John, you make an interesting point however it was not always thus. I believe returning Vietnam vets were not accorded such acclaim. I met one who had totally gone off his fellow countrymen because of his treatment post-V.
I think that was a traumatic time for them.
This time round we are talking both full-time and reservists and not conscripts. That too may be a difference.
Why not here? Maybe because we have been keeping an anti-terrorist low profile for 40 years that our public never see servicement except when they go to displays and then you are talking to the ocnverted.
35 mean anything John? JMNB?