The common convention is to use the phrase “Vietnam Vet” for those that were in country and/or saw combat during the war. The phrase “Vietnam Era Vet” is commonly used to denote those who served but were not in country and did not see combat.
Perhaps Nathan does not understand the difference?
/sarc
Years ago, I worked with a guy who had a slightly crazed uncle who’d spent maybe six weeks in the Marines. The Marines let him go because of mental issues. The thing was that he went in around the last couple of months that the war was underway. A decade after this event, the slightly crazed uncle (probably due to Paranoid Schizophrenia) had adapted to a Vietnam vet wardrobe...he had some storyline of getting finished with boot-camp and getting shipped off to Nam. In his mind, he believed all of this (wasn’t a hoax or intentional).
I look at Nathan Phillips and kinda wonder if maybe he might be a nutcase who just took this onto the next level.
Copy your /sarc, but I'm sure that Nathan is banking on most people not understanding the difference.