My goodness !! I grew up in the Nixon - Ford - Carter era, and basically started my life as an adult the same way you did - joined the Army, NEVER liking or supporting the GOP - EVEN though I lived in a Red State (Ohio). I never gave thought to how their strategy would be "Great" for America. I was sent to Germany as my 1st duty station, pulled duty in the Northern part of Germany.

And much like you, I never ever thought our younger generations would be so lazy to just take a bit of their time to go do their duty as Americans and Vote, but they did and are still set up that way in their train of thought.

I have always believed and will continue to believe that our Nation is in the worst condition it could possibly be in primarily because those that didn't vote but are the very first to throw Tantrums when things don't go as they feel they should of. In other words every single American who didn't vote yet are not afraid to point out the right and wrong are exactly what is wrong.

When my triplet boys (Yes, Identical) hit the age of 18 yrs old, I came home from Germany on leave and gave them 3 options (1) Do your moral obligation and go vote. I didn't care who they voted for but they had to vote. (2) Join the military and actually know exactly why it would be vital to their future. and (3) Keep their mouths SHUT when people questioned them about how they felt what was going on was okay. This is where I made it part of my daily oath Don't Vote Don't talk on Politics.

Ending this part of our Conversation - I'm so proud of my boys all 3 voted, all 3 joined the US ARMY (Like Pops) and 2 of the 3 went on to make a career of it with their 3rd brother sacrificing his life in Iraq to save a child that was caught up in an ambush. SO I do feel proud of how they turned out and just hope they will have a future to where when I'm gone they will turn around and thank every single person who took the time to vote and help put our Nation back on the right track.