Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, weak men create hard times. We can all agree that war creates far too much unneeded and undeserved suffering. I see the thousand yard stare from my father and girlfriend. Neither of them speak about their time in the service. Both have strict moral codes, scary strict. Putting men into situations where they have no choice but to justify the horribles things they have to do to survive is the strongest character builder. The worst of humanity gives us the best of humanity.