I live in a rural town that claims the most deaths per capita in the Vietnam War. We have a helicopter memorial to them and Veterans Day is the most honored holiday here, with the businesses all closing for the parade, even if it is a weekday.
So this may not be a slur; it may be the truth.
It is true that whites serve disproportionately in combat arms. However, the author of this article was trying to twist that fact into an argument that these whites should be pitied. On the contrary, they should be admired and emulated. Perhaps the America they come from is still worth fighting for. Perhaps the America of the urban cynic is not.