Common misperceptions about men and women in uniform can have harmful effects -- just ask a vet.
Judging from a 2012 survey by veterans advocacy group The Mission Continues, civilians have a lot to learn about those who've served in the armed forces. Civilians, for example, believe many more young vets have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and abuse drugs and alcohol than actually do, and also perceive vets as less educated (which couldn't be further from the truth).
So it may not be surprising that vets get asked insensitive, ignorant and flat-out ridiculous questions from time to time.
HuffPost Impact teamed up with Got Your 6, a nationwide campaign advocating on behalf of veterans, and asked those who've served in the the military, "What's the one question you wish people would stop asking you?"
From the hundreds of photos and comments veterans shared with us, these are a few of our favorites:
"'Did you fight?' The military isn't all about fighting and wars. In the Coast Guard, our main mission was protecting the homeland, including the environment, marine mammals and people (search and rescue). Even our counter-drug and anti-terrorism efforts were well-coordinated and never involved all-out battle. The military is much more diverse in scope than many give it credit for." -Marcel Wormsley
"Oh you were in the military? I bet you're a Republican." -David Sears
"You aren't really a veteran, since you didn't see actual combat, right?" -Harold Jennings
"YOU are a Marine?" -Diane Sollers
"When people tell me I'm 'so lucky' that the Army is paying for school via my G.I. Bill. I did enlist, serve five years and deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan, but I guess none of that counts as me paying for my education." -Kimberly Renteria Dix
"As an ex-submariner I often get, 'Did you see a lot of fish down there?' (U.S. submarines don't have portholes, people.)" -Kevin Shepherd
#VetsSpeakOut @HuffPostImpact pic.twitter.com/uN0NhoUls8
� Mark (@_markfranklin) November 7, 2014
"'Wow. You don't look like you are disabled. What's wrong with you?' Disabilities aren't always black and white. It's not always a missing arm or leg. Sometimes the ones you can't see are the worst ones of all. Vets have a hard time talking about these. They suffer needlessly in silence until it is too late. We lose multiple brothers and sisters to suicide every day. These silent disabilities will kill us off quicker than most." -Jessica Ramsaran
"'You're [too] pretty to be in the military.' So should I just be a spouse or stay-at-home mom -- some trophy wife instead?" -Mary Corrales
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