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

HELL NO!!! When some IDs me as a retiree, or sees my VETERAN license plate, they come up to me and say that phrase.

I respond with "...and THANK YOU for your support!"

I think it's important that those of us accepting the "thank yous" turn this thing around and tell people "thank you for your support and understanding..." They don't get that feedback from us Vets. They need to hear it, see it and know that we mean it from the center of our souls. Our Vietnam Vet brothers are now just recently getting that same sort of acknowledgement from citizens...and they should likewise say "You may or may not agreed with the war...but I thank you for your support to me and others in my lot."

They need to hear that. We need to hear that thanks. It never gets old...annoying sometimes, but never old. They are trying to be respectful and most cases thanking us for things they cannot or do not want to do.

Yes, it bothers me. I didn't ask for any thanks when I enlisted. I was serving for thanks or accolades. I don't need the civilian populace to kiss my backside. I would prefer that they thank us by electing leaders who aren't in such a big hurry to throw our lives away for no reason.

It bothers when when vets say it bothers them that people say "thank you for your service". If someone is genuinely thankful for your service and you aren't big enough to respect that because of your awkwardness, then that's your issue, not theirs. Instead of being hypersensitive over random shows of gratitude, maybe you should pin a sign to your shirt or write on your forehead what would be acceptable for people to say to you regarding your service. Whether or not you're proud of your service, or want to talk about, NEVER tell a thankful citizen that you don't like it when they express it. It's selfish and gives people a bad impression of all veterans.

Yeah, it does bother me! As a Nam vet, I really enjoyed being despised by the left! I intensely dislike the whole sniveling crowd that mumbles "Thank you". That phenom started when "Platoon" came out. Except for kids, they can stick their compliment where the sun don't shine.
My favorite expression, said by the Vietnamese whenever a patrol passed them "F***ing Marines"!

It usually bothers me to have some one thank me for my service. Its not that I don't appreciate the sentiment. It's just a driving factor in how I was raised. You don't go seeking recognition for the things you do. You just go out every day do what you can to make things a little better.

I don't have an issue with people thanking me for my service. I simply reply back to them "Thank you. It was an honor to serve." I believe someone thanking veterans is their sincere way of giving thanks to an individual who answered their nations call to defend it.

I say it all the time and I'm a fellow vet. Especially nowadays, as military service is voluntary, I feel anyone who hears the call and answers it, deserves the recognition.

Thanking me for my service is just fine unless something better comes down the pike. I'm a Veteran and served my country as best as I knew how, but those days are long gone. I hardly find it an insult to be thought of being put out to pasture only because that's where the studs go to produce the new line of warriors. With that said, I have found as of late more disrespect from ACTIVE duty service members thinking their way is the right way and that past warriors did it wrong. They don't understand what the Cold War was and don't consider it a "true" war. Grenada, Panama, the attempted rescue of the hostages from Iran don't even cross their radars which I find pathetic. Their total attention seems that Iraq or Afghanistan is all that matters and whatever happened in the past is irrelevant. This is what bothers me. Civilians only know what they see and try to be supportive but this new wave of "warriors" need to be taught their lineage and appreciate just who walked before them in battles long since past.

Me being from the Cold War era, 78-86, it makes me feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. I didn't do anything really, except work, PT, pulling CQ, going to the field, etc. Yes, I was injured, but injuries I recieved were not caused by war or any "enemy".
Yo Joe sounds good to me to just as a way to acknowledge that I once was a Soldier.

What I am hearing is "thank you for giving what many were unable or unwilling to give." Thank you for the risks that you have already taken and what you have sacrificed. I don't think that it in any way suggests that its time to retire - it is only a matter of recognizing what has already been given.