“Thank you for your service.”

1911gobang said:
There’s 1001 ways to show appreciation without saying a word.
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“Amen” to that…

Won’t post it in here, because it’s civilian public service related and this is the Veterans Corner sub, but suffice to say, sometimes the greatest “Thanks” you could ever get is the one that’s never said.
 
I don’t remember where but, it was some other country I was living/working in. After dinner one evening, a colleague explained it was not “normal” to thank a restaurant proprietor after a meal. The explanation was that the proprietor should be thankful for my having been a customer and contributed to his/her economic situation.

I explained that I had no intention of changing my behavior, regardless of whether it was considered “abnormal”. When someone does something that I find enjoyable and/or of value, I am always thankful and want to express that. Whether or not it’s a person’s job or any other motivation isn’t something I consider.

Each time the guy comes to mow our yard, I shudder at the cost. I write the check and mention to Nancy how grateful I am that we found him. I then go hand him the check and thank him. Why? Because I AM thankful.

Whenever I happen to run into a cop (mostly at gas stations), I also try to say something like, “I know it isn’t an easy time to be a cop but, I appreciate that you’re doing the job”.

Maybe, occasionally, a “Thank you for your service” isn’t being prompted by a popup on a cash register. It just might be sincere. 🫡
 
Thanks for this thread; it makes me feel strange and I don't know how to answer. I chose it (or it chose me), and I can't think of an answer usually other than "thanks". I don't wear shirts or hats with service stuff either. I think it's become a platitude and I personally feel odd hearing it. It's not you, it's me.
Wanna do something real ? Thank my wife and kids for their service. I had the easy job, just covering my left and right lateral limits. They did the hard part, over and over. My wife skipped my retirement party, wanted no part of it.
 
1911gobang said:
I’ve said it a few times. Mostly to elderly guys with Korea or WW2 hats on (although the latter are becoming rarer all the time). My whole fam damily served except me. Dad, Mom, Brothers, cousins, uncles…..
My nephew served on the USS Abraham Lincoln and died in a car wreck headed beck to the ship after weekend liberty, and a cousin that was a KIA in Viet Nam. That’s the only active duty deaths in our family

My dad told me “if you want to show your appreciation to vets, you go to any cemetery and find neglected stones and clean them, or go to the VA and ask the staff who never gets visitors, and visit them.”

I don’t do either of these things as often as I should…..

I’ve paid restaurant bills for soldiers countless times…. Anonymously. For firefighters, cops, and EMT’s too.

There’s 1001 ways to show appreciation without saying a word.
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In a past life when I was working as an EMT, a company I worked for also had ambulettes. I would drive these during the day. I often got to go to a VA nursing home and pick up guys to take them to various outside medical appointments.

I met some really awesome gentlemen, including a Tuskegee Airman. Often on the way back to the hospital, they would ask if I could stop at a store so they could get a snack of some kind.

I remember one that wanted a couple of glazed donuts. He says, "I'm diabetic and I'm not supposed to have them, but I really want some".

Sir, you're 80+ years old, confined to a wheelchair and living in a VA nursing home. You're a WWII and Korean veteran. You've earned the right to have anything you want. How many do you want?

He got half a dozen and I helped him hide them as I took him back to his room.

About 10 years ago, I was at a trade association conference. One of the vendors was wearing a miniature CIB lapel pin. I asked him where he earned it. He was surprised I knew what it was. He said it was Korea. I told him that my dad had one - WWII. We had some good conversation about that.
 
Chdamn said:
For me, the words thank you, should have sincere meaning.

There have been a couple of times someone has said “I want to thank you as a marine. The marines saved my father in Okinawa”. Or “my son was a marine and died at Kason.”

Those are sincere. And as good as thanking a fireman because you’ll never forget how firemen pulled you out of a burning building.

But this line has gotten as meaningless as a hooker saying “oh yeah, right there”.
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It's for them, not for you. It's for them to feel better. I just smile and say 'thank you.'

