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

Yes

I am grateful when the young people say it because they have been taught by someone. Better than what we got when we came home. I respond with Thanks for your support.

The ones who spit at us are the same kind (maybe even the same ones) who attacked Henry Kissinger the other day.

It doesn't bother me at all, although it does make me feel odd for hearing it because I merely see my service as a flightline/ISO crew chief who didn't really do anything heroic.

Actually, it does not bother me at all. It sure would have been nice to hear it in 60s/70s. I simply respond with thank You.

Yes. First of all, in defending the nation, I am doing what I should do as a citizen. Why should I be thanked for doing my duty? Second, when I was growing up, my father and most of the men of his generation were WW II and Korea veterans. Then there were lots of Vietnam veterans around. Then I and many of my friends joined & served. The older generation defended me when I couldn't defend myself, then I defended them when they were too old to defend themselves. Who was supposed to thank who? Third, when someone who hasn't served thanks me, I get the feeling that they are just trying to assuage their guilt for not having served.

Not really, I just say thank you and be polite.

Bottom line is, anyone that did not serve will never really understand what we went through. Some went through a lot more than others, but do I get tired of hearing it? hell no. I am very proud that I served my country and people who make that comment are perhaps trying in their own way to understand what we went through or perhaps they feel regret that THEY did not step up when they had the chance. I don't feel that it makes me feel "feeble" an any way...on the contrary, my service made me strong, made me savvy, helped prepare me for the rest of life and helped me rise to the top and feel like nothing else in life could ever get me down after what I went through.
Embrace it, own it and appreciate it...be PROUD to have served, be PROUD to be a Vet!

For all you Vietnam era Vets, you guys had it worse than any American military after you came home and I would personally like to say to you "Thanks for your Service!"

I don't like it either. It puts me in the spot and makes me something I'm not. Almost like they'd take it back if they knew I never had to carry a weapon and the like.

Whenever I am greeted with "thank you for your service", I answer back, Did you serve? More times than not they are not Veterans. When I hear the reply of NO, I ask "Why didn't you serve"? It leaves them dumbfounded and I smile and walk away. Veterans are a special breed. When I hear non military folks speak of the Military, it really pisses me off that they THINK they knew what we went through, what we saw and how we persevered through triumph and tragedy. Even our Commander in Chief has no freaking clue about Military life.

I get tired of the statement because in a lot of cases I think people are told to say that when they recognize a veteran. For example, TSA at airport security check-in's. And hearing other retirees say Thank You For Your Service seems odd for some reason.