Posted on 05/26/2014 8:05:05 AM PDT by US Navy Vet
Interesting topic...again...
I, like many have stated, feel somewhat ‘embarrassed’ when the subject is brought up but I do wear a VN Vet cap etc, so when someone ‘Thanks me for my service-, I will normally respond with “Thank YOU!!, My pleasure.” and move along.
I don’t really ‘appreciate’ the my age ‘Sons Of American Legion” or “VFW Men’s Auxiliary” that had preferred to ‘do other’ when ‘we’ were out ‘doing our thing’.
Dick Cheney’s (though I like and ‘respect’ him) remark over “Had better things to do rather than serve” sort of rankled me but, then again, I never read the full context of the remark nor what the circumstances were that prompted the answer.
Memorial Day 2014, another day to Honor and Respect the Veterans that have served and are on their last ‘Patrol/Cruise/Flight etc’
I’m surprised by this. I never served. It had nothing to do with being spineless. I learned a skill at 12 and knew what I wanted to do, I focused on it like a laser. I never felt that there was some kind of obligation to serve, nor should there be. I only want people in the military that want to be there, at the time that just wasn’t me. My son is a Marine, he knew he wanted to be one from about 14, I’m proud of him.
It takes all sorts to make this world turn. My “skill” has, in turn, had a positive impact on military technology. I can see my work on nuclear subs, satellites, combat navigation systems, armored vehicles, etc.. Would the military have been better off with me enlisting? Not in my opinion, you should be glad people like me are out there, many of my colleagues won’t work on such projects. If you think that makes me a coward, fine, I still thank you for your service.
I am not a vet, but my father was a lifer in the Air Force (and was in Viet Nam). I have other family members (all deceased) that served in WWI, WWII, and/or Korea. We’ve always been a very patriotic and military-oriented family.
I am very thankful for our wonderful military personnel. I do thank them when I see them and all have been appreciative, though some (the seemingly shier ones) seemed a little embarrassed. I also thank police oficers and firemen for their service (one cousin retired from the Seattle PD and another was shot several times during a shoot-out while in service at another PD, luckily he lived).
While some have seem surprised, I don’t recall any being offended and almost all smile and some say “you’re welcome!” or “thank you!”. Perhaps they all know that my words are heartfelt and truly meant with gratitude.
Wishing everyone a blessed and honored Memorial(Decoration) Day!
This strange attitude today was probably brought on by leftist professors
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I believe it was J F’n Kerry who, in a speech, sort of implied that only uneducated losers were serving.
‘They’ responded by holding signs up mocking Kerry.
And yet, today, this Ahole is our Secretary of State.
Shows the Class or lack of Class of our ‘leaders’....
Not at all. I actually get a little embarrassed, since I was never in combat.
I read your post to Dear Hubby, a retired Army vet. He says no, he’s never been bothered with those thoughts about someone thanking him, but he doesn’t think you should be catching flack over your question. Then I told him who submitted the post, and he said “Meh!” and waved his hand, indicating all the fuss is nonsense.
I was raised by a veteran. Correctly.
My dad served US Navy WW2 Pacific and Marines in Korea.
Even though he is now gone, I thank his following brothers on his behalf.
It’s that simple.
I try not to let that irk me either. I file that in the “they mean well” category.
The legal definition of veteran specifies previous active duty in one of the branches of the military and something other than a dishonorable discharge from the service.
Good afternoon.
My guess is “irked to easy.”
I wish you a fun and safe Memorial day.
5.56mm
I know. I read the book Stolen Valor by Burkett and Whitely last year. Turns out that this is practically a cottage industry. Who knew?
amen to everything you said.
there are a lot of sad,little people out there.
To think there was a Admiral who not too long ago shot himself for wearing a medal he thought he was awarded but really wasn’t.
“I look back when the Traitor John Kerry accused all Viet Nam Vets of being baby killers and war criminals and lately calling troops terrorists. I much rather be thanked than called a baby killer”
And to know that lying traitorous SOB once ran for president and is now Sec of State should be put in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. I despise the horse-face blowhard. And he not only said all Vietnam vets were baby killers, he went further and said he has witnessed war crimes and had participated in war crimes himself. He lied through his teeth and was allowed to get by with. I knew right then and there that the United States was longer a nation of laws. We are a nation of haves and have nots and the traitor Kerry was one of the haves, which meant laws do not apply to him.
actually they wanted my dad who was colorblind b/c he had excellent night vision b/c of it, but he had bum knees and feet.
I feel the same way.
Absolutely not. We were spit on during and after Vietnam. And the people doing it are now stoutly denying it ever happened. No, I’m very grateful for the courtesy.
I’m not irked.
However, I do get pissed when someone who never served and who won’t serve wants to get us into WW III.
I was irked very much that Memorial Day appeared to be mostly just a showcase for the military instead of concentrating and memorializing the dead who were killed in service. My brother was killed on Okinawa and I have documents that indicate to me he was killed protecting the advance of his fellow soldiers. I have official publications about the battles for Leyte and Okinawa and believe there were many men who gave their lives in these battles to save others but received only Bronze Stars. My brother is buried in the Punch Bowl Cemetery in Hawaii and I heard nothing about such a beautiful place of remembrance or any other such places throughout the USA.
Don’t get too irked. We didn’t get a whole lot of love back when I served (’66-69). Since I remember the sting of not being popular then, many times I will see someone in uniform and thank them for their service. I don’t always say that I am a vet.
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