Americans have always kept the standing military as small as possible. We have just had a period of national emergency lasting from 1939 to the present day, when World War II and the Cold War required our expanding the military and our worldwide commitments to previously unimaginable levels. One could say that, after two generations in which the military has been expanded and bloated beyond previous imaginings, it is natural that we have forgotten the traditional place of the military in our society. The problem with that logic is that it ignores what conservatism is all about. Conservatives talk about paying for more soldiers for foreign adventures, but our own borders are completely unprotected.
Illegal immigrants pour in.
The first purpose of our armed forces is to protect OUR borders. We spend a lot more to defend Israel's borders than we do to protect our own. And conservatives want more troops to protect other people's borders. Until OUR borders are defended, no more troops should be provided for our politicians to play with abroad. After Vietnam, the first rule was broken, but the second rule holds firm.