"Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Kauzlarich, Regimental Executive Officer at Forward Operating Base Salerno on Khowst, Afghanistan under which Tillman was serving at the time of his death, and who led the second investigation in to Tillman's death, has made controversial statements about the Tillman family?s search for the truth based on Tillman's apparent agnosticism. In comments to ESPN, Kauzlarich said: "These people have a hard time letting it go. It may be because of their religious beliefs" and "When you die, I mean, there is supposedly a better life, right? Well, if you are an atheist and you don?t believe in anything, if you die, what is there to go to? Nothing. You are worm dirt. So for their son to die for nothing and now he is no more... I do not know how an atheist thinks, I can only imagine that would be pretty tough." " - You think this guy was alone, or in the minority, in respect these feelings in military personnel? In these latest wars?
A real "American" fights for freedom so that EVERYONE can exercise those freedoms, especially the people who piss you off. If it's conditional, then it's not "American", so you're fighting for something else.
The military offers incentives, and "ways out", for many people. Soldiers can no longer be painted with a broad, honor-dripping brush. It's a corporation now, and this isn't WWII. I'm not saying there aren't soldiers who have honorable intentions. What I'm saying is that next to that guy who does is 3 people who joined for free education, 2 others who joined to get reduced sentences, another who's going career, a guy who wants to be a future politician, a kid who joined because his daddy & granpappy did, a kid who joined cause all his buddies were, and another guy who "GOTS NO PLACE ELSE TO GO, SARGE!!!!". Until a soldier becomes a bona fide Rambo or Braddock, the motive is everything.