When I think about my grandfathers’ stories about why they enlisted in the military their purpose was never liberation, democracy, preserving the republic. It was always from their country they learned how to be good soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and it was for their mission and each other they died or returned home with their scars to carry and honor to preserve.
Their why almost universally was a better life. a safer world, or they knew no other way around their leaders ask.
What they experienced in service are their stories to share or leave behind and the principles they fought for are theirs today.
There’s one more point. The DoD ask is not the only call to service that matters, and you don’t have to go to a foreign war to be great. There are so many wars to fight in your neighborhood right now. There are trench lines all over. Real engagements.
Leave your guns at home. Soldiers need guns because they train to manage conflict with armaments. We don’t need bullets to pull Carbon out of the atmosphere or drain the poison of inequalities from our place and time. We don’t need tanks to protect the vulnerable. We do need willpower, and commitment to others, and we must be willing to serve the truth be it for our tribe or a neighbor.
In summation our lost warriors are still remembered but I also believe everyone is capable of earning a good soldiers death, and war is not the only way to heaven or a marble throne.