I got back to the States last Saturday; first return home in over a year. Almost never wear a dress uniform but I was headed to an American Legion dinner held for wounded vets and wanted to honor those unfortunate men by wearing something nice.
So I stopped off at a convenience store along the way to pick up a Monster and the girl behind the counter rolled her eyes at me as soon as I got inline. She said almost nothing when I paid for my drink, but I heard her joke to the kid who stepped to the cash register as I was walking out "I hope YOU don't kill the innocent for a living" and she glared at me when I turned to look back at her.
I really don't need pats on the back for my years of service, but if you have preconceived notions about soldiers, please keep them to yourself. My life gets uncomfortable. I work and sleep in conditions that most people couldn't even imagine because I know it's necessary. If the darkest of evil never enters your life, thank a protector, because the footage on TV is NOTHING compared to the crazy stuff that I've directly tangled with.
I know this, too... the innocent that she referenced are not in my crosshairs. But there'd be no point trying to explain that to her.