I know I'll get shit for this, but here goes:

[zeemike]

60. Don't worry I have heard the stories too

And I am sure it happened to someone somewhere...but I know lots of my friends that came home and were well accepted by the community and the anti war people...and I knew both sides...the were all my friends.
But I do know some people that made shit up that never happened because they hated the hippies and loved the war.
And so for every true story there are probably more stories made up for those reasons.
Most of the anti war people I knew did not blame the soldier and were protesting to bring them home where they belonged.
But out of the hundreds of thousands I am sure there are those that experienced what you said and I am sure you are one of them...but just as the freepers pin every vile thing that happens on OWS the same dynamics was in play then...there were a strong group of authoritarians that hated the hippies so much that they loved to punch them out...nothing of course is ever said about that...but I am sure you could find thousands of stories about it if you asked.

And it is those stories that fuel this little cult of heroes we have going now...and it was the reason papa Bush used to start it all curing the first gulf war....if fucking makes me sick to see a once proud and honorable service by the citizen soldier be turned into a mercenary force and a cult of heroes.

So pardon me if I don't play the game and thank you for your service...it was your duty....and not your fault.
And as far as disclosure is concerned I had 2 brothers that served in WW2 and my father was a marine in WW1 and was wounded at the battle of Belleau woods...and they would have been embarrassed if you thanked them for their service. They served because it was their duty not because they wanted to be heroes.