Who is a veteran?

Veteran usually refers to a person who served in the military or armed forces, particularly in times of war or conflict, but can also denote someone with extensive experience in other fields, roles or positions. The term first appeared in 1,500 A.D. to describe old and experienced soldiers.

According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, a veteran is anyone who was an active-duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces and served with honor. Discharged service members are veterans as long as the discharge conditions were honorable, general or resulted from service-related disabilities, whether physical or psychological.