How would you know whether you were speaking to the real deal or not? Why can't military members have views critical of their own? Why should citizens simply be 'grateful' without critical inquiry into the nature of the military and the consequences of its actions abroad?
If you're saying you're a veteran, I'll take your word for it. But you certainly don't sound like one IMO. Of course criticism is your right as an American citizen. But the thousands of military and former military people in general I've served with, interacted with, and listened to over the years respect the need for a strong military as a deterrent to the aggression of savages like Putin, and these idiots in N Korea and most ME countries.
And it should be common sense that those in many other cultures are primitive savages who do not share our morals and beliefs, and for whom agreements mean nothing - they will lie to your face, and only respect strength.
And no, I'm not claiming to have been any kind of special forces badass or killer or anything myself - I served several years a couple of decades ago, and my job mostly consisted of sitting in front of a computer.
Our country was not built upon a weak national defense / foreign policy, and using two thirds of its money towards entitlements. Until recent times, the federal govt's main jobs were to protect the citizens from legit harm and fraud, and protect our interests abroad - not to beat the hell out of half the population so that the other half could live middle class lifestyles from cradle to grave without contributing anything.
Obama didn't start it, but he certainly pushed it over the line. And the next Dem or even RINO president will probably push us past the point of no return. I'll probably just have to join the growing numbers of more and more of us old fossils who aren't comfortable with the "fundamental transformation of America", and take my skills, assets, and future tax dollars elsewhere.
The fact that so many of you would willingly vote for a third term for a president if he was to find a way around the 22nd Amendment is scary in and of itself. No one should be emperor.