I never heard that phrase until the period of the ME conflicts in which our persons served. You all know that Vietnam Vets weren't received back home very well. I was pleased to see that our troops coming home ME deployments were welcomed home and our Military casualties properly honored. The first time someone told me personally, "Thank you for your service", it took me by surprise and I wasn't comfortable with it. Gradually I overcame those initial feelings and have come to appreciate those words. The best was when a grandchild offered his thanks to me, completely unexpected, but I know it is because his parents have taught him well.
Thank you for your service
- Thread starter TennVet
- Start date
squatting dog
Remember when... thirty seemed so old.
- Location
- Arkansas, and also Florida
I know how you feel, I experienced some pretty bad things when we arrived in Seattle. Those things followed my for years. When I saw our military coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan to cheering audiences, at first there was a sting to it. But I gradually realized that there are a lot of Americans including Vietnam veterans that saw the damage the hostile reaction to us was, and have stepped forward to welcome troops home with honors. I'm glad there is evidence of a positive change.
Murrmurr
SF VIP
- Location
- Sacramento, California
My son still isn't comfortable with hearing "Thank you for your service."
He's a career Navy Sea-Bee metals expert, construction battalion, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan; recently retired.
He said he's not really sure why he was uncomfortable about being thanked whenever he arrived home, but that it's partly because of the Vietnam vets, and partly because he was always shielded by a company of Marines whenever he had to go out in the desert to work on broken down vehicles and other equipment that had to be abandoned.
He was armed but he never had to fire at combatants, the Marines did it for him. They'd form a tight circle around him, armed, ready, and facing outward, while he welded stuff and whatever. In other words, he wasn't involved in combat, so he doesn't feel he deserves the thanks.
But maybe he's just humble.
Llynn
Non-ranked Constituent
- Location
- Pacific NorthWET
There are already multiple in depth threads on this topic on SF. I have nothing more to say on the topic.
I expect he's just humble, he sounds like a great guy.
My husband plays taps (and Amazing Grace) with the military honor guard at funerals. Once in a while a relative will say their loved one didn't feel worthy of the military honors because they didn't see combat. He always tells them they honor the commitment to die for their country. Whether or not they were sent into action, the willingness was there.
fuzzybuddy
SF VIP
- Location
- The Sticks, Northeast PA.
I did my 4 years in the US Navy, as a corpsman. I'm proud of my service, I did a good job. But the fact is I was never in any danger, I slept on clean sheets every night, and never missed a meal. When I hear, "thanks for your service", I feel what I gave up was minimal to what others gave up. I feel those people deserve more of their thanks.
The first time someone said thanks for your service to me I was shocked. It came to me from a person that I knew had not served, but also knew him to be a thoughtful person. I have gradually become a little more at ease with the statement, and always try to look that person in the eye when I thank them.
Nathan
SF VIP
- Location
- High Desert- Calif.
I don't know how to feel or respond when someone "thanks" me for my service. i get it that people nowadays think they gotta say that.
I'll never forget the insults...
I'll never forget the insults...
Trade
Well-known Member
Basicly the same thing only I was an Air Force Medic. I did a full years tour in Vietnam from Aug 1970-Aug 1971. 9 months of that was at Cam Rahn Bay and I never felt in danger once. My last 3 months (May 1971-Aug 1971) were at Da Nang. I did get one scare there.
I had just gotten off of a 3-11 shift and I was in the base library when these rockets started to hit. I hit the floor and every round seemed to get closer and louder and I kept expecting the next one to come through the ceiling and go up my ass. The last round hit a barracks that was 70 meters away from the library. (I paced it off the next morning). So overall just once scary incident in a whole year. And for that I got an extra $65 a month "Combat Pay", the same amount the grunts out in the bush got. Didn't seem fair.
THE WALL OF FACES - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
"ATTACK ON DA NANG AIRFIELD - JULY 5, 1971
At fifteen minutes after midnight on July 5, 1971, Da Nang Airfield in Quang Nam Province, RVN, was the site of a standoff attack when five enemy 122mm rockets detonated almost simultaneously on base, killing five personnel from the Air Force’s 366th Field Maintenance Squadron, and injuring thirty-seven others. The five lost airmen included SSGT Lawrence Wilkerson, SGT Napoleon Johnson, SGT Gilbert Ledger, TSGT Windol W. McNutt, and SGT Isreal Medina.
Many of the seriously wounded were transferred by helicopter from the base’s 366th Dispensary to the 95th Evacuation Hospital in Da Nang. Barracks 933 and 937, both two-story buildings in Gunfighter Village (one of the main Air Force compounds), received direct hits. Of the five personnel killed, four were on the second floor. Fires immediately broke out and destroyed one of the barracks and half of another. In some cases, personnel were delayed from evacuating their rooms by unsecured wall lockers which had fallen across the doorways. Fire, water, and shrapnel also damaged two barracks in the immediate area.
The other three rockets hit at various points on the base. One hit in the old Marine bomb dump causing no damage; another hit the aerospace ground equipment (AGE) repair yard and destroyed two portable heaters and a fence; the last impacted in the center of a road and severed power and telephone cables, leaving the east side of the base without power or telephone communications. "
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After that story, seems like it's well earned to me.
My husband was 22 years Air Force, but the closest he came to danger was loading bombs on planes in Thailand and Korea, ("Theater of Operations) So he's not a member of the VFW and they had to hold a special meeting before they decided he could play trumpet with their honor guard. They're going to have to quit beign so picky or they wont have enough people to do the funerals. Hubs is one of the youngest at age 72. At the memorial services this weekend 90 degrees in the sun, a few of them almost passed out.
I've had this conversation with a lot of other vets. I think the opinion is split very evenly. I looked forward to coming back to the world, when the names and insults hit me right off the plane I just pulled back and kept it all inside for years. I still see it both ways on different days.
