A question for other veterans

[Hard-Cider]

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Hey SDN, long time listener, first time caller.

This is really a question for other veterans out there, but feel free to chime in regardless. I'm just looking for perspective.

My experience serving was non-standard, although I have an honorable discharge.

I spent 2.5 years as a naval officer in flight school, and I medically DQed a month before earning my Wings. I did pretty well in flight school, never UNSAT-ed a flight.

I was honorably discharged at 24, now I'm 26, and have been pretty succesful since I got out, but I have been getting the itch to pursue medicine as a career. (A few of the Navy docs actually suggested I think about it when they were DQing me.)

I don't really consider myself a veteran. I've got some close friends that have deployed and I've also lost friends, so telling people I'm a veteran when I never deployed and spent my whole time in a training commands feels phony.

Should I even mention being a veteran in applications? As I've been in the civilian workforce I've realized serving really gave me a huge advantage over my peers professionally, and screwed my head on straight. But I just don't feel like I deserve the veteran label.

Thanks,
Hard-Cider

 

[HopefulPilot]

Yes, you are a veteran. I’m sure there are many experienced during flight school that you could give as examples leadership/lessons learned/etc that have molded you into the person you are now.

Don’t dismiss your experiences or the value found in them!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

First of all, when asked if you served you are required to answer yes regardless of whether you “feel” like a veteran. Second, it is not your fault that you got medically DQed and then discharged before you had a chance to deploy. You signed on the dotted line just like the rest of us with the knowledge that you would likely go into danger. That’s good enough for me.

Just be honest about your service. The people who get eye rolls are getting them not because they call themselves vets, but because they try to exaggerate their service. You have a lot of unique experiences you can draw from even just from flight school!

 

[MusicDOc124]

Plenty of people also join in various jobs who don't deploy during their entire careers. What you're feeling is understandable, but you're still a veteran. You're a vet unless you've essentially been dishonorably discharged/deserted in my eyes.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Plenty of people also join in various jobs who don't deploy during their entire careers. What you're feeling is understandable, but you're still a veteran. You're a vet unless you've essentially been dishonorably discharged/deserted in my eyes.

Or you were processed out before qualifying for veteran status. Then you're not (technically) a veteran simply because you weren't in long enough. I don't disparage their attempt at service, but I'm not calling someone who got processed out in the first two weeks of boot camp a veteran lol.

 

[MusicDOc124]

Or you were processed out before qualifying for veteran status. Then you're not (technically) a veteran simply because you weren't in long enough. I don't disparage their attempt at service, but I'm not calling someone who got processed out in the first two weeks of boot camp a veteran lol.

My post assumed the basic qualifications were met lol

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

My post assumed the basic qualifications were met lol

lol I know. It might not be so prevalent with the Marines, but there are a bunch of people kicked out of Navy boot camp that claim to be vets to get girls and ****. Obviously that's not OP lol.

 

[RNtoMD87]

As long as you completed your training you are technically a veteran, deployment doesn't matter.

My last ex's dad was a navy bootcamp washout for using pot. Always calls himself the "Cajun Navy Admiral" and I always thought he was a real vet. Once I found out the truth, I had to call him out on it every time. Stolen valor mfer.

Also can't stand fobbits who come home somehow a war hero. Must have been some crazy dangerous paperwork.

 

[PeleHonuaMea]

You're a vet, and you have to click the "yes" option when asked on your AMCAS application 🙂.

 

[BC_89]

Hey SDN, long time listener, first time caller.

This is really a question for other veterans out there, but feel free to chime in regardless. I'm just looking for perspective.

My experience serving was non-standard, although I have an honorable discharge.

I spent 2.5 years as a naval officer in flight school, and I medically DQed a month before earning my Wings. I did pretty well in flight school, never UNSAT-ed a flight.

I was honorably discharged at 24, now I'm 26, and have been pretty succesful since I got out, but I have been getting the itch to pursue medicine as a career. (A few of the Navy docs actually suggested I think about it when they were DQing me.)

I don't really consider myself a veteran. I've got some close friends that have deployed and I've also lost friends, so telling people I'm a veteran when I never deployed and spent my whole time in a training commands feels phony.

Should I even mention being a veteran in applications? As I've been in the civilian workforce I've realized serving really gave me a huge advantage over my peers professionally, and screwed my head on straight. But I just don't feel like I deserve the veteran label.

Thanks,
Hard-Cider

I concur with everyone else. Whether you Feel it or not, your a veteran. On any application that asks, always put “yes.”