Do you think cops and fire-fighters are Veterans too? Why or why not?

They are professionals in their own right. Many are military vets. That said the jobs of police, fire fighters, and the military differ.

Each have earned respect.

Yes and no. Difference being we in the military write a check up to and including our lives for the American people. Theirs are written as more of a possibility.

If they have not served in the military then they are not veterans in the same way we define veterans, but they are civil servants. I am not sure I would quantify that all of them are selfless, no more than we can say that all military personenel are selfless. I have seen my share of dirtbags both in the military and the police or FD.

I would have to agree with the consensus of the group that, in one respect, they are a veteran of their service to the community they represent. But, generally, a Veteran is associated with those who have volunteered, or committed, a portion of their adult lives in service to their country defending the freedoms afforded to the citizens of the United States of America at home and abroad. As a Army Reserve Soldier, I am a police officer in the civilian world. I would not consider myself to be a veteran even though I have been in that career field since 2007...

Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation and the peaceful against violence or disorder, and to respect the Constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality and justice.

I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all and maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed both in my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the law and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever-secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty.

I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.

I recognize the bade of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the police service. I will constantly strive to achieve the objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession ... Law Enforcement.

Ian a vet and a cop. I remember a day when to be a cop or firefighter you HAD to come from military. As a field training officer I can tell the difference between vets and non-vets. Vets show the knowledge & empathy need for law enforcement. Especially on my department we have Police Aides (or as I like to say 'Police Aide Corps Veterans). This coppers are hired at 18yo and work admin jobs. At 21yo they are promoted to Officer. Most go to local tech college, of which a significant portion is paid by the city, and they just achieve the 60 mandated credit hours required by the state, never finishing either an Associates or Bachelors degree. Some got hired then joined either Active or Reserves which I commend them. They understand what a paramilitary organization such as law enforcement is. Then there are the 'I did HS, then 4-years of college '. These know how to party not not a true understanding of life. Promotions are something else. They reward for book knowledge not an understanding of the 'job'. I have even been told 'we have problems with vets'. I may not know all about every aspect of the job, but I am a quick scribe. Show me once and you'll be amazed. But I digress, do I feel all public servants should be vets, YES!!!!!

SPC Christopher Simpson

It depends. Are you calling them "veterans" or "Veterans?" In the case of the uppercase "V," no they are not because they have never served in the military (unless they have of course).

With the lowercase "v," they are veterans of what they do.

Not of the military, they're not. Unless they wore the military uniform, they're not a military veteran.

While not Veterans in the sense that we think of veterans, I do feel a sort of comradeship with police officers. They do face the unknown every day they put on their uniforms. Most days we simply looked at training. (most of us anyway).

They have there own club, but a good number of them are one of us also.

When Johnny Cash was alive, I could have said he was a country and western music veteran and in all his success, ups and downs, trials and tribulations he was a veteran of his nitch he had in the market. He just didn't sing; he wrote the songs, did concerts at prisons, and shared his life with the public. I am in aw that he did not die years ago of a drug overdose but he pulled through and died as an old man of natural causes. So can police officers and fire-fighters be veterans? Yes, in their own right and maybe not in a military sense but what they do is serious, sweat and blood shedding business. They should be recognized just as much as SMs and veterans are.