Is Every Member Of The Armed Services 'a Hero'?

[sp1814]

This is based on the newspaper report posted by Sqad earlier.

Something seems to have changed in the language newspapers use to describe members of the armed services. They are now all deemed 'heroes'.

Now, I have a lot of admiration for anyone who does a tough job that makes my life better (and I include the police, ambulance service fire service in that), but surely we should reserve the word 'hero' for someone who has shown bravery in a conflict situation?

If all service personnel are heroes, what do we call those who go above and beyond. I mean, we can't call them 'superheroes', because that would be unfair to Batman, Spider-Man and to a lesser extent, The Green Lantern.

Do you think the term 'hero' is over-used in the news media?

[DTCwordfan]

Sqad?

[Sqad]

Easy for me Mick

http://www.google.it/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fpp.co.uk/online/11/06/images/guy-gibson.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fpp.co.uk/Letters/bombing/Stuart121011.html&h=265&w=190&sz=1&tbnid=t41l9eMVsk-CIM:&tbnh=160&;tbnw=114&zoom=1&usg=__slk3rw67oJTy11CVJgZ6DeD2cdE=&;docid=icVpn17HTvvxZM&itg=1&;sa=X&ei=IEQ7Udz5EIiK7AbfkoGwCg&ved=0CJkBEPwdMBA

[Barmaid]

lol, I was just looking for a pic of GG for Sqad but he got there first.

[Sqad]

LOL....

[sp1814]

JTP

Reading your post remnds me of the opening titles of 'Mission Impossible'.

[jake-the-peg]

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERschollH.htm

Hans Scholl - lead a passive resistance campaign against Hitler

Facing bullets with bullets is one sort of bravery

Facing bullets with leaflets is another entirely

[Barmaid]

I think the word "hero" is overused in the media. But definition of "hero" is quite personal because of the emotive nature of the word. One man's "hero" is potentially another's enemy. Whilst someone like Guy Gibson is undoubtedly an english hero, I doubt that the relatives of people who were lost in Operation Chastise would view him the same.

[Kromovaracun]

I agree with JTP. Heroism is a quality that needs to be bestowed in a meaningful considered way - otherwise it's somewhat cheap. Soldiers certainly can be heroes, but like anyone else in extreme circumstances they can also be villainous (for want of a better word). Ditto for nurses, or teachers, or anyone. They're just people - their circumstances grant them the opportunity to do wonderful things or to do terrible things, and you can find plentiful examples of both.

[ludwig]

It's definitely overused.

// surely we should reserve the word 'hero' for someone who has shown bravery in a conflict situation? //

I wouldn't put such a narrow meaning on it though. We can all have personal heroes that have never been anywhere near a conflict situation. Musical heroes, sporting heroes, political heroes etc.

[237SJ]

Of course not. When I was 18 I went out with an RAF guy. He was an engineer (airframes and propulsion). He went into the RAF at 17 and had a very good career. He missed the Falklands conflict (due to his trade within the RAF). He applied to be a pilot (and failed) so he was offered the role of Navigator and failed. Thus he went back into Engineering. He is retired now. He has had a very nice life and career in the RAF. If he had been a pilot in the RAF, he would be working for an airline now and earning a shedload of money (with a fantastic pension). Was he a hero? Absolutely not.