Anglain, you've found a gold mine.
Guess who's
not a legitimate war hero, according to Wade Sanders:
The military has been particularly guilty of their abuse of the term of “hero” and their dispensing of medals traditionally reserved for heroes. They are rapidly cheapening the symbolic value of medals such as the Silver Star (which is to be awarded for gallantry in action) and the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device (a bronze “v” device which graces the medal and the ribbon, and is commonly referred to as the “combat ‘v’” and which is normally reserved for heroic achievement). PFC Jessica Lynch, injured in an automobile accident and well cared for by her captors received the Bronze Star with combat “v,” is only one example of this abuse. Any one who has served in combat can cite numerous cases of truly heroic men and women who performed heroically in the face of fire and received either nothing, or a much lesser award. Yet, the Air Force, Army and Navy have recently awarded medals once reserved for heroes to individuals who never left the safety and comfort of their air condition rear echelon headquarters in Iraq and, in some cases, never left the United States. None of these ever experienced a shot fired in anger; none of them where ever exposed to enemy fire. Only the Marine Corps seems to understand the concept of heroism and continues to award that title with appropriate restraint.
I guess it's okay to question PFC Lynch's medals, but not John Kerry's. Don't question John Kerry's medals! He's a hero! Even if there was no enemy fire!