[MontanaKid]

I say, "thank God for the discussion!"

The University of Montana here has had its share of war protests, now and back during Vietnam. Younger college kids these days, as in our day, are out of home for the first time, feeling their oats and questioning authority. But college has changed since the 60s. More women for one, it is no longer necessary for young men to enroll in college just to escape the draft. But also the students are much older, looking for new careers, etc. There's even plenty our age.

So I think what is described in the article is not typical of college campuses. I know plenty of Iraq vets here and they don't face near the stigma we had.

Here in Missoula, we even elected one of them to the state legislature from a district near the university, Kevin Facey.

Soldier's views on this war vary just as in our day, in spite of the fact that today's soldiers are all volunteers. I've heard a lot of opinion from different vets. They run the gament. My son is a professional soldier, up for E7 and filling an E7 slot as his brigade's NCOIC Operations. He was in Iraq early with the 1st Armored Division in 2003-2004. I don't think it's my place to speak for him, and I know he is a consumate professional who will implent orders and lead his troops as ordered, that's why they made him OPs SGT, but his views on this war and the administartion running it are mixed.

Generally, I witness respect for the young men and women on campus who have served. It is a different day than 35 years ago.