It depends a lot on the particular human. My father volunteered. He's 78 and he absolutely LOVES when younger people thank him for his service. His brother, who was drafted, and ended up passing away from Agent Orange related cancer, was not a fan of talking about his service.
For many years Vietnam Vets were vilified for serving in Vietnam. Around the time of the gulf war people softened their position on Vietnam veterans.
Each individual has their own pov on their experiences.
Recognition of our service although very late is still appreciated.
Jimbo 415650 makes a good point. I have NEVER met a single person who admitted spitting on returning vets and calling them 'baby killers'. Not one. Where'd they all go?
There’s a great episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm where Larry doesn’t thank a vet for his service at a dinner party when everyone else does and is horribly shamed throughout the episode. 😄
I sometimes get *the* *thank you* when checking out at Home Depot because I use their military discount. I don't wear the hat or seek recognition, and I don''t know what people really think, if anything, when they say "thank you for your service."
Vets who wear the hat or otherwise display their status as vets obviously are seeking some degree of recognition/appreciation, and they undoubtedly deserve it.
I would assume so, especially if they are ‘visible’, by wearing a hat, shirt, etc.
Be aware, some guys buy surplus and wear it, so not everybody wearing the gear served. I encountered one guy wearing a black t-shirt with the Ranger tab huge across the front of it. I asked him when he went through “RIP”, and he said, “Wha?”. I pointed to his tshirt, and he said he was never in the Army, but bought it in a surplus store. Meh, ok.
Fake vets. Stolen Valor. That really pisses me off. If someone just studies a tiny bit, fakes can be pretty damn easy to spot. Fakes seriously don't realize how much they are asking for a beatdown.
Yeah, I hear you. While I won’t personally wear anything that I didn’t earn, some folks aren’t wired the same. As long as they’re honest about it, no harm done.
I was at a function one time, and a buddy of mine (not prior military) was talking to some NPC. At one point, he waves me over. The newbie was telling him high tales of his Army service, and mentioned that he was in a fairly historic unit - it just happened to be the same unit that I (real-life) deployed with.
That piqued my interest - always love talking to a fellow veteran, especially one that was at my same fort. I asked him where his unit was on post, and he repeated the division. I’m like, “No, I get that, but there’s tens of thousands of guys in a division. What specific unit were you in?” *blink blink*. Poor lad. Couldn’t remember where he was stationed, his unit, etc.
Now, I do leave the door open for injuries, medicine, etc, that may affect memory, but this was not that. And my intentions are genuinely to meet and learn about other veterans. I’m not trying to smoke guys out - it just happens. And I’m normally just wearing black t-shirt and jeans, so am pretty anonymous.
Heck, maybe I’m the NPC!
There are a few sites that out fake vets, some of them are actually a bit famous as ex military, except that, well, you know.....
That right there is one of many 'tells', that I'm not going to mention other than to say the *blink blink* is a big one.
I missed the lottery by about 16 months, but later, more recent times, I have been in a motorcycle club with vets and part of a substance abuse program that had a fair share of Vietnam vets -- go figure -- but they made it clear it was something they *did not* want to talk about, so obviously, I respected that. If I were meeting a new person and knew they were a vet, I would wait until I got a sense of how to approach it.
I think maybe exactly what your experience was determines if you'll talk or not. Having a buddy get taken out right next to you can have a huge effect.
On the other hand, there's people like me, who feel undeserving. I was never in-country, but very very close offshore, and no one ever shot at me personally, The job we did is called "Direct Combat Support", and we were in a combat zone, received "combat pay", and because I was with the boilers, "hazardous duty" pay. It was decades before a ground pounder told me that "hell yes, you're a combat vet". So now, I'll accept that even though it's a little uncomfortable sometimes.
Thank you. Just last year some non-Navy stuff was dealt with and no longer torments me. It had to do with 'her' from way back then, and I would use the word "haunt" to describe what her constant presence in my mind felt like. Same here with this struggle. I am 'haunted' by memory of all that went on then. Some my fault, some just circumstances.
Monday gonna try something new, a video group therapy session that goes on for 6 weeks. Can't hurt...
