What a shitty take. This is some sectarian ultraleft bs. Veteran's anti-imperialist movements have been one of the most effective in history. Yeah you have shitty veteran's organizations like the American Legion (aka the American Freikorps) or VFW. But I feel this take is so ahistorical and does not even consider the fact that the US is a heavy militaristic propaganda state. It is sadly normal that many young men are deceived to join the military. Downplaying that immense propaganda machine and how much of America's economy is based on the military makes it quite stunning for me to have this sectarian take. Are we now suddenly gonna scold people who used to be lumpen even though they were still part of the proletariat? Are they forever reactionary because they embrace their veteran's identity and experience? Are organizations and initiatives like VAW, underground newspapers, VVAW (the radical side), Veterans for Peace suddenly all basterds because they identify themselves as veterans? I feel it's not only a dumb take, it is not strategic at all. Do you realize how effective veterans would be in helping to build a proletarian movement? Veteran's have the unique power to discredit and expose contradictions of sickening ideals of American patriotism, militarism and male chauvinism. The most criminal military people in the history of America have used their veteran's identity to seek redemption for their war crimes by exposing capitalist imperialism and the military industrial complex of America and have effectively done so, like Smedley Butler.