I'm proud to be a veteran of the United States military

By Tony Belarmino

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There are fewer 20-something veterans today than there were 40 years ago. That can be attributed to one drastic culture change — the absence of the draft.

This isn't negative or positive; it's just different.

Is our military today better or worse? I tend to think better, both from personnel and technological points of view. The "new" technology of my era was nothing compared to what we have today.

Today a vast majority of our armed forces are reservists, and they are just as qualified and dedicated as we ever were.

I have two nephews who were both Army Reserve medics. One nephew did his time through college and graduate school without an extended time of active duty.

The other nephew spent one summer and fall semester on active duty for training and was able to graduate with his class. He was an associate pastor at First Assembly of God in Fairbanks, Alaska. A couple of years ago, he was called to active duty. He is an ordained minister, so his teaching ability affected his one-year assignment, Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, teaching new medics. When he got his orders, my sister- in-law's reaction was, "Thank you, Jesus."

When I was a young man, with the draft in our future, our choices after high school were fairly limited: College, enlist in the service or go to work with your dad.

In the '50s there was a huge push to train engineers and teachers. In my senior year of high school, I decided building bridges for the rest of my life wasn't that attractive. In October 1961 I enlisted in the U.S. Navy on the four-year plan that turned into 4½ years.

I went to five continents, 17 countries and one war. I am a member of the Gulf of Tonkin Yacht Club and have a tattoo, which along with $1.07 will get me a cup of coffee at McDonald's.

During that time, I became a Christian and set goals for my life. After separation from active duty, I started my ministerial education along with quite a few other Vietnam vets. Our perspective on life was markedly different than that of our 18-year- old freshman classmates.

My maternal grandfather was in the Navy right after the first World War. I cannot speak for any other veteran, but I will assume that we did what we did out of a sense of duty, but received much more out of our experiences than we gave.

We all changed in that growing period of our lives. Was my grandfather a better house painter, is my nephew a better lawyer, my other nephew a better minister or am I a better minister because of being veterans?

I don't know, but I don't think we would trade that experience for anything.

I am privileged to have served in the Navy of the greatest country in the world.

Look around and when you find a veteran, thank him or her. I will.

Belarmino, a Turlock resident, works at Health Services Agency and is a chaplain with the Assemblies of God Disaster Response Task Force. E-mail him at RevTonyAG@aol.com.