Thanks for the story about your son. My nephew served in the Marine Corps for five years and had the same experience. It is a common experience. The military, for obvious reasons, is the ultimate melting pot.
For the top brass to say the military is racist and full of white extremists is just criminal and anti-American. And is going to cause us to lose a lot of wars.
You’re right- many stay in touch over the decades, the bond is strong.
It’s true that the new military will not be capable of actual war- they don’t get stress cards in battle zones and I’m just praying it doesn’t come to that..