Veterans Are Not a Monolith — And We Need to Stop Treating Them Like One
- Katie Katz
- Mar 21
- 3 min read
Rewrite the Narrative | Victory Bridge
Walk into any room and ask someone to picture a veteran. Chances are, they’ll imagine a man — likely older, maybe wearing a ball cap with the name of a war stitched across it. Some might picture someone tough, stoic, or “hardened” by combat. Others may envision someone struggling silently with trauma. And far too often, they imagine every veteran looks, thinks, and acts the same.
They don’t.
The reality is this: there is no single story that defines the veteran experience.
Veterans are men and women of every race, religion, age, political background, and personal identity. Some served in combat; many did not. Some enlisted out of a family legacy; others joined for education, stability, or to escape difficult circumstances. Some leave the military and transition quickly into civilian life. Others face years of struggle.
All of them are individuals — and it’s time we start treating them that way.
The Myth of the “Standard Veteran”
Too often, society paints veterans with broad strokes. Whether it’s through media, hiring practices, or everyday assumptions, many people view veterans as a single group with a uniform background, belief system, or set of behaviors. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
For example:
Over 2 million U.S. veterans are women, and that number is growing. By 2040, women are expected to make up 18% of the total veteran population.
Veterans come from all walks of life — from urban centers to rural communities, from Ivy League classrooms to factory floors.
Many veterans never saw combat. In fact, about 40% of post-9/11 veterans never deployed to a combat zone. Their roles ranged from logistics to cybersecurity, from healthcare to engineering.
Veterans hold diverse political beliefs, faiths, and identities. No one perspective, party, or worldview represents them all.
When we treat veterans as a monolith, we erase the very diversity that defines them.
The Impact of Assumptions
Assumptions about veterans aren’t just inaccurate — they’re harmful. They affect:
Employment: Hiring managers may overlook qualified veterans because they don’t fit a narrow image of what a veteran “should” be.
Healthcare: Stereotypes can influence how veterans are treated or misdiagnosed.
Everyday interactions: From awkward comments to outright bias, these assumptions create distance instead of connection.
For instance, many female veterans report being overlooked or questioned about their service. One common experience: being thanked for supporting a veteran husband — when they themselves wore the uniform.
Younger veterans — especially those who don’t fit the visual cues society expects — often hear, “You don’t look like a veteran.” What does that mean, exactly? And why do we cling so tightly to outdated images?
Why This Matters Now
As a society, we are at a turning point. With fewer Americans having direct ties to military service than ever before, the civilian-military divide continues to grow. If we continue to rely on simplified images and stereotypes, we lose the opportunity to build genuine understanding.
And understanding is essential — not just to honor service, but to support the reintegration, mental health, and dignity of those who served.
At Victory Bridge, we’re committed to changing the narrative — not with slogans, but with facts, stories, and action. This campaign isn’t about glorifying or pitying veterans. It’s about seeing them as people first — with full, complex, individual lives.
What You Can Do
You don’t have to be a veteran to make a difference. Here’s how anyone can help dismantle the monolith:
Challenge stereotypes when you hear them.
Ask questions respectfully — and listen without assumptions.
Understand the range of roles in the military. Not every vet is infantry.
Support veteran-owned businesses, leaders, and storytellers from diverse backgrounds.
Stop treating “veteran” as a personality type. It’s a chapter in someone’s life — not their entire identity.
Veterans are not a monolith. They are not mascots, tropes, or symbols.They are individuals — and they deserve to be seen as such.
Together, we can close the gap and change the conversation.Let’s rewrite the narrative.
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