The warrior problem and the American veteran

1LT William Clardy
“””Dropping the warrior narrative and realizing that those who fight in a democratic republic such as the United States should expect to rejoin civilian life, take off the uniform, and return to their communities is essential to long-term societal health. Rather than isolating the service member and the veteran from society through emulating Spartan warriors, the Army should instill in its members the idea that they, too, are part of a long-standing citizen-soldier tradition. The Army, after all, is full of soldiers charged with upholding and defending the constitution of the United States — a microcosm of American society. It is not full of individual warriors fighting for personal gain.”””

That last paragraph says a lot in: “take off their uniform and return to their communities”.
That is what our politicians should do, serve and return to their communities!

I take this article with a lot of salt. I think the following is silly:

"When the Army instituted its Warrior Ethos initiative in 2003, it entered a quandary — placing the competing ideas of a “warrior” side by side with being a “member of a team.” This has precipitated a slow, subtle shift in the way the Army presents itself, and has thus separated itself from society. " Member of a team has always been our mantra in the military.

Of course the US fights asymmetric wars. Look at our revolution, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

I am acquainted with many veterans. I don't see elitism from them; I see much humility.

Instead of calling them Warriors should we call them Citizen-Soldiers? There is nothing wrong with the militia, but we are a professional military and there always will be a divide with the rest of the country to a degree.

Maybe it is the miles wide difference between serving and wanting everything handed to you that causes transition problems?