> Somehow I find this entire thread and replies disturbing. Notably in the fact that not one reply has questioned this idea that "country comes before all, except maybe God in particular circumstances".

I didn't question that idea because I didn't see Gortman's original post as being *about* that. I responded because I couldn't figure out where he was getting the rationale for his "being in the military = patriotism" belief. Whether patriotism itself is good or bad didn't occur to me as being part of that debate.