A man very close to me turns 90 this week. He served in the pacific in WWII. He wasn't in the band of brothers but he watched his childhood friend melt into a gun turret. He was on the lucky Sara because she should have sunk 3 times. His carrier spent 19 months at sea at one point fighting the Japanese at one point. These are the heroes, not those of who served willingly and got shot at a few times. The heroes are those who did not come back. How can you go more above and beyond than siding for your friends and your country? 

I agree. My grandmother is 93 and served in New Guinea. 

I disagree Bob. The heroes are ANY of those who risk their life to protect others - whether they come back or not, whether they signed up willingly or not. 

Funny, I didn't catch that for some reason. True, the ones who came back with their lives are also heroes.

I read an article awhile back talking about how much the word "heroes" is thrown around these days. Interesting read. 

Your friend is a hero, but the men and women that defend our country today are heroes also. They volunteered to serve our country and to protect our freedom. Going to war and any type of war is not to be taken lightly. 

we'll have to agree to disagree. a person isn't a hero simply by serving. using that word for everyone who serves is like giving the silver star or bronze star because a person serves. it takes away from those who went above and beyond. just because a person does the job that he/she selected isn't the same thing. i served 24 years and i don't consider myself anything more than a person who did my duty. 

I agree with Bob. Simply being there doesn't make one a hero. 

DH was a reservist for 22 years. He went to Iraq in 03. Between the 14 months in Iraq, drill weekends, and his 2 weeks plus misc deployments he's missed out on about 1/3 of our 11yos life. His current job is with the government (non military) but part of his job is that he has to deploy. He's been in Afghanistan since Feb.

DH's uncle was called up to go to Vietnam. After he came back he volunteered to go back twice. He was a Green Beret. The 2nd time he volunteered (3rd time over) he didn't come back.

DH's great uncle is Alvin York (WWI, the guy they made the movie Sgt York about.) He didn't go willingly but he went and did his job. He came back home.

A friend of ours enlisted after 9/11. He went to Iraq and was killed by an IED within 2 months. He was 20 years old.

Pat Tillman gave up a multi-million dollar football career to enlist. He was killed in Afghanistan.

Which ones are the heroes? IMO every one of them, including you Bob, are heroes. Just because you were lucky enough not to find yourself in a situation that required giving everything doesn't mean you would have run if such a situation confronted you. A hero is someone who is willing to go above and beyond what your average, ordinary person would do. 

bahet, i believe you are getting the words patriot and hero mixed up.

a patriot does all the things you mentioned with the exception of alvin york.

it's interesting you would mention him because what you're saying is because someone chooses to join the military he/she is the same as alvin york or the same as a person who throws himself onto a granade to save his friends.

i have to agree with mojo, being there doesn't make a person a hero. joining, serving, and doing your duty makes you patriotic not a hero. 

I have been there, trust me no hero here!!! Many others, even less heroic(IMO). Showing up gets you a paycheck, heroism requires deeds. 

Patriotism is a better word, Bob. I never felt like a hero. I had/have a lot of pride in my country and was proud to serve, but that alone doesn't make anybody a hero.

It diminishes those who truly are heroes, to apply the term to everybody who just showed up for work. 

Amen. That is basically what the article I read was saying- That, especially since 9/11, every military person is referred to as a hero, and that the word has sort of lost its meaning. 

I'd much rather every military person be called a hero than every over paid schmuck who can play with a ball be called a hero or every over paid actor who pretends to be a hero be called a hero. If our kids stop seeing rappers who "sing" about beating women and killing cops as heroes and instead view heroes as those like you Bob and you Brasco then the world will be a much better place.

What about this guy? Hero or patriot or just collecting a paycheck? http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/gebhardt.asp I say hero.

And yes, I do know the difference between a hero and a patriot. I am a patriot. I love this country even when things tick me off. I don't think we are perfect but I think we have potential. But I also don't have the guts to join the military. I could never do the things you guys do. The only people I'd put myself in danger for are my family. You guys willingly put yourselves in danger for complete strangers. That's much more than just patriotic. 

bahet, i do have to agree with you about the over paid schmucks. this includes actors, singers, and sports personalities.

i'm not trying to minimize what the people in uniform do in any way. i know what they are going through and what they have to give up because of their choosen profession.

as i said before, we'll just have to agree to disagree. 

I don't personally know of anyone who would call a rapper who sings about killing cops a hero, but maybe that's just my circle of friends. If you do, I'd reconsider the people I hang out with, lol. 

I don't even know anyone who likes rap. LOL I just know that there are kids out there who do idolize those sorts of "singers". (Are they even called singers? They don't sing. Eh, it's trash to me anyhow. LOL) 

Rap is not all bad. I think people like to highlight the worst of everything though. You have socialy concious rappers who promote positive and polotical ideologies such as: Common, Talib Kweli, Immortal Technique and so on. Personally, I think it's just like an outlet like any other music. But I DO agree that these types of people should not be considered heroes (musicians, actors and so forth) and even role models. I have the "Charles Barkley" school of thought.