Service

<i>Gung-ho and unwavering, these native sons and daughters hail from a state that has the highest number of military veterans per capita in the US. From tiny Alzada and Two Dot to Yaak and Virginia City, 1 of every 10 of the Treasure State's 850,000 residents has worn a uniform</i><br />n<br />nBoy, I never knew this fact. I knew there was a lot of people that wore a uniform but highest number of military veterans per capita is saying something. When I first saw that statement I personally said it was because jobs are so scare and the military is an opportunity for kids. <br />n<br />nThey also elude to this in the article.<br />n<br />n<i>Montanans don't have much money and unless opportunities are handed down to them by their parents, they face the reality of having to find a job," he says, noting that serving in the military isn't a considered a career move of last resort, it is an opportunity to achieve personal honor.</i><br />n<br />n<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0518/p02s01-usmi.html">In Montana, a sense of patriotism brings out new recruits</a><br />n<!–more–><br />nI had to laugh when they said military service was a family tradition in Montana. I served in the military but there was no tradition to it. Not my father, or grandparents served in the military. In fact the closest I can think of is the story I was told that one of my great-grandfathers served in the elite Czar's Guard in Russia before the Czar was overthrown. <br />n<br />nNow my dad just recently told me a story that his dad wanted to enlist and serve in WWII. He attempted to enlist every year of the war and was told he could not serve since he was in such a vital industry, growing food, that he had to stay home and do his job. After the war and the Veterans came home with the GI Bill and other benefits he was excluded since he didn't serve. He was always upset about this since he served in his mind where the military told him to serve. Growing food. So he felt he should get the benefits too. He never did.<br />n<br />nIn a way the article makes it sound like we are a bunch of war mongering fools in Montana. I mean they even blame AM radio on brainwashing us with a "nationalistic point of view." As much as I dislike Sen Burns I would more likely agree with his statement.<br />n<br />n<i>"We're an independent lot here in Montana," says US Sen. Conrad Burns (R), who served in the Marines. "We're self reliant, and we enjoy our freedoms but we understand those freedoms don't come without a price."</i><br />n<br />nThis was probably the biggest reason I served. I wanted to do my part to protect my country and to this day I am proud of this fact, that I served and protected my country with honor. I hope everybody else that served our country is as proud of their accomplishment as I am. It is something to be proud of.<br />n<br />n<b>Honor is simply the morality of superior men. H. L. Mencken</b>