I'd like to point out a few things, and argue what I hope is a few rational points, given my biased opinion. Downvote me if you want I don't care.

I'm in the Air Force stationed in Korea, and I'm what you would call a pencil-pusher, flying a desk, whatever you want to call it. I don't claim to be a hero, nor do I totally disagree with all of your comments. However, I would like to speak on a few of them.

First off, from what I can tell from your comments you probably don't have a military background, correct me if I'm wrong. We sign up for whatever reasons each person may have, and the majority do the best they can with whatever job they're assigned. For the most part you don't get to choose. You have to deal with it, and all the bullshit that comes with that particular job you didn't necessarily want in the first place. There is no "quitting" your job. There is no "not doing your job". You fucking do it, or you get fucked. The stress of following orders for orders sake (regardless of volunteerism to do it, hurr durr) absent personal opinion or feelings sometimes is lost on your typical civilian worker.

Upon enlisting, we all take an oath saying that if necessary, we will give our lives to defend our buddies, our friends and family. It's nerve wracking as a young kid saying those words, wondering what you've gotten yourself in to, yet still feeling that lingering sense of necessity or inherent responsibility to sign up sometimes. "Better me than my brothers or sisters."

That to me is a hero, in it's own way.

These guys and girls that voluntarily separate from their entire known lives to become a defender of their country. The literal 1% of the country that, for whatever reason, thought that it is worth the risk to do something they thought worthwhile and honorable. To make their families proud and feel their own sense of pride.

That to me is a hero, in it's own way.

I've been to Afghanistan, for a short tour of about 6 months even as a desk jockey. There were rocket attacks 15 times a day sometimes, but I never stepped outside the wire. I feel the same as you when it comes to the guys out there exchanging rounds and killing bad guys, but the fact of the matter is that it's not my job. Yet here I am in the same place, along with a lot of other people. All vulnerable, all just a little scared and ALL wanting to be back home and safe.

Like I stated before, I don't claim to be a hero. I also agree with the other commenter that if you're a shithead in the military, you were probably a shithead before. I just urge you not to put a blanket statement on a group of people without experiencing anything firsthand to do with that life. Your opinion of what makes someone a hero is radically different than someone else's.