Do you think someone who has never been in a combat has the right to call themselves a veteran?

Seriously? This is one of the stupidest statements ever. I served on submarines. Boomers for awhile. We could blow up the entire world (or a good chunk of it). Our mission was to NOT be used. We hid out for months at a time underwater. If you think that means I'm not a veteran, (as put in here elsewhere) go piss up a rope. The only thing that bothered me was people who never went to sea but got sea time based on where they were stationed. Didn't mean they weren't a veteran tho.

they who guard hall ways serve.
it took 6 men to support each man on the line European theater
it took 26 men to support each marine on the line pacific theater
the blood you bleed getting part or all of you crushed by a crate aircraft shipped in very large crates deserves a purple heart
without these men in support U would be dead or a POW

It took me a long time not to be embarrassed about my lack of a combat veteran status. I don't try to glorify myself, or act like a "hero". I'm a guy that joined because I wanted to serve my country and my Soldiers. To say that I'm not a veteran means that once I've left the service I have NOTHING to say I was part of the military. My job was to send people overseas and bring them home and make sure that when they got home, they received the medical care that they deserve.

What exactly do you think qualifies a veteran then? You said you don't feel you deserve it because you went there and fixed engines. Do you need to get shot at? Wounded? Killed?

There is a difference between being honest about your service and trying to steal glory that isn't yours (not necessarily Stolen Valor, but those guys that act like they singlehandedly affected the outcome of everything).

I have a bigger issue with identifying myself as a "disabled veteran", as I have a 10% rating for a back injury that was aggravated by being medical and just a coincidental discovery regarding it. That one I don't advertise unless it's a close-knit group, and am very careful to explain that I'm NOT a combat veteran, nor am I "combat disabled". As long as you are honest about what you did (or didn't) do, then I don't see any issue.

being a 20 year man, my last year was in IRAQ. Just a wheel mechanic for a company of gun trucks. served in the "zone" but did not see any action. Did my part, and yes even the servicemen and women in uniform who have not been in combat but provide other vital roles are veterans!

If you have to apologize to start, you're an idiot and know it! Ask my father, Vietnam vet of 5 tours, bronze star and 2 purple hearts, in the thick of Hamburger Hill, if his son is a vet because of lack of action and I'm sure he'd offer your family my assistance to play taps at your funeral. IDIOT!!!

Absolutely! A citizen of our nation took the courage to do what others didn't, sacrificing their time, their body, their mind, their family, doing whatever is necessary (whether they went to combat or not) in defense of the nation, and the betterment of society. Yes individual experiences may very, but to swear an oath to take up arms at any time (once again whether they do or not) is a very high honor that should be respected by everyone who calls them self an American.

I was never assigned outside of CONUS. I was on a mobility assignment for several years. I was in between Vietnam and Desert Storm. I was ready and willing to go where ever I was ordered. I'm absolutely a veteran!

I think anyone that makes a decision to server is a Veteran however how you chose to describe yourself while serving is different. I think of a Soldier as someone who has served in Combat vs Veteran is a broad understanding that you made a choice that "IF" you see combat then you will lie down your life for your countries freedoms. I think your question is fair because you feel like that even though you were not in immediate danger that you didn't do anything, and that's simply not true, you helped the big picture, someone had to fix that aircraft, someone had to fly that aircraft you did your part so they could do theirs. Were a team, if one fails we all fail and one prospers we all prosper and this is true as a whole. The service you provided indirectly provided protection for someone, feel honor in that because you did your job effectively that you prevented someones death, outside of that, how you chose to describe what type of Veteran is soley up to you, but to me Veteran is like the word American, in that your just a Veteran, not a combat veteran, not any etc, just like your an American.

I tend to agree with Merriam-Webster. Veteran: (1b) a former member of the armed forces. I am a (combat) veteran myself, but I don't see why anyone who hasn't seen combat but still felt compelled enough to sign the dotted line to should be denied the title and respect of veteran solely based on the fact that he did not see combat.

If you served with honor, you are a Veteran.