I'm one of those initialed guys, and I usually have a strong National Defense and pro-Israel slant to my views (I just don't feel the need to obsess about it), although in domestic/economic issues I'm more middle of the road, and in cultural matters I'm definitely a lefty secular humanist.

I joined the Naval Reserve during the Vietnam era in order to avoid the draft, although I would have accepted service in the infantry if I had been drafted. My major motivation was to spend as little time in the military as was legally possible, avoiding combat was an important, but secondary consideration. Since I was not a conscientious objector or a pacifist, I felt I had an obligation to go if called, but not to volunteer. The only 2 year programs available then were the draft and the Naval Reserve. I made it into the USNR just weeks before they closed recruitment.

The USNR program was a year of weekend Ready Reserve stateside drills, followed by two years in the fleet, and then another year of monthly stateside drills, this time as a trainer, not a trainee. Following that was 2 years in the Inactive Reserve, with no military duty but with the expectation I could be called up at any time with little notice (my seabag was packed and my shoes were shined).

I only served 13 months in the fleet, my active duty time being cut short for some reason that to this day is not clear to me. The orders just came through, all reservists with more than 12 but less than 18 months faithful service by 1 Nov '68 not in WestPac or the Mediterranean Fleet were eligible for early release to the Ready Reserve on 1 December, 1968. I just barely squeaked through.

My ship, a missile frigate, was assigned to combat patrol duty in the Tonkin Gulf. We never fired a shot and never got shot at during that time, although I did earn combat pay and was awarded two combat ribbons for my uniform (not for bravery, you get those for just showing up). Several other destroyers in our squadron did engage enemy shore batteries, but not us. My ship was reassigned from Vietnamese waters in the middle of our tour due to the Pueblo Crisis; for about a month, we were part of the squadron assembled in Korean waters until the crisis was resolved. We eventually had to withdraw due to a boiler casualty. My job aboard ship was a Quartermaster, which in the Navy is a navigation techncian, NOT a guy who passes out blankets and laundry.

After our WestPac cruise, I also went on cruises to the Caribbean and the North Atlantic. I made my highest rank, Second Class Petty Officer (E-5) shortly after my return to the Ready Reserve in 1969. I was awarded my Honorable Discharge in 1972.

As for the issues discussed in this board, I supported the invasion of Iraq until I learned there were no WMDs or Al-Quaeda connections, after which I became an opponent of Administration policy and in favor of withdrawal. I support Israel's current action in Lebanon, although I do have some reservations about Israeli policy and our support of it.