He was an Armed Service Committee member. Does that count?
I sort of remembered it that way. WV is the most patriotic state in the nation, the way I see it. I had four uncles retire from the military and still have one Uncle who is MIA. My brother also retired as a Warrant after 28 years and my cousin's hubby retired a full bird colonel out of the Marines about 10 years ago.
Me, personally, I took my brother's advice in a letter from Vietnam that I not try to trip over my lottery number in 1971 to 'do something'.
Byrd was like a lot of the politicians in WV. And Rockefeller, whom I have met both professionally and socially when our boys were born on the same day, is, to me, the true definition of a 'carpetbagger'.
I've got a couple of other relatives who will vote for every Democrat who ever runs. That's how it works 'in the holler'.
If he didn’t wear the uniform of one of the services, being on the Armed Forces Committee does not give him veteran status. However, because he was in the Senate he gets honors all the same..flag draped coffin etc..sickening isn’t it for one of his background.