Originally Posted by
WillCAD
Military rank is not just a person's "status" with their employer. It is a position they have earned within the military of our country. It shows that they have volunteered to serve our country, often risking their lives in the process, and as such they are deserving of a certain amount of respect from the populace. This is not to say that they are to be afforded any special priviledges or higher authority, or that they are to be deferred to or treated like aristocracy or royalty, only that their service should be acknowledged and respected.
I disagree with that mindset entirely. It elevates them in language and perception as something "special". It isn't. It's a job. One they applied for and that pays them. Nothing more. The level of 'hero worship' that gets force fed onto the US public, along with their uncritical lapping up of it, is dangerous for the country IMO. Obviously, and sadly, I'm in a minority these days in the US in that view.