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 will say NO!
What if you are in some Combat Support role or served in many bases that were not in a combat theater of operations.
What if you are in some Combat Support role or served in many bases that were not in a combat theater of operations.
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When I was in Airborne School, right after AIT in 2009, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Though I turned down a medical separation, I was nondeployable for 5 years while I underwent regular follow ups. I served for 7 more years, reclassing from 88m to 68w and never got a chance to deploy.
Ive delt with alot of guilt, Ive felt like I didnt fulfill my obligations and Ive felt tons of guilt because of the men who went in my place and never came back.
I made many personal sacrafices during my time in the military and I dont need anyone else's validation to be proud of my accomplishements and to proudly say that I am veteran.
Ive delt with alot of guilt, Ive felt like I didnt fulfill my obligations and Ive felt tons of guilt because of the men who went in my place and never came back.
I made many personal sacrafices during my time in the military and I dont need anyone else's validation to be proud of my accomplishements and to proudly say that I am veteran.
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You are a Veteran if you have, "signed the dotted line," completed all required training, maintained a ready posture, and fulfilled your time in service. You are/were a tool to be used during a time of war. If there was no war, not your problem.
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Plenty of turds have have deployed and plenty of certified bad asses have not. Luck of the draw unfortunately.
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My thought is that there are a lot of folks who rode out the Cold War in a missile silo in North Dakota. It would be ridiculous to not think of them as Vets simply because they never deployed. Not all job require a person to be downrange. Doesn't make them any less a component of the mission.
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Anyone who has served regardless of deployments is a veteran. Just because they may not have deployed doesn't mean that they weren't willing to or prepared to. And I have to peace time deployments and 2 combat tours and feel no different about my brother and sisters that haven't deployed. This is a ridiculous question and it's atrocious that anyone would even consider stripping this hard earned title from these brace men and women.
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It's hard to believe we are having this ridiculous discussion yet again. I thought it had already been done to death before, but this subject seems to live on and on and on in some peoples minds. If you served honorably, you are a veteran. No ifs ands or buts, you are. My DD-214 looks exactly like everyone elses, the only differences being what is listed in the awards section, and the deployments. Mine lists more than most people who were in during my time frame, but that's just the luck of the draw. I really would like to know what the mentality is, the thought processes, that lead certain people to keep trying to claim that some veterans aren't "real" veterans, or that some are so much better than others. It is beyond time to put this whole issue to rest once and for all.
By the way, as soon as I finished writing the above, I had to put another sock on my VA issued prosthetic leg, a little souvenir from west-pac cruise '78-'79. I had a boss that did his 2 years in the Army in Wash. DC, while Viet Nam was still going on pretty hot. He is no less of a veteran than I am. I've been-there-done-that, and some jackass wants to play some kind of one up games, bring it on.
By the way, as soon as I finished writing the above, I had to put another sock on my VA issued prosthetic leg, a little souvenir from west-pac cruise '78-'79. I had a boss that did his 2 years in the Army in Wash. DC, while Viet Nam was still going on pretty hot. He is no less of a veteran than I am. I've been-there-done-that, and some jackass wants to play some kind of one up games, bring it on.
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Where do us contractors fall in all this. No I was not in the military as I was not ready when I was younger. But I did 4 tours in the sandbox and was blown up twice and injured and self evacuated hone for surgery and 9 months of rehab. I returned when I healed. I feel we are a lost group. I spilled blood over there but I can't join a VFW. Just wondering what you guys think?
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Sgt Victor Crissey
Wow. You just made me realize my ignorance. I never thought about this perspective.
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You are a "veteran" by way of your military service.
Even if you deploy to a combat zone or theater, but your unit does not actively engage a target in a combat situation, then no, I do not agree that you can claim "combat" veteran status.
#CombatMarine
Even if you deploy to a combat zone or theater, but your unit does not actively engage a target in a combat situation, then no, I do not agree that you can claim "combat" veteran status.
#CombatMarine
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