Thank God we have some nice people trying to make us feel appreciated today.
Do you think that the haters from our generation have gone away? A fellow Vietnam Vet buddy of mine who lives a couple of blocks down the street got a typed and unsigned note in his windshield saying some of those hateful things that we heard so often back then: that he should have died back then, that we were butchers and criminals.
I wonder what the veterans of Normandy or Iwo would have felt about fellow Americans carrying the Japanese or Nazi flags in the street and chanting their support of the enemy? I wonder how they would have reacted to be spat on or denied service in restaurants when they wore their uniforms after they got back?
If there are some younger people now who want to thank us for our service and even call us heroes, I would welcome it very graciously.
When a nurse asks for my date of birth, I amuse myself by adding, “On my birthday, my Dad was dropping bombs on the Japanese”.
Invariably, the response is,”Oh NO!!!”
Point taken.
I go out of my way to thank vets. That said I don’t use “Thank you for your service.” anymore. I thank them for sharing their, time, energy, body and soul with the rest of us. That gets some interesting results - not the reason I say it - but overwhelmingly positive responses.
Chainmail, I offer you that salutation and a sincere - Welcome home brother.