To all Americans, but especially the brothers and sisters I served with in the Marine Corps.
As the saying goes: “If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.”
On a lesser note (pun intended), today’s date is 11/11/11, which also makes it Nigel Tufnel Day.
Crank up your patriotic music to 11!
The Chiles Files 
And if you are a post WWII veteran, thank a US president for an endless series of military adventures contributing nothing to the freedom of US citizens and violating the US Constitutional requirement that Congress only has the authority to commit the US to war. If you’re a post-conscription volunteer thank the US taxpayers for giving you a job paying you better than you would have been able to get in civilian life.
We vets have one hell of a lot more to be thankful for for our service than any taxpayer has for it. We’re lucky they aren’t hanging us from lamp posts.
Sorry to hear about your self-esteem issues. Hanging us from lamp posts? For what? Volunteering for jobs that hold the potential to put us in harm’s way? Fighting in wars that we didn’t choose or start? Sacrificing our personal freedom to a degree that most civilians couldn’t comprehend, much less accept?
The simple act of maintaining such capable armed forces has protected our country from any number of threats that didn’t emerge, precisely because of our capability. The dog that didn’t bark, so to speak. We are placed in far more danger by the actions of feckless politicians who coddle our enemies and crap on our allies.
You’re far too harsh on people who willingly choose to enlist, and that “couldn’t get a better-paying job” BS is just offensive. No doubt there are some who fit that bill, but it doesn’t describe me or most of the people I served with. And for the vast majority of them, it gave them job skills and a sense of duty that the private sector directly benefits from. Given a choice between the maleducated Occupy Wall Street kids and a crop of newly-discharged enlisteds, I know who I’d rather work with.