Veterans

So today I had some people come in who were veterans.  Today is not going to be a rant or rave about how veterans suck (I am one, and that would just be retarded on my part), instead I am going to give a bit of a heart felt talk about being a veteran, well kind of heart felt, and now that I think of it I guess I really am going to rant and rave.
If you know someone who is a veteran thank them for their service.  I don't care if you agree with your country having a military or not, or if you are some peace loving hippie, it just doesn't matter, thank them.  If in the case that you don't agree with having a military, guess who was out living out hardships for you and your view, that's right a veteran.  If you are on the opposing view, same applies for you too.  When I got out and was chilling out with my brother one of his friends was all about giving me a hard time for being a "baby killer."  Guess what ladies and gentlemen, do you think that I was strolling around in the Middle East looking for people to kill?  No!  Do you actually think that I got enjoyment and pleasure from being there?  No!  If you think that I did then man all I gotta say is look down the barrel of a shotty and pull the trigger.  If that is seriously your view of the military and its personnel then I suggest you actually talk to one of us.  I can guarantee you that most of the answers you will find will be: "I was just following orders."  I have had so many "conversations" (I put this in quotes because it was more like the other party just attacked me while I tried to defend myself while holding back the increasing urge to give the person a nice old fashioned beating), people ask well if I gave you an order to jump off a cliff would you follow it?  Let me enlighten you a little here about how orders work:
Outranking officer gives you an order, you have two choices: 1.) you follow it, 2.) you refuse and life has just become exponentially harder for you and the rest of your enlistment (worst case you get booted with a Dishonorable Discharge and McDonald's won't even hire you as a burger flipper, best case, you get a little EMI (Extra Military Instruction) which includes scrubbing crappers for a month or two all day)
So, with that break down in mind 100% you follow the orders, because we all like life the way it is, not harder.  So, no matter your view on the military, how it operates, what actions it has taken, remember it wasn't our decision to be there.  Besides, without us who knows what freedoms we would enjoy.  If we weren't there then maybe you would be beheaded for your outcries, then where would you really be?  Up a creek without a paddle, that's where.
So, after I took them the bill we got to chatting and come to find out they happened to be in the same theater of operations that I was in just after I went.  Who knows what will happen if you just take the time out to talk to us, we aren't scarey people, although we may be covered in tattoos doesn't mean that we aren't people.
And as usual something nice for us to think about!