Would you look down on someone who hasn't deployed?

"They serve who also only stand and wait."

First of all, not everybody in the necessarily gets deployed for a variety of reasons. Many rates are supporting rates...yet their overall role in the military machine is no less important.

For example, there are people whose job includes making sure servicemembers get paid. Life sucks for the deployed servicemember if he or she cannot be assured that his/her family is being taken care of back home.

Ultimately, the goal is "ordinance on target". Whether that's artillery from the Army, smart bombs from the Air Force, machinegun fire from the Marines, or TLAMs from the Navy, that's the goal. Every single servicemember has a role in that, from the supply clerks to the pay clerks to the medical personnel, to the recruiter, to the grunt. They ALL support that goal.

For those who may not deploy due to medical conditions? Well, that's medical.

The only people that I would look down upon would be those who dishonorably attempt to shirk their duty. Beyond that, who am I to say?

During my 38 year career, 24 Active and 14 Reserve I expected to deploy continuously with 19D, Combat Medic, and Medical Health Care Recruiter MOS's. Almost deployed as a Combat Medic during Desert Storm. 9 months in the Emergency Room at Womack on the Crash Team and "The Suture Guy", in the rotation to deploy. You don't know what it's like to train all that time, ready to go to the "Big Dance" only never to get the call. I'd like to say I was never looked down on, but felt it quite often, mostly by Command level Senior NCO's. I've been told so many times that I was lucky never to have to go, but as a retiree, I feel I've never been able to fulfill my responsibilities as a Senior NCO.

No, because they were here defending the homeland.

It depends, if someone is talking about things that happen on deployment and never deployed, then yes, unless you have been there don't talk like you have.

My last ship, within my division (10 sailors) there were two people who had any deployment experience (The LPO and myself). We went to "Team Training" (Team building on a simulation system), the all but one of the instructors who run the simulators had no deployment experience. After passing their performance test (required for us to go to sea), my LPO said he wanted to run the simulator again the way it will happens in the "real world". Well most of the instructors got upset. But we had passed their test and he wanted the rest of our division to see what it will really be like when we deploy. The one instructor with experience set us up with a "real world" simulation, and we ran that the rest of the week we were there to help qualify our people.

In my younger years yes I did, but I was a combat veteran before my 21st bday and a SGT in the first two years. Now I am medically retire at 34 as a SFC and a lot more wisdom under my belt. I watch guys including myself get called up 3+ times within 5 years. I had some kids get out because after 6 years they couldn’t get a deployment and these were infantry and cav guys. Just the way it worked out. So no i don’t look down on those that didn’t deploy, if your my bro I may crack jokes but you served and the majority didnt

I don't look down on people that haven't deployed but I know from experience that I connect better with vets that have deployed then vets that haven't. I remember when I was stationed out in Colorado Springs I was apart of a peer support group that mainly focused on combat vets just because we can relate better with the struggles we have.

SSG(P) (Join to see) I Did 21 Years, It wasn't Until the Last 3rd of that Career of My Career that My Skills were pushed to the Most in an Unique Environment, Of Course Not.

I'm pissed off everyday that I missed my shot. My first unit was in Korea, my second unit was at Fort Campbell. They were just coming back. Missed the second time cause I got hurt during training and the docs wouldn't let me go. The whole reason Y I joined was to deploy after watching wat happen during 9-11

Every member of the service is valuable and does their part.

No I would not. My son's unit was ready to deploy out of Campbell and he and two others were injured in the last exercise before deployment - the unit left, and my son was medically discharged. He was disappointed because he had trained (MOS 92Y) and wanted to go. Sometimes deployment plans change at a high level (POTUS and/or SECDEF. But no, our guys and gals are serving regardless of deployment and I as a parent of 2 who had military service and one other still active, I thank you for your service. Hold your head high soldier and stay focused ahead.