[Gay State Conservative]

Never having served in combat...or in a theater of combat...I can't speak from personal experience but it seems that his claims,technically speaking,might be valid.Has he seen the same intensity of combat that a Marine or Army grunt might see or that a Navy or Air Force pilot might see? No.But,strictly speaking,I don't think this guy can be called a liar or an “armchair hero”.

[Calpernia]

I believe Mr. Hart did clarify that in his editorial.

[Hootowl]

An ex-Navy friend and I (retired Air Force) have had a similar conversation (and disagreement) for decades. He served on an aircraft carrier off the coast of ‘Nam. I served in country (though not in combat). He believes he should be entitled to same level of respect as people who were on the ground (or in the air above) ‘Nam, and I disagree. I don’t disparage his service—however, I think there are distinct gradations in that service, from front-line combat (highest regard) to those who, for whatever reason, may never have left the CONUS (still entitled to respect, but in much less measure).