Don’t know if it is the case for America, but where I live, people don’t even touch the army with a pole unless they are raised in army families or particularly patriotic families. Even though it is a great employer - both for civilians and soldiers roles - it is regarded as a place people “fail into,” a job we apply for when we fail to secure training or work in the civilian world. If any of this rings true for the culture where you live, you do deserve the respect. You looked into a profession that most people are too scared to even consider, and found your way to make a contribution. You did skilled work that many of the soldiers were either not smart enough, too busy to do, or just unwilling to train for. Every time you clocked in and sat down in front of a keyboard you were doing valuable work that helps to keep your army functional, and presenting as a formidable force. And, you actually said in your comment, they asked you to “just sit under your desk if things got heated” - this means there legitimately was some risk of your workplace coming under fire, even if it’s probably super small. That’s exactly what people are so afraid of when they think about working in the army. The way I see it, working for the army is putting yourself forward and saying “I’m willing to do things to defend my country,” to varying degrees, but you did that before any of those other civilians did. I just think it’s important you appreciate that. It’s in the same vein that people who work in really essential roles like teaching should be proud of themselves and be celebrated more.