re: #47 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave of the waffle light)

Not just “doing something useful”, but putting their life and health at risk in doing so. that is, demonstrating that they were willing to put the common good above their own personal gain.

Eh, not really. The bulk of those who signed up for federal service did so in whatever career was felt useful, even if that meant you spent 5 years as a janitor or a filing clerk. Only a small fraction of those who applied ended up as military grunts.