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Realizing that all of the patriotic stuff I was fed as a child was bullshit, and realizing what I had actually become a part of by joining the US Army.
Me and my brother both joined the army at slightly different times. We both did a tour in Afghanistan that overlapped and were just one province away from each other. I did a second tour over there and he got out.
We both came from a VERY conservative family. It was after serving that we both became suuuuper liberal. It was like the wool being pulled out from out eyes when we joined the army and saw how much of a lie it all was. Oddly enough, this is a semi common story for conservative people joining the military.
We grew up with our dad working in the military-industrial-complex and he would make fun of the liberals who called out the military for serving the MIC companies, and how it Iraq was a war for profit. Then we serve and see it first had with all the contractors, the needless equipment, the contracts for new tech that wasn't needed, and all the other money sinks going into it. It was all a lie.
We grew up being told how bad universal healthcare would be, but then had it in the military and saw how amazing it was.
We were told that if people didn't have a personal motivation through debt and loans to make them work harder, then people going through college would have no motivation to improve their lives. And yet here I am with the GI bill. (Granted, I still have 70k in student loans. The GI bill is kind of a lie in its self).
Everything that was a conservative talking point was exposed as a lie after joining army.
Very similar background for myself minus a family working for the MIC. Did two tours in Iraq. Went in a Christian conservative and came out the complete opposite. Wish I had the wits about me to figure it out a better way.
I have definitely gotten more leftwing as I have aged. My family was the same militant Christianity. Nothing as impressive as what you did, more of just seeing the ideas I was taught not working.
I'm so sorry. Hope you're out now, or soon.
I've been out for almost 20 years, but thanks!