Technically, yes, I am a veteran.
I served in the United States Army from July of 1985 to July of 1989.
But I always feel weird counting myself as a veteran.
While so many others have seen combat, I wound up having an easy stint. There were no conflicts while I served. For me, the real veterans are those who actually put their life on the line, were placed in harm’s way. To me, those are the ones we are usually intending to honor.
I do not want to take away from anybody else who served at any point in time but did not see combat. It’s just me. Interestingly, while I don’t put those who served and didn’t see combat on the same pedestal as those who did see combat, I still honor and respect those individuals, those veterans. It is my own service that I discount.
Actually, for years, I never even considered myself a veteran. It wasn’t until my kids started asking about it that I wound up replying that technically, I am a veteran since I did serve. I am still uneasy about that veteran label when it comes to me because I don’t want (nor do I deserve) the same treatment as those who served and saw combat.
Maybe one day I won’t be so conflicted about my military status as a veteran. Then again, maybe we won’t have troops in active combat again someday soon.
Happy Veteran’s Day.
