Finishing the Fight: Why US Veterans Volunteer in Ukraine

Would you volunteer to fight another nation’s war?

The answer from many US military veterans is “yes”.

Recently, hundreds of former military personnel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to put their lives on the line to help the Ukrainian people secure their freedom.

But why?

For the average civilian, risking your life for a foreign power may seem silly and dangerous.

However, for many veterans the action is representative of deeper needs. Several of which that can only be satisfied by actively participating in military conflict.

Combat Veterans and Veterans

There are two broad categories of veterans in US military service.

A veteran is anyone who served any length of time on active duty or in the National Guard or Reserve components of any branch of the military.

A combat veteran is someone who served in any theater deemed a contingency operation. Those who spent time sucking sand in Iraq or Afghanistan, for example, would qualify as combat veterans.

Although the line for what counts as a contingency is blurry and changes with the times, generally speaking any service member who…