Big Rob and Johnny Tremain, I am am yet to hear of any specific actions except perhaps Grenda, that advance American status. I have great sympathy for the men and women who fought in Vietnam, Korea and the Middle East. They were serving their country by going where their country sent them. It is not their fault that the government did not win. They won the military operation but lost the political discussions that led to the results.The American government is not respected in Vietnam. You only have to go to the war museum in HO CHI Minh city to see that. The USA is condemned at the first country in warfare to destroy agriculture land with Argent Orange and also the lives of many people. Vietnam ,Laos and Cambodia are liter with unexploded bombs. This is not the result of the soldiers. They are respected for their bravery . Many Vietnamese have help find the lost bodies of allied soldiers.
The same will apply in the Middle East. We might leave some lasting legacies like schools, hospitals and roads. But we will leave Iraq, Afghanistan divided under Tailban rule and with a lost generation. The USA and allies will not be wanted there and Russia ,China and Iran will be welcome.
We might have got rid of Bin Laden and his supporters. But we will not leave behind leaders favourable to the west either.
History shows few wars are completely successful to either side. Sometimes doing nothing as we could have in WW2 would lead to a worst result. However I am not so sure about the wars of the last 50 years...