posted on Jun, 5 2013 @ 10:47 AM
I have also questioned the designation of "hero's" being used since the "draft expired" after the Vietnam War. I was in the Army during that
War, and I had a choice given me by "my government", get married, enroll in college, go to Canada or go to jail if I refused to go, of course with
those options I decided going into the Army was the better choice.
I think when a citizen is required by their government to (under penalties of imprisonment) to go to the Army, then there is a reason (self
preservation) for subordinating ones wishes to their Government.
In the Vietnam War there were "Real Hero's" who died, most received the Medal of Honor after they were killed. I so not recall anyone calling a
soldier a hero during that war, in fact when we got off the plane we were advised not to wear our uniform, because of the hatred of soldiers being
exhibited by the general population.
Soooo . . . in my mind Vietnam was the last war where we had "hero's". All wars since that time have been police actions taken to defend the
assets or fulfill personal animosities of our government (i.e. George Bush vs. Saddam). Our Army has become a mercenary force being paid for by
taxpayers and used to defend the oil and business interests of Wall Street Bankers and their muppets who hold seats in Washington.
When one volunteers to expose themselves to personal harm and sacrifice without a declaration of war by their country, and choose to engage in private
wars which are "undeclared by Congress", and there is no mandatory police power that will require you to go, then you are not "hero's", you are
not fighting for "my country", you are doing the deed because you have chosen (not the citizens of the United States) to risk your life and well
being on your own.
The National Guard was (is) made up of those who did not want to "really serve" when called to do so. Instead it was always a way to hide out and
not face War because you were only in basic training and you when home, when the rest of us were exported to a foreign country.
Sooooo . . . the National Guard is a Volunteer service, where people hid out to play Army, only to find that George Bush had the power to use them as
his private army in Iraq, and endless extend their tours of duty . . .not for the protection of the United States but for his personal reasons to
expend the lives necessary to end the feud between his family and Saddam.
I do agree with going after Osama Bin Laden . . . but he was in Afghanistan not Iraq. However, none of the wars,(declared and undeclared) since WWII
have been wars American Soldiers were allowed to win. In War you do not tie the hands of your troops behind their backs, and you do not hesitate to
used the deadly force necessary to bring that war to a favorable conclusion.
Sooooo . . . like you my version of "Hero" has a greater meeting that used today. Just wearing a uniform does not make anyone a hero. I knew some
real 8 balls in the Army and few Vietnam vets were classified as Hero's, even after they got their ass shot off during their tour of duty. Their are
65,000 dead on a black granite monument in Washington DC, few if any wear the "Hero" designation, all of whom died in a war where they were required
to participate.
So, I do not view anyone in the Army since the Vietnam War as "Hero", in fact a congressional medal of honor should not even be awarded unless it
was earned by someone who had no choice but to go in to the Army or face the consequences of jail and have a black mark on their lives forever. Adios
Amigo. John