Posted on 11/10/2017 10:30:58 AM PST by Kaslin
Veterans' Day is a time for Americans to step up and honor those who have served in the armed forces. From the days of the Founding Fathers to today, those in the military, whether enlisted or drafted, made tremendous sacrifices for their fellow Americans. We should offer thanks, but the question is how we go about doing it.
Today, many people will tell a veteran, "Thank you for your service." During the Vietnam War, those who fought gallantly for this country would have welcomed that greeting instead of being spat upon and called baby-killers. But for those who fought in the War on Terror, is it enough? The recent book by David Finkel and movie by Jason Hall, Thank You for Your Service, implies that the sentiment is great, but more is needed.
The movie and book follow a group of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq and struggling to integrate back into family and civilian life. They live with the horrific memories of a war that threatens to destroy them here at home. Both film and book explore the reality of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which affects both the warrior and his family.
David Finkel's first book, For the Good Soldiers, told of his experiences while embedded with the men of the 2-16 Infantry Battalion in Iraq during the infamous "surge." His follow-up book, Thank You for Your Service, and the movie based on the book show what happens to these men after their deployments have ended. He told American Thinker, "They came with various psychological and moral injuries, and some are broken. I think the movie found the true heart of my book, getting the big picture. The war affected these guys, and they came home different, many times unable to talk about it."
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Buy a Vet a beer with that thank you.
I’ll be at the corner bar at 1230 hrs.
Two Quarter Pounders and a 20 piece McNuggets with hot mustard sauce.
While I appreciate the lecture on how to thank a vet, I think that people do the best they can in a rough situatiin. Saying thank you to a veteran sometimes is just going to have to be enough, because people aren’t equipped to open that avenue of conversation...nor should they be. Professionals can say how are you doing and if they get an in depth answer they’ll know how to field that answer. The laymen on the street, if they said how are you doing and a veteran comes unhinged what the f*** are they supposed to do with that?? So I think saying thank you for your service is just fine for those of us that are not psychologists. Thank you.
” So I think saying thank you for your service is just fine for those of us that are not psychologists. Thank you.”
Thank you for your service will be just fine for 99% of the Vets who served.
Don’t worry about the 1%.
I’ll be getting my yearly car wash.
“Once again this year we will be giving Free Gold Car Washes to all Veterans on Veteran’s Day on Saturday November 11th between 7 AM and 6 PM.”
I’m OK with “thank you for your service”. Given time, I’ll respond
“It was always an honor,
“Always a privilege,
“Often a pleasure,
“and Never a right.”
Exactly right. A simple thank you is all that is necessary.
Too many are too embarrassed because of their actions and the country’s actions against the Viet Nam Vets. For far too many, it is too late, but I am certain they will look down from Heaven and smile, if you just say thank you, now.
As a Vietnam Veteran (Marines 67-68),”thank you for your service “ seems trite to me and I do not want it being said to me. On the other hand, most of the people using that phrase mean no harm (versus those who defamed us when we returned home).
I solved the dilemma by not telling people of my Marine Corp service.
I’ll ask my wife
When someone tells me “Thank you for your service”, I just smile and thank them, then reply “It was an honor and a privilege”...
The best thank you anyone can give a vet is to responsibly use the liberties we’ve secured for them, work to preserve our Constitution and Bill of Rights, and not be so quick to piss them away for a globalist collectivist future...IMHO...
What about sailors ?
I served many moons ago, yet I always feel the need to say thank you to people that served before me. Always feel weird when people say thank you to me. Especially to Korean War Veterans. Those men, like my Dad, certainly fought the forgotten war.
As a Vietnam era vet I understand your feelings. Many vets from that era would probably agree with you. Since I was assigned to Korea,69-70, instead of Vietnam most of my family concur with me that I was “lucky” not having to go. But the fact remains that all vets gave up significant portions of their lives to serve whether they were in country or not. The transformation from civilian to soldier is a life long lesson that has positives and negatives. Suffice to say you are not the same person you were before induction. Perhaps a more appropriate sentiment would be “thank you for your sacrifice’.
I’ve been thanked, but I prefer those that say the fight is not yet over and the worst is to come, and that they are standing ready as to honour those that came before.
We are in deep crap, and I fear the only way is out is doing what a lot of us used to do. In my case front line infantry with 2PPCLI, taking on the missions that nobody else wanted.
I lost of good friends and other regiment brothers I didn’t know as well. We owe all those that came before us to not give up and not let freedom die with a whimper.
We sailors were all volunteers. Many of us were reluctant volunteers since the alternative was to be drafted into the Army. Or, as I found out on my induction day, December 14, 1967, into the U.S. Marine Corps. For many of us, it was the luck of the draw. When your time is up, it’s up. I personally knew no one in any service who died in Viet Nam. On the other hand, I had friends who were on the ground and in the shit who came home without a scratch. One friend died a week or so after he got home to San Diego. A municipal trash truck with a stone drunk black driver plowed into his VW stopped at a light and killed him and his new girlfriend. Another boyhood friend was in the CB’s in-country and was working construction in up-state PA. Nobody knew he was color-blind and he died in his truck going through a red light with the sun in his eyes heading for a job at the crack of dawn. The closest I came to dying was on my last night on my ship headed for Subic Bay. I was on the fantail contemplating upcoming civilian life. We were running totally dark at 22 knots, hit a rouge roller, and it knocked me aft. I couldn’t get any traction on the slippery deck with my leather soled work shoes and only the steel wire lifeline I grabbed saved my from Davey Jone’s locker. I thank God daily that I got home and am still able to type on this computer.
I am sorry, but I can only roll my eyes. What a ridiculous question. Of course you thank them also.
I worry about all of them and do my best to thank everyone that I see or come in contact with up to and including buying a tank of gas or picking up a lunch tab anonymously
My youngest daughter had asked me to go to the village Veterans Day celebration. Actually, she told me that I needed to "go to the lunch for old soldiers," so I did. Other than the ironic fact that the Nam era VFW president didnt seem to think much of vets that came after him, all of the vets were walking around thanking one another. It felt kind of odd initially because at 50-ish I was the youngest vet there and I was being thanked also.
It dawned on me that while it was true that they stood in the breach while I went through my childhood, it was also true that when they went on to live their lives I took care of my responsibility to the country. Just as there is some kid leaving for MEPs today who will watch over both of us tomorrow.
I spoke to my grandson's first grade class, and participated in the school assembly. Given the high percentage of foreigners in our district, I take every chance I get to inform them of American traditions.
I'd like to think they're getting the right message: no one kneeled during the national anthem.
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