Fuck.

[The Grand Nudger]

The "rah-rah" stuff is part of the training.  All part of what encourages us to do what we do (and to be ashamed by the very thought of failure).  You're right, though....I never met a ground pounder that gave two shits about spreading democracy, leave that up to the fobbits who write ad copy for the dolts back home.  Point us at a target, we're gonna make the people inside wish they were already dead, and try to keep ourselves and our friends from getting killed in the process.  Hell, most of us would rather sit in front of a camera and recite the ad copy (seems more authentic coming from infantry than some rear echelon motherfucker) than do even that.  When we're at point break we help each other get hurt in creative ways for a little time with Mama Brown.  Brotherly love right thur. Speaking of vietnam, that breakdown in combat units and their open dereliction of duty was only possible because they stood together. One dissenter gets shot. A company of dissenters gets a vacation. That's referred to as a soldiers "right to miss". Not much that superiors can do about it in the end. They either treat their men right or their men suddenly become ineffective...one way or another. All of this is even more costly NCO training speaking, a'course.