In reply to Veronica Burton’s letter (Journal, Feb 26) I was surprised.

We uniformed brothers and sisters, we merry few, usually stick together.

I need not mention what I do for a living, nor how qualified I am, nor where I have worked, but allow me, if you will, an opinion as you are freely able to give yours. I agree with you, I have never met a serviceman or woman who wanted to be a hero. However, it is the public’s opinion that they are.

We all have choices and if yours is to complain that you or they get paid less than a soldier then you could always join up (as an aside your opinion of the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Nursing Corps is?), and yes the army are trained killers (debateable about the RAF, but that banter will go on until time immemorial).

My politics knowledge is not such that I can say whether fighting for this country entails fighting on foreign shores, suffice to say the military by its very nature is apolitical and is only a tool of our political masters.

This is not the soldiers’ fault, we sign to serve Queen and country.

You, dear lady, as part of a democracy, are one of the people who place the government above us. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that the government will ever be run by the Green Party.

I have met and had my life saved by nurses.

They are underpaid, overworked and generally modest, caring people.

To compare them with soldiers is incorrect. It is like comparing a brother and a sister, and yes, blessed are the peacemakers.

And yes, you and all nurses are heroes, but, please remember who is there to ensure you can freely have an opinion, choice and voice.

Steve Fenemore

Amesbury

SOLDIERS may not necessarily be heroes (Postbag, February 26).

...And nurses may not necessarily be angels.

I understand what Veronica Burton is saying, but I wonder if she gets equally irritated when nurses are referred to as angels?

Of course, soldiers are following their chosen career but, when deployed do put themselves in harm’s way for all of us. One only has to read letters on this page every week to see in what high esteem doctors and nurses are held, so what’s the problem?

Annie White

Salisbury

In reply to Veronica Burton’s letter about our soldiers not all being heroes, I beg to differ.

She makes a statement “can recent foreign wars be defined as fighting for this country?” Answer, yes!

Our service people do not choose where or when they fight, they take orders from the government.

As for being “trained killers”, what would you have them do? Jump out and say boo!

You say you have been in a highly qualified job, but paid less than a soldier.

I find that very difficult to comprehend unless you are comparing it with officers’ pay.

We have and always will have wars, but long may we have people willing to defend our liberty.

Remember they always fight with the knowledge they may pay the ultimate sacrifice.

That alone makes them all heroes.

A big thank you to all our men and women who have served in the past, at the present and in the future. Every one a hero!

Frank Robson

Salisbury

IT seemed sad to read Veronica Burton's rather negative letter about the military being published in the Salisbury Journal today, on the day that national newspapers praised the heroism of Lance Corporal Joshua Leakey, 1 Battalion, the Parachute Regiment.

He has been awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in Afghanistan in saving lives through his superb actions, regardless of his own safety. As the Prime Minister said: “He epitomised valour,” as do so many of our fine servicemen and women.

It is wonderful that Veronica Burton is a highly qualified neonatal intensive care and paediatric nurse, and I know people offer doctors and nurses praise for their skilled work and dedication. However, they do not usually risk their lives or have to travel overseas, far from home and family. They are not called on to “lay down their lives for their friends”.

My husband has served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq, in both the regular army and Territorial Army (reserves).

His father served in Burma in the Second World War.

His grandfathers both served in the First World War, facing dangers on the Western Front or in the newly formed RNAS, then later in the Royal Air Force.

My son has completed two dangerous Army tours of Afghanistan; in one of which his vehicle was blown up due to an IED. Our soldiers have faced lack of water, extreme heat, exhaustion, having to carry heavy loads, cumbersome body armour, endured sleepless nights, long times away from homes and families, and daily faced death or severe injuries.

I believe that these brave young men and women are heroes and that is why so many people support Help for Heroes, the national charity for wounded service personnel based locally.

Angela Roadnight

Amesbury

VERONICA Burton, (Postbag, February 26), made a good point about the misuse of the word hero.

A hero is defined as one who carries out a brave and extraordinary act in the face of extreme danger to themselves.

Putting on a uniform and carrying a gun does not make one a hero. I was a regular soldier as well as a territorial soldier, and I was not a hero!

But the media likes a good story and exaggerating the truth makes a good headline story. I have no doubt that the soldier awarded The Victoria Cross this week earned his medal for outstanding bravery.

Words can be given a different meaning by the public and media.

My Oxford Wordfinder book has a column regarding the term hero, if anyone is in doubt about its usage.

The Help for Heroes charity has done much to publicise our battle-damaged servicemen, and I am not going to argue against that.

How do we reward our doctors and nurses for what they do, please tell me?

Or what about those dealing with the Ebola outbreak?

Colin Duller

Salisbury