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

If one signed the dotted line and took the oath, was honorably discharged = Veteran. It don't matter if a person didn't deploy to a combat zone. Some jobs are non-deployable and tend to serve as a stateside mission (Unit).

Servicemembers without combat experience are absolutely Veterans.
I joined in 1990, and did not get a true combat deployment until 2005. It's just how it worked out. There are millions of veterans that served their entire career, and even retired without a day of combat. As a general rule, you don't have control on when your unit deploys. Some people just miss out due to the luck or lack of luck of unit of assignment.

I only spent a few years in the USAF. When I got out, I used the truck driving experience I got to become a truck driver in the civilian life. I was working for Halliburton out of Houston. Guess where I was when Desert Shield changed to Desert Storm. I was there with you guys and we went into several oil fires still getting shot at in Kuwait and put them out. So I may be a USAF veteran, but I saw several things in Desert Storm that no Civilian should ever see.

Ask a submariner if he isn't a veteran

Absolutely! Less than 1% of military age males/females are willing to serve in the Armed Forces. Service Members do not get to pick and choose whether we are at war or not, that is for our politicians. Everyone who serves regardless of whether they were in direct/indirect combat or not have earned the right to be called a veteran and should be extremely proud of that. I served 7+ years on active duty during the Cold War and then 22 years in the Army Reserve. When I applied for Federal employment I learned that I was not entitled to Veteran's preference. One year after becoming a Federal employee I was finally granted Veteran's preference because I was mobilized for DS/DS. But guess what, so was everyone else who was on duty during that time period, whether they were deployed or mobilized or did nothing more than their normal peacetime duties. Some members of our society 'hate' the 1%, but they are referring to those who are successful and are well to do. Hopefully our Nation will never again hate the other 1%, those who were/are willing to Serve this great Nation to ensure it's security.

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!!!