I don’t have a comment about your Sept. 10 staff editorial, “Jessica Lynch’s book deal is bogus,” except to say the market for people who buy these “I was there” type of books determines their worth.

But your characterization of her Bronze Star award as “galling” is insulting to anyone who has served in the country’s military. We don’t get to pick and choose what deployments, missions and battles we might be in, nor do we get to choose how we might be wounded or killed. We certainly don’t opine about the merits of who did what, when we weren’t there ourselves. Military awards have broad categories for application, but any one instance of an award does not “cheapen” another. Military awards for valor are investigated and given based on recommendation and merit for that specific case.

In my opinion Jessica should get the Bronze Star for just volunteering to show up, which separates her from most Daily editorialists.

Lee Van Brocklin

Student Services Specialist

Family & Consumer Sciences