Non- Combat Veterans.

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I wouldn't feel a bit bad about it.
There were plenty of us who got shipped to every armpit on the planet.
I for one would have given my right nut to have been in your place. In fact I'm kinda jealous you got that military experience.
I got sent to Baumberg Germany out of basic training. That was 1988, I was in an Artillery battery, and if we weren't in the field, we were in Grafenwoehr.
Then the wall came down and wasn't sure what to expect next.
From there I went to Saudi Arabia, did the whole Desert Shield/Storm thing.
Came back the states, got sent to Haiti for "Uphold Democracy". That was quick though. Couple years later, went to the Balkans, then back to the states, then to S. Korea, back to the states, was hoping to just glide into retirement, then wham! 9/11.
The next 3 years were nothing but high alert and head on a swivel.
Man, I would have given anything for nice and boring!
Enjoy that free meal. You didn't sign up for that, it's was something that was offered. The way I see it, the way guys of your generation were treated, you got it coming. Because when you came back from USAEUR , they assumed you were coming from Vietnam.
 
moparmandan said:
All gave some. Some gave all.
We raised our hands, took the oath and signed the check. After that you're
just following orders. Be proud.
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Exactly we all joined up honarablby to defend the United States. Every one is important from a deck Ape (which I was for a few years) to the SR-71 pilots. For every person it was a roll of the dice, you joined willing to give it all, Be proud of that!
 
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I said my "i do's" in 1973, so that was at the end of the Viet Nam crisis, and after tech school, was sent to Germany, too.
But, i put in for an European stationing, so low and behold, the Air Force gave me one. lol
I wouldn't give it any second thoughts, not being "combat veteran"
You went where they put ya.

Let me ad to this if i may.
I talk to lots of guys that served during all the bad years during the Viet Nam war.
Lots of them, draftees, or enlisted, were sent to Germany, other than South East Asia, (Vietnam) for reasons that the big shot generals made decisions about.
 
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If you signed on the dotted line and raised your right hand, I don't care if you pushed a broom in the motor pool, you're still a Veteran!

I DO NOT discriminate, if I see a Vet I shake their hand and thank them for their service, and I will walk out of my way to do so.

I got 3 the other day at the grocery store. I had one old boy tell me he didn't see combat but rather served in Germany, I told him that doesn't matter, you still served.
 
gunbunny said:
I wouldn't feel a bit bad about it.
There were plenty of us who got shipped to every armpit on the planet.
I for one would have given my right nut to have been in your place. In fact I'm kinda jealous you got that military experience.
I got sent to Baumberg Germany out of basic training. That was 1988, I was in an Artillery battery, and if we weren't in the field, we were in Grafenwoehr.
Then the wall came down and wasn't sure what to expect next.
From there I went to Saudi Arabia, did the whole Desert Shield/Storm thing.
Came back the states, got sent to Haiti for "Uphold Democracy". That was quick though. Couple years later, went to the Balkans, then back to the states, then to S. Korea, back to the states, was hoping to just glide into retirement, then wham! 9/11.
The next 3 years were nothing but high alert and head on a swivel.
Man, I would have given anything for nice and boring!
Enjoy that free meal. You didn't sign up for that, it's was something that was offered. The way I see it, the way guys of your generation were treated, you got it coming. Because when you came back from USAEUR , they assumed you were coming from Vietnam.
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Did many Maneuvers in Grafenwoehr and Wildflicken. Always in the winter for some reason.
 
Thanks to all of you for your service. I feel guilty, and regret not joining. I turned 18 in '71, and was about to join, until I found out the recruiter lied to me. I just laid back, and waited to get drafted, which didn't happen.
 
A veteran is a veteran no matter what job you had. I am a combat veteran from the Viet Nam war. Without the help of non combat vets backing me I would not have made it.
 
My father in law was a Marine. He joined in 1961 and served in Germany and on Gibraltar. He got tapped to play baseball for the all-Marine team and finished his tour playing ball for the honor of the Corps.

Is he a veteran worthy of respect? Hell yes he is. He signed the blank check and went were they wanted him to go...no matter where it was.

He is 80 years old now, and like he always says “The honor was to serve.”
 
Here he is back when he graduated...

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And here he is today on the right with me and my daughter. You tell him he isn’t deserving of the title “Veteran”...I ain’t gonna!

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As we were told, "It pays the same, marching or fighting". Anyone who served is entitled combat or non-combat.
 
My old man graduated high school in the spring of 46 and did what young men did then and enlisted in the Army the next day.
For two years he was part of the occupation of Japan. I have know idea what his job was because he refused to talk about it, his entire live he was ashamed that he wasn't part of the fighting force. He was just a year or two too young. He had a deep respect for the Japanese and got to know a family well. But he always thought he didn't do enough. I have his WW2 metal even if he didn't consider himself a vet I'm proud to do it.
 
Enlisting is a bit of roulette. I knew guys that were in between conflicts, or just out of fate were in places that just didn’t deploy.

I knew some that were beat up because of all the deployments. Marriage suffering, never seeing kids etc.

Bottom line, you put your name in the hat.
 
Did you not sign your name on the dotted line, BEFORE you knew where you were going? You agreed to serve your country just like anyone that did or did not come home. So no, you shouldn't feel bad.

I also thank you for your service.
 
My father served on the USS Block Island. CVE-21. Sunk on May 29, 1944 off the coast of Morocco chasing German U boats....unfortunate they did not sink that one......

