The news media made sure to let the public know all about Tim McVeigh and Richard Jewell's status as veterans. The FBI went so far as to say they fit the profile of bombers. A bomber is likely to be a high school educated, angry, white, military ve teran, male. No one stood up to refute this stereotype. High schools do not cooperate with military recruiters as much as they used to.
Some counselors refuse to allow recruiters to come on campus to talk to prospects.
Many of these counselors are not veterans, and their only exposure to the military has been through the news media or movies. Today's headlines blare as if this is a huge increase. This came after the failed Iran hostage rescue attempt, and pressure from the media to improve the hollowed out military. It showed an invisible soldier carrying a gun as he was running. Besides a substantial pay raise, Congress and the Administration should bring back the Vietnam Era GI Bill and the pre 1980 retirement system.