I spent OIF in Key West fighting Super Hornets, so my post 9/11 combat experience is zero.

That said...keeping the peace in PSAB enforcing no-fly zones, I saw first hand pilots harrassed daily between chow halls and PT tents and Ops for the silliest of infractions...including improper wear of the boonie hat and raising hell with us for "morale patches" which were our "NATO Tiger Eagle Driver" patches but in subdued tan and brown to match our uniforms. We were told we had to wear the provisional wing patch.

The fix? I bit my lip. I took notes. And I dropped papers at the 14 year point...the first chance I had to bail. Zero regrets since. We flew stupid missions inforcing an assinine policy, but the most important thing to the leadership at the time was making sure nobody had a non standard patch.

I really feel for the guys in harms way. Feeling like your own hall monitors are out there harrassing you just makes what should be a proud feeling of service more like being in detention in junior high.