It is unbelievable that we have been at war in Afghanistan and Iraq for ~17 years. And have accomplished nothing. And people were stunned at the length of the Vietnam War. Any president who suggested disbanding our full-time active duty military force and only having a Reserve and/or Guard would be assassinated. Any president who tried to end all our overseas adventuring and close our overseas bases would be assassinated.
DF, as you put it so well, “Respect who was duped into give his life, limbs or mind for a false cause.”
I would never suggest to a young man to enter the military unless he can be sure of not getting into the infantry or otherwise being deployed in a combat role to a third world hellhole. I realize that for many impoverished young men, the military is the way out of poverty, but they should game the system as much as possible to protect their lives and health while getting as much out of it for themselves as they can. Get what they can out of it for 3 years, save money and learn a practical job skill, then get out and go use their GI Bill.