I also see from your diary that you are Swiss. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Swiss Government conscripts don't they? I've worked with conscripted soldiers before and there is a difference between people forced to do it, and those who volunteer. That's not meant as an elitist statement, or that a volunteer military by default gives you a higher quality of soldier. Quite the contrary, I learned some great tactics from conscripted Italians. There is, however, a fundamental difference in attitude.

In general, I think that conscripts view service as something forced upon them. I think that anytime you aren't given a semblance of choice about your own destiny there is the possibility of resentment. I think that volunteers, however, labor and die under a belief in what they are doing. You give your life to the hands of another and having made that choice, it's harder to resent what becomes of you.

There were good things and bad things about my eight years. Stuff I loved, stuff I hated, stuff I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I live my life in chronic pain --physically and mentally-- but I know that I subjugated myself to that.

The one thing I learned more than anything when I was in was some humility. Not enough, I think, but more than I had before. =)

I also learned to value what a great life I have, because I have seen first hand that others will never be so fortunate as I am.