Please Don’t Thank Me for My Service

New York Times ^ | FEB. 21, 2015 | MATT RICHTEL

[jonascord]

HUNTER GARTH was in a gunfight for his life — and about to lose.

He and seven other Marines were huddled in a mud hut, their only refuge after they walked into an ambush in Trek Nawa, a Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan. Down to his last 15 bullets, one buddy already terribly wounded, Mr. Garth pulled off his helmet, smoked a cheap Afghan cigarette, and “came to terms with what was happening.”

“I’m going to die here with my best friends,” he recalled thinking.

I didn’t know any of this — nor the remarkable story of his survival that day — when I met him two months ago in Colorado while reporting for an article about the marijuana industry, for which Mr. Garth and his company provide security. But I did know he was a vet and so I did what seemed natural: I thanked him for his service.

“No problem,” he said.

It wasn’t true. There was a problem.

[Cen-Tejas]

My brother-in-law was a LRP (Lerp) in nam in the sixties. Though we don’t get along all that well (largely because of my sister), I have written him many times over the decades about his extraordinary military service. I think at least arguably that the Vietnam War was more terrifying for the average grunt because u most of the time didn’t get to see the enemy. Many times our guys were just feet from the enemy and could not see them until a flash bang went off in their face.

Before anybody jumps me, I’m not taking away one ounce of credit from any other vet in any war. They are all heroes!

I just thank my lucky stars that the closest I got in 71 was Keelung Port City on Taiwan aboard the USS Hector, AR 7.

[elcid1970]

I’ll be 67 this year. When I go to Tennessee to visit my Mom, I get carded in the package store (”It’s a stupid law but we have to follow it”).

BTW, whenever I pour Mom her evening glass of wine, she asks “Son, how much longer do we have this Obama in the White House & how in the hell did he get elected twice?”

My wife & I answer “weak Republicans & more takers than makers” to her second question.

Anyway, I had walked into Whole Foods expecting some greying freak to scream “babykiller! war criminal! fascist pig!” Hasn’t happened yet but I do get some dirty looks from well dressed liberal women in the organic aisle.

;^)

[doorgunner69]

"but I do get some dirty looks from well dressed liberal women"

Heh.

As far as the guys in the rear taking care of the gear, we mostly had envy. A couple guys I knew put in for embassy school and got accepted. One SOB got stationed in Copenhagen, while the rest of us went to RVN. Can you believe that shiite?

Another guy turned out to have a talent for language and spent his enlistment at the Naval War College in Monterey.

We sure never held it against them, except for that bastard in Copenhagen..............

[reasonisfaith]

I’d say the best thing to do is recognize when the ugly serpent of political correctness is slithering up the steps toward your front door.

[elcid1970]

My flight school class graduated in August 1971. Three guys got selected for fixed wing transition, we were happy for them. The rest of us went on to fly Hueys except for six crazy SOBs who volunteered for OH-6s.

The neat thing about a crashed LOH was that a H-model could slingload it back. Hueys avoided ground fire, these guys went looking for it. With Cobras overhead, of course.

[Texas Eagle]

I’ll check it out. Thanks for the tip.

[Let's Roll]

If they really are objecting - or is it just the anti military NYT trying to cause doubt in the minds of the American people?

[elteemike]

Feel free to thank me for my service, or even wish me “Welcome Home”...

If you swore the oath, and wore the uniform honorably, whether you served in combat or “shoveled s&%t in Louisiana”, we all signed the same blank check and served, and recognition is deserved...And from most people, veteran or not, the thanks is heartfelt...

Each individual’s experiences are their own, no accounting for individual reactions...Some are left bitter and their only outlet is to piss on the sentiments of another and point out “they don’t know or understand what I’ve been thru”...OK...Maybe not...But accept the thanks at face value and carry on...Or not...

But when I hear “Thank you for your service” from the lips of one of our feckless “leaders”, the Mocha Mullah for instance, then I’d just as soon have my lost time back...

