(AFP/NATIONAL ARCHIVES/File/National Archives)

In a sense, the inequities of war are nobody's fault. But, here is a good example: NPR (National Public Radio) did a story about a kid in Iraq, in a support unit, who talked about his big-time bird watching hobby. He chronicled all his bird watching in Iraq and put it on a blog.(The blog was deleted. Wonder Why?) Interesting! This was an example of the incredible ingenuity of soldiers. He had been doing this since he was fourteen and so this wasn't something new.

This soldier was in the National Guard and had a job in a safe environment, by in large, and was not involved in life and death struggles. In many ways, he was able to take his year and do something useful. He was a support soldier; and, in a sense, had not heard a shot fired in anger. Based on his great love of birding, his year in Iraq was great. He made good money, came home, and life , hopefully, is now good.

Contrast this with a combat soldier in Iraq who is on patrol with his life on the line everyday seeing his buddies killed and wounded. The "birder" and the combat soldier are hardly equitable in the big picture. This isn't a putdown of the "birder" soldier-more power to him for using his year productively-but an example of the inequities of war.

Same in Vietnam. We had nine support soldiers for every single combat soldier. Many lived the "life of Riley" so to speak. After I came back, I met this Sergeant Major who was in Vietnam for five years. Know what his job was? Ferrying USO showgirls or the local entertainers to various NCO (noncommissioned officer) clubs in and around Saigon. He told me that he made so much money that when he went to his next assignment he paid cash for his house.

Why is this important? It is only in terms of understanding. All wartime soldiering is not equitable