To everyone:
I’ve just been informed that the “essay” below was not a speech from General Petraeus. Instead, it was written by the President of “Ranger-Up”, Nick Palmisciano in 2012 and was posted on his website. Since then, blog posts began posting this and attributing this essay to various people. The Ranger Up fans did such a great job of correcting people that he didn’t get involved. Now, there is an almost universal belief that General Petreous wrote this.
Mr. Palmisciano is quoted on the Ranger-up website: “I was talking over with Tom Amenta, my COO, about how the world has changed over the years relative to military service. We had the Occupy Movement as the backdrop. At the end of our conversation, I sat down and wrote this essay and posted it to Ranger Up. The US Army reposted it on their Facebook page, which was a huge honor for me. It received tens of thousands of likes in a day. They attributed the post to me at the bottom. This was a huge honor for me as I felt I had addressed the feelings of many service members. I write a lot, but I had never touched a chord with our community the way I had with this one.”
As a result of this new information, I’ve amended the original article and removed all references to the general or others that might lay claim to this great piece.
Original Title: The 0.45%
by Nick Palmisciano
I remember the day I found out I got into West Point.
My mom actually showed up in the hallway of my high school and waited for me to get out of class. She was bawling her eyes out and apologizing that she had opened up my admission letter. She wasn’t crying because it had been her dream for me to go there. She was crying because she knew how hard I’d worked to get in, how much I wanted to attend, and how much I wanted to be an infantry officer. I was going to get that opportunity.
That same day two of my teachers took me aside and essentially told me the following: “David, you’re a smart guy. You don’t have to join the military. You should go to college, instead.”
I could easily write a theme defending West Point and the military as I did that day, explaining that USMA is an elite institution, that it is actually statistically much harder to enlist in the military than it is to get admitted to college, that serving the nation is a challenge that all able-bodied men should at least consider for a host of reasons, but I won’t. What I will say is that when a 16 year-old kid is being told that attending West Point is going to be bad for his future, then there is a dangerous disconnect in America, and entirely too many Americans have no idea what kind of burdens our military is bearing.
In World War II, 11.2% of the nation served in four (4) years. During the Vietnam era, 4.3% served in twelve (12) years. Since 2001, only 0.45% of our population have served in the Global War on Terror. These are unbelievable statistics. Over time, fewer and fewer people have shouldered more and more of the burden, and it is only getting worse. Our troops were sent to war in Iraq by a Congress consisting of 10% veterans with only one person having a child in the military. Taxes did not increase to pay for the war. War bonds were not sold. Gas was not regulated. In fact, the average citizen was asked to sacrifice nothing, and has sacrificed nothing, unless they have chosen to out of the goodness of their hearts.
The only people who have sacrificed are the veterans and their families. The volunteers. The people who swore an oath to defend this nation. You.
You stand there, deployment after deployment and fight on. You’ve lost relationships, spent years of your lives in extreme conditions, years apart from kids you’ll never get back, and beaten your body in a way that even professional athletes don’t understand. Then you come home to a nation that doesn’t understand. They don’t understand suffering. They don’t understand sacrifice. They don’t understand why we fight for them.
They don’t understand that bad people exist. They look at you like you’re a machine – like something is wrong with you. You are the misguided one — not them. When you get out, you sit in the college classrooms with political science teachers that discount your opinions on Iraq and Afghanistan because YOU WERE THERE and can’t understand the macro issues they gathered from books, because of your bias. You watch TV shows where every vet has PTSD and the violent strain at that. Your congress is debating your benefits, your retirement, and your pay, while they ask you to do more. But the amazing thing about you is that you all know this. You know your country will never pay back what you’ve given up.
You know that the populace at large will never truly understand and appreciate what you have done for them. Hell, you know that in some circles, you will be thought as less than normal for having worn the uniform. But you do it anyway. You do what the greatest men and women of this country have done since 1775.
YOU SERVED. Just that decision alone makes you part of an elite group.
“Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few.” –Winston Churchill
Thank you to the 11.2% and 4.3% who have served and thanks to the 0.45% who continue to serve our Nation.
Thank you Nick Palmisciano for a great piece! Thank you for your service!
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I spent two years in Vietnam a long time ago. I volunteered to serve beyond my original tour length. It was totally my decision. People that I knew serving in the military since 2001 served multiple deployments, not of their choosing. It was so stressful on them and their families. I sat next to a Marine major on flight in 2010 who told me that he was getting out since he had been told that he was going to have to have is 6th deployment in 10 years. He said that it was just too hard on his family to put them through another absence from them deployed to a very dangerous place. Most civilians have no idea what service personnel have to give up to keep the country safe. I continue to salute my brothers and sisters in the military for sacrificing so much for all of us.
