What if eating cheeseburgers was classified as a "violent crime"? What is considered by the law as violent and what is considered violent by ordinary people are two separate and distinct things. It sounds like you have your work cut out for you, convincing middle America about the difference between merely serving in the military, perhaps on U.S. soil, and being in a combat role. In fact, the distinction you made is akin to the distinction I made regarding the law.