Thank You For Your Service!

[tyndale1946]

My wife and I were shopping at Costco yesterday and elderly woman came up to me and said grabbing my hand... Thank you for your service!... I said your welcome and she moved on... Later on I ask my wife how did she know, I even served?... I had on blue jeans and a long sleeve shirt but the only thing, I think she saw was my cap... An Eagle's head against the background of Old Glory, USA centered on the front of the bill between golden leaves on each side... No mention that I served and I told my wife later, anyone could have worn that hat... I commented to her its a good thing I didn't have on my uniform, she might have bowed... So has anyone thanked you for your service?... Brother Glen

 

[thatbrian]

My wife and I were shopping at Costco yesterday and elderly woman came up to me and said grabbing my hand... Thank you for your service!... I said your welcome and she moved on... Later on I ask my wife how did she know, I even served?... I had on blue jeans and a long sleeve shirt but the only thing, I think she saw was my cap... An Eagle's head against the background of Old Glory, USA centered on the front of the bill between golden leaves on each side... No mention that I served and I told my wife later, anyone could have worn that hat... I commented to her its a good thing I didn't have on my uniform, she might have bowed... So has anyone thanked you for your service?... Brother Glen

First, thank you for your service.

Second, although I have the appropriate haircut, I did not serve our great country in that way, so I am especially grateful to all who have, and I will go up to men and women who are in uniform and than them. It doesn't matter to me whether they pushed pencils, flew B 52s (just met the son of one of them yesterday) or pealed potatoes in a mess hall, I have a great respect for all servicemen.

BTW, I don't interrupt someone's dinner or an intimate conversation to thank a serviceman. I just do it if the situation seems right to make such a comment.

Lastly, my question to those who have served is, would you prefer people didn't thank you for your service? Is it annoying or embarrassing, or do you accept and appreciate the thanks?

 

[Salty]

What I dont like is to be called a hero -
Especially since I never served in combat.

 

[ChrisTheSaved]

I hate the whole thank you for your service. For one, I know that most of us that served were just kids running away from home or guys with no other options. I too never served in combat or anything exciting for that matter. I can't stand that [Edited: Crude Language] stuff.

 

[thatbrian]

I hate the whole thank you for your service. For one, I know that most of us that served were just kids running away from home or guys with no other options. I too never served in combat or anything exciting for that matter. I can't stand that [Edited: Crude Language] stuff.

[Edited: Crude Language] I can’t speak for anyone else, but when I thank someone for serving in the US military, it is done in gratitude and with respect for the military in general, knowing that many people end up in the military just as you’ve said, but that does not negate my gratitude or respect for the uniform.

 

[tyndale1946]

First, thank you for your service.

Second, although I have the appropriate haircut, I did not serve our great country in that way, so I am especially grateful to all who have, and I will go up to men and women who are in uniform and than them. It doesn't matter to me whether they pushed pencils, flew B 52s (just met the son of one of them yesterday) or pealed potatoes in a mess hall, I have a great respect for all servicemen.

Lastly, my question to those who have served is, would you prefer people didn't thank you for your service? Is it annoying or embarrassing, or do you accept and appreciate the thanks?

I can only speak for myself I did serve in combat... In the trenches of Vietnam and I too am not a hero but I am a human being, not human scum... I was born and raised in San Diego and as anyone knows San Diego is a military city and I took pride in the service men and women here... My Dad served in the Marines during WWII and came home to a hero's welcome, not me... No one thanked the Vietnam Vets for anything... I came home to protest, dissent and anger and attended a college with my GI Bill, where the students wanted to burn everything to the ground... The Vietnam Vets with their blood, sweat and tears laid the ground work for those that followed, that their country and the people would not forget them in the future like it forgot us... 54,000 men and women lost their lives in Vietnam and who can number the untold thousands who lives this war destroyed and changed forever... Last year my wife and I attend a meeting at her brothers church and I enjoyed what the speaker had to say... So after the service I went to thank him, which is out of character for me, but something moved me to do so... For some reason he asked me if I had served in the military... I told him I was in the Marines and served in Vietnam... He looked me straight in the eye and said... Welcome Home Marine!... I fell apart!... It took over fifty years to hear those words from a stranger... When someone says Thank you for your service, you have no idea how thankful I am... Brother Glen

 

[thatbrian]

