Reading this for some reason reminded me of the TV movie "Tribes" starring Jan-Michael Vincent and Darin McGavin.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribes_(film)
The wiki explains why I thought of it.
Tribes tells the story of Private Adrian (Jan-Michael Vincent), a young United States Marine Corps Vietnam war era draftee who, despite being an anti-war hippie, reluctantly reports to boot camp to fulfill his duty as an American.
Adrian excels as a leader; though, his pacifist ideology presents continuing conflicts between himself and his superiors. Adrian's drill instructor, Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Drake (Darren McGavin), quickly recognizes Adrian's leadership qualities, but is conflicted as he grows to respect Adrian while also realizing that he represents everything Adrian opposes. At one point, Adrian points out that his love of meditation is similar to Drake's drawing to relax, indicating a sketch of a flying bird. Both are ways of finding freedom. Drake responds angrily, denying that he had drawn the picture.
The one question I'd ask would be when did you develop your Liberty/Voluntaryist mindset? Did you have that before or after the Army?
Great story.
SDG
I joined when I was very young and uninformed. The idea was to be patriotic from a nationalism sense, not from a defense of liberty one as I have today. Unfortunately. the military back then even was not full of liberty lovers. It was full of "America, Eff Yeah!" types. It's even worse now from my perspective. We need to get back to a militia only and shut the standing army down.
I support the idea behind Virginia's Declaration of Rights:
Section 13. That a well-regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.
This reminds me of my pastor who joined the Marines right out of Highschool. Vietnam. He knew he made a mistake as soon as he got off the bus. He stuck it out, but you would not think of him as a typical ex-marine, semper-fi kind of guy. I also had a step brother who had the choice of jail or enlist Vietnam in 67. He was Airborne, fortunately he made it through.
I agree with your militia stand and glad you became a liberty lover.
SDG