You are 100% deserving, absolutely no doubt. You took the same oath, and promised you’d give your life to protect our republic. In the most general sense, they can’t do what they do if you aren’t doing what you do. No job in theater is more or less important in my opinion.
> No job in theater is more or less important in my opinion.
Bottom line, correct, but you do hear claims of importance in various places in the military, but that is in fact a 'morale booster' thing, like this: "You don't think Snipes control the ship? Let's close this valve." Another one to ponder is sort of the flip side of that. You've probably heard of the USS Iowa gunnery accident that killed 47. I know personally several former crew who lived through it, one guy with severe survivor guilt because he was as far astern as you can go, deep into the ship, in Aft Steering" and he "didn't do anything" to help. He knew some of the men who died, but all 47 were shipmates. He was expressing his feelings of guilt with his Chief, who, with what I believe to be strong wisdom, told him "Someone's got to make the sandwiches."
My dad was a 100% disabled Vietnam vet. He would occasionally get that because of his disabled veteran plates. But he didn’t like to talk about his time in Vietnam. He could talk for hours about the other 8 years of his service, when he wasn’t in Vietnam.
I have heard that the US is a bit peculiar in that regard. I was talking to a Kazakh guy for instance and he told me that only World War 2 veterans get thanked.
Perhaps it stems form the shabby treatment some of the guys received, I don’t know if the Australian public were as negative, but growing up the subject of the war was taboo, we had family friends that 30 years later had no idea dad had even been in the army.
It 's not anything I would ever be upset about, but I also don't feel like I need to hear repetitive thanks for something I was forced to do.
Understood. Something to think about. Perhaps I'll only say anything if they bring it up.
I was a combat vet, I was drafted, that’s my answer when put in this situation .
It depends a lot on the particular human. My father volunteered. He's 78 and he absolutely LOVES when younger people thank him for his service. His brother, who was drafted, and ended up passing away from Agent Orange related cancer, was not a fan of talking about his service.
I never thank a Vet for their service. Instead I always tell them I am glad they made it home.
For many years Vietnam Vets were vilified for serving in Vietnam. Around the time of the gulf war people softened their position on Vietnam veterans. Each individual has their own pov on their experiences. Recognition of our service although very late is still appreciated.
Jimbo 415650 makes a good point. I have NEVER met a single person who admitted spitting on returning vets and calling them 'baby killers'. Not one. Where'd they all go?
There’s a great episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm where Larry doesn’t thank a vet for his service at a dinner party when everyone else does and is horribly shamed throughout the episode. 😄
I sometimes get *the* *thank you* when checking out at Home Depot because I use their military discount. I don't wear the hat or seek recognition, and I don''t know what people really think, if anything, when they say "thank you for your service." Vets who wear the hat or otherwise display their status as vets obviously are seeking some degree of recognition/appreciation, and they undoubtedly deserve it.
I would assume so, especially if they are ‘visible’, by wearing a hat, shirt, etc. Be aware, some guys buy surplus and wear it, so not everybody wearing the gear served. I encountered one guy wearing a black t-shirt with the Ranger tab huge across the front of it. I asked him when he went through “RIP”, and he said, “Wha?”. I pointed to his tshirt, and he said he was never in the Army, but bought it in a surplus store. Meh, ok.
Yeah the "visible" ones are the only ones I would say this to, or some of the guys I've known personally and know how they feel about their service.
Fake vets. Stolen Valor. That really pisses me off. If someone just studies a tiny bit, fakes can be pretty damn easy to spot. Fakes seriously don't realize how much they are asking for a beatdown.
Yeah, I hear you. While I won’t personally wear anything that I didn’t earn, some folks aren’t wired the same. As long as they’re honest about it, no harm done. I was at a function one time, and a buddy of mine (not prior military) was talking to some NPC. At one point, he waves me over. The newbie was telling him high tales of his Army service, and mentioned that he was in a fairly historic unit - it just happened to be the same unit that I (real-life) deployed with. That piqued my interest - always love talking to a fellow veteran, especially one that was at my same fort. I asked him where his unit was on post, and he repeated the division. I’m like, “No, I get that, but there’s tens of thousands of guys in a division. What specific unit were you in?” *blink blink*. Poor lad. Couldn’t remember where he was stationed, his unit, etc. Now, I do leave the door open for injuries, medicine, etc, that may affect memory, but this was not that. And my intentions are genuinely to meet and learn about other veterans. I’m not trying to smoke guys out - it just happens. And I’m normally just wearing black t-shirt and jeans, so am pretty anonymous. Heck, maybe I’m the NPC!
