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

It feels good to know that fellow Americans appreciate our service. I don't think they're saying "you're done". The only thing that would bother me is if they are just empty words. Actions speak louder than words. So do tell me "Thank you for your service", and then leave me homeless, sick and hungry.

While I appreciate the meaning behind the statement, and it is usually heartfelt, I joined and served 20 in the AF because that's all I ever wanted to do since I was 9 years old. I wanted to serve and still do in a different way. However, as SFC McMillion stated, the Viet Nam vets received the complete opposite.

I am thankful I was able to serve my country and I will always reply, "It was my pleasure."

I always appreciated it because I remember how the Viet Nam Vets where treated when I was a young child. If it was a young person thanking me I would always take the opportunity to invite them to join me in service.

Have to say it does bother me when someone say" Thank you for your service" I'm lost, I mean I don't know how to response to that. I end up saying "Thank you" and move on

What bothers me is that someone would post such a silly question to begin with. It shouldn't bother you in the least. Not everybody has what it takes to be a Soldier, especially to stick it out for a total of 30 years (10 Reserve, 20 Active) like I did. I did two tours in Iraq, and when someone thanks me for my service, I graciously say, "You're welcome".

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.