Am I even still a veteran?

So I read a wonderful post by Eric Horton (You can check it out here, https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/ericchorton_shrm-employmentopportunities-jobs-activity-6702185555087675392-E0A_) and it got me thinking. I left the Navy in 2005 after 13 years of service. It is now 2020, 15 years after I got my DD214. I have now been out longer than I was in. Since the time that I got out, the world has changed, the military has changed, the Navy has changed, and I have changed. I am at a point where I can discuss my military experience to an active duty service personnel and they would probably look at me as if I had a third eye on my forehead or something.  

In some ways, I am jealous, Skillbridge programs, better assignment choices, soooooo many resources to make both my active duty and my transition experience easier and better. I work with those newly transitioned service members every day and even with all the differences in today's military and my military, I still see a lot of myself. That pride for having served. The love of old friends, some who have given all and some who haven't but transitioned long ago. The memories of foreign ports, different cultures, and beautiful places that I would never have heard of, let alone think I would even visit.  It is at that point that I know my place in the world. I am a veteran. I am a proud veteran. A lot older, a lot heavier, a lot less hair on my head, but every bit as proud as ever of my service and I reminded of it every day.