My first response to your post was to laugh out loud, and say to myself, "of course we're like this." I wouldn't want to spend time in the desert with any other sort of people.

I won't try to defend my fellow soldiers. It's unnecessary. I don't really know how to respond to your last two sentences, though. I've never asked you to support me. I don't particularly want your support, unless you run a business which provides a useful service. I enjoy doing my job, and having as much regard for non-American life as I can afford to have, while you go about doing yours.

In addition, whoever is asking you to "support the troops" doesn't care if you like them. We're not like the hometown ballclub. "Oh I think I'll root for the visitors this time." We're the goddamn U.S. military, and we do what we're told to do by the U.S. government. And we're filled with immature, uneducated, insensitive, all-around assholes. I guess those are the kind of people who can't get better jobs. Weird. In any case, we're pretty good at what we do, whether you like us as individuals or not. I'll leave it to you to make the important decision as to the relative importance of what we do to your life and the nation. And even if you don't want to be in the same room with me, I'll still stand ready during the night to do violence on your behalf.

In the meantime, read some Heinlein, namely Starship Troopers. He does a better job at exploring the mind of the soldier than anyone.