[North Coast Conservative]

I wear a cammy cover, or a Corps baseball cap when away from home, keeps the cold off the noggin. I get a lot of Semper Fis or OOOOOOH RAAAAAHS, from the guys who are Marines, a lot of nods and how are yous from guys and gals wearing ball caps of other services.

I look for the older guys with WWII or KOREA caps, tell them how my father in law was a DE sailor on convoy duty in the North Atlantic, or how my dad would tell me how damned cold it was in Korea. He was Air Force, they were flying props. If their wives are with them, I ask if they knew the vet when they were deployed. If they did, I thank them for their support for their men-folk. I always get thanked, and many times am asked about my time in Nam with the Corps.

I thank cops and state troopers whenever I see them, and I remind them that not everyone is an asshole like the mayor of New York City. I get a lot of smiles and thanks.

I told my dad after he was finally out of the ANG that I would never let the the current generation of veterans down the way his did when we came home from Nam. BTW, his unit flew F100s out of Tuy Hoa in 68-69. He was the line chief.

Free Republic had a lot of vets at the Gathering of Eagles in 2007 in DC when we faced down INTLANSWER. We have not, and we willnot let our vets down, never again.

[doorgunner69]

"I look for the older guys with WWII or KOREA caps, tell them how my father in law was a DE sailor on convoy duty in the North Atlantic, or how my dad would tell me how damned cold it was in Korea."

Well said. My father was a navy corpsman attached to Marines on the invasions of Guadalcanal, Guam, and Okinawa. I know he had if far worse than any of us after hime.

Sometimes I wish he had lived long enough to see the "Pacific" HBO series, but then again, my stepmom said he still had nightmares........................

[Svartalfiar]

The more so, he said, “when your war turns out to have feet of clay” — whether fighting peasants in Vietnam or in the name of eradicating weapons of mass destruction that never materialized.

This sentence rather summarizes the overall feeling I get from the author - trying to turn civvies' thanks and make the soldiers sounds like assholes for 'expecting thanks', but turning it away when offered.

Then the reality that he might die, along with his friends — 17 of them did, in action, by accident or by suicide. And, he now asks, for what?

Huh? does the elaboration add anything to the 'story'? This just sounds like a piece screaming for attention.

. Hardest is the gratitude from parents of fallen comrades. “That’s the most painful thank you,” he said. “It’s not for me, and I’m not your son.”

What? They'd be the first people I would expect gratitude to be accepted from... They're the ones who know the sacrifice more so than anyone, who thank you for your willingness to be that sacrifice. I can't tell if the author is trying to make this dude sound like an ass, or the author just is.

Really, I think I could take this story a lot more seriously if it wasn't coming from the Times. Unfortunate, but it is what it is.

[superfries]

I always respond with “It was my honor”

[RaceBannon]

you better believe it

He is only saying it because he didn’t feel the backlash we got

I enlisted in 77, graduated boot camp Dec 13, 1977

walked down my home town main drag Dec 15 about 0900, had people throw beer bottle at me from their car and call me a baby killer

had people pick fights with me in LAX while flying from one base to another

And Vietnam ended 2 years before I ever signed up!

[RaceBannon]

I was 2213 with SSgt Williams, Sgt Klass and Sgt Gulley

Gulley and Klass got replaced by Sgt Collins and Sgt Stone

I graduated Dec 13, 1977

Anyone you remember?

[RaceBannon]

here’s an American hero:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=760638570686246

[AbnSarge]

Was that D or F Co?

Gulley and Collins sound familiar, but I didn’t work with any of them.
When you were there, I was an instructor at the Recruit Training Pool, and EAS’d 16 Jan 1978. BTW, all of the pool, close combat, academics, etc instructors were all DI’s who had done time in working recruit platoons

[RaceBannon]

FOX Company

Gulley left our platoon to go to the Pool, so, you might remember him from there
He went in Oct of 77

[Joe Marine 76]

Fries - Nice. Quick and simply. I’ll try it next time and watch the response.

Thanks, JM 76

[AbnSarge]

THAT’s where I know him from

[RaceBannon]

brother, I may have YOUR graduation picture, let me search :)