Glory Road

"It wasn’t a war — not even a “Police Action.” We were “Military Advisers.” But a Military Adviser who has been dead four days in that heat smells the same way a corpse does in a real war."

"I no longer gave a damn about three-car garages and swimming pools, nor any other status symbol or "security." There was no security in this world and only damn fools and mice thought there could be. Somewhere back in the jungle I had shucked off all ambition of that sort. I had been shot at too many times and had lost interest..."

"Military policy is like cancer: Nobody knows where it comes from but it cant be ignored."

"I was twenty-one but couldn’t figure out which party to vote against."

"There is an old picture of a people traveling by sleigh through deep woods — pursued by wolves. Every now and then they grab one of their number and toss him to the wolves. Thats conscription even if you call it "selective service" and pretty it up with USOs and "veterans benefits" — its tossing a minority to the wolves while the rest go on with that single-minded pursuit of the three-car garage, the swimming pool, and the safe & secure retirement benefits."

"Regardless of T.O., all military bureaucracies consist of a Surprise Party Department, a Practical Joke Department, and a Fairy Godmother Department."

"I learned, first time out on patrol, that nothing hikes up that old biological urge like being shot at and living through it."

"The person who says smugly that good manners are the same everywhere and people are just people hasn’t been farther out of Podunk than the next whistle stop."

"“This is a crazy sort of country, you must admit. Utterly insane.” “Mmmm...” he answered. “Have you ever been in Washington, D. C.?” “Well—” I grinned wryly. “Touché!”"

"ARE YOU A COWARD? This is not for you. We badly need a brave man. He must be 23 to 25 years old, in perfect health, at least six feet tall, weigh about 190 pounds, fluent English with some French, proficient with all weapons, some knowledge of engineering and mathematics essential, willing to travel, no family or emotional ties, indomitably courageous and handsome of face and figure. Permanent employment, very high pay, glorious adventure, great danger. You must apply in person..."

"May it please milord Hero, the world is not what we wish it to be. It is what it is. No, I have over-assumed. Perhaps it is indeed what we wish it to be. Either way, it is what it is."

"I object to conscription the way a lobster objects to boiling water: it may be his finest hour but its not his choice."