Bertil and I are sitting at Palm Beach International Airport. There are a handful military people in the same waiting area. A man walks up to one of the guys and strikes up a conversation. A few minutes later a different older gentleman approaches another ranger soldier sitting next to me. He says: "I just wanted to say thank you for what you´re doing for us, people don't tell you guys enough. God Bless you and thanks again."
After we land and are taxing to the gate the flight attendant gets on the horn and asks everyone to give a round of applause for "our men and women in uniform, for keeping us safe".
I think in general people in do distinguish between the politics of war and the sacrifices the US men and women are doing...