Television, video games, advertisements, all play vital roles in normalization and desensitization of the masses. Having served in the Marine Corps for four years, I've made it a point to inform people that the "glorification" so to speak is very far from the truth. I was fortunate enough not to see combat, but many of my friends did, and the pain of what war does to people cannot be summed up in a movie with violins and weeping actors/actresses.

I could get pretty lengthy discussing this topic, but you summed it up pretty well. Many that join do so far a plethora of reasons, but from experience, poverty and hardship are high up on those reasons, if not higher than the "pride of serving ones country" reason. For me it was a combination of both, but mostly hardship. I wasn't in tune with the deceptions we're up against and the horror of what the war machine really represents at such a young age.

So do I carry a sense of pride for serving? Mostly no.. Most men and women aren't there for medals, and if anyone thinks the government cares about the men and women willing to sacrifice their life for their country, I suggest looking into homeslessness and addiction statistics, if not going out on the streets and witnessing with ones own eyes.. It opened my eyes to much of what is wrong in this world, and for that I am grateful.

Very nicely written my friend, and very important topic you're addressing.