I don't believe that military service necessarily makes a person better
suited to serve his or her country . . . .
I think it often does. In addition to a self-image of patriot, a person who
has been in combat has a keener perception of the awfulness of war. Such a
person might be less willing to start wars, especially unnecessary wars.
Wars are obscenely inhuman, terribly expensive, and always cause additional
problems, the Hatfield-McCoy syndrome of self-perpetuating hatred, and
unintended consequences. Wars degrade humanity and cause us to have a base
view of ourselves. That is appropriate.