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

I was told this when I was active duty as well as now when I am a Veteran. In both instances, I felt recognized and proud to have served. Don't look at this as a negative thing, but a postive one. Look at how horrible Vietnam Veterans were treated when returning home as compared to now. Have pride in your wearing of the uniform!

I have no problem hearing those words. In all honesty it is a bit humbling and I also gives a since of pride hearing those words. Personally it would tick me off a lot more if some civy walked up and said "Yo Joe," maybe because I am a Marine but to me that shows zero respect. I don't mind being called Marine (or even Jarhead as long it is by those that know me). I also go out of my way to thank those that have served before and after me as I appreciate the sacrifice they made for me.

It has been almost 33 years since the day I started basic, and I have been back in the civilian world for 22 years. In all that time, I accidentally let it slip one time I was a vet and the person thanked me for my service. I didn't know what to say. I didn't do anything special. I just did the best I could do when asked and without complaint. Don't really feel like I did anything that warrants being thanked.

Not at all. It is very refreshing after all the years when know one cared. It does bother me when people call me a hero though. I am not a hero I did my job the best I know how, for my men and my unit.

It reminds me of what they tell someone that's being forcibly retired or riffed in the corporate world, just as they're giving them a watch and sending them on their way.

It's such a small phrase, in an attempt to compensate for so much given, so much sacrificed, often uttered in a tone similar to "sorry for your loss."

I often hear it from the same people that seem to think that by volunteering at a soup kitchen or performing a semi tough civilian job puts them on the same level of service, contribution and sacrifice as someone that's served on active duty.

I'm sorry, what?

Ur a idiot. Being told thank u for ur service is something u shld be grateful for. People are saying thank you for the sacrfices u made for this country. Why shld that bother u. Makes no damn sense.

When I enlisted, I was an eighteen year old kid, wondering what I was gonna do with my life, trying to make the best decisions available to me at the time.
It's nice to hear, but I don't expect it and I'm always surprised when I hear it. I wear a small pin on my work badge, and I have my veteran license plates. That's enough for me :)

While I agree with SFC McMillion, it can be nice to hear . . . sometimes. When it becomes a reflexive "no content" response from someone at the VA, who's actually doing dick-all to solving a problem, then it gets really bloody annoying.

Yeah, when I first got off active duty in 1976, I got slapped in an airport bar because I was still in uniform. So, things today are an improvement.

Yes. I got thanked twice a month from disbursing. All this outpouring of gratitude of late seems a bit patronizing to me or patriating to them. Either way, it's not needed or deserved.