If the guy is wearing a veteran’s cap, he must know that people are going to thank him for his service. If he doesn’t like it, he could just stop wearing the cap.
“.....he could just stop wearing the cap.”
It isn’t that easy. People are trained to say things and through their personal expectations of themselves, they just do it. I’m willing to bet that better than half the time it isn’t sincere, it’s campy.
I’ve been retired and disabled (twice) now from active duty for about 25 years. I put that part of my life into the bin. I no longer do what I did. I rest now and the memories of it are mine alone as no one can really know what happened to me and those around me in my mind. I pulled on the uniform for my reasons, promoting the business and not myself, and don’t wish to celebrate it now.
I would want the people that realize it to be happy in their minds, just as sad as I am in mine. I won’t talk about the things I saw and did, they don’t need to thank me for it. It was a job same as being a cop, a fireman, or border patrol. Do the same people thank them when they see who they are? They play or played just as big a part in our security, and there’s is just as much a service.
I won’t be rude to someone for saying it again, but it isn’t that important to me now. And I wear nothing to advertise it.
If someone wants to celebrate military service for the troops, let your congressman/woman know the military member should get a 5% raise rather than 2.5%. Hire a vet when they separate. And the best thing you can do is when you befriend the family of a vet, invite them to your church, club, or an outing to something simple like to the park or your back yard bar-be-que with other families. And trying to help the family of a vet will be worshiped by that vet. Don’t tell them you are proud of them, show them.
rwood