When I saw my son during parents weekend, I asked him about his bar (not sure of the right word for this, has lots of colors in a long thin bar). He told me it denoted basic training and service during wartime.
As a mother, its not something I like to think about (son and wartime).
I remember talking to him on the phone on doolie day out. He mentioned one of the first things they had to memorize in basic training was what to say when captured as a prisoner of war. Something I try not to think about.
I remember being informed that I am now a blue star mom (or was that silver, not sure as I try not to think about it). And if my son is killed while in service, I get to be a gold star mom. In no way do I see the death of anyone as a gold star moment, never mind my son's. So I try not to think about it.
I really don't give a rats rear end what the politicians deem the politically correct descriptive terms. I get tired of the semantic games politicians and people play in attempt to justify a position or action. At the end of the day, if someone's life is put on the line to achieve an end goal for our nation, then they deserve the full support of our nation. They deserve respect and honesty. And their family deserves this respect as well.
If people want to get pissed, take it out on the politicians, not the military. The military can't deploy where it wants to, where it wants to and how it wants to. I has to cater to the whims of whatever agenda the current politician in charge has.
