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

One of my observations is it has come and gone and come back again. IN WWII we as a nation were more of less minding our own business when we were attacked (Pearl Harbor) That ticked off the American people, and they rallied behind the troops and the war effort big time. The war was won, and they were heroes. Then Korea was just a clean up of some late comers to the war.. Afterwards, Lots of years of peace and growth expansion.
Fast forward to Vietnam. The political atmosphere was to stop Communism before it reached this country, and we arrogant American politicians were going to show the French who was in Vietnam for years and didn't get anywhere, how it's supposed to be done So sending off our soldiers to another country to fight it was the idea.
Problem was we as a nation were in so long of a peace. We were not attacked. Merely one day after high school, your best friend disappears, is in the military, and sent to another country and for what? Next thing you know he's home in a casket. And for what? Rumors of baby killers, this country going thru the "Hippy" generation, "Give peace a chance" thing, a soldier didn't dare wear the uniform or acknowledge he was one, yet the military insisted we travel in uniform. Yelled at, cursed and spit at.
Equally frustrating is when I got to Vietnam, you shot when fired upon and asked questions later. Shortly after that you had to get a major or above in the chain of command to give you permission. I lost a buddy waiting on permission. After that I told them, next time I'll just ask for forgiveness.
9/11 came. We were attacked on our own mainland shore. Again the majority of Americans rally around the troops. We "won"; " Mission Accomplished" only started, didn't finish things. We were being successful, till it has dragged on and on, and political agenda ties the hands of the soldier in doing the job he was trained to do, then they become glorified urban baby sitters.
It is extremely hard to go from being a member of the military during and shortly after the Vietnam War being shunned and cursed at all these years, to now being acknowledged and thanked for the service. It almost feels like a hollow saying without meaning; more of for the person saying it, making them feel better under the guilt of not saying it all those years.
But it was my honor and privilege to serve this great country, regardless on how the "sheeple" feel.. Most will never understand.. But it seems I am getting used to it. And I thank them for supporting the soldiers.

My response is always the same. "It was my pleasure".

It does sort of bother me since I "volunteered" because I was drafted in 1965 as I finished my internship and the Army needed lots of docs. After several months in Korea I did volunteer for RVN. So am I being thanked for not running to Canada? However now that fewer than 1% of Americans serve in the military thanks is very appropriate and I've given it to some. I recall a bunch of guys in an airport returning from the middle east about 10 years ago in their worn dirty uniforms and walked over and talked with one, thanking him and we talked about RVN. He pulled out a button that he cut off the uniform of one of Hassam's officers and gave it to me. It was sort of a mutual bond of thanks and something I treasure.

ha.

It bugs me for a completely different reason. Our mission was to make our country safer, but, in fact, we may have made it less free and less safe. We got paid well for doing our job by a bankrupt nation for the benefit of a few. In short, we were all duped. Please read Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler, USMC's, book, "War is a Racket". You can find it free and read it online at warisaracket.com.

First of all , thank you for serving. I took an oath to defend this great country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I've never been relieved of those duties or oath.

It has been my experience that the medical staff at the V.A. I go to say this as if it was part of a drill. It is said with no meaning while not even looking at you as if it was part of a ritual they are told to perform. It is there, of all places, that I do hear this the most and it surely annoys me. The ones at the V.A. that do seem to mean what they say have been mostly from the receptionist. Needles to say I have set a few young doctors straight. Outside of the V.A. all have said it with sincerity.

I don't like how it's being politicize (we support the troops, thank you for your service, etc...) and seeking to divide us. When it comes from that place it bothers me, because we all are Americans and country should come first!

I really don't mind it, but i think telling someone "Thank you for your sacrifice" is much better.

It took me some time but I do like hearing it and just reply with anytime. If I have to I would try to do it again.