It's important to view the current reverence in historic context, as I think it is somewhat of an over-correction from the public's actions during and after the Vietnam War. And, yes, I call it a war.

I remember when the Vietnam Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. back in the 1980's, veterans were finally afforded an opportunity to talk about their experiences.

Prior to that, most of the veterans I knew refused to talk about their experiences at war, and their experiences when they came home, but when their friends and family members were finally recognized in such a public way, the stories began to flow.

Most of the veterans I knew shared stories about being drafted, doing what their country asked, and returning home to have people spit on them and shout things like, "baby killer," or "murderer," at them.

Many were already angry and hurt because they considered their sacrifice a colossal waste due to the eventual outcome of the war.

Others were still in shock from the atrocities that they had witnessed - this was not like their fathers' war (WWII).

So, when they returned home to a country that hated them, many of them were broken.

By the 1980's, the country was finally starting to realize how poorly it had treated the veterans of Vietnam.

Of course there have always been/will always be those who think that spitting on soldiers was somehow appropriate, but ultimately, the plight of the Vietnam veteran and the revelations that came to light as they were finally recognized for their service changed public opinion about how to treat returning servicemen, even when one did not agree with the politics behind their service.

By the time the Gulf War started, Americans were determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past. Programs were put into action that allowed average citizens to send letters and care packages to soldiers in an attempt to boost morale. Even people who disagreed with the politics behind the war were eager to let the soldiers know that they would not be forgotten.

Then came 9/11, and suddenly Americans actually witnessed the horrors of being targeted and attacked (the same could be said of Pearl Harbor, I suppose, but media wasn't NEARLY as sophisticated, and most Americans were not nearly as familiar with Hawaii as they were with NYC on 9/11).

So, when armies were formed and sent to fight, many Americans began to view servicemen as heroes; they saw the events of 9/11 as a call to arms, and they admired those who heard the call.

Again, even those who opposed the politics behind the war(s) were able to recognize that the soldiers were not to blame.

Frankly, I think that military folks deserve a certain amount of respect just as police officers, firemen, and other people who work in high risk positions do. Sure, they are compensated for their work, but if you've ever seen the actual pay these people receive, it's easy to see that the compensation doesn't necessarily match the amount of risk involved.

I think it's perfectly fine to detest the whole military machine, or to question the system and its exploitation of young men and women.

I think it's appropriate and wise to question the politicians who begin wars without ever really feeling the full weight of their impact.

But I've seen the veterans of Vietnam and the hell so many of them have lived through, and because of that I cannot condemn the soldier simply for fighting the war.