I don't see any "celebration of military engagement" as you put it. IF anything, it is a recent development where military service members get "celebrated" or even recognized as good people. When I was in, it was the opposite. The military was despised, spit on, and ridiculed for being stupid when you served. Rather it was the draft dodgers and draft card burners who were "celebrated". They were the "heroes" for a significant portion of this country. And we actually had other countries(see Canada) take these bums in and re-patrioted them.
By the way, where do you get your "evidence" about a lack of aftercare, and a level of indifference? Also what makes you an expert on what level of expenditure for the United States is more appropriate? Especially considering how deficient other countries have been in protecting their own people. Trump is finally a president who called out the NATO members to do what they signed up for in terms of ponying up money and manpower in the alliance. Its about time. I get sick when people talk about how good things are in other countries, particularly those who do not spend much at all in protecting their own people but rather look for the United States and a very few allies to protect them.
Thanks for your responses to my comments.
Worth noting that you quoted me incorrectly - I said 'military service' rather than 'engagement' which are different things and at no time did I presume to have (again in quotation marks) 'evidence'. I was simply making an observation on what I have experienced, seen and read on numerous visits to the States about the level of aftercare for veterans. Simply my perception. Regards US military expenditure, I guess I'm simply with Eisenhower when he said "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist."
But that is all a discussion for another day. Better to focus on those that have given the ultimate sacrafice and to remember them for what they gave their lives
"They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them."
And now it's probably best for me to get back to talking about football.