Don't Panic

Regardless of how or why, voluntary or not, irrespective of motive, a veteran of the armed forces deserves admiration, reverence, and gratitude.

Veterans perform a duty that has a higher chance than any of the rest of us ever see to put their lives at risk, let alone their physical and mental health. They may be doing it to protect and serve their fellow citizens, or because they are seeking personal gain, or because they were coerced to do so, or had no other choice, but in any case they are knowingly putting themselves in harms way for a cause greater than themselves.

Whether you believe their efforts secure your rights, serve nefarious political wrangling, contribute to the safety of others, or increase the harm to the world, they are nevertheless exposing themselves to an increased likelihood of harm and death in the performance of their duties, and that is not something the rest of us can easily claim.

Can we not hate the War but love the Warrior?

I say, anyone willing to protect my rights or die trying (even if that's not always the reason or result of those actions) deserves a kind of reserved respect and continuous support.

I won't always agree with a veteran's reasons, motivations, or actions, but I will respect their willingness to fight and die for those convictions (which is something I can't say about everything I do), especially when I am benefited by those actions.