My cousin who was an Army MP and was in the thick of it in Iraq has a t-shirt that says 'thank me for my service.' He HATES that phrase, and hates it when people say it. I will say, if I see a vet with a ballcap (WW2 vet, Korea, Vietnam, whatever), I was say, "I am a veteran, too; thank you." I've had some marvelous conversations that way, and the context doesn't make it weird.
 
Chdamn said:
Worked with the ROK Marines a few times. Tough bastards. A lot of respect for those guys.
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I have a funny story about them. I am leaving for a CT scan, later I will come back and share it (it's short). Their NCOs don't mind physical punishment, either; they'll slap the piss out of anyone, junior or senior.
 
1075tech said:
You want to thank someone, thank those families who's sons, daughters, mothers and fathers didn't make it back. Thank those who didn't come back whole
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I am a vet and I really don't care for people thanking me for something that I choose to do, not out of any obligation but because I choose to serve. I do agree with the above comment and think they are who should be thanked. The ones who payed a price for serving. We have even had this discussion in my family recently since my health is such that we have had to start planning for various things one of which was my funeral when the time comes and if I wanted military honors at my funeral to which I said no. It can be mentioned that I served in the Navy because I am proud of my time in but no Honors will be rendered, that Honor is for those who payed the price we were all willing to pay and either did not come home or did come home but not whole.
 
wmg819 said:
I am a vet and I really don't care for people thanking me for something that I choose to do, not out of any obligation but because I choose to serve. I do agree with the above comment and think they are who should be thanked. The ones who payed a price for serving. We have even had this discussion in my family recently since my health is such that we have had to start planning for various things one of which was my funeral when the time comes and if I wanted military honors at my funeral to which I said no. It can be mentioned that I served in the Navy because I am proud of my time in but no Honors will be rendered, that Honor is for those who payed the price we were all willing to pay and either did not come home or did come home but not whole.
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My dad was a WWII vet. Island hopped through the Pacific Theatre. Corregidor, Luzon via Leyte Gulf, and eventually ended up in Japan - Honshu. After VJ day, he reenlisted and went to Europe, spending some time in Germany and Austria.

He did not want military honors at his funeral. As the bugler played Taps, and the 3 gun volley was fired, my oldest brother said "well dad. Sometimes you don't always get what you want".
 
I don't wear shirt/hats, etc. but I do have a USAA debit card. It amazes me how often a cashier will see that card, ask if I was in and then 'thank me'. I wonder if that's just observational skills or if it was part of some training.
 
1075tech said:
My dad was a WWII vet. Island hopped through the Pacific Theatre. Corregidor, Luzon via Leyte Gulf, and eventually ended up in Japan - Honshu. After VJ day, he reenlisted and went to Europe, spending some time in Germany and Austria.

He did not want military honors at his funeral. As the bugler played Taps, and the 3 gun volley was fired, my oldest brother said "well dad. Sometimes you don't always get what you want".
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I don’t want any honors at all. But, the funerals not for me. I’m personally opposed to it because of the effect on the family. I love bagpipes, listen to them all the time (usually start my day with them) but I just think it’s extra pain for the family. However, if they want it, go for it.
If any of you have any designs about a burial at sea, please have a talk with your family first. I’ve been to a couple and it’s a hard, lonesome thing. You’re standing there looking at the big, big water; they say some words, slide you off, and you’re truly gone. It breaks most people there.
Sorry if this is a derail !!
 
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For me , the sentiment came way to late for it to mean anything. Never had someone spit at me but I was in uniform during the days when it was in vogue to do so. I make it a point to speak to a fellow vet but don’t utter the pathetic verse. Just my view. And yes I do take advantage of the discounts.
 
Ok, we all get how insincere it is to say "Thank you for your service". Even though some people genuinely mean it. What I what to know is the rest of the story about the Sargent and the chicken.




