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The US Army has been a professional volunteer army since the end of the Vietnam War (late 1970's). Today's 21st Century US Soldier is better paid, better equipped, better fed, and better protected. However, there is one difference that is TOTALLY new to this century's army. From the Vietnam War and beyond (rearward), the US Military was strictly National Defense. Due to base closures and the end of the cold war in the 1990's, the US Military was forced (they resisted this move) to accept LAW ENFORCEMENT Functions. The old newspaper terms of the "World's Policeman" used to mean symbolically; today that term actually describes US Army missions around the world. When watching "Cop" shows on television, law enforcement personnel are wearing the same body armor and helmets and weapons as the US Army deployed overseas; to include a V-100 US Army Armored Car/LAPD (which was originally used in the Vietnam War by the US Army's Military Police for convoy escorting). Today's US Soldier really is a US Policeman.

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16y ago

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