MILITARY: Defining 'heroes'

I served honorably in the U.S. Navy for eight years. I was repeatedly rewarded for my competence and devotion to duty. I AM NOT A HERO. I am also not an expert in military tactics or strategy.

Every day I see people calling all veterans “heroes” and assuming that all veterans are experts in warfare. This reflects an ignorance of what military service means. I assume that people who do that did not serve in the military.

There is nothing wrong with not serving. Only a small percentage of our total population has served or will serve and only a small percentage of those are heroes or experts in warfare. It is wrong to base important decisions like who you believe or who you vote for on ignorant assumptions.

Unfortunately, many of us make major decisions based on faulty assumptions. We can do better than that.

MORT KRAUS

Coeur d’Alene