What do you consider a military hero?

2015-04-04T22:38:15-04:00

I consider these military heroes in my book: Combat casualties, combat wounded to include amputees, PH, BSM, MOH, Navy Cross, Flying Cross, Silver Star, and any ribbon with a Combat 'V', retirees, Spec OP types, and recipients of the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (for saving a life).

What scale do you use to label a veteran a hero?

Thanks for all those that contribute.

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 18 at 2016 10:09 PM

2016-10-18T22:09:31-04:00

I consider anyone who signs on the dotted line and swears an oath to give everything up to and including their life to be a hero. I'd hope that we all would have the courage to throw ourselves into harms weigh to protect our brothers and sisters in uniform, our fellow Americans and allies, at any price. Not everyone gets the opportunity to prove their courage or valor in a gallant fashion. Your human resource person may have as much if not more courage than your infantryman, however will never truly have the opportunity to prove this. In this way, I feel that we have all earned the title as "hero" in our own regard. However, I also feel that we are all humble enough to not accept such a title. True heroes rarely consider themselves to be heroes. It's our fallen brethren who don't make it back who are heroes in our eyes. Those who earn the Medal of Honor are heroes to the nation. No one should look down upon their own service because they were not tested by the horrors of war.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Oct 19 at 2016 10:08 AM

2016-10-19T10:08:34-04:00

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member I agree with your list and I raise you some one thought! I also believe in what ENS Private RallyPoint Member stated below. Here is my Raise. There are many service members that do their everyday job in the line of duty across the service branches that will ultimately save one to many thousands of lives! They are the unsung heroes behind the scenes that keep our great combat warriors and special operators going at 150%. The list could be endless if you think about it. If it isn't for all the special individuals working behind the scenes and their individual/team/group "actions" we couldn't be the great power we are today! That is just an observation and my opinion!

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 19 at 2016 12:08 PM

2016-10-19T12:08:13-04:00

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member I consider each and ever service member who risks their life, health and/or career for their fellow military service members and those they are charged with protecting a hero. Some heroes are recognized with glory and honors by the military and a few by the nation. Most military heroes are only remembered by those they protected and in some case by God alone since everyone in that situation was killed.
Some military heroes are condemned by the military and their careers terminated as was the case the Special Forces NCO and Officer who were fed up at the sodomy of young boys in Afghanistan by security force operatives that were allied with us.
I sleep well at night because I confronted those over me and my peers who wanted to conduct questionable or illegal behavior and at times I risked my life for my soldiers when I knew it was my responsibility to do so, without being asked.
Thanks for mentioning me ENS Private RallyPoint Member
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price Capt Christopher Mueller Capt Seid Waddell CW5 Private RallyPoint Member SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt Private RallyPoint Member SGT Private RallyPoint Member SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SGT John " Mac " McConnell SGT Robert George SPC Private RallyPoint Member SrA Christopher Wright ]

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 19 at 2016 3:34 PM

2016-10-19T15:34:03-04:00

Anyone who signs on that dotted line that reads they are willing to give their for our country.

Response by PO3 James Bobiney made Oct 19 at 2016 5:30 PM

2016-10-19T17:30:19-04:00

PTSD service connected veterans. Medics/Corpsman. Other disabled veterans. Any member who served with good character and was discharged honorably and upholds and supports the dignity, honor and tradition of the militarys. I'll add more as I think of it. Police, firemen, EMS etc.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 19 at 2016 7:24 PM

2016-10-19T19:24:33-04:00

Paradoxically, heros are unrecognizable unless you know about their accolades. Many are heros but have been unrecognized with awards and decorations.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Oct 19 at 2016 10:07 PM

2016-10-19T22:07:10-04:00

My heroes are the ones lying under American Flags on Veterans Day.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 19 at 2016 10:48 PM

2016-10-19T22:48:10-04:00

My father has a Bronze Star and he is often who I try to compare my morality and service with, but I can't just compare medals or counts. There are true heroes who have done deeds I can't imagine in WW2, Korea, or Vietnam who may have done something that made it possible for me and my children to exist. I don't care if you have the most simple of all racks. Each service member knows what they did and I applaud their service, but that trust also makes any "liberties" that people take with what they have done all the more upsetting.

Response by PO3 James Bobiney made Jun 10 at 2019 12:08 PM

2019-06-10T12:08:23-04:00

Anyone who has sworn to uphold the Constitution and to serve and protect. This includes, Fire, Police, EMS etc, as well as Military. Educators in many circumstances I would consider a Hero. There are many different kinds of Hero in my book, having seen and worked with many throughout my life.

But my number one biggest Hero of all is my Granpa George. Flew the B17 in WW2. Was shot down over France on bombing raids on German submarine pens. He was stationed in Polebrook England with the 351st Bomb Group, he was in the 511th Bomb Squadron. The Commander was Col(I think) Ball, so all the planes had the name "Ball" on them. Screw Ball, Low Ball, etc. Granpa Georges' plane was the High Ball.

There is a monument in Muzillac France by the crash site. Granpa George and the Navigator escaped and evaded capture by the Germans after being shot down and made it back to England. I have copies of his hand written notes while in France on German troop movements etc while evading. The ultimate Military Man, taking notes on enemy movements while fearing for his life. Who does that? My Granpa did. And many many of the Greatest Generation did. They are all Heroes. My Granpa was only 23 years old at the time, also. I look at "some" of these kids today at that age and think to myself there is no fucking way they could pull that off. They'd probably sit down and cry.

I contacted the 351st Bomb Group Association last year and asked what info they had on Granpa. That's where I got the copies of his notes and they have mission reports etc, from alot of the planes. They have an annual memorial gathering at the monument every Summer around the date the High Ball was shot down and they invited me to come. I can not make it this Summer. But next I am definitely going to try.

He was a T-Totaller before the war. Didn't drink or smoke. Gramma and he divorced after the war though because he was struggling with PTSD and self medicating bad with alcohol, I now know. Because I was on the same pattern he was. So similar how we both self medicated to calm the nightmares and anxiety etc. But back then I don't think the treatments were as good as today and he drank hisself to death at 54. I did not. I finally was able to get the help I needed.

He lived with his Mother, Gramma Gloudeman, in Billings, MT. Mom and I would go visit them when I was just a small child. I have one memory of my Granpa George. I was about 3 years old or so. Mom and I arrived at their house and Granpa came down stairs from his room. Picked me up, carried me into the kitchen, got himself a couple cokes from the fridge. Those old big bottles, remember? Gave me one of them, told me he loved me. Put me down and went back upstairs after talking with Mom a couple minutes. That is the ONLY memory I have of him, and it's a good one. Don't you think?
So yea, my Granpa George is my biggest Hero.

P.S. they spelled his name wrong. It's George H. Gloudeman.