Posted on Dec 17, 2015
Things you should never say to a military veteran. Do you agree with this article?
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I have been asked a few of these questions myself. A couple of them I would laugh off, other I think are as personal as asking what my wife looked like naked. Do you guys agree with this list? Would you add to it?
http://www.rantpolitical.com/2015/03/13/things-you-should-never-say-to-a-military-veteran/?utm_campaign=RantLifestyleFB&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral
http://www.rantpolitical.com/2015/03/13/things-you-should-never-say-to-a-military-veteran/?utm_campaign=RantLifestyleFB&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 44
There seems to be some questions that common sense would say you never ask. Ignoring those which should be obvious I feel most military members are very tough, very resilient and can use these situations to educate others about sensitivity issues vs. be confrontational.
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I just wonder if this article is serious or just another satire article. I mean personally I don't really care what someone asks me as its up to me to answer if I want to or not.
When I was asked what I did in the Navy and I tell them I was a cook I still get asked if I was in combat and I just joking say the only thing I was fighting was the chow line.
People assume things all the time because of what they perceive. Just like when I was on a frigate, when talking just in general about family one of my mess cooks asked where my wife was from and when I said the Philippines he immediately assumed she was from Subic. So when I told him that she was in fact from Mindanao he asked what part of Subic was that. Perceptions are a bitch for some people to get past.
I think if your uncomfortable talking to civilians about your service, especially if they get too personal you need to cut the conversation short and move on.
When I was asked what I did in the Navy and I tell them I was a cook I still get asked if I was in combat and I just joking say the only thing I was fighting was the chow line.
People assume things all the time because of what they perceive. Just like when I was on a frigate, when talking just in general about family one of my mess cooks asked where my wife was from and when I said the Philippines he immediately assumed she was from Subic. So when I told him that she was in fact from Mindanao he asked what part of Subic was that. Perceptions are a bitch for some people to get past.
I think if your uncomfortable talking to civilians about your service, especially if they get too personal you need to cut the conversation short and move on.
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I want ten minutes alone with the idiot that wrote that mess. All I want to bring with me is a whiffle ball bat........
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I think if one asks, the servicemember does not have to answer. They can get asked, but answering? that's another thing entirely. I've had some of these asked of me and I just looked at the one asking and didn't say a word at all...they questioner got all quiet like and tried to change the subject, then bought me a beer. So it all turned out ok I guess.
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I have only had little kids ask me if I had killed anyone. How many of you have had that happen? Most people with any dignity and who are not alcoholics or hardcore druggies would ask normal questions. Most do not ask the rude rhetorical questions like that. I answer politely and say I was a 'Fobbit' in a BDE TOC as a 1Lt or I did paperwork for projects that make a difference as a CPT. Just supporting the HQ or the FOB in my deployments. Civilians do not know that for every triggger puller Infantry there is a dozen or more personnel who support them.
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Well, I haven't been deployed so I don't consider myself a veteran but I wouldn't be offended by any of these mostly for the reason that a lot of civilians just don't understand that some of the questions in the article are not OK to ask. It seems like it would be common sense to not ask a veteran if they killed anyone but we all know common sense is almost non existent these days.
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Ask me anything; if I don't want to answer, I won't. This hands off questioning only goes to further separate us from the civilian population...
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Some of those things were dead wrong. Sounds like we are a bunch of psychologically broken crybabies. I have just retired and have moved to a non-military area and have not been asked any of those things...
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This is stupid. I would hope that veterans wouldn't need trigger warnings or be sensitive about not going to jump school. That's so weak and pathetic. If a veteran is ashamed of their service or regrets not doing something while they were in then that is on them. You shouldn't have to baby a veteran.
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