Oh and by the way. Thank you for your service.
 
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I do wear shirts and caps and whatnot. I am proud of what I did. I did some hard stuff, and fun stuff, and unique stuff. But I could not care less if anyone says anything about it.

@Chdamn , we were doing multinational diving operations; us, the Aussies, and South Korean ROK (one a NCO, the other an officer), off the north coast of Australia near Darwin. Regular SCUBA, not closed-circuit, a simple underwater nav course from a boat to the shore and back, about 2 miles total. You could see the bubbles from the boat, a set of bubbles for each diver. Aussies go first, about 15 minutes later we go, ROKs 15 minutes behind us; repeat for the way back. We get back to the boat, we're watching the ROKs swim back. Two sets of bubbles. Then, one set. It stays that way for almost 5 minutes. They get on the boat, the officer is blue and practically unconscious. The NCO smacks him pretty hard, the officer arrouses, the NCP smacks him again. The officer looks ashamed, guys on the boat help him take off his stuff.

We ask the NCO what happened. In broken English he said on the way back the officer ran out of air, pointed to surface. The NCO shook his head, pointed to the boat. Officer shook his head, pointed to the surface. NCO shook his head, pointed to the boat. The NCO practically dragged him the last few hundred yards on what amounted to the officer holding his breath. The NCO said he did not smack him to wake him up, he smacked him for breathing too fast and using up all his air and being weak and undisciplined.
 
Schattenreiter said:
Ok, we all get how insincere it is to say "Thank you for your service". Even though some people genuinely mean it. What I what to know is the rest of the story about the Sargent and the chicken.




Oh and by the way. Thank you for your service.
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To be sure I don't think it's insincere. I just think the intention is often different than the result.
 
I personally don’t like it. Mind you, my mentality changed and I grew a lot in my years in the Army, but I initially joined for what I consider selfish reasons. I wanted to travel, I wanted to go to war, I wanted to do things. I didn’t join the National Guard to like help during hurricanes or fires. I wanted to go do something I couldn’t do anywhere else. So my own personal history with joining comes up in my mind whenever I hear it.
 
Ben Jefferson said:
@Chdamn, you are not alone brother. Just occasionally you run into someone whose life you actually made a difference in. I was scheduled to have a camera stuffed up my ass and it turns out the guy who was doing it was lifted off the embassy in Saigon by me and a bunch of drunk friends in 1975. He was 12 years old at the time. He was quite hysterical.
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So y’all ended up saving eachothers asses huh
 
11B CIB said:
I personally don’t like it. Mind you, my mentality changed and I grew a lot in my years in the Army, but I initially joined for what I consider selfish reasons. I wanted to travel, I wanted to go to war, I wanted to do things. I didn’t join the National Guard to like help during hurricanes or fires. I wanted to go do something I couldn’t do anywhere else. So my own personal history with joining comes up in my mind whenever I hear it.
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I don't care about why people joined, just that they did. If getting out of the hood or getting money for college is going to make you a better person and a better American, that's fine by me.
 
Chdamn said:
There may have been a thread about this. And my memory is so screwed up I might have participated. But here are my thoughts on this being said to me.

The very first time it was said to me I was surprised and then uncomfortable. Why is this stranger thanking me for something that I did with no thought of it being a service. I did it because I wanted to.
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Thank you for your service!
 
Based on reading this thread it seems preferable to say "F off" to everyone and start a fight with no preliminaries. Might as well just get to it.

That, or just never say anything to anyone.

:oops:

PS Of course, I should have followed my own advice #2 and not posted. :rolleyes: at self.

"Good morning!" said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.

"What do you mean? he said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?

---- JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit
 
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ProfMagoo(ret) said:
Based on reading this thread it seems preferable to say "F off" to everyone and start a fight with no preliminaries. Might as well just get to it.

That, or just never say anything to anyone.

