I think that combat vets deserve recognition for sure. To me though, the word ‘Hero’ is cheapened a lot by it’s overuse.
In 2001 I was a reporter. I got to cover a lot of local events after 9/11 when local/regional and state pols went on their Rah Rah tour proclaiming every fireman, cop and garbage man a ‘hero’ in an act of unbridled propaganda. It left a really bad taste in all our mouths. I can’t count the number of these guys that stood there squirming whenever Harry Reid, McCain or a local pol proclaimed them all the real life equivalent of Superman.
When everyone is Heroic, no one is.
That's a good point.
And I did try to narrow the focus a bit.. and to take it to the extreme obviously "Army Sgt. Hasan Akbar [convicted of] killing two American officers . . . in Kuwait [2003 combat zone]" is no hero (except to the Islamists).
Merely serving in a combat zone does not equate to two Marines giving their lives while standing guard and firing at and exploding the truck aimed at crashing the gate to kill sleeping men inside the gate. I heard this from a retired Marine interviewed about his book about those 100% heroes.
I get it. But I still honor those who did serve short of hero status then. :)