Posted on May 6, 2014
Should veteran status be reserved for those who have deployed?
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This one has come up a lot in conversations with my peers and Soldiers: Should you be allowed to claim veterans status if you have never deployed?
Personally, I'm an ROTC graduate who chose to go straight into the ARNG in 2011, knowing full well that my chances to deploy would be next to none with the changing op tempo. Realistically, had I been actively searching out a deployment the whole time, I still may not have gotten one. I'm sure there are Soldiers out there who served honorably in a reserve component without deploying, despite their best efforts. So, for example, should a Soldier who completed basic training, had a clean service record, excelled in their peer group, but ultimately served 10 years as a reservist with no deployment and less than 180 days on non-ADT active service be prevented from calling themselves a veteran?
I have my own thoughts, but I'm more interesting in hearing your opinions. For clarification, I'm speaking more towards the legal definition of veterans status - even if the laws were changed here, there would still be an immense difference between a legal veteran and a legal veteran with several deployments, combat experience, decades on active duty, or a combination of all three.
Personally, I'm an ROTC graduate who chose to go straight into the ARNG in 2011, knowing full well that my chances to deploy would be next to none with the changing op tempo. Realistically, had I been actively searching out a deployment the whole time, I still may not have gotten one. I'm sure there are Soldiers out there who served honorably in a reserve component without deploying, despite their best efforts. So, for example, should a Soldier who completed basic training, had a clean service record, excelled in their peer group, but ultimately served 10 years as a reservist with no deployment and less than 180 days on non-ADT active service be prevented from calling themselves a veteran?
I have my own thoughts, but I'm more interesting in hearing your opinions. For clarification, I'm speaking more towards the legal definition of veterans status - even if the laws were changed here, there would still be an immense difference between a legal veteran and a legal veteran with several deployments, combat experience, decades on active duty, or a combination of all three.
Reserves
Army National Guard
Deployment
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 678
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I've served 7 years in the ARNG, and continue to serve, and I do not consider myself a veteran.
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MCPO Roger Collins
What would it take to become a veteran as determined by the VA and common usage of the term?
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I joined the Army in 1983, right after Urgent Fury. In 1991, I was sent to Fort Irwin to train the national guard for Desert Storm. In 2003, my first deployment was cancelled literally on the runway. If I had chosen to retire then would I be a "veteran"? Of course I would have been. I wasn't entitled to wear a FWTS patch but I was a veteran none the less. I left out deployments around the world to support contingency operations and training with our allies but those weren't "combat".
Fast forward ten years and I was on my third deployment to SWA and my third FWTS patch with six overseas service bars, my ID card now says retired, not veteran. I get to go to the VA but do does a six week s of service, njured in basic training, medically discharged, former private...
Fast forward ten years and I was on my third deployment to SWA and my third FWTS patch with six overseas service bars, my ID card now says retired, not veteran. I get to go to the VA but do does a six week s of service, njured in basic training, medically discharged, former private...
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Being a veteran is something that you earn the day you serve selflessly for your country. Do all jobs do the same thing? No.
You're a vet if you served (plenty).
You're a vet if you deployed to a non-combat environment (lots).
You're a vet if you deployed to a combat environment but never fired a round in an attempt to preserve your life or the lives of those around you (most).
You're a combat vet if you slung lead on behalf of those to your left/right (few).
Period.
You're a vet if you served (plenty).
You're a vet if you deployed to a non-combat environment (lots).
You're a vet if you deployed to a combat environment but never fired a round in an attempt to preserve your life or the lives of those around you (most).
You're a combat vet if you slung lead on behalf of those to your left/right (few).
Period.
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Yes you are a Veteran. If you raised your right hand and signed the line then it doesn't matter if you Deployed to a "Combat" zone. Like PO1 Nagel said you were able to go anywhere at anytime so YES you are a veteran
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Just because the ship I served on wasn't torpedoed, doesn't mean it couldn't have been. I am a proud Navy veteran.
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If you never served on active duty for more than 180 days consecutive. You will not get VA BENEFITS,the VA will turn you away.