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Indeed! Thank each and everyone of You, from the bottom of My Red, White and Blue heart!
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HI John,
Another great post recognizing the sacrifices the veterans of our era, before, and after have made.
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All I need to know about us Vietnam veterans is that my brothers still getting sick and their health I getting worst. To much talking and doing nothing is bad enough, that some are just stop taking medicine and are choosing just to die. I do not care now if the public cares about us or not I’ll deal with my health myself like many of my brothers doing. To little to late thanks America . Proud Combat Wounded Veteran.
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Nelson, I served 2 tours and am now meeting with a couple of other VN vets. WE (all of us , regardless of time or rank) are brothers and look out for and understand each other. We meet ever Thursday night and share a lot of tall tales, BS, goofy stuff, and things that we can’t talk to others about. WE found each other and are helping each other, if we can help you send me a message.
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Thank You to All who have served then and now Heroes Proud of My C.I.B. Vietnam 4th inf. Central Highlands Jan/Nov 1969
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Touching. I enlisted in the US Army in March 1967. Graduated Infantry OCS in February 1968. Through a series of breaks (lucky?), I stayed in Alaska for my entire active duty commitment, separating in November 1969.
Don’t remember why I chose to go in at that time. I’m almost positive it wasn’t bravery or patriotism. But I feel in my heart that being willing to put myself in harm’s way gives me a level of involvement with this country that others don’t share.
Thank you General Petraeus; thank you veterans, especially combat veterans. I think I’m lucky to live in this country, and I think your sacrifices make this possible.
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Interesting comment and reflection. I went Army in Oct ’66. I’m so astounded that looking back I was so fortunate that I did get to go to Vietnam. I was drafted at age 24 (between wives). My luck was Artillery OCS, another year stateside, then a final year with 1/83rd Arty and few weeks with 2/94th Arty in I-Corp Vietnam. My appreciation today for our military personnel is magnified 10 fold by my experiences and our loss of 43 comrades in my final year of service. I honor all those that serve(d) including police and fire. Politicians are not a part of those I honor.
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The part about POLITICIANS.
I also served several years state side in artillery 10th Marines Camp Lejeune, and 13 months in Chu Lai, RVN
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I served over 20 yearts Active Duty. General Petraeus is the kind of officer that would strip an NCO or Private of rank for a minor infraction. Then, he released SECRET and TOP SECRET info to a female CAPTAIN and had an EXTRAMARITAL affair with her -a subordinate. Not a damned thing happened to him for those violations of the UCMJ. Absolutely PATHETIC in my eyes. Double standards.
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I am not sure that Gen. Petraeus would unfairly dish out justice without cause or overly & harshly condemn NCO’s or Privates for that matter, that would destroy a young mans or woman’s career.
Myself having served in combat in Vietnam as a young Marine. I know mistakes are made by the best of us.
I must agree with you on one major point Ray.
Gen. Petraeus was wrong in every way you pointed out. Although, not my call, but my opinion is He should have been charged and Court Marshaled. Just because he served most of his career with honor and distinction, does not mean he did not FUBAR the last of it. He should be punished, and not just to be allowed to Retire with full Benefits and Pay, but the same as any other General Grade Officer.
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Now Ray, it’s not up to you nor me to pass judgement on any man . Thank you for your service and continue to be an asset to our great country. Your leadership and 20yrs of service are greatly needed for our children and grandchildren’s future are greatly needed. Respectfully, Billy Allen. A Co/1st Bat./27th Reg/ 25thID Chu Chi Vietnam 1967/68. War is hell…combat is MF’r. Love ya’
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He was Obama’s CIA Director to boot and got off with a slap on his wrist for giving his captain-girlfriend classified material.
Petraeus went to West Point and then married the Commandant’s daughter – guess he never completely understood Duty, HONOR, country.
It’s also too bad that he never went to Vietnam – he might not have been so anxious to state we shouldn’t leave Afghanistan.
Wish he would just take his over $200k retirement and keep quiet, though he knows the press likes him.
VN 1971-72
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Well said, Sir. Thanks.
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Much of what is said here can only be understood by those who have served, thank you General! Cpl USMC 61′ – 66′ mos 2571
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Thank you sir for those powerful words – Vietnam vet 1969-70 Americal Div. 198th LIB
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Excellent article. Very well written.
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Beautiful and well written.
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Exceptionally well said and so very true. Thank you.
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