Joseph- I guess we agree to disagree, but I think it is pretty clear that it is far more dangerous (physically, psychologically, and emotionally) to be a soldier than a firefighter. Aside from hard numbers which would back this up, it is much easier to create precautions against something dangerous that doesn’t think or feel and who’s activities are relatively predictable. If you are getting a bunch of bullets shot at your head, the control factor diminishes significantly, to put it mildly.
But, again, that is irrelevant. We owe hakaras hatov to both soldiers and firefighters. A mi sheberach exists for soldiers and not for firefighters. Why? I don’t think it matters. It’s the reality. Was the mi sheberach started for political reasons so that Zionism can be injected into tefilah under the guise of hakaras hatov? Possibly, but I don’t think it matters. Now it’s said by many people in a genuine fashion, which is a beautiful thing. And it’s also not said by many people which is also fine. I personally understand both sides (even though I side more with one). But you have to understand that this is not only a logical issue, but a tremendously emotional one as well. Your patronizing attitude towards those who say it is (in my opinion) a bit inappropriate (as is the patronizing attitude of posters who assume that those who don’t say the tefilah lack hakaras hatov).