What is a "combat veteran"?

I'm confused by the term "combat veteran." I used to think it meant a soldier who'd been in actual combat with a live enemy.

But when I was still in practice, I saw a resume from a woman attorney which said she was a "combat veteran." Her resume was otherwise impressive, and we hired her. Later, I learned that her combat veteran status was based on her being stationed in a designated "combat zone," and she had never actually fired a weapon at an enemy or otherwise participated in battle.

Was that woman justified in claiming "combat veteran" status, solely on the basis of where she was stationed? Or was she guilty of puffing her resume?

I don't mean to slight ANY of our veterans. My Dad is a vet. I respect and appreciate the service of them all. I'm only trying to understand the correct terminology.

Jim

I never served, but if you ask me (and you DID!)...I'd say anyone who served in a designated Combat Zone qualifies.

P.S. - I know a couple of guys I consider "combat veterans." One suffered a traumatic brain injury from an IED in Iraq, and the other was shot down four times as a helicopter scout in Viet Nam.

Jim

Yes. She would be considered a combat vet. What was her job in the service? She may not have had an actual "combat read" job. IE clerk typist and such.

It would also depend on when she was in. There was time when women weren't allowed to be in actual combat unless absolutely necessary.

Interesting. Is there any term to distinguish the people who were in actual combat then?

Other than "heroes" I mean.

Jim

My dad was a combat veteran in WWII with the marines in the south pacific.Wounded twice and has two purple hearts,However,,he told me about a quite a few of folks who were within binocular range of him in combat,,and received combat medals.LOl,,he used to joke about it.

Id agree. Theres also plenty of soldiers that went on patrol that were never fired at but they did their job in a combat zone. I think the VFW has a good definition.

It depends on when the military puts a date on a time period and in that period you have to be in theatre. You must also have received a campaign medal for that time period.
Yes there were doctors nurses, and many other military jobs during campaigns so no you didn't have to actually fire at the enemy.

A lot has changed as participants are for instance in the United States doing recon with drones etc by electronic extension and they may get the same designation?

Osky

There are also people who fought in wars that were never wars that we never fought. Central America in the 80's was one such. God bless colonel North.

The VA defines combat veterans as veterans who served in a theater of combat operations.

Technically according to her 201 yes, to old soldiers no.

Funny thing is most guys who've seen the elephant don't go around claiming it.

BTW, I'm neither a combat vet nor old soldier. Just a young dumb, at the time, cold warrior.

don't sell yourself short, Warrior...those were very INTENSE times!

You EARNED our accolades!

My grandfather earned his Combat Infantryman Badge back in WWII on the front lines inEurope. That is awarded to people involved in actual combat not just stationed in the war zone.

Technically i guess she would be a combat vet. But she is a POG. I very highly doubt she saw any actual combat. AT the most she might have seen an ied go off on a convoy or a random mortar that blew up a port a john. There are lots and lots of people that went to the iraq and afghanistan theater. A small percentage of them actually went around kicking doors. To the actual combat vets the fobbits are not combat anything.

The CIB is only awarded to infantryman that are engaged in direct combat with the enemy. The newest thing is all the POGs got jeolous of the infantrys CIB and they came up with the CAB combat action badge which is awarded to non-infantry personnel that was engaged in direct combat with the enemy.

The CIB is a rifle surrounded by a wreath and the lame CAB is a bayonet surrounded by a wreath.

I was in Korea (near Pusan) December 1951 to December 1952, the Korean "Conflict" period. I hung bombs on B26 racks for a month or two then kept inventory records at a supply warehouse. Perimeter of the base was attacked by gorillas a number of times but not penetrated. At the sound of machinegun fire I dived under a table once. I received 2 campaign ribbons. To me that "conflict" was a war. Do I think of myself as a combat veteran? No.

My father has his CIB he earned in the Mekong delta. I don't hold at all with these participation trophies non combat arms have acquired for themselves, starting with the black beanie. And I'm a non combat arms vet, though had the balloon gone up the tank ditches I would've dug was within sight of the towers in Czechoslovakia. I knew dam well what my job was and it was to dig in 2ACR so I could get to the rear to keep digging in.

If I had to go to war, I wouldn’t want or accept any awards, medals, or badges. I’d do my job, kill everybody, and come home. And never tell anybody.

I put vets into 2 categories........

