Clayton Hill
Jefferson City
Dear Editor:
Who actually serves? An ex-Army veteran who enlisted in 1966 and served three years wanted me to express his thoughts. His service included primary duties in Alaska and state-side installations. He continues correspondence with previous unit's members and attends reunions whenever possible.
The Defense Manpower Management Center says 1.4 million serve in the armed services, 0.4 percent of our population. Department of Veteran's Affairs says 7.3 million have or currently serve, totalling 7.3 percent. This latter number, plus the conservative and independent Americans truly support those who served, but the socialist left, the globalists, reek of disdain, discarding the Constitution and other founding documents.
As one would expect, over 70 percent of the presidents have been in the military or states' militias. Early on the Adams and Van Buren did not serve; then Cleveland and a period from Taft through FDR did not. Now, three in a row did not muster. Our times (Truman through Biden) all through Bush senior had viable, honorable, noteworthy or heroic service; all took that service with them to the White House regardless of political party. That cannot be said of Bush's successors to include his son, G.W. Bush, who served as an USAF F102 pilot, but did little outside of National Guard training; still I don't fault him for maybe preferential treatment given by association with his father's influence. Many of his era sought National Guard service as somewhat of a shield from Vietnam. The other presidents had no viable military service Clinton went to Canada, Trump had wherewithal to probably get out of service as did Biden, but evidently medical issues precluded their service. Obama failed on all accounts.
Truman through Kennedy - including Reagan and Trump certainly exhibited leadership - putting country first. The others, including most of Congress, support their own agendas, the deep-state Washington elite and the industrial-military, and now information management complex. I'm not sure that this group has not been directly involved in prolonging wars at the expense of many service members to promote their longevity, monetary gains and power structure. The media, our fourth unofficial branch as a check, has totally failed us.
The Clintons and Obama put their selfish gains, wealth, power goals first. Biden is clueless. He and his family's foreign actions are certainly worth criminal investigations. It may take veterans' actions to take the country back.