Recent events have made a Washington Post article from November even more interesting, as it tries to put meat on the bones of the relationship between the American public and the American military.

While the relationship has avoided the animosity of the Vietnam era, some said a feeling of social “guilt” may be responsible for the change, rather than an actual respect or support of the troops and their mission:

“We, as a nation, no longer value military heroism in ways that were entirely common in World War II,” said retired Lt. Gen. David Barno, who commanded U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Instead, praise from politicians and the public focuses largely on the depth of a service member’s suffering. Troops are recognized for the number of tours they have endured, the number of friends they have lost or the extent of their injuries.

As a result, many troops apparently feel as though they’re being pitied, not respected, for missions they are executing at their nation’s call.

The troops are lavished with praise for their sacrifices. But the praise comes with a price, service members say. The public increasingly acts as if it feels sorry for those in uniform.

“We aren’t victims at all,” said Brig. Gen. Sean B. MacFarland…”But it seems that the only way that some can be supportive is to cast us in the role of hapless souls.”

A Chaplain for the Minnesota National Guard highlighted the fact the American public rarely admires military exploits or is in awe of their heroism.  Instead,

“America has unwittingly accepted the idea that its warriors are victims,” [Chaplain] Lt. Col. John Morris…

Chaplain Morris also indicated this unearned and undeserved “pity” may contribute to veterans’ high unemployment rate:

“Why are we unemployed, after we have done one of the greatest things in our lives, and that is serve our nation in combat?” he asked. “I think it is because America has bought into the notion that we might be damaged goods.”

In effect, some of the American public seems to view military service as some kind of pitiful obligation.  Even the mantra “support the troops, not the war” belies a level of displeasure — or disgust — for the profession for which each servicemember volunteered.  (The phrase is eerily similar to “love the sinner, hate the sin,” which naturally implies what they are doing is wrong.)

In a similar vein, Army wife Rebekah Sanderlin recently wrote an article about why she’s “glad” her husband only went to Afghanistan, and not Iraq.  Despite the stereotypical “support of the troops,” there is still an underlying condescension at those who “chose” to fight a war some people disagree with:

So, though I’m glad to not have that Iraq baggage in my family, I worry now for all my friends who do. It is a horrible thing to have given tremendously to a cause that others do not respect. [emphasis added]

That’s the feeling many civilians cannot comprehend:  They don’t understand how their decision to ‘support the troops, not the war’ can still be so hurtful.

Americans are increasingly becoming disconnected from its military, as Time Magazine recently pointed out, especially the purpose of their military.  To truly show respect and honor the troops, society needs to emphasize — not belittle, even implicitly — military service. 

When society begins to question the utility of armed conflict in which US servicemembers give their lives, it is easy to feel they lack compassion for the value of those lives.  If the public gives the impression they feel the war wasn’t “worth it,” what does that say about the “worth” of the American troops’ lives lost there?

LtCol Michael Jason, a battalion commander from Fort Stewart, Ga, said it well:

“Don’t thank me for my service, don’t give me 5 percent off my Starbucks, don’t worry about yellow ribbons.  Do me this one favor: tell your children that there is another calling out there…Talk to your kids about serving their country and their fellow citizens.”

Col. Mark Stevens echoed the sentiment more recently

Don’t ever feel sorry for a deployed soldier, though. Most will tell you they hate that more than anything else.

“We love to be told ‘thank you,’ but don’t pity us,” Stevens said. “We volunteered. This is what we do. This is why we joined.

“Not every American is willing to come over here and lay down their lives, but if you talk to any soldier out here, they’ll say that’s why they joined. When there is a time of war, we’ll be there.”

Some have noted there have been no parades for returning servicemembers (even though one was once planned and paid for, and even though there are plenty for sports teams).  President Obama said he ended the war “responsibly.”  No one in the American leadership has said we won. (For the record, Chuck Norris did “congratulate” the US military for its “victory.”)

The war (or “conflict”) in Korea is often called the “forgotten war.”  Iraq is quickly becoming the war everyone wants to forget, and minimizing or ignoring the good US troops have done over that time may ultimately serve that purpose.