What is a Veteran?

I found a sentence that, with minor modification, describes a Veteran perfectly. In three key concepts.

"A Veteran is a non-obligated leader who serves the community at their pleasure and whose personal service and continued leadership are vital to community success."

Break it down.

1. A non-obligated leader...

2. Who serves the community at their pleasure...

3. And whose personal service and continued leadership are vital to community success.

Now unpack it.

• A veteran is a leader. They know what leadership is because they have served "in" or "under" leadership. It may have been good (what TO do) or not good (what NOT TO do), but every rank in every service posesses some type of leadership responsibility.

• A "non-obligated leader" is a person who has honorably fulfilled their military duty and owes the government and nation nothing more. In fact, the government and nation owe them... expressed in abiding gratitude and appreciation, along with the benefits and services that the nation promised them for their service.

• To serve the community means that a Veteran's military experience guides their citizenship. It makes them a neighbor and friend, and a person to rely on when things get tough. Having the served the nation, Veterans are inherently equipped to serve their community, whether that is their buddies, their neighborhood, their church, or running for public office.

• To serve "at their pleasure" simply means that they don't serve because they "have to," (not obligated, remember?) but because they "want to." It's their choice. What they do, how much they do, and how they do it are up to them. Some join a Veteran Service Organization like the American Legion, the VFW, or any of the wonderful groups that bring Veterans together in comraderie. Others do nothing. [Not wise (IMO), but their choice!]

• And that leadership and service matters to us all. It is vital. Necessary. It makes a positive difference in the lives of people who may never serve in uniform, but share the responsibilites of shared citzenship in community.

THAT is a Veteran!