For the Dims, a "war hero" is just a convenient tool, someone with medals they can hide behind when they want to make anti-war and treasonous statements. Notice in "peacetime" they have no use for war heroes at all. (Clinton the draft-dodger was just fine, and who cared about Bob Dole's medals when he was running, etc.)
Dem war hero good.
Republican war hero bad.
John Kerry is their #1 war hero. That speaks volumes about the dems and the war heroes they've dug up.