Posted on Nov 16, 2015
Do you think someone who has never been in a combat has the right to call themselves a veteran?
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Let me apologize in advance to the people who find this question insulting... I'm just wondering what other people who served viewpoint is.
I personally went many years before I broke down and got "Desert Storm" Veteran tags, and the "Veteran" identifier on my driver's license... I'm still not entirely convinced that I deserve the 101st patch on my right sleeve, for the most part all I did was fix helicopter engines in the sand.
I have a great friend that served in the Air Force, and never left CONUS.
I have a relative that served on Aircraft carriers before Vietnam.
Both proudly stand up when "Veteran's" are asked to at public gatherings, but I always feel strange standing up.
Legal definition of "veteran" aside (someone who served at least six months and received an honorable discharge). I'm wondering more about how those of us that served feel about the term.
When a civilian hears "Veteran" I get the impression that they think we all stormed the beaches at Normandy, and for the most part I was really bored, played Spades and Tetris on my Gameboy during Desert Storm.
Should someone who was in the military during the Vietnam conflict (but never in theater) be allowed "Vietnam Veteran" license plates?
SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4", TSgt Hunter Logan , CH (MAJ) William Beaver , COL Ted Mc
I personally went many years before I broke down and got "Desert Storm" Veteran tags, and the "Veteran" identifier on my driver's license... I'm still not entirely convinced that I deserve the 101st patch on my right sleeve, for the most part all I did was fix helicopter engines in the sand.
I have a great friend that served in the Air Force, and never left CONUS.
I have a relative that served on Aircraft carriers before Vietnam.
Both proudly stand up when "Veteran's" are asked to at public gatherings, but I always feel strange standing up.
Legal definition of "veteran" aside (someone who served at least six months and received an honorable discharge). I'm wondering more about how those of us that served feel about the term.
When a civilian hears "Veteran" I get the impression that they think we all stormed the beaches at Normandy, and for the most part I was really bored, played Spades and Tetris on my Gameboy during Desert Storm.
Should someone who was in the military during the Vietnam conflict (but never in theater) be allowed "Vietnam Veteran" license plates?
SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4", TSgt Hunter Logan , CH (MAJ) William Beaver , COL Ted Mc
Posted in these groups: 
Military service
Purple Heart
Military service Purple Heart
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 358
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My job in the US Army is Radiology Specialist, I provide doctors with diagnostic quality images for a radiologist to determine the severity of an injury/illness and to allow physicians to determine treatment. Does my profession not warrant the tittle of "Veteran" once my run is done?
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Okay, I see why you're asking this. You feel that from the work that you put in to the job, you don't deserve to be called a veteran.
You said all you did was fix helicopter engines in the sand. You do realize by fixing those engines you contributed to whatever mission your unit was pursuing right? There's a reason other jobs exist in the military. You don't have to be an infantryman to succeed in my book. Besides, isn't the reason we all qualify with our rifles because we are soldiers first, and our actual jobs second? Look, I haven't seen the shit-holes of Afghanistan, or anywhere else for that matter. However I am just a PFC. My career has just started, so why not hope for something else. You're a Specialist, so don't you have a little more time before your term is up? You're a fucking soldier man, come on. We're all doing what we can.
You said all you did was fix helicopter engines in the sand. You do realize by fixing those engines you contributed to whatever mission your unit was pursuing right? There's a reason other jobs exist in the military. You don't have to be an infantryman to succeed in my book. Besides, isn't the reason we all qualify with our rifles because we are soldiers first, and our actual jobs second? Look, I haven't seen the shit-holes of Afghanistan, or anywhere else for that matter. However I am just a PFC. My career has just started, so why not hope for something else. You're a Specialist, so don't you have a little more time before your term is up? You're a fucking soldier man, come on. We're all doing what we can.
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Of course they are. Depending on how you look at it, they were fortunate / unfortunate enough to serve in combat. Regardless, as long as they made it through basic they have earned the right to be called a Veteran.
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Well, in my opinion, regardless of what each service member actually did while serving, they still provided some sort of effect on the overall mission. Some fly planes and some fix planes. Without the individual who fixed said aircraft, that aircraft cant fly ultimately making the mechanic a critical part of the mission.
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You're a Vet. That shit don't fix itself, but somehow seems to always break by itself. It is never the pilots fault. :)
It is really hard to make a gun run when the helo is down.
It is really hard to make a gun run when the helo is down.
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When you raised your right hand you gave Uncle Sam a blank check with your life and that my friend makes you a veteran regardless if you were outside the wire or in the rear with the gear. With all of the insanity in this nation I see no need to try and split the vets apart either!
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Veteran? Yes. Combat veteran? No. They aren't the same thing. Different terms with different meanings.
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If I might butt in here. I served in wartime (1970-1980 active) by my own personal choice. There was a draft during the Vietnam years but I didn't wait to be drafted (forced) to serve, so yeah! damn right I consider myself a veteran. I took the Oath proudly as many members of my family had and subsequently would.
As Capt. Miller points out, you don't have a say in whether you serve in a combat role. Someone way up the chain of command decided that my particular skill set was most useful to the Navy's mission during those wartime years in other theaters than Vietnam. Not Me.
I feel the embarrassment of not having served in combat during those years when my high school and boot camp buddies were being killed, maimed or at the least traumatized but I had no choice in the decision. So YEAH! I'm a proud Vietnam Era Veteran and I deserve the respect of ALL Americans; veterans, draft dodgers and civilians alike.
As Capt. Miller points out, you don't have a say in whether you serve in a combat role. Someone way up the chain of command decided that my particular skill set was most useful to the Navy's mission during those wartime years in other theaters than Vietnam. Not Me.
I feel the embarrassment of not having served in combat during those years when my high school and boot camp buddies were being killed, maimed or at the least traumatized but I had no choice in the decision. So YEAH! I'm a proud Vietnam Era Veteran and I deserve the respect of ALL Americans; veterans, draft dodgers and civilians alike.
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There are different types of Veterans.
Army (Navy etc...) veterans have served in their services
Iraq (Afghanistan etc...) veteran deployed somewhere dangerous
Combat veterans were in combat
All veteran designates is experience
I am a three time OIF veteran I don't know if I can count indirect fire as combat veteran. I was never given a target to shoot at.
Army (Navy etc...) veterans have served in their services
Iraq (Afghanistan etc...) veteran deployed somewhere dangerous
Combat veterans were in combat
All veteran designates is experience
I am a three time OIF veteran I don't know if I can count indirect fire as combat veteran. I was never given a target to shoot at.
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Veteran just means to serve n the military and they should stand up. Even if they didn't serv during wartime, they ARE a veteran. They wrote that blank check to the government. However, if they stake a claim to a Purple Heart and were not injured during warfare, that is stolen glory and reprehensible. (John Kerry and his Purple Heart for hurting himself with a stapler comes to mind.)
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