Would you rather not receive the, "Thank you for your service" refrain?

I always say Thankyou when I see a person in uniform. It has never occurred to me it might be offensive to some.

My dad was in Korea.

My son’s father got blown off a tank in Nam and still carries shrapnel in his back. His brother was shot and came back a nut case, which today is probably PTSD.

Why wouldn’t I be thankful and say it.
 

Imogene said:
I always say Thankyou when I see a person in uniform. It has never occurred to me it might be offensive to some.

My dad was in Korea.

My son’s father got blown off a tank in Nam and still carries shrapnel in his back. His brother was shot and came back a nut case, which today is probably PTSD.

Why wouldn’t I be thankful and say it.
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My dad served in WWII. He too was shot.
 
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IKE said:
I don't wear anything on me stating that I'm a military / VN vet but I do have an Okla. VN veteran tag on my pickup and most if not all of the 'thank yous' I receive are from people pulling up next to me at a stoplight and rolling down their windows or as I'm walking across a parking lot after exiting my vehicle.

I got the VV tag for me just to show that I'm proud to have served not for any verbal recognition.

Sample tag;

View attachment 414905
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I have one of these on my car.


air-force-vietnam-veteran-license-plate-frame-86.jpg
 
My first civilian electronic tech job after USAF HD during the Viet Nam was at a Palo Alto startup. The two hiring engineers hired me specifically because they wanted to help someone leaving military service that was during a recession with few jobs available. That got my foot in the door for a successful career. After that almost no one has ever mentioned my military service either positively or negatively. In recent decades, some people have thanked me on web forums on Memorial Day that I do appreciate.

Being forced into the military by the draft, is the primary reason I never received formal higher education. After I left was too poor to take advantage of veteran benefits and in any case learned most of what I know from reading technical science and technology books, not from schooling. The only ones aware of my military service have been human resource department types looking at my resumes that used my year plus military technical schooling within versus having a college degree as usual reasons upon starting jobs to keep my salary relatively low.
 
Don't need it. I only wear my Marine jacket occasionally. It has an inside pocket for my pistol.
 
I think that it is nice of people to say "thank you for your service". I remember coming back from vietnam and being treated as though I was a freak. I remember the VFW's and AL's being filled with WWII vets and looked down on Vietnam. Now, of course, these organizations are filled with Vietnam vets. At the time, however, I went to meetings and pretty much got told that I wasn't one of them. Hence I never joined either VFW or AL. I do belong to the VVA and that is good enough.
Yeah, I feel uncomfortable when someone thanks me. But then I think that, hey, I served this country, I gave 4 years of my life. Did it, don't regret it. Proud of it. I let it go. Most people who say it, don't understand, but they are being respectful. That is good.
I wonder about the middle eastern vets?? Where are they. Doing better, doing worse. Thank you for your service, guys and girls. I for one consider you brothers and sisters.
Just my thoughts
 
rbtvgo said:
I think that it is nice of people to say "thank you for your service". I remember coming back from vietnam and being treated as though I was a freak. I remember the VFW's and AL's being filled with WWII vets and looked down on Vietnam. Now, of course, these organizations are filled with Vietnam vets. At the time, however, I went to meetings and pretty much got told that I wasn't one of them. Hence I never joined either VFW or AL. I do belong to the VVA and that is good enough.
Yeah, I feel uncomfortable when someone thanks me. But then I think that, hey, I served this country, I gave 4 years of my life. Did it, don't regret it. Proud of it. I let it go. Most people who say it, don't understand, but they are being respectful. That is good.
I wonder about the middle eastern vets?? Where are they. Doing better, doing worse. Thank you for your service, guys and girls. I for one consider you brothers and sisters.
Just my thoughts
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'' I remember the VFW's and AL's being filled with WWII vets and looked down on Vietnam.''

Vet vs Vet is sad and stupid but still goes on .
 
My husband was hired by a retail company as an accountant because he was a veteran of Vietnam and sent in a application for employment. He finally was the secretary of the company. That company always tried to hire veterans. Our thanks still go out to them.
 
I served for 5 years in a Canadian Forces Reserve Infantry Battalion, which has a 135 year long history of service to Canada, first stood up in 1891 here in Toronto. The 48 th Highlanders of Canada have served in the South African War, the First and Second World Wars, Korea, numerous NATO and UN deployments, and from 2004 to 2012 in Afghanistan. 76 battle honors on the Regimental Colours speaks to the history of the unit.

This spring 40 Highlanders from the active Battalion will travel to The Netherlands to take part in the 80th Anniversary of the end of WW2. The Dutch remember how much the Canadians gave, to liberate their country. 235 Highlanders are buried in The Netherlands in Commonwealth War Graves Cemetaries . Our motto is " Dileas Gu Brath" Forever Faithfull. JIM.
 
I am grateful to all who give their service to protect us.

