[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I completely disagree. There is nothing that "cheapens" the word by reserving it for people like Donald Ruhl or John Basilone. Just the opposite, in fact. If anyone is cheapening it, it's those who fling it around like candy.

[Consort]

If anyone is cheapening it, it's those who fling it around like candy.

True, but after reading some of the threads, the word has been used as a weapon to attack others with differing opinions and I think there's been a lot of overreaction to different aspects of the various related stories.