Your "Thank You" To Vets May Not Be Welcome ....

[JohnHenry]

I've seen these looks on some faces;


http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012...-received?lite

[medalguy]

Yeah, I understand their sentiment. If you're a fellow veteran, just consider what one of the guys in the article said, that they didn't do anything special, I know I sure didn't, but accept the thanks on behalf of all veterans wherever they may be, and just say "Thank you." After all, it's the thought that counts.

[vaskeet]

I Accept it on behalf of the friends that I have lost during my 20+ years both to combat and training accidents. I also accept it on behalf of my wife and kids who are the real heros. Randy

[H-D]

I thanked a nice lady in uniform last week, she said "I'm just a secretary all I do is paperwork" I said "thank you" and she walked away.. everyone in uniform does their part, imagine if there were no secretaries , no pencil pushers , no one to simply sweep the floor or make coffee, they all deserve our respect and thanks.

[olafhardt]

I say " Thanks from Vietnam ". I never get any negative vibes and get a lot of positive reaction.

[Slabsides]

Thanking someone for willingly putting their life on the line to defend what freedoms we have left may not be welcome?......

[Sig Willy]

I think we should thanks police and the fire fighters as they put their lives on line as well as the military. It's just a job they say but they volunteered to.

[Maine04657]

Growing up a Navy brat I understand. They like us are Americans they are just the ones that decided to do the job. They are heroes each and every one. But if people came up to you all the time saying thank you for just doing your job this can be off putting.

You truly want to say thank you then volunteer at your local vet's home a few hours a month. Veterans day is once a year but the vets are hiding the rest of the year.

I live in Maine where we got a bit famous for our "greeters" at the Bangor airport. The wife and I donated a bunch of phone cards for these people to call home with and a little things like snacks and coupons for meals. I myself took about 40 people to the MC Donald's across the street from the airport when a plane got delayed ( much up to the bus driver who shall remain nameless for carting all of us there and back ) these are no great acts just things that shoudl be done.

For those not in the know about military you can ALWAYS send care packages to active service members. A note and a few little things means allot to these folks on duty around the world.

As I already stated though please remember those vets not only in a home but those all around us. Overt acts of kindness are great but sometimes covert are good as well. Taking your family out to lunch or dinner see the guy with the Viet hat or other identifying thing and his wife or family tell the waitress to give you there check pay and go. Or whatever you can do.

Being I was brought up in the Navy with no civs I have a different view of military. But those people who did not can still lend a hand when possible. A random act of kindness is a great thing.

[Redhand]

I usually respond by saying, Thank You for allowing me to serve you.

[SmallCaliberGuy]

Just the mainstsream media trying to belittle the military with their own words.


Jody

[armedandsafe]

I was shopping a couple of weeks ago and saw an older gentleman wearing some Viet Nam Marines clothing. Nothing obstrusive of braggadocio about, just there. I nodded to him as we passed and I said "Thank you."

He looked at my cap (Cold War Veteran) and nodded. Then he said "You served before me, in a time of peace but prepared. You guys are the ones who inspired me to join. Thank you."

Pops

[Gatofeo]

A few days ago a friend posted a "Thank you, Air Force guy" on my Facebook. I told her that, since my discharge in 1979, she was only the second person to thank me.
Conversely, I've had other Marine, Army and Navy veterans snort and say that the Air Force was nothing more than, "college with uniforms," as one active-duty soldier not yet 20 told me.
I told him, calmly, that I would not disparage anyone's service to this country.
I joined the Air Force to become a Security Policeman, Law Enforcement Specialist. In the 1970s, the Air Force had the best military police academy. I wanted the best training, because I thought I'd go into law enforcement.
Four years and two months later, I realized I had no interest in law enforcement. I did my job, though, and had more than a few hairy situations with bank alarms, combative drunks, burglars and -- the most dangerous situation yet -- domestic disputes.
You don't have to be at the front lines, or in combat, to get killed.
Even today, I'm dismissed as "coasting" through the military on a gravy train.
I had a flight chief who earned a Silver Star in Vietnam. His airbase bunker took a direct hit from a rocket, and he alone survived -- manning the machine gun and keeping Charlie at bay until help arrived.
Most of the prisoners brutalized in North Vietnam were Airmen.
My journalism professor was an Air Force medic attached to a Special Forces camp in or near Cambodia. He saw a lot of action, and had plenty of close calls.
I wouldn't dream of denigrating anyone who served this country. Yet, some people -- especially veterans from other branches -- feel compelled to do so.
Thank God we have Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, Coast Guardsmen and even Merchant Marines -- people who put their lives on the line.
I met a Marine gunnery sergeant years ago who told me he used to mock the Air Force, until Air Force jets, directed by O-2 pilots flying just off the deck, saved their platoon.
"Thank God for the Air Force," he told me. "Or I wouldn't be here today.

Sorry for the rant. We need to thank everyone equally, right down to the pencil pushers, cooks and water purification specialists. Without them, we couldn't win a spitball fight.

[Sig Willy]

That was interesting and I don't see how different branches of US military forces would see each other in disdain. That's ridiculous, every one has a purpose and all should be brothers and sisters, nothing less.

We are U S A!

[aa1911]

I get thanked fairly often which is nice but it's my job. Sure, there's times when the hairs stand up and you get all misty about service to your great nation but mainly it's about your family and friends next to you.

I'd be more happy to just not get labeled as a 'burned out, can't be trusted 'cause he's crazy' soldier. Thank me by hiring vets, thank us with something better than double the unemployment rate. Thank us by not slashing our benefits.

Hey, thanks for fighting two wars for over a decade. Now here's your lowered retirement and oh by the way, you need to pay for health care or whatever else is coming.

[aa1911]

and have to agree with Vaskeet; it's the wives and kids that have the hardest job, not me. As a soldier, I'm tuned in and accustomed to the hardships and hell that war has to offer; it's the better half hanging on and hoping that I return safe that has the real challenge in all this.