I'm not sure how I feel about crediting folks in public anymore, though.
Recently I was in the city and I told a police officer thanks for your service, he replied to me with the most condescending looking smirk which I didn't see coming... I was shocked and he continued the look. I was embarrassed, and don't know how I feel about this kind of thing now. So I keep it to myself and silently thank the Lord. 🤷‍♂️
 
Who_so_ever said:
Well, after a previous post and now this one, I have become more aware that my appreciation is not always welcome. I find myself sending up a prayer to the Lord for the serviceman/woman and asking God to bless them instead.
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I appreciate the thoughtfulness and the effort made by many. When somebody thanks me for my service, I thank them in return. I usually wear a baseball cap with "U.S. Army, Retired" on it and I'm proud to do so. While I never served in a combat zone, I spent a significant portion of my life in uniform and it's an experience that has shaped me.

The thanks that people utter cost them nothing tangibly, but the acknowledgement goes a long way. I appreciate them for taking the time and effort to express their thoughts.
 
spookycat said:
I am grateful to all who give their service to protect us.

I'm not sure how I feel about crediting folks in public anymore, though.
Recently I was in the city and I told a police officer thanks for your service, he replied to me with the most condescending looking smirk which I didn't see coming... I was shocked and he continued the look. I was embarrassed, and don't know how I feel about this kind of thing now. So I keep it to myself and silently thank the Lord. 🤷‍♂️
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Given the amount of hate that has been extended toward law enforcement in the past few years, that cop might have questioned your sincerity. It's unfortunate and regrettable, since you clearly were sincere, but I can understand a cop's negative reaction to an expression that might have been sarcastic.

In addition to the hate, it doesn't take much to destroy a cop's career, not to mention his/her life. Yes, they signed on to the job, but the sheer amount of BS they routinely put up with along with witnessing the absolute dregs of society would try the patience of Job, seems to me.
 
gruntlabor said:
Thank you for your service, Nathan.

Whenever I go out I grab a baseball cap at random (I have like a thousand of them). One day I grabbed a C-130 Hercules U.S. Air Force hat. People from all directions stopped me to thank me for my service.

Well, I couldn't take the hat off because my hair was a fright, and I about lost my voice confessing to people that I did not serve , and I had no right to wear the hat, but I was wearing it accidentally and it was not my fault.

I was so touched! I want to bawl just remembering all those people who stopped me to say thank you
Anyway, I never have, never will let a vet get away without thanking him! If I'm a nuisance, then so be it.
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It was an honest mistake up until you decided vanity was more important than doing the right thing.:( If it were me, I would have removed the hat immediately at discovering my error and I'm a peacetime Army vet who doesn't own 1 hat or piece of clothing stating so.
 
jimintoronto said:
I served for 5 years in a Canadian Forces Reserve Infantry Battalion, which has a 135 year long history of service to Canada, first stood up in 1891 here in Toronto. The 48 th Highlanders of Canada have served in the South African War, the First and Second World Wars, Korea, numerous NATO and UN deployments, and from 2004 to 2012 in Afghanistan. 76 battle honors on the Regimental Colours speaks to the history of the unit.

This spring 40 Highlanders from the active Battalion will travel to The Netherlands to take part in the 80th Anniversary of the end of WW2. The Dutch remember how much the Canadians gave, to liberate their country. 235 Highlanders are buried in The Netherlands in Commonwealth War Graves Cemetaries . Our motto is " Dileas Gu Brath" Forever Faithfull. JIM.
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I was privileged on a couple of occasions to go to the Netherlands to support war memorial remembrance ceremonies in the 1980s. I believe the American cemetery is near the village of Margraten.

As a military bandsmen, I'd often participated in such ceremonies, but I was always struck by the dedication and appreciation the Dutch people showed to those who fell while liberating their country. Definitely more than the French and the Belgians.

American Battlefield Monuments Commission - the Netherlands
 
Eupher said:
I was privileged on a couple of occasions to go to the Netherlands to support war memorial remembrance ceremonies in the 1980s. I believe the American cemetery is near the village of Margraten.

As a military bandsmen, I'd often participated in such ceremonies, but I was always struck by the dedication and appreciation the Dutch people showed to those who fell while liberating their country. Definitely more than the French and the Belgians.

American Battlefield Monuments Commission - the Netherlands
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Eupher. As a former US military musician, you will be interested to know that there are 2 Dutch military pipe bands, that recreate two of the WW2 Canadian units, the 48th Highlanders of Canada, and the Canadian Scottish Regiment. They dress in authentic WW2 uniforms, with kilts and battledress tunics, provided by the Canadian units. They are officially recognized by the Canadians units, as comrades in arms. The members of these Dutch WW2 re-enactor groups are self funded, and their musicianship is top grade, in both their piping, drumming and drill performances. Some of the senior pipers from the 48th have travelled to The Netherlands, at their own expense, to teach piping skills to the two groups.

here is a link to the 48th Highlanders of Holland website. Pipe Band - 48th Highlanders of Holland Pipes and Drums - Apeldoorn

In May of this year, 40 Members of the Active Battalion will travel to the Netherlands, to mark the end of WW2 in Europe. They will parade with the Dutch pipes and drums together at a number of events, across the country. The Dutch people remember us Canadians as their Liberators, and their gracious welcomes are so heart felt. JIM.
 
Well personally (IMHO) I view it, even though I never served, as a thank you for just serving not for risking in your butt.

For risking your life, that's an honored vet.

Less than .5% of the USA citizens have even been in the military.
 

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