Quote Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat View Post
... Nor are the armed forces deserving of too much respect or a of a unique position in society.
This carries a great risk of a militarisation of society, of political considerations being swayed too much towards military solutions. Nobody likes a North Korea.

Nurses devote themselves to helping others, for their entire lives, to little financial compensation. Some teachers work in miserable circumstances, many of them managing to remain positive, to keep their faith in helping others to become what they can be.
These are heroes.
While it doesn't materially affect your point, nurses in the USA are compensated pretty well (partly because of scarcity).

I think the difference for me with the military is them going in knowing the level of risk involved. The added chance of me getting killed while selling insurance to people in their homes is so close to the baseline norm that I don't think you could chart it. On the other hand, training accidents etc. mean that ANYBODY going into military service stands a much greater risk of grievous harm and/or death than your average citizen. I do believe therefore that this form of public service warrants a notch more respect than does my county building inspector.

You are correct to the extent that respecting/honoring your military should not segway into a cult of militarism -- that begets evil.

Military service is an honorable calling, and that service is worthy of respect.