Hey my friend,
You're still a veteran, friend and brother no matter what you did while you served.
I asked the owner of the first company I worked at a question one day. I was the V.P. and C.O.O. He was a WW2 combat vet. An LT. I asked him where he was at over in Europe during the war and whose command was he under.
He told me General Patton. I asked if he ever saw The General.
He replied with a horse eating grin on his face, "where I was at, he didn't want to be. Heck, where I was at, I didn't want to be". And he was laughing.
Best employer I ever had. I really liked him a lot.
Sometimes we wind up on places we have no say or no control over. We just do the very best we can do and keep on going trusting that our superiors in rank know what they are doing.
Your service was every bit as vital as Major General Ribit or private 2nd class micro.....
Thank You SIR for your service! May God bless you richly my friend..