Absolutely. The VA is a disgrace, and it's a clear cut example of the government not living up to its obligations vis a vis veterans. However, my point concern

Absolutely. The VA is a disgrace, and it's a clear cut example of the government not living up to its obligations vis a vis veterans. However, my point concerns public perception, which is to a significant degree the focus of the OP. Specifically, the author made the claim that veterans are perceived as being an unexotic cause in public consciousness - whereas I think the opposite is true. I think their cause is a popular one in America. For comparison, this is how I personally perceive a few of the various underclasses he mentioned : The rural poor in Appalachia? Unequivocally unexotic : lower income whites often appear to be more scorned than pitied. Inner city youth? Periodically exotic. Veterans? Unequivocally exotic, in the sense that I perceive their cause to be one of the most popular in contemporary American society.