I can only speak for myself I did serve in combat... In the trenches of Vietnam and I too am not a hero but I am a human being, not human scum... I was born and raised in San Diego and as anyone knows San Diego is a military city and I took pride in the service men and women here... My Dad served in the Marines during WWII and came home to a hero's welcome, not me... No one thanked the Vietnam Vets for anything... I came home to protest, dissent and anger and attended a college with my GI Bill, where the students wanted to burn everything to the ground... The Vietnam Vets with their blood, sweat and tears laid the ground work for those that followed, that their country and the people would not forget them in the future like it forgot us... 54,000 men and women lost their lives in Vietnam and who can number the untold thousands who lives this war destroyed and changed forever... Last year my wife and I attend a meeting at her brothers church and I enjoyed what the speaker had to say... So after the service I went to thank him, which is out of character for me, but something moved me to do so... For some reason he asked me if I had served in the military... I told him I was in the Marines and served in Vietnam... He looked me straight in the eye and said... Welcome Home Marine!... I fell apart!... It took over fifty years to hear those words from a stranger... When someone says Thank you for your service, you have no idea how thankful I am... Brother Glen

Thanks for your reply.

I'm sorry to hear about the experience you had when returning from combat. Marxism didn't die off after Vietnam, but it has fully infected, not just universities, but all of "public education", trade unions, and our government.

 

[ChrisTheSaved]

[Edited: Crude Language] I can’t speak for anyone else, but when I thank someone for serving in the US military, it is done in gratitude and with respect for the military in general, knowing that many people end up in the military just as you’ve said, but that does not negate my gratitude or respect for the uniform.

You didn't serve so it's hard for you to understand the guilt (as many on here have expressed) in being lumped in with real hero's like the ones who stormed the beaches on D-Day or cleared the Islands, or humped it through the jungles of nam. I, and many other who didn't serve in combat wish people would stop it with the thank you for your service stuff. It's like a robotic programed response.

 

[HankD]

Basically I agree.

However ladies/gentlemen who saw no combat - we were one order away from it.

That was made perfectly clear to me - yes even in the USAF.
At the Bay of Pigs Crisis we were warned of the great likelihood of having to get combat ready.
Fortunately the invasion did not happen for our squadron.

At my PDS Griffiss AFB I worked in a computer sector that supplied intel to/from the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BEMWS) and was a target no doubt high on the Russian hit list. Plus we had an impressive SAC/TAC presence they would want to nuke if war had broken out.

For almost all of you no matter where you served you were a target on a hit list.
No not in the trenches with bullets zinging by or incoming mortar but a target nonetheless.

Plus you took the oath to lay down your life for your country.

So, just say "you're welcome", when they thank you.

HankD

 

[TCassidy]

In my opinion, ever person who served took an oath that, effectively, laid their life on the line for their country. They wrote and signed a blank check for up to and including their life. It matters not whether that check was cashed or for how much. They had the courage to step up and be counted. Even the draftees could have fled to Canada or claimed Conscientious Objector status, but instead chose to serve. They all, every one of them, deserve our thanks.

When I am thanked for my service (usually at or entering or leaving the VA - I am a disabled vet, service connected) I just say "thank you" right back and accept it in the spirit it was offered. To do any less would be rude and arrogant.

 

[TCassidy]

Plus you took the oath to lay down your life for your country.

So, just say "you're welcome", when they thank you.

AMEN!

 

[thatbrian]

You didn't serve so it's hard for you to understand the guilt (as many on here have expressed) in being lumped in with real hero's like the ones who stormed the beaches on D-Day or cleared the Islands, or humped it through the jungles of nam. I, and many other who didn't serve in combat wish people would stop it with the thank you for your service stuff. It's like a robotic programed response.

Thanks for taking the time to explain. I understand your point, and see how it can be uncomfortable for you and others like you; however hank and Cassidy make an excellent point. You were always in a position of uncertainty, and could have, without notice, been placed in a situation of danger and/or separated from home and family.

I'll have to rethink how I handle this in future so as to not embarrass people who don't think themselves worthy of that kind of thanks.

 

[thatbrian]

So, just say "you're welcome", when they thank you.

I think that's good advice.

 

[tyndale1946]

Thanks for your reply.

I'm sorry to hear about the experience you had when returning from combat. Marxism didn't die off after Vietnam, but it has fully infected, not just universities, but all of "public education", trade unions, and our government.