Those who talk and brag about what they did. Usually the real story is nothing.


Those who don't want to, or never talk because of what they did..

The link below will help explain the general definition

https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=E211US739G0&p=combat+veteran+definition

I am a combat veteran as I served in country during a war and in a forward area.

This should not be confused with the term "combat infantry badge" I am not a recipient of this badge as I was not in the infantry and directly in a forward area attack, battle or skirmish. We had raids, mortar attacks etc. but we were not infantry going out to engage.
Many that receive their combat infantry badge regard that higher then many other medals.

Bryce

Furvor, I would respectfully disagree with you. Since you were in Korea at that time period, IMHO, you highly deserve combat status. I am sure at anytime, some Lt. could of stuck their head in the tent and said, " Furvor, get your gear, your going to the front." I greatly thank you for your service. I qualified for the VFW only by being stationed in Sinai Egypt. I could of fell out of a guard tower or got shot on the firing range, but oh well. I didn't realize Tman a Korean War "Combat" vet on here. We love to here some stories, Furvor!!!!

There are a lot of combat veterans that aren’t infantry I know I served alongside them in actual combat ie getting shot at shooting back ied’s rpg’s you get the idea. They came from all branches Marines of course, Navy, Air Force we had them as dog handlers inbedded with us. On the Army side we had MP’s even guys from supply and the motor pool. We had doctors and nurses that never left the wire but worked on the wounded and kept the rest of us in the fight. These are combat vets. I do however believe that if anyone contributed to the fight wether it be intel or cooking for the troops or issuing supplies they would be considered combat veterans. I know there were many times I sure appreciated hearing the voice of the person in the TOC when I keyed up that radio

I am a vet, I served from 1960-63 active and another 3 years. I put in most of my time in Germany. I have a friend that was in the Navy and served on a ship some place, but never seen the shore in Viet Nam. But was allow to going the VFW. I have always considered myself just a vet that did his time and got out. In my book, if you did not come in contact with the enemy or work in a combat zone and while working in that zone were not in any danger of life you are not a combat vet. I just did my job and don't make a fuss over it. JMO

There have been a lot of military that have been causalities In a secured area or even in the country. Vietnam was a good example a lot of military personal were killed in area far from what was considered a hostile area, you don't have to be on front line and taking fire.

The term "combat veteran" is misleading the way it is used now.

I have a great deal of respect for all veterans, who served honorably. Many people only respect, or respect veterans more, who saw real, close combat with the enemy.

In today's military the most critical people in the military may never enter a combat zone.

Most of my good friends have been in the military, or are civilian employees of the Airforce. Most had or have high clearances. I get interviewed by the FBI for re-upping security clearances a lot, some years an annoyingly large numbers of times. Here's some examples of the importance of different jobs some of my friends had or have.

Two friends of mine, Bobbies and Dominique, who are brothers, were grunts in the Marines for 1 extended term. They saw real combat in the Middle East, but probably never accomplished anything significant.

Another friend of mine, Jim, who grew up with a backyard adjoining ours, spent most of his career in the Navy on a nuclear sub and was used as a deterrent to nuclear attacks. His job was undoutedbly more important to the safety of our country.

My friend Marvin was in the Army Pigeon Corp until they disbanded it in 1967. Before radio was reliable and the development of new technology, his job was critical for communications.

My friend Stan was in Special Operations in the Airforce for 20 years. I get the feeling he was in lots of places we won't know about for a while yet or maybe ever. I have no doubt he was very important to our country

My friend James, who helped me get my farm, trained pilots to fly bombers, mostly B52s during and after Vietnam. He only did one bombing mission on enemy territory, in 20 years in the Airforce. His job was likely even more important.

My friend Mike, who we are eating steak dinner with tomorrow, is contracted to protect the Airforce computers from being hacked by other nations. If our military computers are successfully hacked many of our weapons could be worthless and our enemies could get our latest, superior technology.

My friend Justin, who is a civilian, engineer employee of the Airforce is in a "think tank". I have little clue what he does, but know it's very important.

My friend Jeremy, who I was best man for, is a civilian, engineer employee of the Airforce. He spent the first 5 months or so of his employment, sitting at a desk, waiting for his clearance. He then, for several years, analyzed how enemy nations could detect our equipment that had stealth capacities. He now does something I can't know about that is critical to homeland security.

