If people support the US military and can be so patriotic why not serve in the military?

Now being in the military I love the support of civilians who love this country but when I see truck with huge American flags on the back window the first thing I do is look down and notice they dont have a veterans plate. Now how can someone be so proud and patriotic but have never served or supported the military by joining. Or better yet I will run into a guy at a local gun store who is dressed in walmart camo print and not a veteran who talks to me like I dont know anything about weapons because I am not dressed like a red neck. I hold myself back but would love to tell him he doesnt know *** about guns let alone combat. (rant over)
Additional Details
I understand some people have conditions that will not allow them to join. I have known people who have been turned down at MEPS. That is a different situation than never attempting to join.

Joel

Let's face it...military life is not for everybody. In all honesty I enlisted to beat the draft. In doing that I got to do something I wanted to do rather than something the Army may have told me to do. If I had to do it all over again, I would try to go with the Coast Guard. Their job is to save lives and property rather than kill people and break things. My father and mother were both in WWII, my dad in the Army and my mother in the WAVES. I never thought as I was growing up that I'd wind up doing time in the military, but in hindsight, I'm glad I did.

Airborne

not everybody is qualified to serve. not everybody has the ability to drop their life to go full service either. this country needs service men and women but we also need doctors and teachers. everybody has a role to play.

Lala L

I agree with you but there are some people who have certain conditions and can't join the military.

majgross

First, there is not room for everyone to join the military and second, you don't have to serve to be a patriot.

Navy Wife

Are you asking, or just ranting? Because it seems like the latter.

I would have loved to join the military, and even took the ASVAB, but unfortunately I had to take care of a severly disabled (veteran) father right after high school. Then I met my husband (currently active duty) and we thought it best that I did not join for family and personal reasons. I'm glad I didn't join, because our daughter (autistic) would have had to suffer not one parent, but two parents deploying, and that would have been detrimental to her autism treatment. There are lots of reasons why people may not enlist. Instead of judging everyone, why not start asking people for reasons that they are so patriotic? I bet some of their answers would surprise you.

Edit: In response to "Navy Wife, thanks for the life story. Not sure I care all that much. But thanks"

YOU ASKED, remember? You asked how I could be so proud and patriotic, yet never served, and I gave you my reasons. Then you say that you do not care all that much. Then why ask the question in the first place, dummy?

Fire on the mountain

if I had it to do over again I would of served right out of high school instead of it taking a couple of years to find my niche. I later chose to serve my country in the fire service instead

USMCgrlandMommy

Look you don't have to serve to love the military or your own country. And not everybody can serve anyways, my mother wanted to join the military so badly, but had spine issues from an injury when she young.

To say that your can't love your country if you didn't serve in the military is very dumb.

David

Because everything is "easier said than done".

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