Combat vets how do you feel toward non-combat vets?

We go where they send us, and if they choose to send us somewhere that's not as dangerous its not our choice.

As a combat vet I feel like I am not a "real" combat vet because my service in hindsight was generally "easy". I have been shot at and I have returned fire, but my unit had no serious casualties during deployment, so its easy to feel lesser than the soldier who has been in tougher situations.

I've never looked down on any vet because they where not in combat.

I'm not a combat vet 1980 81 82 I was well trained and ready to go all I needed was orders

Thank you for this post. I struggle still at times with what other Veterans think of non Deployed Veterans. I wanted to Deploy and do what I was trained for, but never got to Deploy. I took a plane ride to a staging site but we got called back. I struggle with the term Combat Veteran because I was the recipient of Heavy Artillery Fire in a Joint Task Force Live Fire gone bad. It happened state side, so I'm not a Combat Veteran, yet I paid the price then and still am, from being close to impact and in their blast waves. So I struggle with this because I experienced a real scenario of Combat but it was on home ground. So in a twisted way I feel like it didn't count as combat...because it wasn't...but it was for me. And up until now I've not publicly spoken about it. I guess the comments I've found on RP give me a little hope that I might find my way out of my confused feelings over this and my concerns of not being a Combat Veteran.

We are all brothers and sisters no matter what the deployment time or not. Some people just don have the duty location/MOS or just get to units after a deployment. its all good.

I greatly feel for the struggles you and your wife have gone through and I hope her health is good. I am in a similar boat having not been selected for deployment, my 1st unit went to mob one month after my transfer went through and I entered rear det to that unit. Now I'm in a brigade that is on the rapid response list, but since my MOS hs been pulled, I will unlikely deploy with them. The Great Green...Army decided not to deploy me, and I feel bad going to Vet organizations or the VA as a non-combat service member. When people come up to me and thank me, I reply kindly that I appreciate their support and to not forget those who have served and are now out of the military, but I feel like I am walking in the shadow of their accomplishments and try to tread lightly.

I don't think so, a connection can come from a school, a deployment, a mission, or just being in the same unit together....no one is going to remember where and when the connection was made....so don't take it personal and drive on with the mission.

I would consider those who are non combat veterans as brother or s ister regardless if they deployed or not. We all served this nation with duty honor and courage . We all put in are fair share of blood and sweat to protect this great nation. I consider all service member of all branches brother and sister. I am also a non combat veteran.

I just chuckle when some dude who puts WAY too much emphasis on his combat experience (real or otherwise) tries to thumb his nose at me for not being a "real" veteran because I didn't deploy to the sandbox.

I was on Submarines and everywhere I may (or may not) have gone could have been a problem if the wrong people knew.

I have 2 NDSM's, 4 campaign medals, and 2 unit awards because I was never in any danger... I don't need their validation to know what I did was important.

I honestly dont think being combat or not should have ANY bearing on how we think of other soldiers. Many Combat vets did not see actual combat, such was the case with a few plane loads of pentagon officials who flew to the middle east at the onset of Desert Storm, sat on the tarmac for the allotted time and flew home sporting CIB's, I hope they have since changed the criteria for this badge.

Sometimes not everyone has to go down range to be considered a good troop in other people's eyes