My friend Gus, who is also a civilian, engineer employee of the Airforce, tweaks the tolerances on our jet fighters to make them the best in the World. When Gus travels overseas to see his daughter in laws family, in India, 2 handlers are sent with him to keep him from being stolen by a foreign power. Gus is also considered critical to homeland security.

There is something that inspires great respect in most of us for those that go toe to toe with the enemy and deservedly so, but many of the most important people for keeping the US safe will never hopefully be near combat and the enemy.

Keith

If you are there your a combat vet

X2

No greater respect do I have for any individual than someone who would put themselves in such danger, physically and mentally, so that others might sleep safely at night. I did not serve.

Neither did I, Stan. Its something I've thought about often. I will say this, anyone who would go to keep me and my family safe and defend my freedom has my up most respect. I don't care if it was front line combat or a desk at the front of a building, everyone of you who served in the military had a job to do and that job is done better than any one else on the face of this planet. I'm indebted to each one of you.

It's changing Pat. I invite vets to hunt here every year at my place and in the quiet setting with other vets they often open their thoughts. For the Nam era guys it's especially tough. Around others who were also serving over there they are very straight at least as much as their minds can be clear. Back then a teen to be pulled off the farm for 8 weeks or so of basic then tossed into that ridiculous mud hole of a country to get shot at?
It's a wonder any of them came back remembering what a fork and spoon were for.
Great guys who've earned more than respect.

Osky

I just had this conversation with my Dad and a friend of his last weekend. My dads friend who served in Vietnam two tours and my dad who served 18 months in country were talking about the friends brother and Vet benefits. His brother was drafted and served during Vietnam but was never in country. Both my dad as his friend considered the brother just as much a Vietnam veteran as anyone that served in country in the bush and under fire. Because he was designated a job and just as easily been sent to Vietnam he deserves any and all credit and benefits that a combat veteran deserves. If that is their view then that's good enough for me.

There are a great number of view on this subject, for me it is how the person that is a vet view themselves.

This ^^^^. I cant say it better.

VA has their definition and DOD has theirs. I think individuals also have their own opinions about individual circumstances.

While your colleague may have been legally correct, I personally believe it was a bit of resume enhancement.


Here's a different twist on the subject that also includes claims of 'service connected injuries' when dealing with VA. Apparently it isn't as cut and dried and it would seem.

https://www.hillandponton.com/combat-veterans-proving-combat-status-service-connection/

Does being a " combat veteran" make you a better lawyer? I usually only mention stuff in a job interview that is pertinent to the job. I rarely tell anybody my vet status. Most people are unaware and in the " don't need to know category".

Seems there has always been controversy over words. Wasn't there a controversy over some of the Merchant Marines in WW2 getting any benefits and after they got them many had already died from injury or old age?

Sounds like the woman used the term correctly, technically. I'd do the same thing if it was me. When your trying to get a job you're selling yourself. Why sell yourself short? She's probably proud of her service and rightly so.

I left for Army Reserve basic training the day we switched from desert shield to desert storm. There were nights I couldn't sleep because of guys crying like babies thinking they were going to have to go to war (drill Sargent's had lots of fun with that). They were just there to take advantage of the GI bill and obviously had no sense of Duty. I'd rather be around a strong patriotic woman attorney who served in any capacity than those guys, even if they did go on and unwillingly survive some combat.

Since the lady earned a law degree, she may have just been in the military to take advantage of the educational benefits?

Could be, but I just meant to show that everything's relative. Without knowing all the details it wouldn't be fair to assume the woman is somehow lesser than someone who may have actually been shot at. If the original poster misunderstood what "combat veteran" meant, that's on him not her. She used the term as defined by the Veterans Administration to accurately describe her military service to a potential employer.

This....

Since every member of the US military is a target for terrorists (ied's, suicide bombers, kidnapping, etc.)just being in a war zone would definitely qualify as combat. That's a pretty e-z conclusion to come too....

REMF's are NOT Combat Veterans! They were in the weeds/sand humping ammo, and brought back less than they took in.

I look at the same way. I was stationed in Northern Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf Crisis. I was a part time security policeman patrolling around the perimeter in a Hummer half the time and then ordering parts at the Demand Processing Tent for Supply the other half. We took SCUD Missle fire once. I hit the bunkers a couple of times here in there. I was in the Combat Zone, but once again in NO Way do I consider myself a combat veteran.