I was in the USAF for 5 yrs 10 months and 4 days...LOL>...was stationed at Avaino AB, Italy for 3 yrs 2 month and 7 days.....but who was counting.....
March 4, 1973 to January 5, 1979..
 
You have nothing to be ashamed of, you served and supported the entire force. You will always be a brother to each and everyone of us who served.
It doesn't matter which branch ,we are all brothers. We don't talk about war or the battles. We just remember those we served with and that includes you.

SEMPER PHI ! VETERAN !
 
Back in Time said:
I just got back from my free meal at Applebee's. At my age the first thing people assume is that I served in Vietnam. I always feel a little guilty that I was sent to Germany and not into Combat. Should I ? How do you all feel about this. Honest answers please. I welcome ALL responses.
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My wife was sent to a Communications Tower in Germany.. guess who gets taken out first when the crap hits the fan...
 
USAF 78-86 spending my time on Minuteman missile bases. It is sad to say but, some people don't think I'm one since I wasn't in combat. I actually had the commander of a vet org tell me that to my face. The other time was a national home supply store manager say we only give discounts to real veterans. I said what does that mean? Response: Retired. medically discharged or have a military ID. Done ranting. I served because I felt it was my duty. Combat or not...serving in the military by a small group of folks is a honorable sacrifice no matter what your role was. Although some combat vets gave all and the ultimate sacrifice. My 2 cents.

Veterans come from all walks of life, including 3% born outside the United States.
Today, there are 18.8 million veterans amongst us, representing ~7.6% of all 329M Americans.
20% of all veterans are women and increasing.
4.7M are disabled, including mental illnesses.
2.7M Americans served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
610K Vietnam War veterans are alive today.
497K veterans remain who served during World War II.
 
Back in Time said:
I just got back from my free meal at Applebee's. At my age the first thing people assume is that I served in Vietnam. I always feel a little guilty that I was sent to Germany and not into Combat. Should I ? How do you all feel about this. Honest answers please. I welcome ALL responses.
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I was a peacetime vet, never pulled the trigger in anger but had it covered a few times. The thing is I was on the team, ready to play, but there was no competition at the time so no game...but I was trained as well as anyone else, just never got the chance to shoot...the ball. I feel great about it and no one has ever told me differently except the VFW, they told me I could be some sort of junior participating member or some BS. No C.A.R? No prob in my book. I still got 5 ribbons, 2 with stars and none are boot camp ribbons or good conduct....and I think I rate a few more. You volunteered, you stepped up, you took the challenge, you are the 13% (under 54) who cared enough and had the balls to commit 3+ of the best years of your life to serve your country, in war or peace. Chin up, I salute all of you!
 
Brother...let me say that I dont care if you are non combat, you were willing to put your *** on the line for all of us!!! I would like to thank you for your and any veterans service on this sight. We as a country do not do enough for our veterans and it makes me very angry....Veterans should be absolute royalty in this country! From the bottom of my heart to all veterans.....THANK YOU!!!!!
 
pishta said:
I was a peacetime vet, never pulled the trigger in anger but had it covered a few times. The thing is I was on the team, ready to play, but there was no competition at the time so no game...but I was trained as well as anyone else, just never got the chance to shoot...the ball. I feel great about it and no one has ever told me differently except the VFW, they told me I could be some sort of junior participating member or some BS. No C.A.R? No prob in my book. I still got 5 ribbons, 2 with stars and none are boot camp ribbons or good conduct....and I think I rate a few more. You volunteered, you stepped up, you took the challenge, you are the 13% (under 54) who cared enough and had the balls to commit 3+ of the best years of your life to serve your country, in war or peace. Chin up, I salute all of you!
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Boot camp ribbon. That's funny. You don't have one because you signed up at a time of no conflict. So don't condemn the ones who do have a "Boot camp ribbon" because they do.

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Back in Time said:
I just got back from my free meal at Applebee's. At my age the first thing people assume is that I served in Vietnam. I always feel a little guilty that I was sent to Germany and not into Combat. Should I ? How do you all feel about this. Honest answers please. I welcome ALL responses.
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Don't sweat it. G-d has a plan for each and every one of us. It wasn't His plan for you. You did your part same as everyone else who served. That's all that matters.

I served in Nam. 1967. USMC. 0311 grunt. Lost my best buddy at Con Thien and managed to get myself blown all to hell and medevaced the same day.

Even in country, there were probably 10 guys in the rear serving to support each one of us when we were deployed up along the DMZ. We couldn't have done our jobs if not for them.

Didn't fit into civilian life very well. So some years later, reenlisted. Was out too long to retain rank and the Corps didn't need 28 year old privates with a wife and 3 sons to feed. Navy needed welders and pipefitters though.

So I joined the Navy and went to sea aboard an LPD, then worked off a sub tender maintaining, doing SHIPALTS and patching up the diesel boats and nuke fast attack boats when they got banged up playing chicken with the Russkies during the not-so-Cold War years (mid to late '70s).

Eventually worked my way into NDT (welding inspection) and made E-6. Life in the Navy was a lot different than the infantry. I miss going to sea. Besides the asbestos, probably glow in the dark from all the zoomies (radiation) I was exposed to, though.

Anyway...... You did your part and if anybody thinks different, assume they are hungry and feed 'em a knuckle sandwich.
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Semper Fi,

Harry
Delta 1/4, 3rd MarDiv

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