Yeah, the yellow ribbons are basically to "keep up with the Jones'", so to speak. Oh well...
As for job training, most soldiers get a LOT of training in the military. I'm not sure why people think the only thing the Army trains you to do is to kill people. In fact, MOST people are not trained to kill (any more than standard basic training). The vast majority of soldiers are trained in non-combat skills, including medicine, supply-chain management, communications, electronics repair, mechanical repair (from jeeps to Blackhawks). None of these provide valid jobs in the civilian world? That's funny becuase in the real world, those ALL provide job opportunities. The problem isn't job skills, it's LIFE skills, to some degree, and OTHER issues to another. It's not just an issue with combat vets, undestandable, though that's a largeish portion. Some people just never adjusted well to the combat zone and they come home with a disability. Many aren't given ample opportunity to come to terms with what happened, and when released back into society, they don't know or remember how to function. You have some guy with a serious case of PTSD, maybe he saw his platoon get blown up or saw a bunch of children die in an explosion. You expect him to come home, demobilize for a few weeks then go to college? WTF? You can't all honestly believe that's a good plan?!
As for it being now with W... you don't think after the Vietnam War people were upset? You don't think it made the news after Gulf War I? Hell,*I* remember it being in the news in the early 90's and I was in Junior High School. Why in the world do people like to jump to conclusions about motives? W wasn't mentioned in the article I linked at all. I personally flamed him because I think that his budget and his military positions are bullshit. While, as a soldier, I will go willingly where I must, as a citizen it is my right and my DUTY to call out our leaders when they are doing a poor job. I could care less if he's a republican, a democrat, a libertarian or green party. He, personally, himself is not fit to lead a nation. Sadly, his cabinet members do nothing to bolster his abilities. Clinton was a dumbass, too. Maybe if everyone stopped voting party tickets, or stopped voting to STOP someone else from getting in, and just voted their conscience, we'd have good leaders. Unfortunately most Americans can't seem to see the wisdom in that.
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