So, somebody was flying a war plane in Vietnam so that you could sleep safe and sound in California?
The honour of the professional soldier in a modern western democracy is that they don't pick and choose the wars they fight in, they trust the judgement of the rest of us to figure that out. A mercenary picks the people he shoots at.
This is why it is so incredibly important to not only choose the wars we fight in - and the governments that start them - very carefully, but to ensure that our servicemen and women are respected appropriately.
There may come a time when a particular war is essential for our survival. We better have the people and skills to win it.
All soldiers should be honoured for the fact that they volunteer for very dangerous activities, usually will little understanding of when and where those activities will be.
Your point regarding post-war sign ups is valid, but like I said, if you want to fight wars you can just join blackwater et al. If you want to serve your country you can join the nation's armed forces. There is an element in public service in the soldier that should be commended.
The article starts with this quote:
We Sleep Peaceably In Our Beds At Night Only Because
Rough Men Stand Ready To Do Violence On Our Behalf
That said, turning the experience of making sure bombers can safely carpet bomb Vietnam into a coming-of-age story yielding uplifting thoughts about entrepreneurship steps into bizarre territory. Like an Ayn Randesque version of Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow.