Does "war" in general create glamorized, perfect warriors and non-glamorized, imperfect family/mothers/children (in the same world)?

Almost every older male I was raised around survived WWII and/or Korea. While most had their bad memories, the huge majorities returned to live normal lives in spite of it. My father survived China, Burma, India from spring of 1942 until the war ended, yet was still a loving and caring man after, as were most of the vets I grew up around. Certainly there where individuals that had lasting issues, but when you consider the numbers that saw some incredibly brutal combat and civilian atrocities, I'm impressed that so many were able to adapt.
I think that Vietnam offered a number of issues that didn't occur in previous conflicts. The lack of support at home is some of it, but I would point to the fact that this is the first war that you could be in combat one day and in less than a week be back home with the family. While the WWII and Korean War vets had weeks, sometimes months, to decompress before coming home, the Vietnam era soldiers was ripped from the support of his comrades and back to the world where few have the shared experiences that allow them to relate in a meaningful manner. I think that most of the Military learned that lesson, it's my understanding that the Marines deploy and return as a unit and then segregate those troops in cantonment for a period that allows that mutual support while winding down.
That said, my father didn't talk about his experiences until after I joined the Army and had been in for while. He never forgave the Japanese either.
Few War movies accurately depict the emotions of combat. Maybe Gettysburg and Hamburger Hill.

War does not create "glamorized" Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. Most Americans never get to see us train; and there is no Monday Night Football equivalent that allows them to see the fruits of their tax expenditures and our hard work. How well we perform in combat is the only true metric for service members, and for the most part we a glorious lot to behold in action. It doesn't matter your career field, there is a combat role for all. When Americans see footage of its protectors in action, it should be difficult for them not to be impressed.

Interesting question. My father was a Vietnam Marine that had a failed marriage and was an alcoholic. His father was a WW 2 Navy vet who also was an alcoholic and had a a failed marriage. But my grandfather and all of his brothers where raised in an orphanage in Greene County Ohio, until they where old enough to work on their fathers farm. (Their father put them in the home when their mother ran off). So its hard to say in my families case whether it was military service or just a lack of parenting role models down the family line.

I want to thank all of our combat veterans on RP. I want to thank all the nurses who treated them in combat and in the VA. I want to thank the non-combat vets on here too. Somehow and thankfully so we avoided these conflicts and served during times of occupation after WWII in Europe and the South Seas. Korean War occupation. We served during the Cold Wars between Russia and the U.S. We did serve and were as trained as any other unit in the U.S. Armed Forces. We waited and were told to stand down. George Goebel the comedian said it best on Johnny Carson one night when he said I was stationed in Oklahoma during WWII, don't laugh...... if the country didn't need me there they wouldn't have sent me. I was there as a Instructor Pilot. I taught AT-9's in Altus Oklahoma and B-26's in Frederick Oklahoma.......don't laugh, Johnny I can honestly say no Jap aircraft ever made it past Tulsa and we didn't even have guns on our planes. So no matter where you served I thank you all and salute you!

I personally think that war didn't glamorize the soldier, sailor or airman before, during or after the war. American Media and Military Media did that to aid in War Bond Sales, Rationing Books and scrap metal drives. Families were doing the best they could to support their loved ones serving overseas in the combat theaters. If anyone glamorized them it was to convince other families to do the same to dedicate oneself to the war effort. Movies like Hamburger Hill, Saving Private Ryan, We were soldiers once and young, and Hacksaw Ridge show the horrors of war and how our men and women in combat suffered incredibly horrible, visual and mental trauma. My dad had a cousin who hit the deck whenever a loud noise caught him off guard. His head told him it was an incoming round or rifle shot. I know there are many kinds of PTSD and wonder were the soldiers from WWII and Korea stronger mentally and physically to ward off the effects of PTSD or were there as many suicides and mental issues with them as well? These days the commercials we see on tv tell a different story concerning our veterans. They describe a social facet of the soldier, sailor or airman who participates in community building, secondary schooling and leadership.

My Dad served 6yrs in the navy,got out and went back in the Air Force at Chanute Airbase while going to school.Everything was going well.I'll make this short and simple,his medical records were lost in the beginning,They found him in a church steeple barely clothed and incoherent, with no medical record.My Grandma was informed of his whereabouts by a clerk.From that point on my Grandma fought tooth and nail to get his benefits from the VA,she finally won,about 5yrs back I was finally shown his medical records which were conflicting and In some parts looked fabricated to fit a story that didn't match his true life.Not just according to me but other family members.The VA labeled him schizophrenia,their favorite diagnosis when convenient.This is where RallyPoint could help me.I want all records of my Fathers service,to his schooling at SIUC,and UI,especially UI,what was he studying,1973,1974.The connection between the Federal Government and the University and if myDad was a participant in any secret Federal studies,I want to know why if his commanding officer thought he was on drugs he didn't do more.My Dad didn't drink or do drugs.Standard Form 93 January 1971 GSA FPMR 101-11.8 is a Report Of Medical History.Pupose of Examination,Discharge.Date 12July,74.Statement of Examiner for present health and medications.GOOD.SO do you see my dilemma.Your guidance would be appreciated.

We will always glorify the Warrior and we should, the warrior is the best part of our society, the brave warrior willing to sacrifice everything to win for his people. The biggest tragedy in war is that the best people die. The cowards and those who lack any moral ground will always survive, they are like cockroaches.
Part two, is what we don't talk about, what happens to the warrior after the war. The part where they have to go from having the power to kill, surviving with brothers through very tough times, and then dropping back into the world of the shopping mall and no more moral absolutes. That is when things fall apart. So I believe that the glory still belongs to the warrior but we need to spend a lot more time and energy bring them back to the land of the big PX.
Normal in a combat zone, is bat shit crazy in a cul de sac neighborhood. We need to find new ways to transition.