In many instances military personal posses skills that better serve our country in "safe" areas. The fact is that all military personnel have offered their lives and skills to serve the United States in where ever or whatever capacity they are ultimately assigned.
I am a official veteran of both WWII and the Korean War. However, I saw no combat in WWII since I was in training at a "boot camp" and later in training at a service school where I was serving when the fighting ended in 1945. However Congress declared that individuals on active duty up to and including December 31, 1946 were veterans of WWII and as such are entitled to all benefits accruing to WWII veterans. Therefore I am a veteran of WWII with the same benefits as someone who was in a combat zone for the entire period of WWII. It must be recognized that there is a vast difference between a COMBAT veteran and a veteran who happened to be service during a period established by Congress that entitles a service person to be designated a veteran.
I actually served in a Korean combat area and have the Korean Medal with two battle stars that I earned while serving my country.
On a personal level, I believe that every individual that served their country honorably during time of war, either in combat or at an assigned "safe" area is certainly entitled to be called a veteran. We are not veterans because someone shot at us, but we are veterans because we served this nation in whatever capacity and at whatever location our Commanding Officers saw fit to assign us to serve.
I am and highly honored to shake anyone's hand and thank them for their service in whatever capacity they may have served. All who defend our country in whatever location is entitled to be know as a "veteran".