:oops:

PS Of course, I should have followed my own advice #2 and not posted. :rolleyes: at self.

"Good morning!" said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.

"What do you mean? he said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?

---- JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit
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images
 
I have two very good friends that served during war times. One is a Vietnam veteran. He was wounded over there. Came back to states to heal and was asked where he wanted to be stationed. He said back to my unit in Nam. He went back and was wounded for the second time. Same thing happened . He then went back for the third and last tour. After several months he got a more serious wound and was discharged from the Army. ,3 purple 💜's. And several other combat medals. Damn that's a hero. My other buddy was a Apache helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. Won't go into any details about it but he is a war hero to. Every military holiday you can bet your ass I thank them both for their sacrifices and service time. I also thank their wives for the sacrifices they endured while their husbands were in another part of the world risking life and limb so we can be free. So yes I use the term " Thank you for your service" to them and all that served to protect our freedoms. Without the US military we would not be the greatest country in the world. Despite what the current government officials are trying to to do to it. God bless our troops and God bless the USA.
 
I dont care if anyone thanks me or not! I joined the Navy in 1977 2 months after turning 17. went to boot then Aviation Avionics training in Millington TN at 18 years old I few onto the USS Independance in the med to join VA176 and repair A6 intruder aircraft. There I showed a skillset to do fast safe repairs and to learn the other rates jobs so at 19 I became a Flight deck troubleshooter/ Final Checker. I was the white shirt inspecting the aircraft as it taxied to the cats then dropping down to watch the "wipeout" (movement of all control surfaces) if it was good I signaled the yellow shirt who signaled the cat to be fired. at 20 years old I lost a good friend and was covered in his blood when he made a mistake on the deck. he was ingested by a S3 Viking engine. in less than 3 years I became a E5 (AT2) and went back to Millington for more training. After a tour at naval air test center Patuxent rive I went to VA34 and back to my beloved flight deck time I retired in 1998. My knees are shot, (1 replaced) shoulder rebuilt, hearing gone, skin issues from the chemicals (good luck proving that to the VA). I Miss it I miss the people but I am glad I dont have to endure the PC stuff that my sons-in-law do. I am starting to dream more about those days
 
vaskeet said:
I dont care if anyone thanks me or not! I joined the Navy in 1977 2 months after turning 17. went to boot then Aviation Avionics training in Millington TN at 18 years old I few onto the USS Independance in the med to join VA176 and repair A6 intruder aircraft. There I showed a skillset to do fast safe repairs and to learn the other rates jobs so at 19 I became a Flight deck troubleshooter/ Final Checker. I was the white shirt inspecting the aircraft as it taxied to the cats then dropping down to watch the "wipeout" (movement of all control surfaces) if it was good I signaled the yellow shirt who signaled the cat to be fired. at 20 years old I lost a good friend and was covered in his blood when he made a mistake on the deck. he was ingested by a S3 Viking engine. in less than 3 years I became a E5 (AT2) and went back to Millington for more training. After a tour at naval air test center Patuxent rive I went to VA34 and back to my beloved flight deck time I retired in 1998. My knees are shot, (1 replaced) shoulder rebuilt, hearing gone, skin issues from the chemicals (good luck proving that to the VA). I Miss it I miss the people but I am glad I dont have to endure the PC stuff that my sons-in-law do. I am starting to dream more about those days
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I am sure you've seen this:



I have mentioned the time I flew aboard the Ike to teach some classes. Trapped and launched aboard a COD, three days. Every non-teaching hour I was in the crow's nest; I loved that, but not enough to want to do it for >12 hours a day every day for 6-8 months. Nothing but mad respect for flight deck personnel.
 
