So what is worthy of being called a service in your mind?
As I said, we didn’t come close to minimum wage, those in the time of the draft were often not even volunteers. In time of war and “police actions” they were put in danger.
The hours are long and grueling. The living conditions were usually so crappy in the Navy that it was not suitable for prisoners. The army & marines in the field had it so bad so often that the Navy had it good by comparison.
I know I personally spent 121 consecutive days at sea on a West Pac. That is 4 freaking months without a port. 20 hour days were common at sea.
So what the fuck is actually worthy of being called a service?