I haven't heard anyone here (or anywhere else) calling him a hero Anniebach. His actions were wrong, he has accepted that, he has a conviction for manslaughter. None of that downplays what he did. What has happened, is that the mental health problems he was living with, probably directly linked too the 'tour from hell', precipitated him taking action he never had before and now, will never do again.
Given the positive thread on gransnet currently which discusses mental health and the need for more compassionate understanding of those who experience significant mental health, trauma, addiction etc I'd hope most of us would at least acknowledge this man was driven beyond the point of his competence.
Most of us do not support the recent wars our government has sent the military to fight in. In my case, that doesn't mean I don't support the men and women sent on these missions.