Lately, I have heard veterans disparage the service of other veterans in the media. Typically, this commentary is politically driven and does not actually reflect the service of the individual targeted at all, but rather their politics.
I did many things over the course of my career in the Army, but the things I am most proud of are the oath I swore when I first enlisted and my discharge after serving my time honorably.
Everyone with those things in common deserves our respect. They did what was asked of them. If those things are reflected on an individual’s DD-214 (The form that depicts a veteran’s service history), then the opinions of those with whom they served, or who would sit in judgment of them based on rumor and innuendo, are meaningless.
Simply swearing that oath and serving with honor speaks volumes about a person, whether they saw combat or not. The worst effect of this disparagement is to erode public confidence in the military.
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Civilians are unfamiliar with the realities of military life. When they hear veterans — particularly those who seek public office — squabble to score political points, it demeans the institution and brings dishonor on themselves.
