Ya! "Smarties" How can there be smarties when you are here! Afterall you got education in China, officer in us armed Forces, pretty much nationality of every nation that gets mentioned and pretty much planned all the wars US got into, in the mean time you gathered intelligence, investigated homicide, probably launched missiles too!
How can anyone else be a smarty! Afterall you are here!
I come from serving for a relatively short time, but i can confirm you nothing humbles you like serving in difficult places!
I have seen you brag to civilians that they are not even worthy of debate because they haven't served!
For the record, pretty much all professional armies takes orders from civilians, execute them word to word. Use equipment invented, designed, build and manufactured by civilians. ( we all know how things turn up when low educated, gun welding chaps try their hands at invention and science in general).
And when they mess up things like making new system/ weapons/ doctrine they call upon civilians to assist ( clear up the mess) in form of consultants.
Now you are retired! You are a civilian. Don't have to be so arrogant.