Situation:
Out drinking with some friends and the bar was doing some stuff for Veterans and military. More or less just people who had family got discounts on food, free shots or pints, that sort of stuff. Before the karoke started, they had gone through some of the crowd to ask them who they knew that was a veteran that sort of thing. I answered my sister (who was not with us, as she is stationed on base in VA). They asked her rank, I replied she's an MD with a rank of 2nd Lt. Commander in the navy.
Apparently this sparked some random dude's scorn and opprobrium. He came up to me and my pals saying that she is not a vet nor should ever be considered one since she never sees combat, nor would she as a medical doctor. My response was that regardless of whether or not she carries a gun (which they give a choice and she opted not to with the hippocratic oath and all), saw any war time, she is serving her country and when she exits the military she is and should be considered a veteran. She also sees and patches up the guys who are blown up from IEDs while in the hot zones. Her particular speciality is Gastroenterology, since so many of the guys now have problems from not just the stress and food, but also actual trauma caused by driving over IEDs and having half of your digestive tract blow off. She has been deloyed to Gitmo, Afganistan, and Iraq, totaling 5 times, and in fact just returned from a 9 month stint in Germany at the rehab base.
His response was still that since she never gets fired at or fires a gun, it discludes her from the title "vet". What is worse, a bunch of random people in the bar also agree with his stance, though not so strongly and loudly. Many people side with me, it starts to get ugly, bar kicks me and my pals out, the other dude and his pals, then calls the cops. we were driving off as cops were showing up.
I couldn't beleive so many people thought you have to be in combat to be a vet and that a medical doctor in the service isn't as "brave or honorable" way to serve your country as combat postions.
In any case, I am home now at 8 pm, and think I will just call it a night and count my blessings dude didn't hit me in the head over this. Thanks for letting me vent ATOT.
Out drinking with some friends and the bar was doing some stuff for Veterans and military. More or less just people who had family got discounts on food, free shots or pints, that sort of stuff. Before the karoke started, they had gone through some of the crowd to ask them who they knew that was a veteran that sort of thing. I answered my sister (who was not with us, as she is stationed on base in VA). They asked her rank, I replied she's an MD with a rank of 2nd Lt. Commander in the navy.
Apparently this sparked some random dude's scorn and opprobrium. He came up to me and my pals saying that she is not a vet nor should ever be considered one since she never sees combat, nor would she as a medical doctor. My response was that regardless of whether or not she carries a gun (which they give a choice and she opted not to with the hippocratic oath and all), saw any war time, she is serving her country and when she exits the military she is and should be considered a veteran. She also sees and patches up the guys who are blown up from IEDs while in the hot zones. Her particular speciality is Gastroenterology, since so many of the guys now have problems from not just the stress and food, but also actual trauma caused by driving over IEDs and having half of your digestive tract blow off. She has been deloyed to Gitmo, Afganistan, and Iraq, totaling 5 times, and in fact just returned from a 9 month stint in Germany at the rehab base.
His response was still that since she never gets fired at or fires a gun, it discludes her from the title "vet". What is worse, a bunch of random people in the bar also agree with his stance, though not so strongly and loudly. Many people side with me, it starts to get ugly, bar kicks me and my pals out, the other dude and his pals, then calls the cops. we were driving off as cops were showing up.
I couldn't beleive so many people thought you have to be in combat to be a vet and that a medical doctor in the service isn't as "brave or honorable" way to serve your country as combat postions.
In any case, I am home now at 8 pm, and think I will just call it a night and count my blessings dude didn't hit me in the head over this. Thanks for letting me vent ATOT.
