Who do you consider a Veteran?

2015-05-22T09:58:26-04:00

I recently read a comment on Rally Point where the poster indicated that anyone who did not serve in combat is not even a veteran. I was more than a little surprised to hear that. Just because I, through no fault of my own, was never sent to fight, I am not a veteran at all? Really? I don’t think I agree and I would like to hear what others think on this issue.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2015 11:31 AM

2015-05-22T11:31:36-04:00

I am not sure how often this topic has or will continue to come up.

To put it bluntly If you served your time you are a veteran.

I have 14+ years active, and 8.5 years army reserve. I have held 10 ranks. My retirement letter says I have 39 years and 2 days service.

I was never in combat. But I am damned sure a veteran and I very much resent those who say I am not.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2015 11:39 AM

2015-05-22T11:39:54-04:00

This is something that I have seen often. There are varying definitions of what is a veteran. I would just say that if you served in the military you are a veteran. I have seen others out there feel that they have to validate their service against another's and use their time in combat as a means to make them some sort of expert in all things of veteran status.

I would say that not all veterans are the same. Some have do have to sacrifice more than some others, even as a combat veteran. I don't think this takes away from any veteran but it does mean something more. If you were to tell me that you were in Korngal or were a part of the Surge in Iraq I think you had to deal with a bit more than Aviation Refueler stationed in UAE or Kuwait. But still I would take away from anyone's service and if you this does then you may be one of those that are just too easily offended.

There are those out there that feel a need to do this. They are what you call a "One Upper." They have a sense that they did more and deserve more for what they did. You see this everywhere in the military. If you are a veteran then they are a combat vet. If you are a combat vet then they are a "real combat vet." You just can't win with them. I just let them talk. I pity them to be honest. They are better swallow to call out a fellow veteran in such a way.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made May 22 at 2015 11:58 AM

2015-05-22T11:58:26-04:00

When you take your oath, you are not only agreeing to serve. You are agreeing to serve where it is determined you are needed. That may be on the front line, it may be in an office, it may be in a kitchen, or behind a computer. All of the job tasks have to be completed by someone. Some are better suited to different tasks. Volunteering to serve is the start.

The only caveat to whether or not a person is a veteran is how they were discharged at the end of their service. Dishonorable discharge, not a veteran.

On a personal note, I was medically discharged. It took a long time before I would mention serving in the navy on anything but the job history portion of an application. I didn't feel right about it because others served more, were in harm's way, and I wasn't. It has been through the wonderful people here on Rally Point, and other veterans I have met that basically told me to get over it that I have been able to finally say that serving was one of the best things I have done in my life.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made May 22 at 2015 12:49 PM

2015-05-22T12:49:12-04:00

Honestly it doesn't really matter what "others" consider to be a Veteran, when there is a clear Legal definition as to what is a Veteran. Anything above and beyond that is Star-bellied sneetches mentality.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2015 12:57 PM

2015-05-22T12:57:57-04:00

The only people who served but are not veterans are the ones who were forced out for bad conduct.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 22 at 2015 3:37 PM

2015-05-22T15:37:33-04:00

Why do veterans do this to other veterans? You are not a veteran, you can't have PTSD because my son did not get it, my war was harder blah blah blah. I guess Eisenhower could not be veteran because he was not in combat.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2015 6:36 PM

2015-05-22T18:36:20-04:00

My definition of a Veteran is someone who joined, served their obligation term (or longer) and got out with an Honorable Discharge, regardless of having deployed or not.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made May 22 at 2015 7:33 PM

2015-05-22T19:33:23-04:00

I've struggled with my thoughts on this. I continue to serve in the Reserves, but prior to this I did 3 years active duty Infantry '09-'12, and was sent to (and fenced into) the Army's dedicated testing brigade; it was never in the plan to do more than 3 years active. As a consequence, I did not deploy when active, and my current Reserve unit isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. I can admit that I never saw combat; my ego isn't so fragile as to require me to claim something I didn't do. Still, sometimes I would view my time in comparison to others and use the term "veteran" with a small "v".

Then I think about the soldiers of the Cold War. Outside of Korea and Vietnam, very few members of our military saw combat or lost their lives, yet without their very EXISTANCE as trained military professionals manning missile silos, guarding the Fulda Gap, keeping the communist threat in check, it’s not at all unreasonable to think that we'd all be speaking Russian today. Those men and women trained for something that never happened, and it never happened BECAUSE they were there and they were trained to do their job. They won the war without a shot being fired. Should we call a soldier who served at Checkpoint Charlie or near the North Korean border in the (late) 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s a lesser veteran because they didn’t have to do what they were trained to?

Personally, I prefer not speaking Russian.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made May 26 at 2015 3:11 PM

2015-05-26T15:11:11-04:00

Anyone who serves honorably in any one of the branches regardless of job, deployments, etc. Although I don't personally see myself as having done much I am still a veteran as is everyone else that has served or is still serving.

Response by PFC Tuan Trang made May 26 at 2015 3:25 PM

2015-05-26T15:25:37-04:00

Someone who serve their contract done with honorable discharge.

Response by 1SG Alan Boggs made Apr 4 at 2024 4:28 PM

2024-04-04T16:28:09-04:00

I think that any service member who has successfully completed one term of enlistment is a veteran. I believe there is a difference between being a veteran and a combat veteran, but I dont believe either catagory is better than the other one.
Bootcamp and AIT wash outs are not veterans. In my opinion.