I'm a 24 year veteran and I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of these United Sates.
In that Constitution it says you have the right to free speech and the right to protest. Kaepernick didn't protest the flag or disrespect it. The protest was about the mistreatment of minorities at the hands of the Police.
That narrative was hijacked and turned into a "He's disrespecting the military! / How dare HE (an American citizen!!) use HIS right to protest when he's a millionaire!!!!!"
Would I have taken a knee?
No. Never.
But I won't tell anyone they can't either.