The not always visible

A little bit ago I saw a post by a fellow female veteran that really bothered me.  She is now a military spouse and happens to be pregnant.  For those who aren't familiar - most commissaries have early bird shopping available for the disabled.  Given that she is a disabled veteran, she took advantage of that time, but it wasn't a good experience. She received dirty looks like she didn't belong there at that time. 

I happen to belong to the same group she does... someone who is a disabled veteran because of a back injury that is a direct result of service to our country.  For me, this is already a sore subject because I feel like the 'invisible wounds' aren't acknowledged as much as they should be.  Yes, I still have all my limbs, no, I don't have any shrapnel scars - but I'm constantly in pain because of a back injury that can't be fixed.  Most days if you saw me walking down the street, you wouldn't look at me and think I was a veteran and you wouldn't think I was disabled.  I'm proud like that...  I walk with my head held high because I'm proud of my time in service.  I'm proud to be part of less then the 1% that have worn the uniform.  I'm proud of my tours to Iraq, and knowing that even though when people hear I was a soldier and happen to be a female - that I didn't fall in the typical role they tend to associate female soldiers with. 

I guess my point is that you can't always judge a book by their cover.  Don't look at me and assume because I'm a spouse that I really don't understand the military - I wore the uniform and happened to have been the same MOS as my husband, I understand more about the military than you will ever know.  Don't look at me and assume that because I'm a female veteran that I spent all my military time in an office - I manned a machine gun in the back of a Blackhawk helicopter my first deployment and I was a MEDEVAC crew chief my second deployment.  Don't look at me and assume that just because I don't look like there is anything wrong with me that there isn't - I suffer daily from constant back pain, post concussive disorder (TBI), and PTSD. 

Bottom line - if you don't know, don't assume...