If you were in the service, do you consider yourself a "Vet"?

old medic said:
My Uncle and I argue about this. I say I am NOT.... He did 3 tours in Vietnam as a marine. The most dangerous thing I did was guard an ammo dump at Fort Jackson. Due to circumstances I was discharged after a year.... I continued to serve my community as a Paramedic for 36 years.
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Thank you for your service. One of my brothers was a career Navy man. He started out as an enlisted man but with hard work he earned his commission retiring as a Lt. Commander. I have always revered his hard work and accomplishments.
 
My man served 7 years and had an honourable discharge but he doesn’t consider himself a vet. He thinks that ‘true vets’ are ones who actually went to war and he didn’t.
I’m still proud of him. There wasn’t a war going on when he was in service.
 

I do not consider myself as a vet. Even the RAAF does not consider anybody who was not in a war zone a vet. My skills proved to serve best in a cleanroom, repairing flight instruments. Did that for the duration. No after service consessions or anything. I am no longer a consideration.
 
Good grief. Veteran: a former member of the armed forces. Do you see war or war zone in that definition? If you served and wore the Uniform, you are a Veteran, simple as that. When in the service, the government can send you anywhere in the world at any time, war zone or not. Wake up people! :coffee: Don...
 
Macfan said:
Good grief. Veteran: a former member of the armed forces. Do you see war or war zone in that definition? If you served and wore the Uniform, you are a Veteran, simple as that. When in the service, the government can send you anywhere in the world at any time, war zone or not. Wake up people! :coffee: Don...
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I suppose it is different in Australia. I needed medication for a bout of depression, and I asked for service concession for medication. Because my depression cannot be related to my time in the service, I am not entitled to it. As I said, if I was not in a war zone, I am not entitled to a veteran's concession.
 
reteP said:
I suppose it is different in Australia. I needed medication for a bout of depression, and I asked for service concession for medication. Because my depression cannot be related to my time in the service, I am not entitled to it. As I said, if I was not in a war zone, I am not entitled to a veteran's concession.
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You are correct. My comments were made concerning the U.S. only in mind. I realize policies, procedures, rules and regulations vary outside the U.S. and in other countries. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused. :coffee: Don...
 
My uncle was a career navy man. He retired in 1939. That retirement did not last very long. He spent WW2 In New Caledonia and Bouganville down in the south pacific.
 
MSN

He was basically a journalist, 6 months in Iraq taking pictures. A PR guy.
___________________________

My best friend was wounded in the leg in Vietnam, driven from his truck when his buddy's truck ahead was hit by a rocket and blew.
He returned home a corporal with a Honorable discharge and a purple heart.
 
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Yes, I do consider myself a veteran. That, despite the fact I never served in a combat zone in my 20 years of active service.

I served almost 9 years of my 20 in one assignment in West Berlin. Though most of the drama in Berlin was largely gone by the 80s, there was still the reality of some 25 Soviet combat divisions surrounding West Berlin, along with roughly the same number of East German divisions. We were told that if the Soviets really, really wanted to take Berlin, we would amount to be a speed bump. I didn't believe that, but it did mean that things would be very dicey.

I was almost sent to the 3rd Armored Division in February 1991. Army's "Stop Loss" program kicked in and they canceled my orders. Otherwise, I would've joined my unit (the division band) in the sandbox just prior to the Ground War in the Persian Gulf War.

So I never served on a two-way rifle range, but I believe that my service was honorable. When people thank me for my service, I thank them in return.
 
Yes, I'm a US Navy Veteran. Steamed in combat waters (Yankee Station) and heard guns fired in anger. Saw splashes from Charlie's shore batteries on occasion. I am also a US Coastguard reserve veteran although I never left the USA during those years,
 
If you joined the military and served your country for the number of years required. You are a vet. If you served in a war zone you are a vet. The only different I see is the difference in some peoples mind between a Vietnam vet and a Vietnam era vet. Don't know what to say about that.
 
I served for five years in the Navy, three of which were on a carrier active in the Vietnam war. Despite that service I never saw Vietnam, except what may have been a cloud on the horizon. My service was for five great years, largely defined by the phrase “join the Navy and see the world”. Am I a vet? I am, but one who avoided the acute danger of those who served in combat on the soil of Vietnam.
 
I agree with everyone. You served, you are a vet. You deserve all the benefits that are available.
My only opposition is whether you were in Vietnam or not. If you were then the statues and memorials dedicated to those individuals who served there deserve the respect of their experience. Vietnam ERA is not the same. Minor point maybe but you were either there or not. To those that were.....it is a difference.
 

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