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Words matter. My grandfather, who was captured at Corrigedor, qualifies as a "war hero". He came under direct fire, exhibited bravery and solidarity in captivity, and bore the effects of his maltreatment for his entire life. John McCain is a war hero. So is John Kerry. So is George H. W. Bush.
Just behind this select group of veterans are those designated as "combat veterans". These are men and women who served under direct fire of the enemy. It doesn't mean that they are less worthy of respect than those designated "heroes" - it just means that their experience did not call for the same level of sacrifice and willingness to throw one's body into danger. Al Gore is such a veteran.
There is a larger group of veterans who served, but never were deployed into combat. Again, their service is just as honorable and it is no slight to them to say that they are not "combat veterans" or "heroes". It is simply an accurate description of their service. George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld, to name two, are in this group.
This matters - this differentiation. To blur the line between a veteran and a combat veteran is to say that actually being shot at is no different than, say, turning wrenches at the depot in Wisconsin.
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