Don't Thank Me. No, Really.

When I entered the Army in 1983, I did so out of necessity. I had a young wife, an infant son, and bills to pay when I lost my job (the official reason was, I kid you not, my "clothes looked rumpled") and there were no jobs to be had in Omaha under the Reagan economy. So, like many at the time, I entered the service for the basest and most selfish of reasons: to survive. It was just a job.

But I've always had a strong sense of ethics, and this job came with an oath. I don't make promises unless I understand what it is I'm promising to do: to defend the Constitution, and to obey the legal orders of my superiors . (1 the word "legal" isn't there but implied when it invokes the UCMJ) (2 When you're a buck private, "superiors" means anything that moves").

And there's no time limit on that oath. Let that sink in for a minute there.

Later on, during boot camp, I learned that following that oath could get me killed. You have to disobey unlawful orders. It's a requirement. Oh, they teach you one little trick (ask for clarification. "Sir, are you ordering me to execute the prisoners?") but chances are that Sir damn well knows what he's asking for.

Odds of this coming up are, of course, minimal. I only relate it to make a point.

I was a chairborne ranger. A knob-twister. My first year of service, all PT tests were written. My courage, fortitude, resolve - all merely hypothetical questions. Hell, I never even threw a grenade and yet somehow passed basic, so you can see how seriously everyone was taking all this at the time.

I'm trying to say, expression of thanks for my service cause extremely mixed emotions. It's nice, and I don't want to be rude. But prior to Facebook, no one ever thanked me for service to my country and I was fine with that. I don't even think I deserve thanks; as I said my motives were selfish and my resolve never put to the test. But there's that oath I made. I want to tell people that they are welcome for it, and at the same time I want to ask them if they understand exactly what it was I promised to defend.

Sometimes I wonder if even my fellow veterans understand it. Every time I hear someone complaining about a lack of God in government (after I finish asking "what lack of God?"), I wonder if they ever read the document they swore to defend. Every time I hear someone complaining about special rights for X minority, when all they want is the same rights as anyone else, I wonder if they really understand America. Every time I see a homeless veteran, I wonder what kind of meal those "thank yous" will buy.

Mixed emotions.

Not trying to be rude, or ungrateful. But there are people out there who did a lot more than I did, and who deserve more recognition than I do. Let's remember them.