What constitutes being a Vet? I'm just tired of not knowing for sure whether I am. Please advise.

PV2 Mike Hughes — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 23:11:57 -0500

Response by PV2 Mike Hughes made Dec 19 at 2014 11:13 PM

PV2 Mike Hughes — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 23:13:52 -0500

Also I thank all of you who Served before, with, and will serve after me with honor. you are the real heroes

Response by SGT Charles Vernier made Dec 20 at 2014 3:35 AM

SGT Charles Vernier — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 03:35:32 -0500

If you posses a DD-214 with a discharged status of Honorable then you meet the legal definition of Veteran.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 20 at 2014 4:30 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 04:30:26 -0500

Yes. You are a veteran. Once you donned the uniform of the United States of America you became a veteran whether you served 20 years or were med boarded out during basic training.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 20 at 2014 6:17 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 06:17:45 -0500

I often feel that the willingness to serve is as important as the service itself. It's the willingness to place others ahead of yourself, or place yourself in harms way, that I really respect. Just holding your hand up and swearing the oath of service takes guts.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 20 at 2014 7:35 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 07:35:26 -0500

PV2 Mike Hughes There are many who will shout from the rooftop that unless you have served and fought in 4 major wars and 71 non-declared "events" in 280 different countries you are not a veteran. Anyone making such claims is full of themselves plus a ton of bullshit.

However, the Veterans Administration (VA) does have some rules that establish who is considered a veteran in order to be eligible for treatment and/or benefits by the VA. Without seeing your medical records (military) and your discharge papers I would not be able to firmly state you are or are not eligible for treatment and/or benefits from the VA. My suggestion: find a Veteran Service Organization (VSO) and speak with their Service Officer. When you speak with the Service Officer have your discharge papers and medical records in your hands.

Response by SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS made Dec 20 at 2014 7:45 AM

SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 07:45:39 -0500

PV2 Mike Hughes Thank you for raising your hand, swearing the same oath as all on RP, and for your humble approach at asking this question. As many have said, you served, were injured, and were discharged. You are a Veteran.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 1:39 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 01:39:50 -0500

From day 1 PV2 Hughes. Now go represent all of us in a professional military manner even if it is in civilians.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 1:52 AM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 01:52:56 -0500

What about an ELS . I was on OSUT an old injury I'm not looking for benefits just looking for an answer? Like PV2 Hughes said Thank You to past, present, and future Service Members.

Response by SGT Alfred Cox made Feb 18 at 2015 6:27 PM

SGT Alfred Cox — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 18:27:47 -0500

Yes. Once you swear in you belong to the brotherhood.. how you conduct yourself , the type of discharge you earn all speak volumes about you. But yes. Day one.. You're a veteran.. a green veteran lmmfao but a veteran . You'll lose the green status after 5 years or one deployment which ever comes first..

Response by SPC Ronald Scarfpin Sr. made Feb 18 at 2015 10:11 PM

SPC Ronald Scarfpin Sr. — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 22:11:14 -0500

214 ,mind, look at yourself what you see is a vet. you know what you did you do not have to prove yourself to anyone. feel sure you did right. ask yourself would I do it over again? I'
m sure you will say yes.

Response by Cpl Brett Wagner made Feb 18 at 2015 10:33 PM

Cpl Brett Wagner — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 22:33:22 -0500

PV2 Mike Hughes- I think you have probably gotten your answer. I would say if you served you're a vet, I think the "requirement" is serving 180 days of active duty.

You look very familiar did you ever star in any movies. ;-)

Response by PO2 James Harrington made Feb 18 at 2015 10:36 PM

PO2 James Harrington — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 22:36:14 -0500

I have known a few Veterans who never made it past boot camp . Due to injury some have never made it past obstacle courses, but never gave up their desire to serve. One of my good friends fell off of the Obstacle course wall and landed wrong. He broke 2 vertebra and ruptured a disc. He never lost his desire to serve, after back surgery, rehab he was discharged. Fast forward 15 years........he is now a Life Flight EMT. So just because he didn't graduate boot camp, doesn't make him any less of a Veteran than you or I. That desire to serve and the drive to serve and the desire to perservere. That is a Veteran. Find YOUR path stay the course, and never forget what you do after you serve is as important as what you did when you served.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Feb 18 at 2015 11:29 PM

COL Charles Williams — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 23:29:41 -0500

If you served, or are serving in the military, regardless of where, you are a veteran.

