None of the veterans I know likes it when Americans say to us, "Thank you for your service."  We understand many people mean well, but they have no idea that it is actually insulting, because they have no idea what we went through to have the incredible privilege to be...well, veterans. We swore an oath – not to the president, not to a politician, not to "America," not to the government, not to ourselves and our buddies, but to the Constitution of the United States of America and nothing else.  Those of us who were privileged enough to stay in for at least twenty years to retire swore that oath several times.  We swore the oath every time we were promoted.  We knew, and those still on active duty know, that the oath includes the distinct possibility that we would lose our lives to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America from all enemies both foreign and domestic."  We...(Read Full Article)