How much service time qualifies you as a Veteran?

I think this is probably the dumbest question out there that keeps resurfacing in our community. If you signed up completed training in any branch whether it be reserve/guard or active we are all on the same freaking team and all should be a damn veteran. Now that being said claim what you have earned dont be pulling some bull shit stolen valor and claiming your a purple heart recepient if your not. If your a cook in the naval reserve unit then dont be telling people your a SEAL. Simple you joined the military regardless of branch and made that commitment your a damn veteran when your discharged correctly. Simple as that. If we keep doing this shit in our communities than all we are doing is discouraging people from seeking the guard or reserve. OR worse beating down on someone who got back to their unit after training and came down with cancer and got booted on a medical. They still signed up and made rank they still deserve the respect. One team One fight. Rant over

We can argue about this all day long, but there is a legal definition:

"Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations defines a veteran as “a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.”

http://va.org/what-is-a-veteran-the-legal-definition/

I really hate this question. I have a friend of mine who honorably served in the army reserves for six years; be never deployed, didn't earn a bunch of medals, but he did his job and got out. In comparison, I served on active duty for about seven years, deployed twice, earned myself a few shiney things, and was forced to retire. Not to mention I was combat arms and he was a pog, but that is another story. What I'm trying to get at is that he is always saying that he doesn't feel like he deserves the title of veteran and I have to repeatedly tell him to fuck off and get over the stupid shit. He served and did so honorably. As far as I am concerned that is the requirement. Out on a uniform and serve honorably. That's it. Or else you begin to split hairs. Who deserves to be a veteran? The PFC that deploys directly out of basic and is killed in combat a month later, his TIS is like 5 months. Or that E9 that did 25 years but never left CONUS, the TRADOC ninja or what have you. I don't like splitting us up any further than the military already does. If you put on a uniform and served honorably, whether you finished your contract, retired 20 plus, or were let go for medical reasons, you are a veteran.

I have served 26 years and still serving, Mobilized 6 times and am on a current mobilization. All Guard. I served 6 years as a R&R NCO AGR. Am I veteran? The last I checked to me A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to The United States of America, for an amount of up to and including their life.

This is going to be based on whether you are Active Duty or Reserves/Guard. If you are Active Duty, then you are considered a Veteran the minute your 3 or 4 yr contract is done and you ETS. If you are Reserve/Guard....it's a little different now. Initially, for Guard/Reserves, you had to deploy and/or be on orders for more than 180 days (and not for training). Now, there is a new addition. If the Reservist or Guard member never deploys ends up serving for 20 good years (which is a whole different conversation) and retiring, then they are legally entitled to the Veteran Status.

Doesn't everyone's DD 214 state the character of service? Anything honorable, medical, or retired should rate veteran status. All others do not. Am I missing something?

Actually I am going to blow you all out of the water with a Salvo of 16" shells from the Veterans Administration VSO book that says if you have served one day Honorably and were discharged with anything other than a dishonorable discharge, you are considered a Veteran in the eyes of the Veterans Administration and may be eligible for benefits. Now Service Organizations like the Legion VFW, AMVETS, and the such all have different qualifying definitions but the VA has been that way for Decades. The Federal Government changes their definition as much as some people change their skivvies.

Hell, some wouldn't consider me a veteran. I served 3 years of my 6 year enlistment, but I fell off a helicopter during field training and was severely injured and then medically retired. I didn't get to deploy with my husband and my unit. I worked my butt off, I was the Distinguished Honor Grad and the only woman in my AIT class, then the only woman Crew Chief in a line company in my battalion. Sometimes shit happens and all you can do is roll with it. Even though, I wasn't able to complete my Pilot packet to become a helicopter pilot, I'm still proud of my service when I had men in my face telling me I wasn't wanted there or harassed.

Anyone willing to sign up and take those risks are good in my book. It's more than most are willing to do.

If you never made it through initial training, get an entry level separation, and/or separation for failure to adapt them you are NOT a Veteran.

6 months/180 days is the lowest threshold for "Veteran" status. There is no other requirement. No secret code word or secret handshake, etc. 180 days.