"This being Veterans Day in US..." Topic

time for my annual question:
What do you consider a "veteran"
1) Only those who have "seen the elephant"
2) Active duty in war time
3) Active duty in peacetime
4) Peace time reservist

Personally, I fit in category #4, but because I have had lots of family members in #1 (and a brother who was #3 in Cold War) I don't really feel like a veteran; even though I know the importance of having a well trained reserve

Technically all 4, although I think memorial day should be reserved for the dead

1) and 2)

I did a year of military service. I do not list myslef as a veteran. I am quite glad for that.

I'd go with all four. But I understand (sort of) your feelings Korvessa. My father enlisted in the Marine Corps near the end of WWII. But the war ended before he was deployed so he felt he wasn't a veteran. In my eyes he was, RIP.

I think it is all four

I personally fall into 1 but believe it should always be all 4.

I've always thought that a veteran is someone who would qualify for Napoleon's Old Guard.

These days it seems to mean anyone who has seen any form of service.

Outside of a military context, the word 'veteran' implies long experience.

I'm a 4, did time on Destroyers. I say all 4.

Served 8 years in the USN from '77-85. I consider myself a veteran.

Anybody who has given their time to military service.
If you signed up and did not see action, how very fortunate for you.
You signed up not knowing what could happen, maybe you signed up knowing full well what could happen depending on what was/is going on in the world.
either way, you served, you are a veteran, and I for one say "Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your commitment and service."

All 4. Hands down.

I agree with cavcrazy. When you take that oath you pledge your life to your country. Anyone who does that is a brother veteran in my book.

All 4.

What cavcrazy said.

5. Didn't make it through military training

4

My sons, myself, my father and my grandfather (my great grandfather as well but I never knew him) all fit 1&2 but none of us would begrudge veteran status to anyone that served.

1,2,3,4 if ready to serve their country..but 1 deserve the most respect

I'd say 1 and 2 are Veterans but 3 and 4 are Servicemen.

It could be a UK verses US thing.

My Father did National service in the British Army while my brother did Cadets and Territorial Service in NZ. They would never say that they are Veterans.
My Grandfather served in WW2 in the Infantry while his brothers were in the Merchant Navy. Also a Great Uncle served in the 8th Army in North Africa who I had talked to about his service. I think they would be considered Veterans.

I mis-read the question. I say i – 4
I'm personally a 5 – washed out of training. I don't consider myself a veteran

Not to knock any who haven't served but all 4 categories have served more than most of the remaining 98%, so I call them Veterans.

Likewise those who have been in a war have gone a further step (not always by choice), those I personally call Combat Veterans.

I have at different times in my 30+ years done each of those 4 categories. So I think all are deserving of the title Veteran.

I would like to thank all of my fellow Veterans today, and say that it is an honor to serve in a grateful nation.

If you have served in any capacity, in peace time or war, then I as a civilian am grateful, and thank you with all my heart. God bless all our veterans.

All 4. I do not consider my service in the 80's as "peacetime" since we were actively training to face an onslaught of Soviet/Warsaw Pact tanks across the plains of West Germany. When I was transferred to Fort Polk, Louisiana after my tour in Europe, we were still training to take on waves of Soviet tanks. When you are actively training to take on tanks of another superpower with the possibility of a nuclear exchange between us and them hanging over us on a daily basis, then that era should not be considered "peacetime". My brother is retired Coast Guard (active and reserve) and my late Dad was also retired Coast Guard, and I consider them veterans, as they wore the Uniform. To all my fellow veterans, you have my respect and thanks…

grandmother's grandfather = Army of the Potomac (wounded 2)
Grandmother's uncle = Spanish American war
Grandfather= = wounded in WWI
Father = Normandy & Bulge Vet (wounded twice)
Father's cousin – killed in Pacific
Mother's brother – USMC Okinawa
Brother = doing MI stuff in Germany in 70s
Cousin – USMC Viet Nam

Me = an LT for a reserve basic training unit.
So I appreciate everyone and am grateful to all – but feel a little inferior to the lot above.

Yes, I agree with all four. I'm a 3. US ARMY '79-'90. And you make a good point Buck215 …