I can understand the comments of those who were not in combat but for those who were, some of us have a different story to tell... I see that Vietnam has been rebuilding its country and you can even travel there if you want, but I shall decline that invitation... I also know that those who didn't go could have gone at any time... If I implied anything less than that please forgive me... Some on here have mentioned the word Hero... It was my honor to serve with one who in my book really was... If you asked him he would deny it and said I was just doing my job... I served with him at Marine Corp Recruit Depot in San Diego with Military Police, he was our 1st Sargent then... Marine Gunnery Sargent Jimmie Howard and read what he did... A true Hero!... He went above and beyond the call of duty... He was awarded the highest medal for valor and bravery in the heat of battle, The Congressional Medal Of Honor!... Brother Glen

CMOHS.org - Gunnery Sergeant HOWARD, JIMMIE E., U.S. Marine Corps

 

[supersoldier71]

I used to hate it when someone thanks me for my service. I mean, it made me uncomfortable in ways that are very hard to articulate. HATED it.

Still don't particularly care for it. But if I don't get angry when someone insults me--and I usually don't--why on earth would I get angry because of "Thank you for your service"?

I've deployed a lot, I've seen a tiny bit of combat, such as it was, drove all over Iraq, walked all over Afghanistan, and not once was I coerced into any of it. I volunteered. I volunteered a lot. I earned a comfortable living for my family as well.

I had to reframe the situation in my head to make it palatable. When someone thanks me for my service, they think they're thanking me for seven deployments, early mornings, a lot of running, falling out of airplanes and such.

No.

What they're actually thanking me for is because after doing all that, there are evaluations to be written, and barracks to be cleaned, and a world of other stuff like ceremonies and such that have to be planned, resourced and executed, and I REALLY disliked all of that stuff.

So now, when someone thanks me, I just think about all the stuff I HATED doing, and I am able to smile and say: "You're most welcome. Thank you for the opportunity to have served."

 

[JonC]

I prefer not to be recognized for my service, but that's more my personality than it is my experience in the military. I'm like that with just about everything. I always declined a promotion ceremony, I declined my retirement dinner (and when my 1SG called about my award I told him to leave it on his cabinet and I'd pick it up...he only did because we were friends). I graduated magna cum laude, but only two people know that (y'all don't count because y'all don't know me in "real life" ). So I always felt awkward when people thanked me for my service.

 

[thatbrian]

I used to hate it when someone thanks me for my service. I mean, it made me uncomfortable in ways that are very hard to articulate. HATED it.

Still don't particularly care for it. But if I don't get angry when someone insults me--and I usually don't--why on earth would I get angry because of "Thank you for your service"?

I've deployed a lot, I've seen a tiny bit of combat, such as it was, drove all over Iraq, walked all over Afghanistan, and not once was I coerced into any of it. I volunteered. I volunteered a lot. I earned a comfortable living for my family as well.

I had to reframe the situation in my head to make it palatable. When someone thanks me for my service, they think they're thanking me for seven deployments, early mornings, a lot of running, falling out of airplanes and such.

No.

What they're actually thanking me for is because after doing all that, there are evaluations to be written, and barracks to be cleaned, and a world of other stuff like ceremonies and such that have to be planned, resourced and executed, and I REALLY disliked all of that stuff.

So now, when someone thanks me, I just think about all the stuff I HATED doing, and I am able to smile and say: "You're most welcome. Thank you for the opportunity to have served."

Good attitude!

Those who are uncomfortable accepting thanks simply need to understand where it's coming from.

Not knowing anything about the servicemen we are thanking, we "civilians" are making a very general statement of appreciation, not a specific one. We don't think that everyone in a uniform deserves the Congressional Medal of Honor, but we know that we owe a debt of gratitude to the collective group of people who have served in our armed forces, no matter what their role.

 

[Salty]

... Welcome Home Marine!... I fell apart!... It took over fifty years to hear those words from a stranger... When someone says Thank you for your service, you have no idea how thankful I am... Brother Glen

Tyndale, I may have shared this before - but it worth repeating.
Back in 1988, I was working for a radio station - I was working with a small shopping center on an advertising campaign. We had decided to do something with Armed Forces. WE ended up getting virtually every Reserved/NG unit in the area to set up a display and our local Congressman spoke at the event. The 8th Marine Bn brought a tank! During the course of the day, a Civilian came up to the Marine Warrant officer and was asked if he had served Nam. The Warrant answered in the affirmate. The Civilian then stated "Welcome Home, Sir" A moment later, I noticed some tears coming down his eyes. He told me that was the first time in 15 years, that someone had welcomed him home from the Nam.
Every bit of hard work over the past six weeks, I put into that program - was well worth it in that one moment.

Tyndale - from one vet to another "Welcome home"

 

[Squire Robertsson]

Whenever someone thanks me for my service, I say you're welcome. I do so on behalf of those who didn't make it back.