Why are Liberals so eager to bring up TRICARE in the health care debate?

As a US Army veteran and TRICARE beneficiary I find it disturbing how the Liberals are using it to advocate single payer for private citizens. As someone who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, I consider TRICARE to be an employmnt benefit for putting myself in harm's way in the service of my country, it may be socialist but it is something that only military personnel and their families can receive in exchange for service to their country. As someone who earned a government salary during my 8 years in the Army, I consider my salary to be no more socialist than a private sector employee earning a private salary and privatized employment benefits. The military was my job and low-cost healthcare was an employment benefit. Just because I received government healthcare and a government salary doesn't mean that average private citizen is entitled to the same things, I wouldn't expect a private citizen to receive a government salary either.