I see it very differently: for a certain amount of effort and expenditure, we have a chance to show America who we are face-to-face and connect with us. One of the great problems we have -which affects recruiting and readiness - is that the Left has turned our armed forces into a cartoon, a caricature instead of who we are.
This parade could reestablish that connection and maybe get some more young Americans to join us in protecting our country with us.
As I described in another thread, there was a military parade in Washington DC after the Gulf War and it was a hoot! There were massive crowds and they were eager to cheer for our young troops and marvel at the equipment that drove by and flew over.
Hell, if I can train sailors to shoot (I was the Ship's Self-Defense Training Officer for SURFLANT), no biggie to reteach them to march!
Funny you should mention teaching sailors to shoot. We were at a range one day for 45 certification. When ordered to fire all we saw was a cloud of dust!!!! Maybe we were McHale’s Navy!
Eventually we all finally found a target - not necessarily the one we aimed at - but that first shot was hilarious.
This was back in ‘74 so the facts are fuzzy but the image of that dust cloud gives me a laugh every time I go to the range these days and earns a beer or two from the guys afterward.
To the issue at hand though, I enjoy a military parade with the patriotic music - always brings a tear to my eyes - and before my NFL boycott I really enjoyed the few times when the Anthem played with military present and jets flying overhead. It’s a feeling, I’m afraid, half of Americans don’t appreciate. All it will take are a few protesters to lay down on the road to spoil the whole event.
You will enjoy this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo8NG7rrTeI