Do you think American soldiers are put on too high of a pedestal

[abaris]

I believe that anyone who has served the country in war deserves respect and follow-on support, but they're not idols or necessarily more patriotic or worthy of respect than others.  We're up and down in regards to respect of vets.  Following WWII everybody loved them and during the Vietnam era they were spat upon.  I think it's just a matter of giving vets whatever respect and care they deserve.

The spat on part is an urban legend based on one or two isolated incidences.

The reason why they were respected after WWII was that it was a worthy cause, as opposed to Vietnam. But soldiers were at the forefront of the Vietnam opposition, as they were in the case of Iraq. They were always the ones telling the true tales the authorities didn't want the public to know.

As for me, I have sympathy for everyone being sent off to war. It's a situation no human being should experience. And that goes above and beyond respect.