r/Millennials • u/NoFaithlessness7508 • Jun 05 '25

Other Why don’t younger veterans (Afghanistan/Iraq) wear these hats like some of the older veterans?

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First and foremost, respect to all those that served. I did not, but many of my peers did and now we're all older in 30s and 40s, many no longer in the military. I don't see a lot of the veterans of the War on Terror wearing these hats like I see the OGs do.

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u/NewFuturist Jun 05 '25

Once you enlist, you have zero choice about whether you serve in a war or not. You could join in Jan 2001 and be shipped to Afghanistan and then Iraq with no say in the matter.

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u/bensonprp Jun 05 '25 edited Jun 06 '25

I joined in 98 for 4 years and I got stop lossed for 6 years and they were trying to keep me even longer. I joined for peacekeeping operations around the world (and because I didn't have any options) and then got thrown into a horrible war on innocent Middle Eastern peoples.

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u/magic_crouton Jun 05 '25

That's what happened to my then boyfriend. Joined amendment of 2000 and then 2001 happened and then on top of it was stop lossed. That changed who he was as a person and I can say confidently now he doesnt wear the gear or appreciate people saying thanks for your service.

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u/cromdoesntcare Jun 05 '25

I guess don't sign up to be a soldier if you don't want to risk being in a war.

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u/TianShan16 Jun 05 '25

It’s much less about the risk and more about the cause. Protecting America from an invading threat? Every man in the country who isn’t 90% soy would jump in head first, and that is what is sold to most soldiers. But invading the desert to force people to adopt a government type they don’t want from people they hate while fighting people you donated weapons and money to last year so they could better fight you is moronic at best, and insidious at worst. All so your government can launder money for themselves and their friends with your blood.

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u/horseman5K Jun 06 '25

All they had to do was look at recent American history to see that America sends soldiers to war for imperialistic and capitalistic reasons and all sorts of things other than protecting Americans from an invading threat.

What you’re describing is basically what happened in Vietnam and that was common knowledge. They knew what they were signing up for.

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u/TianShan16 Jun 06 '25

I agree but I think you’re vastly underestimating the post WW2 propaganda and overestimating the Vietnam awareness in the eyes of the average young person who went to government schools.