Posted on Jan 21, 2015
Does it bother you to hear "Thank you for your service!"?
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All active duty stand down(but don't walk away, this will effect you later) Veterans does it ever bother you to hear that? "Thank you for your service" I apologize but it mmmm...bugs me something awful, telling me " your done go sit down and grow feeble " needs changed to something that endures like we do something like "YO JOE!" or another saying meaning get outta my way theres work to do and I ain't done yet! Forgive if I wasted your time, just wondering.
Thank You
Service
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 619
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Yes, it bothers me for someone to say, "Thank you for your Service". I served in Europe 1968-1972, in Thailand from 1974-1975, and retired 1987, but I remember the days of "coke bottles" being thrown at the train, buses (I was traveling on, in uniform), in Illinois, and England. I never gave a "shit" what anyone, and I mean anyone thought, I was proud then, as I am now of what I was doing. Proud, even if our government said there was no war in the Viet Nam theater, after August 13, 1973. Someone ought to tell the 500 + dead Military Names that gave their lives from that date until after the fall of Laos, Cambodia, and don't forget Saigon of Viet Nam. Those names are on the Viet Nam War Memorial !
So Americans wanted Viet Nam & everything attached to that era to be a memory. Then came 9/11, and now American civilians see death! "Send our young boys to the Middle East to Kill", they cry, "Give Glory, Honor, Praise, Benefits, Medals, oh yeah we have to give bread crumbs to Viet Nam era vets".
I never heard "Thank You For Your Service" until 2013, and, to me, it sounds as it is being said as a "Have To".
Jerry L. Bailey Jr. MSGT, USAF, RETIRED
So Americans wanted Viet Nam & everything attached to that era to be a memory. Then came 9/11, and now American civilians see death! "Send our young boys to the Middle East to Kill", they cry, "Give Glory, Honor, Praise, Benefits, Medals, oh yeah we have to give bread crumbs to Viet Nam era vets".
I never heard "Thank You For Your Service" until 2013, and, to me, it sounds as it is being said as a "Have To".
Jerry L. Bailey Jr. MSGT, USAF, RETIRED
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SP5 Terry Pool
I understand where you are coming from. And I guess that I look at it as a thank you that is so long overdue, I would be thankful to be given the compliment whether it was too late, or a "have to". I also think that the Viet Nam veterans were given such a raw deal....fighting in a war that none of them wanted to go to, yet they did it because they were asked to by their country, then as if they hadn't been through enough, they come home, and get called everything except a human being! I guess I look at it as I am at least hearing the thank you, although I will admit it would be so much more appreciated if I knew that it was very sincerely meant!
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MAJ John McGee
Over 90% of all Vietnam Veterans have said they would gladly do it again, so lets stop reciting the stereotypical crap about " fighting a war they didn't want to go to ". Does anyone think the WW2 vets all wanted to go to war. No soldier in his right mind wants to go to war it is sometimes the last option available. The raw deal Vietnam Veterans received was when we returned and the majority of he country bought into the accepted liberal propaganda of who and what the Vietnam Veteran was. We were portrayed as uneducated, poor dope smoking psychotics, that could hardly function in society. In fact the Vietnam vets were the most highly educated fighting force this country had ever sent into battle. Most Vietnam vets came from middle income families and did not live in the ghetto in fact African American soldiers made up less of a percentage of the fighting force than their representation of American Society 14-16% in VietNam versus 19% of Society. As a whole Vietnam vets are the most affluent and successful veterans this country as ever produced and not all dope smokers but hey that information didn't fit with the agenda they press and the media was selling the American public. Stalin said that if you tell a lie often enough it will become the truth. That is the raw deal Vietnam Veterans were given!!!!
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I appreciate the sentiment behind it. It kind of catches me off-guard since it started happening to me a few ago. It still takes some getting used to it.
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SPC Larry Buck
Yeah I got it said to me, the other day, started to cry.. Didn't expect it they didn't know me and I saw nobody I knew.after hearing all this messages its humbling to hear
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It doesn't bother me at all. I'm a bit embarrassed by it simply because I felt it was my honor to serve my country and the citizenry. We don't call it military service for no reason at all. Often I say "Thank you. It was my honor and privilege to serve." And I must say I'm pleased that folks now recognize there are a bunch of willing volunteers who step up.
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I agree with SFC McMillion, I don't mind it at all however what I find difficult is what to say in response to that, You're Welcome! That makes me feel like, that is not the right answer. Anyways I appreciate it when someone says it especially when its from WW2 or Vietnam Vet, I thank them in return the same.
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As an old USAF VN vet I was never spoken to in this manner until 20 years after retirement I was traveling with a USAF retired hat and a Navy retired gent came to my table said those wonderful words. It took me a moment to regroup and say it was my honor and wished him the same greeting. I understand the question from many levels.
1. I say it to ole vets wearing military gear
2. Soldiers in uniform
For me it no longer matters, the how to deal with and desire have long been taken care of. Who knows someone may stop me again, I truly do not believe so
1. I say it to ole vets wearing military gear
2. Soldiers in uniform
For me it no longer matters, the how to deal with and desire have long been taken care of. Who knows someone may stop me again, I truly do not believe so
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As a VN era vet, I can tell you it was way too long before anyone recognized our service. Not only did our service not get recognized in a positive way, we were vilified as baby killers and all sorts of other things without regard to whether or not we were even "in country". When I finished training in early `69, I was sent to Europe and VN was done by the time my tour was over. Europeans didn't treat us any better than our fellow countrymen either, even though "our fathers" saved their asses only twenty years earlier and we were standing between them and the Russians. The only time I am bothered by the "thank you for your service" is when the person saying it is obviously being perfunctory and doesn't sound like they really mean it. Most of the time however it doesn't bother me.
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SPC Johnny Velazquez, PhD
Thank you, Maj. Albano. Sir, I was also sent to Germany, and heard similar expressed utterances. There were times when I wanted to hurt some of these jerks, but I didn't want to soil my uniform, or what it stood for. Blessings.
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