What is a veteran?

 If you Google “What is a veteran?” the following comes up: “A veteran is a former member of the armed forces who served on active duty and received a discharge under conditions other than dishonorable, or a person with long experience in a specific occupation, skill or field.” 

If you ask a family member of a veteran, the answers will vary. Sure, the above definition is true.  At the same time, from the family’s point of view, a veteran is someone who has likely spent months, even years, away from them.  A person that may or may not be able to tell you exactly where they are when they go. A veteran is a voice on the other end of the phone. 

Long before cell phones, families could only communicate through the Military Affiliate Radio Service (MARS). The MARS Station overseas linked the radio transmission to a commercial telephone system in the States.   This was called a “phone patch.” Those calls were infrequent. You would have to say “Over” at the end of your sentence so the military personnel listening could flip a switch, so the other person knew it was their time to respond. That person had to say “over,” too, when they were done talking. 

A veteran has likely been stationed all over the United States and beyond. Depending on their MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) they could be putting their lives on the line every day even in “peace time.”  The airwing squadrons, those stationed on ships, live ammo exercises, water rescue, those stationed overseas, on embassy duty, the list goes on and on. Those serving in conflicts, at embassies, as peacekeepers, face danger every single day. 

A veteran is also their families. They are veterans by extension. The spouse that acts as two parents during deployment. The children who attend four, five or more schools from K-12th grade. The parents who worry about their daughter/son coming home. All of them that hold their breath if they see a dark sedan coming down their street. 

A veteran is a soldier that signed a check to give his life for the freedom of the country she/he will always love. A veteran will always stand for and protect the red, white and blue. Both foreign and domestic as long as they are breathing. 

A veteran will always protect people that are vulnerable.