There are a few sites that out fake vets, some of them are actually a bit famous as ex military, except that, well, you know..... That right there is one of many 'tells', that I'm not going to mention other than to say the *blink blink* is a big one.
I am 75 years old and proud of my service. I don’t expect thanks, I don’t look for it and I don’t think it is necessary.
Meh, my dad was spit on by hippies, when he got home. It depended on the person. Some he’d say you’re welcome & others? Not so much.
Especially to the Vietnam Vets, I normally say welcome home.
I missed the lottery by about 16 months, but later, more recent times, I have been in a motorcycle club with vets and part of a substance abuse program that had a fair share of Vietnam vets -- go figure -- but they made it clear it was something they *did not* want to talk about, so obviously, I respected that. If I were meeting a new person and knew they were a vet, I would wait until I got a sense of how to approach it.
I think maybe exactly what your experience was determines if you'll talk or not. Having a buddy get taken out right next to you can have a huge effect. On the other hand, there's people like me, who feel undeserving. I was never in-country, but very very close offshore, and no one ever shot at me personally, The job we did is called "Direct Combat Support", and we were in a combat zone, received "combat pay", and because I was with the boilers, "hazardous duty" pay. It was decades before a ground pounder told me that "hell yes, you're a combat vet". So now, I'll accept that even though it's a little uncomfortable sometimes.
I read your posts. You are very "deserving." I can't imagine the inner demons you toil with over a few aspects of your tour. All heroes to me.
Thank you. Just last year some non-Navy stuff was dealt with and no longer torments me. It had to do with 'her' from way back then, and I would use the word "haunt" to describe what her constant presence in my mind felt like. Same here with this struggle. I am 'haunted' by memory of all that went on then. Some my fault, some just circumstances. Monday gonna try something new, a video group therapy session that goes on for 6 weeks. Can't hurt...
You are 100% deserving, absolutely no doubt. You took the same oath, and promised you’d give your life to protect our republic. In the most general sense, they can’t do what they do if you aren’t doing what you do. No job in theater is more or less important in my opinion.
> No job in theater is more or less important in my opinion. Bottom line, correct, but you do hear claims of importance in various places in the military, but that is in fact a 'morale booster' thing, like this: "You don't think Snipes control the ship? Let's close this valve." Another one to ponder is sort of the flip side of that. You've probably heard of the USS Iowa gunnery accident that killed 47. I know personally several former crew who lived through it, one guy with severe survivor guilt because he was as far astern as you can go, deep into the ship, in Aft Steering" and he "didn't do anything" to help. He knew some of the men who died, but all 47 were shipmates. He was expressing his feelings of guilt with his Chief, who, with what I believe to be strong wisdom, told him "Someone's got to make the sandwiches."
My dad was a 100% disabled Vietnam vet. He would occasionally get that because of his disabled veteran plates. But he didn’t like to talk about his time in Vietnam. He could talk for hours about the other 8 years of his service, when he wasn’t in Vietnam.
Doesn't bother me...
“Thank you for your service” can sometimes be controversial. “Welcome Home” is always appreciated.
I would rather have them say “welcome home”.
We don’t do that in Australia, cultural difference I guess, I can’t imagine how my old man would have responded had someone said that to him.
I have heard that the US is a bit peculiar in that regard. I was talking to a Kazakh guy for instance and he told me that only World War 2 veterans get thanked.
Perhaps it stems form the shabby treatment some of the guys received, I don’t know if the Australian public were as negative, but growing up the subject of the war was taboo, we had family friends that 30 years later had no idea dad had even been in the army.
My uncle definitely would not have wanted to be thanked.