Other than that, you are a Vet
Other than that, you are a Vet
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Any man/woman that donned the uniform of this great country and served deserves to be called a veteran. Enough people disrespect the military as it is. We don't need to separate into groups of infighting. A Desert Shield/Storm-Somalia Vet!
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A lot of times I see others who have deployed simply add the identifier "combat" in front of veteran if any clarification is ever needed which, other than for the VFW, is usually not
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The headline is misleading. When I was in, during the Cold War, "deployed" meant simply getting sent overseas. I deployed to Japan twice. People deploy around the world. To be clear, back then, I too thought that to be a veteran meant in a war zone. I do recognize the difference and hold those who have been down range in a higher esteem than those who haven't.
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2 years in Guantanamo bay Cuba
79- 81 in the navy standing watch with no weapon just a few hundred yards from the fence line and driving a 5000 gallon fuel truck makes a tasty target , but I never flinched or shirked my duty
The Cold War , that's the one I. was in even when President Reagan said we begin bombing in 15 minutes
But the American legion and the VFW say I'm not a veteran they can eat my skivvies
79- 81 in the navy standing watch with no weapon just a few hundred yards from the fence line and driving a 5000 gallon fuel truck makes a tasty target , but I never flinched or shirked my duty
The Cold War , that's the one I. was in even when President Reagan said we begin bombing in 15 minutes
But the American legion and the VFW say I'm not a veteran they can eat my skivvies
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In my honest opinion, a veteran is any Service Member that has served Honorable, General, or Other Than Honorable are Veterans. Those that have deployed are Combat Veterans.
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I trained,stood watch. Deployed twice to the Med 6 months at a time. Honorably Discharged in 1981. I believe I'm entitled to be called Veteran. Most of my peers stayed home.
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Some of us served in time of "peace" so there wouldn't be a need for any deployments.
You do realize we lose service members every year in non combat zones?
If you've worn the uniform with honor you're a veteran.
You do realize we lose service members every year in non combat zones?
If you've worn the uniform with honor you're a veteran.
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We couldn't do what we do on the front lines without those in the rear with the gear!
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I have talked to veterans from Australia and in that country you can't get any benefits from their VA system UNLESS you served in combat. You don't even get the claim veteran status unless you served in combat. In this country if you served your enlistment time even for one contract you can claim the title veteran... there are times I'm with the Aussies while other times I'm not it's a tough decision...but then it reduces the fakers causing long waits... in that case I say you haven't been down range your not a vet...
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I do not remember where I read the regulation, but the wording stuck with me. I had friends in this status.
An Army Reservist who has not been on active for anything other than training is not, nor should state that they are a Veteran.
@1LT Brett Gardner I'm in total agreement with your statement, it should not even be an issue, but it is in writing somewhere. I wish my memory wasn't as crap as it is.
I spent 13 years of active duty time and deployed to ODS, I spent 12 years in a reserve status and volunteered for both of my deployments to OIF.
The name tape says US Army, it doesn't say Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. If you served you are a Veteran in my eyes.
Now the argument about being a Combat Vet is a different story.
If you spent the entire deployment in Camp Arifjan, or Camp Doha and didn't need to carry a weapon on you as part of your uniform, you should not consider yourself a Combat Vet.
An Army Reservist who has not been on active for anything other than training is not, nor should state that they are a Veteran.
@1LT Brett Gardner I'm in total agreement with your statement, it should not even be an issue, but it is in writing somewhere. I wish my memory wasn't as crap as it is.
I spent 13 years of active duty time and deployed to ODS, I spent 12 years in a reserve status and volunteered for both of my deployments to OIF.
The name tape says US Army, it doesn't say Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. If you served you are a Veteran in my eyes.
Now the argument about being a Combat Vet is a different story.
If you spent the entire deployment in Camp Arifjan, or Camp Doha and didn't need to carry a weapon on you as part of your uniform, you should not consider yourself a Combat Vet.
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Your in the wrong ARNG unit. My unit in LA is getting ready to go down range once again.
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