Is Serving Your Country Worth Actually Serving?

For years our friends and family go into the service. Whether it’s the Marines, the Army, National Guard, or the Navy. There are always service members who have their opinions.
“It’s a crap job but I wouldn’t want anything else.” This is just one comment I received from a service member.
Is it really all that bad? Getting up early in the morning, doing drills, being yelled at for what? A uniform, a couple of ribbons pinned across your chest and going over seas where the conditions are everything but normal. Even coming home, some men and woman are traumatized, having to go to counceling for years afterward.
“Being a Marine is great, but being in the Marine Corps is horrible.” Okay, so the title is great, but what else does it get you? “A lot of crap.” Says a Marine.
“Can’t help but feel like you’re being ignored.” Says a soldier serving in the United States Army. “Even if you don’t like what’s going on, an order is an order. There is nothing you can do about it. Grit your teeth and get the job done, hope that you won't get shot and killed. Hoping you get to go home and see your family again.”
An order is an order? Well, I understand that. You sign your life away for four to six years and are told what to do and when to do it. Is that what you really want in life?

“It gives me the pride I never thought I’d have.” Says another soldier.
Well, that’s a different outlook. Pride… I can say through high school I was a little shy when it came to other students. I remember when I tried out for the school play. I was dared to do it by one of my friends. I told her I would do it if she wouldn’t tell anyone. I didn’t make the cut. Of course, my self esteem dropped below hell.
But I found other ways to boost my pride. Music for one thing, writing would be another. There are always way of boosting your pride.
Serving your country is an honor. Not everyone makes the cut. It takes courage to crawl your way on a rope hung over a swamp, it takes loyalty to follow what the drill instructors tell you to do and it takes heart to yell your guts out when running to a cadence.
All those things are worth it in the end. Being able to go home to your family and see their faces light up with joy that their children made something of themselves. And most of your country that have United States flags fly in their yards.
So is the blood, sweat and tears worth the fight for your country?

You decide.