The frivolous reason: the first time I heard anyone say this was while watching new President Clinton greeting service members on live TV in January 1993. Enough said there.
The serious reason: Not only was it a privilege to wear the uniform of my adopted country, it was THE REPAYMENT OF A PERSONAL DEBT.
I came here from a communist nation. On the day I was sworn as a US citizen, I did two things: first, I literally BURNED my old communist passport in the fireplace, and second, I mailed out my completed application for a commission in the USAF JAG Corp.
I consider my service time to have been the repayment of a debt that I owed to my adopted country for the freedoms and opportunities that she gave me - which the folks I left behind behind the Iron Curtain never got to have.
So yeah, it makes me uncomfortable when people say "Thank you for your service."
Because it WASN'T. It was the repayment of a DEBT that truly cannot EVER be completely repaid.
God Bless America
Very touching. Beautifully said. Poignant, personal, powerful.
Beautiful post.
God bless you. Welcome home.
We can’t know that.
Why not say, “It was an honor.”?
And besides, nobody expected or required you to serve. You didn’t have to do it but we appreciate that you did.