Thanks For Making This Country Worth Defending

So today someone thanked me for "Defending Our Country". I mean I guess I do, more so than most citizens and more than those fucking cooks I guess I do. But it still feels funny. I mean we don't think about it that way and I venture to guess that most soldiers now and in the past didn't either.
This week I have been out in the Field and I got back late Thursday morning. Because its Memorial Day weekend we have a 4 day weekend and Thursday ended the work week. While I was eating in the DFAC for lunch (my first meal indoors for a week) they put some shit over the PA system. It was some voice talking about remembering the sacrifices of the brave men and women who have given their lives in defense of this country and whatnot. Now do not mistake what I say; I do honestly and truly appreciate them. And I know more than one of those brave men who have died.
However I couldn't help but be... well disappointed. I mean that while I (and those around me) understand that we serve a larger purpose we don't really keep that in the front of our minds. Patriotism and selfless service are not what get us up every morning for PT. Keeping America Free doesn't offer much solace when its 100 degrees and you have to run a 5.2 mile Platoon Attack lane for the 3rd time in a day with 3 hours of sleep. And maybe it makes bleeding out on some dusty road in some bullshit country a little easier, but for some reason I don't really think so.
So my disappointment at the playing of this pre-recorded bullshit is that I thought we had risen above the need of the brain-washing. I thought that that kind of crap was over when we all left Basic Training and the harsh realities of out lives as soldiers was thrust upon us. I hope it was mandated by some fag-ass POG officer motherfucker who thinks that shit helps with morale. Because if I buy the fucking farm Over There the last thing I want it some POS memorial rock or a 2 minute remembrance in the chow hall.
I want my friends, my family, my battle buddies and any random GI to have another drink, kiss another girl and realize that we all only live once, so fuck the bullshit.