Vintagewife, I am not against veterans. Not at all. On the contrary, madam. I've met a lot of veterans, from most branches of the military, and they are all exemplary people.
I am a Marine veteran (4 years and 15 days). I am neither for nor against veterans, just as I am neither for police, firemen, priests, religious, postal workers, teachers, garbage collectors, etc. nor against them.
I've met a lot of veterans from all branches of the military and I can state for a fact that they are no more all exemplary people than are all the people in the other categories mentioned.
Some of the vets I know are very exemplary folks. On the other hand, some of the ones I know are real lowlifes. We should no more lionize vets than we should demonize them. A good number of them including myself would never have joined the military if they knew then what they know now.
Unfortunately, history repeats itself and a lot of young ones get sucked -- military recruiters are notorious for lying -- into signing up simply for the benefits, pride (in the bad sense of the word), or misguided (i.e., a wrong headed and non-Catholic) sense of patriotism.