Getting his left arm injured during WW II didn't help Dole against "draft dodger" Clinton.
Or Bush vs. Clinton in 92.
I was being sarcastic.
The way I see it, you can trade on your heroism politically within a narrow margin.
If you were a hero and supported the effort, that's your stand. If you were a hero and were against the war, that's your stand.
You can't have it both ways. And sooner or later people are going to wonder what you can do for them besides remind them what you did 30 years ago- even if you aren't so sure yourself.