Please don't thank me for my service???

[stratos201]

I'm at a complete loss here... Maybe I should be more "open minded" to a difference of opinion. I never served but am DEFINITLY thankful to those that did and I routinely thank them for their service and sacrifice. Reading the feedback that a service man/women doesn’t want to be thanked and feels that the “thank you” is so cheap actually aggravates me. It’s almost as if you can’t do anything right. If you thank them your cheap, or if you don’t “they” don’t understand what I did for my country. My first thought was well if you did it just for the job then why wear the hat, shirt or whatever that displays your past. Again I’m actually aggravated and confused at what I read. Think about it this way, if someone is going out of their way to say thank you, it shouldn’t be considered cheap, they’re taking their time and putting forth the effort… Man, this world kills me!

 

[biker_bill]

Really odd thread in my opinion.

The Vietnam vets were never thanked, but instead insulted and appreciate a long overdue thank you.

Now some of the younger vets don't want a thank you for one reason or the other.
I wonder if they would feel differently 30 years from now, if they were insulted and spit on at the airport when they returned?

It won't matter to me, I'll always be thankful that when I got out, somebody else took my place.
It was a job that needed doing.
I'll continue to say thank you and if someone wants to consider it insincere or be insulted by it, have at it.
There is no way to really let those few guys know, how it felt to be on the other side of the coin.

 

[EugenFJR]

For what its worth, I remember seeing this on a tee shirt at a PX in Ft.Knox... 11% of the US population served in WWII, 4.5% served in Vietnam, 0.45% have served in the Global War on Terror (2001-2014) I just think its interesting how few have served vs the population in the US, in a war that is 14 years old. Of course, the number's could be off...

 

[righter13]

DD214 discharge

Yeah.... I know what it means. Being AGR I have a couple 214's

 

[Soberhunter]

I guess is all a matter of raising and experience. I am a vet, did four for the Navy in the late 70’s. My daddy, brother, uncles, and nephews are all vets or active. Pretty much all of my male family members dating back to the revolution served. Some four and out and some forever. I had an uncle I never got to meet as he was KIA the day after D-Day. I do not advertise that I served, not embarrassed, not ashamed, it is just what my family does.

I always try to recognize the military and will continue to do so, not to embarrass you or make you feel weird. I try not to make a fuss over it; I just want you to know that someone recognizes the sacrifice you and your family have made.

I am, and will always be, grateful to our men and women in the armed services.

Thank you

 

[chucklenut]

I'm at a complete loss here... Maybe I should be more "open minded" to a difference of opinion. I never served but am DEFINITLY thankful to those that did and I routinely thank them for their service and sacrifice. Reading the feedback that a service man/women doesn’t want to be thanked and feels that the “thank you” is so cheap actually aggravates me. It’s almost as if you can’t do anything right. If you thank them your cheap, or if you don’t “they” don’t understand what I did for my country. My first thought was well if you did it just for the job then why wear the hat, shirt or whatever that displays your past. Again I’m actually aggravated and confused at what I read. Think about it this way, if someone is going out of their way to say thank you, it shouldn’t be considered cheap, they’re taking their time and putting forth the effort… Man, this world kills me!

everyone is different, just do you and have a positive attitude i guess

 

[NY63]

I get it. An empty "thank you" is like a forced apology; meaningless. Especially coming from someone who didn't serve and wouldn't serve (in the military).

 

[Sneakypete]

If you really want to thank someone, thank the wives and family of those of us who served. Their sacrifice to support us on both sides of the pond is rarely recognized and deserves much more recognition and gratitude from a grateful nation.

Very true, the wives and family rarely get any recognition for their sacrifice .

 

[rOmiLaYu]

I am obviously late to this thread. I say "thank you" to the Vets I encounter because I am thankful not only for their service, but that they decided to serve. As one who did not have a choice on whether to serve or not, (no, Candada was not an option) it is gratifying to see those who have chosen to serve our country. I often wonder whether I would have served if I had a choice. I don't know, different times. So you younger Vets, or those presently serving, I am going to say to you "thank you". I hope you will try and understand why.

As always, JWC, good perspective.

 

[kuduboss]

We've gone from grateful to aggravated and unnecessary to cheap in 9 pages. Imagine going from Vietnam to Desert Storm. The pendulum has completely swung in the opposite direction and we've realized what a terrible mistake we made and typically over react. Almost 20 years passed and no one has felt obliged to thank me for my service and I'm fine with that. It wasn't necessary. Honest. Now then, after OEF, everybody and his brother wants to welcome me home and thank me. I'm not insulted, I'm not ungrateful, I'm gun shy. What happened?
Every year we have a reunion somewhere for the vets that did one specific thing in country. I didn't attend much back then but our little club is getting smaller and smaller. Missed seeing some good friends because they died after their tour. 30 years ago it was a drunken riot and we'd tear the place down. Nowadays it's like a bunch of old fat guys at a science teacher convention. A few years back, we invited another old fat singer from the 60's to be the entertainment for the banquet. When Eric Burdon and what's left of the "Animals" hit that first note of "We gotta get outa this place", 2500 old men jumped to their feet and sang it word for word as loud as they could with tears in their eyes. Really, you don't have to thank me. If you feel like doing something, go to Walter Reed and take a couple wounded young guys to the mall and let them buy some cloths and a decent meal. They need it, we're good.