Saturday, June 7, 2014

The Term "Hero" is Overused

I mentioned going to a ball game with the wife when we were in Pigeon Forge two weeks ago; we had a pretty good time (two 24 oz. cans of beer helps even if you don’t like baseball) and we didn’t have to stay for the whole game, so I had a less miserable time than I expected.

If you’ve never been to a live Professional game (Minor or Major League), they have games and events between innings to kind of keep the audience engaged, especially the kids who have the attention span of hey, is that a squirrel running around outside? Nice weathertoday; I’m glad I rode my bike to work.

Where was I? Oh, right; the events between innings. Well, as that was Memorial Day weekend, the stadium was having what I think they called Military Appreciation Night. And during one of the between-inning events, they turned a camera on a Marine in the audience, a Lieutenant or maybe a Captain, and the announcer said something along the lines of “This Memorial Day Weekend, let’s honor a true American Hero™ Caption mumble-mumble, and all members of the Armed Forces!”

As would be expected, the crowd applauded and did some hooting and hollering, and the Captain smiled and waved a bit, looking a little embarrassed. The camera lingered on him and he continued smiling, but as the moment went on it was obvious that he was becoming really uncomfortable. I felt bad for him, because I know exactly how he was feeling.

There are several reasons for someone in his position that night to be embarrassed and uncomfortable. For one, the camera stayed on him far longer than was necessary; most people don’t want to be under that much scrutiny in a large crowd. And two, what most people seem to not realize (or conveniently forget when you can have a promotion that might drive more beer sales) is that Memorial Day is set aside to honor those who gave their lives (i.e. died) in service. Veterans Day is when we should honor all military veterns. To some this may seem a pedantic distinction, but it’s really not; there is a huge, non-trivial difference between serving your country and dying while serving your country.

A third possible reason for his discomfort is that he (most likely) IS NOT A FUCKING HERO! Okay, it’s possible that he saved someone’s life, or went above and beyond the call of duty while in Iraq or Afghanistan, or wherever he may have been deployed, but if that were the case, that almost certainly would have been part of the announcement. Since it wasn’t, then it’s reasonable to assume that the park officials who set it all up (and yes, it would have been with the Captain’s knowledge and approval) were honoring him as a “hero” just for being in the military.

I don’t mean to be a dick about it, and I’m not trying to take anything away from his or anyone else’s service. It’s hard being in the military, especially during times of war; and it’s great that so many people in this country want to honor those in the military, and recognize the job they’re doing. There is no better feeling in the world, to my mind, than to be welcomed back home after being deployed to a war zone and seeing family and friends you haven’t seen for a long time.

I’ll grant you that people who have joined the military since September 2011 have done so under entirely different circumstances than when I joined in 1986. They’re joining todaywith the certain knowledge that they could be involved in any number of foolish, unnecessary conflicts our foolish, unnecessary politicians might start anywhere in the world. If I were 20 again, and in the same circumstances as I was in 1986, I can’t say that I would join today’s Army. Despite that, the term “hero” does not automatically apply to all soldiers; it still has to be earned.

After the first Iraq war was over, and we were waiting to be deployed back home, a story made the rounds about a soldier whose crew came under fire. Their vehicle was destroyed, and despite being badly wounded, the story goes, this soldier dragged several of his unconscious crew members out of the line of fire and kept them alive until medics could get there. I never found out of this story was actually true, but assuming it was then that soldier was a true, bona fide hero. I just feel it cheapens the designation for people like him who actually acted in a heroic manner to call every soldier a hero just because they were in the military.

If you appreciate the sacrifices the men and women of the Armed Forces have made to serve their country, then by all means tell them. Thank them for their service and buy them lunch if you are able. Just save the term “hero” for those who truly deserve it.

5 comments:

  1. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm glad I'm not the only person who is so sick of the term hero being so overly used. As a vet and someone who currently serves with the military, I can assure you that the vast majority of military folks are just people trying to serve their country but are doing nothing more heroic than the person working at a bank or an insurance company or the local lumber yard. And there is nothing wrong with that.

    I totally support people who want to stand in airports and welcome our troops home from deployments and such, but even then, only the smallest percentage of those troops returning deserve the term hero attached to their service. Ever since 9-11, it seemed like if you were a fireman or a cop, you were automatically called a hero - just for putting on the uniform. Sure, those guy at the scene heading into the burning buildings; those guys were heroes, but for the guy in some small town manning a speed trap to be given that same honor? We've totally lost the meaning of the word.

    Great post!

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    1. Thanks, James. Oh, and wait until I get around to writing about graduations!

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  2. My husband has been in for almost 26 years...and I don't consider him to be a hero. I know what he's done and what he does now and while I'm proud of him for working through the ranks to get where his is now, he's just...who he is. He doesn't draw attention to what he does, doesn't like that stuff. He appreciates it when strangers approach him when he's in uniform - although he rarely goes out in his uniform - he stays low key about it. That's who he is and I've become the same way. I tell people I just wash his uniforms and make sure he has something to take in for lunch. Sounds a bit aloof but I'm just taking cues from the man who took that oath and wears that uniform.

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    1. Thanks for the comment, AC, and no it doesn't sound aloof to me at all. I think most of us who've been in for any length of time just see it as another job, nothing more.

      I do have a great deal of admiration for those who can stick it out as long as your husband has, though. Tip of my hat to him!

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  3. I agree 100% with you, Rob. We attach hero to too many people these days, and it seems like if you work in emergency services, are a cop, or in the military, then it automatically attaches to you. I'm sure the people like the ones at the ballpark you visited were just trying to "do the right thing", but yeah, besides the distinction in what the holidays mean (my dad was a veteran, and always made the comment on Memorial Day that it wasn't for him), let's save "hero" for those who are heroic - "adj.: of a kind that is likely to be undertaken only to save life".

    Graduations, ditto. On Saturday, a friend lamented that he was sorry he couldn't be with us on Friday (we were at Special Olympics) because his niece had her graduation from PRE-KINDERGARTEN, followed by a party!!! I thought it was bad enough when we added 8th Grade graduation, then 5th grade graduation...but OMG we've sunk to PRE-K, too!!!

    Peace <3
    Jay

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