Thank You for Your Service

Every veteran I know is proud of their military service. Some veterans don’t want to be recognized for their military service, and some, like me. are ok standing out. Since the wars began in 2001 I've seen more and more people wearing military veteran patches, hats, and stickers on their cars. It appears that a lot veterans have become accustomed to being appreciated and recognized for their sacrifices. This is especially true for Vietnam veterans who were treated so badly when they returned home from the jungle, even veterans who did not serve in Vietnam were treated badly just because they wore the uniform. Each member looks at their military service differently. One of the most recent things I have seen is how different veterans approach the “thank you for your service” comment and how it affects them.

I struggled for a long time not knowing how to answer someone thanking me for my service, it kind of made me uncomfortable. There are those who love being thanked, those who hate it, and those who just ignore it. In my opinion, the Vietnam era veterans are the vets who deserve to be thanked the most because they were treated so badly upon their return. They were spit on, yelled at, and called all kinds of names by people who had no clue about what they’re talking about. I am glad that our society has come around to understand that Vietnam veterans were doing their job and doing what they had to do to get back to their family safe, which is what every person would have done put in the same situation.

The veteran’s that get overlooked most are the non-combat veterans. These veterans feel they don't deserve credit for their time in service. So few in this country have given a part of their life to their country. These non-combat veterans also deserve credit, they signed their name on the line to give their life for this country just like combat veterans did. It doesn't matter whether a veteran was drafted, or volunteered, they deserve to be thanked for their service as much as anyone else.

A lot of our newer veterans have seen so much combat because of so many combat tours. Our newest veterans are the ones who have been forced by the military to take more than one tour. These men and women have volunteered to serve our country and deserve to be thanked for their service too. Each veteran generation is different and looks at their service differently. I know when I was in the military I didn’t want any recognition, I just wanted to go to work and come home. Now that I'm retired and miss the camaraderie. I often seek out other military veterans to have conversations. I wear my hat, designating my veteran status because it’s something I am proud of. But not all veterans seek out the recognition that some of us do.

There are times civilians need to be mindful because we don’t know what we're thanking them for. Generally, during combat, everyone must do things they're not proud of, to survive and get back home to their families. Often combat veterans must deal with things for the rest of their lives that they had to do during war. People who have never been in the military don’t always understand why they did what they had to do. By thanking them for their service you may be thanking them for something they're ashamed of or struggling with. Its important civilians understands that it can be complicated for the vet to be thanked for their service.

I've talked to several veterans over the years and some are okay with people walking up to them and thanking them. Some veterans refuse to wear any clothing that indicates any part of the military because they do not want to be approached by strangers. I know when I first started getting thanked my service I was uncomfortable because to me I was just doing my job just like everyone else who has served. I didn't know what to say, I didn't know how to act, and I felt a little embarrassed to be honest. I now handle it by saying thank you and just leave it at that. The best way I have been approached was by someone telling me they liked my veteran’s hat. So often the person that thanks me is another military veteran and a I usually ask what branch they were in, starting up a conversation. These conversations are fun for me because I missed the camaraderie and I get a little bit of it when I'm talking to other veterans. I don't like it when people interrupt my dinner but other than that I have become accustom to being approached. My guess is if a person is wearing military paraphernalia then they're okay to approach and thank for their service.

For questions or comments, I can be reached at bo@afterdutyvets.com or visit our website at afterdutyvets.com.