Not exactly. The requirement is "patriotic service" and that can include support of the cause with money or supplies or serving as a local official, putting life and fortune at risk by being a town officer. I haven't looked at the list yet, but I would not be surprised to find a few of those 25 fell into that latter category.
Yes. My most well known ancestor (at least among the family)was a Justice of the Peace and was known as "Col." but his official record says that he supplied horses and wagons to the armies and participated in the Letters of Correspondance. He was probably in his 50s at the time, so a little old to be tramping in the field. But, my mother's family were female, or Quakers, or aged -- so out of the running as far as I know.