This morning's WaPo had an excellent review of Andrew Bacevich's new book, Breach of Trust, written by Jonathan Yardley.
I've written about the fact that our military has become divorced from the people it serves, and vice versa. Many other military leaders have also commented and deplored the fact.
One thing Yardley doesn't include in his review's statement of Professor Bacevich's credentials is the fact that his son, 1st Lt. Andrew John Bacevich, was killed in Iraq in 2007.
Reading the review brought to mind a line from the lyrics from Eric Bogle's And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda:
"But the band played Waltzing Matilda, as they carried us down the gangway.
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared, then they turned all their faces away"
It's much too easy to cheer when the boys go off to fight or cheer when they come home; it's all too easy to ignore the danger faced or the price paid when it costs us nothing.
Those of us that have worn the uniform know. Those whose sons or daughters wear or have worn the uniform know. Those that haven't don't, and they never will.
It's time for a change.
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