My father and father-in-law were Korea-era vets. Fully half of the 60% of my father's OCS class which drew assignment to Korea were KIA, making his own tenure in the occupation forces in Germany from 1951-1954 a blessing. We have two nephews, still now in their early- to mid 30s, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The older of the two is a career man, a West Pointer, and he's likely to be heading back to Afghanistan for a 4th overseas combat tour soon, but as a newly minted O-4 instead of a platoon leader or company commander this time. Our own "baby", all 6'3" + 220 lbs of him, is now 5 years out of a tour in Afghanistan as a Navy Seabee.
In our family, and in North Carolina in general, we respect and revere military service and we LOVE our Veterans. I'm sure such is the case in most of the US.
Foy