I am thankful that our people understand that now. Many did not when I served during (not in) Vietnam. I had friends who were spit on when they returned. I’m glad my son and others did not have to suffer that from their countrymen.
My father was career military Naval officer, and served through WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, I grew up as a military dependent during those years (eventually serving a tour myself) and came to despise the Left even as a kid.
But like many Americans, in those years immediately after Vietnam, even though I was a young teenager and young man, I didn’t speak out over the treatment of our military personnel. I didn’t stick up for them when I heard them slandered and observed poor treatment. I am as culpable as the next American.
But I determined never to allow, within my sphere of influence and especially never within my earshot, to let the slander of our military personnel go unopposed.
Never.
It is not that all military veterans or active duty are saints, patriots, or even competent workers. Human nature and events have proven that they are not. But they do merit our default respect, thanks, and gratitude until their actions show us they are not worthy of it. That should hold for all people, but especially for them.
We owe them extra by default.
We owe them, all of them, a debt of gratitude. Not scorn or shame. There is plenty of that to go around for those of our fellow Americans who do scorn or shame those who actually served.