When companies/organizations offer a military discount, should retirees be treated in the same manner as active duty or as veteran?

Wearing cap with a military emblem, or military clothing does not prove veteran status. Stolen Valor, is out there. At Home Depot, the cashiers asked me for a ID card.

I think showing an ID card should always be required.

Lowes now adds military discount status to an individual's My Lowes account. This, of course, has to be proven with an ID card in the first place.

SMSgt Allan Pochop - They should ask for a military or veteran ID. Any actual vet would be happy to show it unless they were a total jerk.

I don't understand this "entitled " attitude. If someone offers a military discount then it's a thank you for serving attitude that an organization is showing. For me to ask if there is a military discount is simply my checking to see if I can save a few bucks. If I get upset that they don't offer a military discount then that's an entitlement attitude. Please don't automatically assume that all military/retiree is expects something from everyone because of their service. Another thing to remember is in earlier years service men were not appropriated for their service after returning from combat as we are now.

What I find odd is when asking about a military or government discount at say, a hotel, some firms reply, "No, how about AARP or AAA or..." In other words, it's often more about the clout a particular organization has to lobby for discounts than what the hotel or chain chooses to do for the customer.

SSG Patrick Michael - thats the power of such associations. Customer blocks often belong to such organizations.

SSG Patrick Michael, if you travel much, you'll find that most hotels offer only a handful of discounted rates on their websites -- usually federal government, state government, AAA (because of AAA's long history with the Itravel industry), *maybe* AARP, and *maybe* a place to enter a coupon code.

If you're traveling on orders, then the government rate will usually be the lowest during the tourist season, but AAA membership will generally get you the lowest rate off-season.

Also, most of the hotel chains will guarantee that you can get the best rates available by booking through their web site instead of one of the travel one.

Most of those companies also honor dependent ID cards.