Jim Pender: We don’t worship those who serve, we salute them

The writer of “Reserve praise for real heroes” (Letters, April 5) believes that not everybody in the military deserves the distinction of being called a hero. We do not worship them, we salute every one of them.

Medals are for real heroes who put their lives on the line and some times give it. Everybody in the military is a hero in some way, whether working in the motor pool to keep trucks running, planes flying, tanks rolling, sitting behind a desk or working on the flight deck of a aircraft carrier. There are highly trained instructors who teach soldiers how to properly do their jobs. So many of these behind-the-scenes people spend many hours going the extra mile.

The writer’s idea of a job requirement stinks. He needs to figure out what freedom and praise means and whom to give it to. He needs to go to a veterans hospital; these are the real heroes.

I spent four years on an aircraft carrier and never saw combat. I sat behind a desk, doing my small part when Vietnam was starting. I wonder if the writer ever served in the military.

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 11:56 AM with the headline "Jim Pender: We don’t worship those who serve, we salute them."