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Speaking as someone who served in the military and made a career of it, I would never even think to question whether someone who did or did not serve in the military is a patriot. That is a moot point as far as I'm concerned. Everyone I've met who stands on our side is a patriot regardless of their military record. There are many different ways of serving and me having been in the military doesn't make me any better or any worse than any one else and I would question someone who would try to even make that a point. I'm proud to be in the company of those I spent that hour with Saturday morning. To judge someone in such a way is wrong and I'd be ashamed of anyone in the military who ever questioned someone else's patriotism. This may not be very clear, I'm not a great writer, but I hope my meaning is clear.

"To judge someone in such a way is wrong and I'd be ashamed of anyone in the military who ever questioned someone else's patriotism. This may not be very clear, I'm not a great writer, but I hope my meaning is clear."

Thank you for this post and to me the meaning is very clear. Service in the military makes no one more or less patriotic than those who did not serve.
Military service is not the yardstick for patriotism!

Well said bretmilk! And you say you're not a good writer.

Patiotism is in your heart and has nothing to do with whether you were in the service or not. Service is one way of showing your patriotism, but there are a lot of other ways to show it. But just as there are veterans who make a "career" out of being a veteran there are people who do the same thing with Patriotism. They get into the "I'm more patriotic than you" game, which makes no sense at all. Being in the service doesn't necessarily make one more patriotic than some one who didn't serve any more than standing on a corner makes on more patriotic than one who doesn't.

I work with a lot of people who never served and don't stand on a corner once a week and they love and support their Country as much as anyone else. They show their patriotism in different ways.

It's the silly, "I'm a veteran" or "I stand on a corner so I'm a "true" patriot and your not" game that gets so upsetting.

To me it doesn't matter if you're a veteran or if you stand on a corner all day, that's not what makes you a patriot. It's the love you have in your heart for your Country and it's ideals that determines whether you're a patriot.

IMHO, those that play the "I'm more patriotic than you game" are doing it to make themselves look good.