anecdotal:
my father knew a guy working as a tech at a hospital, call him fred
freds a reservist, just got sent home from iraq, got a great job where hes well liked, good future, gf
he gets a call about some months ago, they say pack up you're going back for duty
my dad see him around depressed, shaken, losing weight because he doesn't eat
hes probably there in iraq now doing his service, but i wonder, what does someone like FRED think of all this about Tillman
plenty of guys here joined up for their beliefs, their country, just like our favorite football star, but unlike them Tillman had tons of money, a dream job for some, and if he had gone off to war and came back, he'd be applauded by those who knew him and he would have gone back to making his money playing his game now with a little more props and a little more respect from his fans. Its win-win for Tillman, worst that could have happened is he'd get killed or maimed effectively ending his career, but he'd still be a hero not just to those he knew but now most of the newsworthy public
what does fred get when (hopefully when) he comes back? probably same bright future, same gf???, likely his friends and family will be proud of him, but to you and me he'll still be some tech working at some hospital
what does he get if hes killed or maimed, grief for his friends and family, and we get a new tech working at the hospital