I am responding to John's question how has being married to an army nurse affected my outlook on war/peace etc.

I'll be honest. The pay for an army nurse is better than for a civilian nurse. I wish I could say that finances have nothing to do with it but they do.

Rick is not a fighter, we don't even have squirt guns in the house because Rick believes that a gun is a gun (I hadn't thought about it much but I agree). He feels strongly about supporting those who are willing to fight and supporting those who have fought in the past. Does medicine make him different from the fighters? Probably not.

After that bunker in Bagdad was bombed and children were found in the wreckage I received an anguished letter from Rick. Many of the military personnel were pleased with the bombing, "we got 'em!" Rick was moved to write poetry.

We are constantly questioning our military status. I don't believe it is black and white.

I like and usually agree with Dr. M. Scott Peck (A ROAD LESS TRAVELED). However, he stated in A DIFFERENT DRUM that a volunteer army was scary - only violent people join. Perhaps a lot of violent people do join, but I see a lot of people who are trying to make a living and the military seemed like a good idea. I see good people who are not promoted or are RIFed (reduction in force) because they didn't brown nose the right person sometime in their career. I see an imperfect system just like anywhere else.

During DS I was very annoyed with people who signed up for the military (not drafted) who were unwilling to carry out their commitment even though the military had paid for their education. I also wondered if people who demonstrated against the war were good neighbors - did they demonstrate peace in their own lives?

If we want peace, are we willing to die for it even if we know our death will not guarantee peace?

I am not there yet. I would like to be there but I am not.