Does it bother you to hear "Thank you for your service!"?

I generally blush, and thank them for their support.

For years I was uncomfortable with the comment and not sure how to respond. I realized it was my honor to serve. My response now is, "it was an honor to serve you and our great country". " thank you for your support

Another thought...

There are only so many ways and things to say to let a veteran or military serviceperson know that you are thankful. While you may hear it often, you are hearing from people who have probably never said it to you before. Ever. They mean well. They don't know.

If nobody said anything and just took us all for granted, we would be complaining about their lack of appreciation and indifference to our service.

I guess it is not so bad to hear a “thank you for your service”…even if said automatically and somewhat lacking sincerity. However, wait a while, history has a tendency to repeat, it’s quite possible another unpopular war/event breaks out and just like those who sadly never got thanked or appreciated in the past upon returning home we could find ourselves once again getting the looks, and not-so-nice comments instead of a “thank you for your service”.

“Neither let us be slandered from our duty by false accusations against us, nor frightened from it by menaces of destruction to the government nor of dungeons to ourselves. Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us to the end dare to do our duty as we understand it.” —President Abraham Lincoln

Not at all. I remember when soldiers were spat upon and worse. The first time that I was in a diner and a lady marched up to our table and thanked us all for serving our country, I nearly fell off my chair! I served many long hours and my family sacrificed as I did. I will never get tired hearing it.

Being a Vietnam ERA veterans it sounds strange and belated, but I know people are trying to thank us for our service. But I feel like it don't relate to veterans of past wars. We are not in the mix. Take the USMC, I were a veteran who served in Vietnam, never got a Vietnam Service Ribbon, today it is said that Marines that went on operations during Operation: End Sweep is not desiring of even the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM), the Vietnam Service Medal is no longer issued. When you are cheated out of valor and served your country to the best of your ability, and the USMC say you haven't done anything, how are we suppose to feel when the Marine Corps have listed us as nothing.

I, actually, appreciate the thought. It was much different 40+ years ago when I came home. My answer to those kind folks is always the same. "It was my honor and privilege, and I would do it again." My wife and I were in a Shoney's in Cartersville, GA having a Sunday buffet breakfast. When the server took our order, I ask for the check since many times they leave the check when you have the buffet. She said "no check, a gentleman took care of it in appreciation of your service. I was wearing my USAF Veteran hat. I looked around and saw another Air Force Vet wearing a hat with USAF on it. He was by himself. I got his bill from the server and paid it forward for him. Sometimes people surprise you. We wanted to have him join us but he was leaving after he paid his check. He came over and we spoke for a couple of minutes. He was a Korean War Vet. We talked like brothers. God Bless him. I have noticed that since the first Gulf War, people seem to have more respect for us. So when someone says "Thank you for your service", I take is as the appreciative comment it is.

I grew to know how to respond. It took some time though.

I used to really resent it because of the treatment I got when I returned home from Vietnam. But, I have been going to group therapy at the small VA clinic where I live. I live in rural
Arizona and it is sparsely populated, my group has seven members, a close knit group. They have helped me me put it aside. The people who tell me that are really sincere, and should be respected for offering their thanks. So, in other words, get over it.

Personally I enjoy hearing the recognition expecially coming from another Vet that is older. Being a female specially a female in the engineering field made for some tough stereo types to over come, I would like to believe that everyone has come a long way from that way if thinking, but to be honest it didn't and doesn't surprise me because it only takes one grape to spoil a batch. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to prove to my fellow male shipmates that I was actually there to work.

To hear someone recognize me with "thanks for you service" brings me back to a really proud time in life. The memories of my shipmates and the fun we had, the trials we over came and the bonds that we built. And to hear those words from a fellow vet makes you feel like your still part of something great, something with honor and integrity and tradition!