It doesn’t really bother me one way or the other if someone thanks me but I’d just as soon be left alone.....with one exception. One of my Dad’s younger friends joined the Marines and stood at the Battle of Khe Sahn. He has a NC flag that flew over the base during the battle and was later hung in the US Capital. The flag was returned to him several years ago when the Capital was remodeled. Anyway, I saw this fine American one day and he gives me a USMC hat. I remind him that I was not a Marine. His reply....”You are in my book, I’d been proud to have had you beside me”
Damn, what do you say to that?
That’ll humble you...
 
Anyone who eyeballs the chatbox knows ive told this story before... I wont give you all the background.

But what you should say is "bend over ill show you service."

"bend over ill _____" can be added to or follow up anything.
 
Chuckman said:
I am sure you've seen this:



I have mentioned the time I flew aboard the Ike to teach some classes. Trapped and launched aboard a COD, three days. Every non-teaching hour I was in the crow's nest; I loved that, but not enough to want to do it for >12 hours a day every day for 6-8 months. Nothing but mad respect for flight deck personnel.
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sure do remember when that happened. My biggest fear was a cable snap (never happened while I was there), If you read I highly recommend Amazon product ASIN 0692326545 the author was a yellow shirt (ABH) I was in VA 34 on the IKE from 1986-1991
 
I’m at the DMV right now waiting to renew my
License. The check in lady asked if I wanted the Real ID and “veteran” designator on my license. I had no idea that was a thing.
 
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325rto said:
When i hear 'thank you for your service' my typical reply is : 'thank you for funding my drunken tour of Europe".
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11B CIB said:
I personally don’t like it. Mind you, my mentality changed and I grew a lot in my years in the Army, but I initially joined for what I consider selfish reasons. I wanted to travel, I wanted to go to war, I wanted to do things. I didn’t join the National Guard to like help during hurricanes or fires. I wanted to go do something I couldn’t do anywhere else. So my own personal history with joining comes up in my mind whenever I hear it.
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Yep. In my case, I had no better options & had to get TF away from home. To be fair, I had a hell of a good time. I got a couple college degrees, bought a house, essentially ran wild & saw the world. I ate & drank & screwed my way across Europe for almost 8 years on the government's dime. I got paid to jump out of airplanes & have a million & one stories not fit for polite company. Can't imagine a better way to while away a tick over 20 years.

So yeah, it just makes me uncomfortable. I've never once even taken advantage of a Veteran's Day freebie at any of the restaurants that do that, though I appreciate the hell outta that 10% Lowes discount. I love that all the dispensaries here offer a 10-20% military discount 😆 Was shocked the first time in CO when the budtender saw my retired ID & told me they offered a 10% military discount. Lol! Hook me up, bro.
 
Have gun-will travel said:
I have two very good friends that served during war times. One is a Vietnam veteran. He was wounded over there. Came back to states to heal and was asked where he wanted to be stationed. He said back to my unit in Nam. He went back and was wounded for the second time. Same thing happened . He then went back for the third and last tour. After several months he got a more serious wound and was discharged from the Army. ,3 purple 💜's. And several other combat medals. Damn that's a hero. My other buddy was an Apache helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. Won't go into any details about it but he is a war hero to. Every military holiday you can bet your ass I thank them both for their sacrifices and service time. I also thank their wives for the sacrifices they endured while their husbands were in another part of the world risking life and limb so we can be free. So yes I use the term " Thank you for your service" to them and all that served to protect our freedoms. Without the US military we would not be the greatest country in the world. Despite what the current government officials are trying to to do to it. God bless our troops and God bless the USA.
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See, this is the difference. I’ve never met this man ( I love his username) but I can tell his comments are genuine and well-meant ( along with several others in this thread ). I can tell he doesn’t feel obligated to say this, he means it; I guess that’s the difference. I think we pick up when someone feels obligated to say it or is insincere/just spouting words.
 
It doesn't really bother me either way. I usually respond, or don't, based on whether it seems sincere or scripted.
I do think we need more patriotism in general, not that "thank you for your service" is patriotic, but it's a heluva lot better than the ideology and some of the things I hear coming from woke folk.
 
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