Response by Cpl Dr Ronnie Manns made Mar 4 at 2015 10:37 AM

Cpl Dr Ronnie Manns — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 10:37:59 -0500

In my humble opinion, if you signed on the dotted line, did your very best to serve honorably and left under any condition you are a veteran. The amount of time you served covers the earning of benefits as well as sometimes the type of discharge that you received but it does not disqualify you from being a veteran. What may disqualify you is only in your mind in regards to how you conducted yourself then and how you conduct yourself now.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2015 6:49 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 18:49:35 -0400

Wow, I've dealt with this for years. Ever since I got out in 2011 I never considered myself a veteran because I wasn't a combat veteran so I just didn't see it as being called a veteran I suppose. Well ever since then, after filing a claim with the VA and getting 100% SC I still have those feelings but just like Sgt. Vernier just said, possessing a DD214 Honorably then you are one. I wanted to be a combat veteran, I wanted to go out to the sandbox but never got my chance. It's something that I live with everyday, the what if. Just a matter of coming to terms with things you can't change.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 17 at 2015 7:14 PM

PO1 John Miller — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 19:14:21 -0400

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I may very well be) but if one does not complete basic training, whether it be for medical reasons, psychological reasons, fraudulent reasons, just plain quit, etc., then they are not a veteran?

If I am wrong, please site a reference as I have not been able to find any stating otherwise.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 7 at 2015 4:39 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 16:39:02 -0400

Have you served in the Army in peacetime or war? Have you been honorably discharged from the military? That's pretty much it.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 8 at 2015 9:57 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 09:57:05 -0400

Simple. Someone who honorably served and retired or was given an honorable discharge

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 8 at 2015 11:01 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 23:01:41 -0400

Serving during a time of active military conflict.

Response by PFC Robert Falk made Aug 31 at 2015 12:10 PM

PFC Robert Falk — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 12:10:52 -0400

A veteran- whether active duty,retired,or national guard or reserve- is someone who, at one point in his or her life,wrote a blank check made payable to thier country, for an amount of up to and including their life-That is honor-There are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 31 at 2015 1:39 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 13:39:12 -0400

One who passed basic training.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Aug 31 at 2015 1:54 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 13:54:57 -0400

I know this is a rather old post, but I just have to chime in here. When it comes down to defining one's self as a Veteran or not, you must consider in what context you are hoping to apply that title. For many different organizations, including federal agencies there are rules on how they classify a Veteran. Yet, for most of the general public, all that matters is that you signed up and shipped out. Personally, I would hold that title from anyone that did not successfully complete his/her training phase up to and including being award their MOS. Why? Because basic training is meant to do exact that, weed out all the people not physically or mentally strong enough to be successful within the military. This is by no means a putdown to those people that can't complete the training. The training it hard, and rightfully so. We are the best trained and equipped fighting force this country has ever seen. We are made up of an all volunteer force, plucked right from this nation's towns and cities. Yet we are asked to do things that 99% of the nation will not do.

It's an honor to carry "Veteran". It's an honor not only to yourself, but to your family, your neighborhood, and all the Veterans that came before you. We did our job and did it well. We have colorful ribbons to show and memories to share. So yet, while someone might be forced out of basic training because he or she suffered a terrible accented or later discovered that something is holding them back from completing the course, the title of Veteran should still be held from them. Not as a punishment but as a way to protect the honor of those that carry the title and the burdens that come with it.

Response by PFC Sammie Collins made Apr 10 at 2022 9:49 PM

PFC Sammie Collins — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 21:49:00 -0400

Mike, I totally understand the feeling and the question. Back during the Iran Hostage Crisis, I enlisted and trained to work on helicopters. During AIT, I fell and dislocated my knee cap but being a womans knee, not a mans, the dr. missed it!!! I was asked to stay on as an instructor but couldn't go to my next duty station because I couldn't run. After I got out, had reconstructive surgery, went to college, out for 6 yrs. I went to the Employment office to file for job search. The guy says "Oh, your a vet", I said "no" But you filled out that you are. But I wasn't in a war. He said "Oh no, not another one!!" He said "You're a vet". Then he asked if I was injured. Ya but I already got it fixed. So you are a disabled vet. No, I wasn't shot or anything like that. He said your a disabled vet and get your booty down to the DAV and file a claim!! LOL It feels different than standing next to a Vet who has gone to war or served their time but yes, we are veterans, put on the uniform, took the oath and did not take it back when we took off our uniform. I miss it every day.

Response by Cpl Gunner Stout made Apr 17 at 2022 5:43 PM

Cpl Gunner Stout — Sun, 17 Apr 2022 17:43:01 -0400

Simple way to find out - contact American Vets (https://amvets.org/), find a local chapter, and inquire about joining. If you're welcomed, then good on ya, you're officially credentialed. Other VSOs (American Legion, VFW, etc.) have further requirements (service during a war period - AL, war-time service in country -VFW, etc.). Personally, I don't care what conditions you were discharged under, I care only how you served. I know a few guys with a "Dirty Deed" or "Big Chicken Dinner" that came after some honorable, even heroic service - in a couple cases the discharge type was directly caused by the consequences of that service. (a VSM, VCM, CAR, Purple Heart and a BCD tells me a lot about a veteran I'm going to probably respect).

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