Well, yes, I think that’s right. But even under norm 3 (neutral judgment), somebody who risks their life for a worthy cause clearly deserves praise. And if you think that most of what the military does counts as a worthy cause (or at least, is worthy enough that someone could volunteer in good faith), then norms 2 and 3 are probably going to blend together. In that case, the neutral judgment will be to presume heroism. But the more unjustified you think military actions are, the more the distinction becomes relevant, because you have to start asking what to think of soldiers who voluntarily join up with an unworthy cause.
Also, norm 3 might entail more of a distinction between risky and non-risky military roles. My general impression is that “military/non-military” matters more in how people make judgments than “combat role/non-combat role,” even though the point about “risking one’s life” only really comes in with the latter. (Yes, I’m aware that even supposedly “non-combat roles” can operate in war zones and involve substantial risk—I’m speaking in generalities.)
Of course, there may be good reasons for this approach, even just in terms of signaling cost. It’s relatively easy to see whether someone has served in the military, but harder and more awkward to ask “okay, but how much danger were you really in?” I’m just trying to explain why there might be a distinction between norms 2 and 3, even acknowledging that military service generally involves heightened risk to one’s life.
Well, yes, I think that’s right. But even under norm 3 (neutral judgment), somebody who risks their life for a worthy cause clearly deserves praise. And if you think that most of what the military does counts as a worthy cause (or at least, is worthy enough that someone could volunteer in good faith), then norms 2 and 3 are probably going to blend together. In that case, the neutral judgment will be to presume heroism. But the more unjustified you think military actions are, the more the distinction becomes relevant, because you have to start asking what to think of soldiers who voluntarily join up with an unworthy cause.
Also, norm 3 might entail more of a distinction between risky and non-risky military roles. My general impression is that “military/non-military” matters more in how people make judgments than “combat role/non-combat role,” even though the point about “risking one’s life” only really comes in with the latter. (Yes, I’m aware that even supposedly “non-combat roles” can operate in war zones and involve substantial risk—I’m speaking in generalities.)
Of course, there may be good reasons for this approach, even just in terms of signaling cost. It’s relatively easy to see whether someone has served in the military, but harder and more awkward to ask “okay, but how much danger were you really in?” I’m just trying to explain why there might be a distinction between norms 2 and 3, even acknowledging that military service generally involves heightened risk to one’s life.