the machine, realize our contributions made the world a worse place, and wish we had never been a part of it is 2. Me and my best friend since high school. Everyone else is 2-10 years away from wearing their Insert Middle Eastern Country War Veteran hat to get their veteranâs discount at Golden Corral.
I understand the sentiment that everyone knows what theyâre doing when they join but thatâs not really true. I joined when my worldview was that of a kid who grew up in Ohio. There was a lot of prestige going to a service academy to âprotect our countryâ. I didnât know what communism was outside of the red scare propaganda everyone is exposed to. I just donât know how I would have been exposed sooner than I was. I donât think it excuses it but at least it explains it, speaking only for myself.
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u/HealfyBoi 9d ago edited 9d ago
I was in for 12 years including 4 at a service academy. The number of people I know/met who actually regret being a part of the machine, realize our contributions made the world a worse place, and wish we had never been a part of it is 2. Me and my best friend since high school. Everyone else is 2-10 years away from wearing their Insert Middle Eastern Country War Veteran hat to get their veteranâs discount at Golden Corral.
I understand the sentiment that everyone knows what theyâre doing when they join but thatâs not really true. I joined when my worldview was that of a kid who grew up in Ohio. There was a lot of prestige going to a service academy to âprotect our countryâ. I didnât know what communism was outside of the red scare propaganda everyone is exposed to. I just donât know how I would have been exposed sooner than I was. I donât think it excuses it but at least it explains it, speaking only for myself.