I’ve been in some combat. I performed my role adequately, but I was by no means a super soldier. What I can hang my hat on: I gained the respect of the men on my team, some of them true heroes by any standard. That’s the greatest honor I’ve ever been given.
One of the reasons underpinning their opinion: grace under fire. Despite some myopia and less-than-stellar skills with the Carl Gustav (I missed my target on my one and only shot in combat by well over 60 yards), I am notoriously calm in combat.