As a veteran do you prefer to be a "quiet professional" or "outspoken patriot"?

I have come to learn, from many men and women better than I, that there is cause to be both. As society ebbs and flows around us it takes maturity to navigate which situation calls for what. Lately, I have had many tell me not to be so reluctant in public to speak out, that the "quiet professional" is sometimes damaging as it leaves the very important voice of veterans absent in the conversation.

Personaly, I prefer to try and exercise the former more than the latter, given that in the civilian sector I believe humility should precede anything I say about the military. However, I'm also very aggressive and candid. So I'm probably perceived more often as the outspoken patriot, especially given my sense of humor. Around the office one day, people divvied up the staff for fun to see who would win in a war against each other. They deemed that the decisive element was me. They told me it was because "You're always talking about violence and destroying things. You're probably the only one that actually knows warfare." Hooray! I'm making a difference!