When someone says “Veteran,” what image comes to mind? An older gentleman wearing a ball cap covered in service pins? Maybe someone who served in combat, has a visible injury, or regularly attends Veterans events. None of those images are wrong, but none of them define the whole Veteran community.
Veterans are women and men, young and old, and come from every branch, occupation, hometown, and walk of life. Some served overseas, and others never left the United States. Some served during war and others during peacetime. Some proudly wear their military service on a hat or license plate; others rarely mention it.
The same is true of disabled Veterans. A service-connected disability does not have a required appearance. A person may be young, active, working full time, and still live with significant physical or mental health conditions related to military service. I have written before that not all wounds are visible. That remains worth repeating.
Assumptions can create unintended barriers. A woman should not have to explain that she—not her husband—is the Veteran. A younger Veteran should not have to justify having Veteran license plates. Someone walking normally into a store may still have a serious disability. Sometimes the person you assume is the spouse, caregiver, or family member is actually the Veteran standing in front of you. Likewise, a Veteran who never deployed to a combat zone should not have to defend the value of his or her service.
This does not mean every person who served qualifies for every Veteran benefit. Benefit programs have specific legal eligibility requirements involving factors such as type and length of service, duty status, discharge, disability, income, or other circumstances. Those determinations belong to the agency administering the benefit—not to the person standing nearby making assumptions.
As Veterans Day approaches, I plan to spend the next few weeks looking at the many different people and experiences contained within the word “Veteran.”
There is no single Veteran appearance, generation, occupation, duty station, or story. When in doubt, skip the stereotype and avoid assumptions. Better yet, ask about their service if they are comfortable sharing it. You may learn something.
Flu Shot Reminder: Minneapolis VA Health Care is offering flu vaccines to enrolled Veterans. Walk-in clinics are scheduled at all CBOCs on October 22, October 29, and November 5 from 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Brad Anderson and Melissa Crandall are the Lake County Veterans Service Officers and can be reached at 218.834.8326 or Vets@LakeCountyMN.gov
Karen Christianson is the Cook County Veterans Service Officer and can be reached at 218.387.3639, or karen.christianson@cookcountymn.gov
