Do you feel like a veteran ?

1. 60

   AliceFSpencerposted 15 years ago

   I would like to talk to the short timers do you feel like less of a veteran.

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2. 61

   garynewposted 15 years ago

   I was in the Army for almost eight years, so I guess that would make me a "mid-timer", but of course I feel like a veteran as should anyone who served a year or more.

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3. 60

   AliceFSpencerposted 15 years ago

   Thanks Gary I made it longer than a yr so I'm alright thanks for you serving mid-timer I like that !!!

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4. 60

   Doyle Wheelerposted 15 years ago

   Did 13 months in Vietnam was a month into my extension when I woke up in an Army hospital in Camp Zummy Japan. Came home and started a life that went very well and then crumbled before me.
   
   Now I see other veterans, new veterans coming home, failing apart.
   In all these many years our country has not improved much in the way it handles the unseen wounds of war!

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5. 0

   Ghost32posted 15 years ago

   I'm a veteran, but not a combat veteran.  Served my 2 draft years during the Viet Nam Era, but not in-country--was stationed in Germany, poised to be cannon fodder at the Fulda Gap if the Eastern Bloc decided to invade.
   
   No complaints about missing out on the jungle....  Did manage to get the severe runs from not cleaning my mess kit well enough during a field exercise; does that count?

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6. 58

   armysharkposted 15 years ago

   Any soldier that has served for any period of time is a veteran in my books, Hooah!
   
   www.militaryshark.com

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7. 73

   livewithrichardposted 15 years ago

   I served a 3 year enlistment in the Army 87-90 and it was a great experience.  Though at the time, I couldn't wait to get out and get to college (my whole purpose for joining).  But as I look back, I sometimes wish I had stayed until retirement, which would have been 2 years back.  Yea, I feel like a veteran.

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8. 64

   prettydarkhorseposted 15 years ago

   kudos to all the veteran, even if they served the littlest time they are still veterans YEHEY

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9. 59

   jim62367posted 15 years ago

   If you have served 180 consecutive days of service you are entitled to veteran benefits.  My opinion is if you signed your name and swore the oath and put on that uniform, you are a veteran even if you served only a day beyond that. I salute you.

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10. 59

    Doug Hughesposted 15 years ago

    I was offshore for the evac of Saigon. Never in combat. Glad I didn't stay in - the USN was having a rough time adjusting to me.

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11. 60

    2mapperposted 14 years ago

    Any one that has ever raised their right hand and sworn to support and defend the Constitutuion of this Nation (Or of their own respective netion, I suppose) is a Veteran, and I DO feel a certain kinship with, but undoubtedly that closeness is deepened all the more when that common experience is deepened by the common experience of direct comebat.
    
      In my time of service I had the priviledge of deploying, on the ground, as a member of highly specialized Air Force Units, with forces from other branches (for the most part, the Marine Corps MEU's), but also worked closely with Army units and the Navy Spec War community.
      Out of those experiences, and the respect I have seen demonstrated by my fellow vets since; even though it took me a while to fully embrace the "feeling like a Vet" thing..I can honestly say that , we ARE different, and that we ARE..regardless of age, conflict served in, gender, rank, or service branch....as long as we went through at least some of the same sh%t over there, I know that, at least for me, I'll always do what I can to help a fellow vet. That commitment to serve never goes away...

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12. 71

    mqueeposted 14 years ago

    I agree wholeheartedly with 2mapper, all vets have something in common and it is always a good feeling to make a new friend who is a vet. One other thing, soldiers may not always agree with the politics going on but they continue to do their duty; "it is for love of country."

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