For someone who doesn't like to talk about their combat experiences, you sure like to talk about other people's experiences. If I disclose whether I received combat awards then that would potentially tie me to a specific unit. If I tie myself to a specific unit, with everything else I've disclosed, I would be in violation of my non disclosure agreement. Speaking in generalities is considered unclassified...but once you move into the realm of specific units and their capabilities (not to mention how they are structured and operate) you have crossed over into at least Confidential, and possibly Secret level information. Remember, part of my job was to guard against espionage and that includes the protection of classified information. Feel free to verify this with the governing reference...which happens to be unclassified and available open source (though I admit I am surprised I just found it on the internet...I was all set to tell you to ask someone in the Navy about it... however, here you go): http://www.usna.edu/AcResearch/5510.36.pdf
In all honesty it is wrong to denigrate anyone for any reason. I usually avoid doing so but recent events in our nation have, shall we say, pissed me off. I accept your apology and again offer mine.
If you're again offering your phony "apology" for "hurting my feelings" it's bullshit that I don't accept because you didn't and your apology should be for what you actually did, which is wrongly accuse me of being a "chickenhawk."
And, I am sooooo very sorry for insulting the combat veteran who will not verify he was a combat veteran. There now, happy ?
Ok, I apologize for calling you a chicken hawk. A combat veteran cannot be a chickenhawk, by it's very definition. I will take you at your word that you are what you say you are and I will respect that you may have seen and done things you do not wish to discuss. This is something I understand.
Oh please... I didn't ask you anything other than if you've ever served in combat which I said I'd define as someplace for which combat awards were authorized (while you served there). I didn't ask where or when or what you did and I didn't even ask if you received any combat awards, let alone what they might have been and what for.
I have to respect the possibility, unverified as it may be, that he may be telling the truth. If he's telling the truth and he has issues he does not wish to discuss he may suffer from PTSD. To be truthful, the anger he's displayed kind of lends itself to that so out of an abundance of caution, and respect for the possibility that he laid his life on the line for our nation, I have decided to withdraw that line of questioning as far as Trader666 is concerned...and take him at his word. The whole chickenhawk thing was a sideshow anyway. It doesn't really address the issues that truly need to be addressed and understood. Further, it does more harm than good when attempting to foster a dialogue. I blame myself for letting it go this route. I'm usually more diplomatic but the NDAA thing really has me pissed right now.