Salute to Veterans: Merced Marine modest about his service

Central Valley native Navpreet Singh Sandher served four years in the Marine Corps, including a seven-month tour in Afghanistan in 2011.

Sandher, 23, who joined the Corps in 2008 at age 17, graduated from Merced’s Golden Valley High School in 2009. Sandher said he doesn’t believe the seven months he spent in Afghanistan qualifies him as “a hero.” A quiet, private man, Sandher acknowledged feeling uncomfortable when people thank him for his service.

“Personally, I’d rather not have it said. I just don’t really like that kind of attention. And, plus, it’s an all-volunteer force. It was something I did because it was something I wanted to do,” Sandher said. “I just don’t consider myself a hero. I don’t really feel like I did anything that significant; anything on a larger scale that would make it heroic.”

Sandher, who left the Marine Corps in 2013, said he does appreciate the sentiment, despite being uneasy about the compliments.

“I just say ‘thank you,’ because I really don’t feel like I can say ‘you’re welcome,’ when people thank you for your service,” he said. “Military service is a unit. It’s not an individual thing; you’re part of a group. I guess if I were to say ‘you’re welcome,’ it would be on behalf of my whole company.”

Sandher said he’s “grateful” he never saw combat and, for the most part, enjoyed his time in the service.

He said he enjoys Veterans Day because it “brings the community together.”

“I think there’s a lot of guilt-tripping that goes on when people say, ‘Oh, Veterans Day isn’t about barbecue,’ because I think it is about barbecue or whatever else people do to celebrate and have the day off,” he said. “I think people should just understand and appreciate the reason for coming together and having a barbecue. I have a barbecue with my friends and we enjoy the day off. People should enjoy the day off.”

Most of all, Sandher said, he hopes the veterans themselves take the time to appreciate their experiences and to take the time to help each other out.

“If you are a veteran and you’re going through a (bad) experience, always reach out to us. We have to help each other,” Sandher said. “And if you know of a veteran who’s struggling, please reach out to them. Help them. That might just change a life forever.”

This story was originally published November 10, 2014 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Salute to Veterans: Merced Marine modest about his service."