Bill,

Did you not read my first sentence, put first for a reason? Yes, such persons did and do exist. 1/3 of the Vietnam forces were volunteers, including my Silver Star programming friend, who kept his squad alive on more than one occasion Including 2 trips up Hamburger Hill. The company he was in was second up the hill both times. He got them all back home -- all were wounded on at least one occasion. He credits being a hunter since 12, experienced in observing and tracking, for their survival.

The exception does not prove the rule.

Hank

>>Bill,
>>
>>In "all volunteer" do you include the fewer and fewer opportunities for h.s. graduates, accelerating since 1980?
>>
>>Do you include the "volunteers" that do so to get health insurance for a kid already on the way?
>>
>>Do you include the "volunteers" who are told (with subtle caveats, or sometimes not) by recruiters that they can pick the specialty and then get their education paid for after they get out?
>>
>>The volunteer army was created to keep the middle class quiet.
>>
>>That doesn't mean that there are not individuals there who are indeed there to serve their country. It is also true that boot camp and army life in general creates an environment where "belonging" becomes emotionally meaning: as any prolonged, isolated, stressful group experience creates in individuals, in fact.
>>
>>Hank
>>
>And.. there are guys like this...
>https://usmclife.com/stealing-hubcaps-led-lee-trevino-marine-corps/