Originally Posted by minicivan

I know this is going to get nothing but neg rep... but its an honest question. It's one of the things that bothers me in these discussions.

Why is it OK or acceptable to put the kids who enlisted to go to almost certain death fighting Germany in WWII or the Japanese in the Pacific in the same ballpark as those who "just wanted to join up to get an education" or whatever?

I have huge respect for someone who joins the military in a time of war with the intent to fight and die if necessary for friends, family and beliefs. But thats not the same kind of "hero" as the guy who joined up in peacetime and worked in the mail room during the 9 and 1/2 minute invasion of Grenada and I personally don't believe its worthy of the same type of respect.