ORIGINAL: davidmil

Bottom line, they're not the same. The average firefighter, EMT, mailcarrier or whateverdoesn't experience in a lifetime what a GI on the line experiences in a single firefight. Most policemen will probably never fire a gun in anger or fear. Most of them if they get hurt on the job or injured they get a full pension that's much more than a GI will get. Their medical is taken care of for life etc etc etc. I hate to say it, but it seems like in the firefighter and police business, when ever they get close to retirement or get enough points or years many get in an altercation and end up with "A bad Back" or some such thing. I've seen it too many times to discount the possibility of mischief at play. It's your dream, you can do what you want with it, but I just don't buy into the Post 911 business that all firemen, policemen etc are heros. They volunteer for the job for the bennies, early retirement and locked job security no matter what. You want to make someone a hero simply because of the job they do, pick a teacher in todays classroom under todays rules. Don't mix up your initial idea for helping the GI's to let's have a mixed neighborhood. Heck, teachers would be better than most policemen and firemen.