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Your comment reminded me that my father wasn't sent to basic before he was sent to England during WWII. He was taught how to march and use his weapon on the ship. I don't think that happens any more.
To address someone else's comment, dad waited to be drafted because his mother was a low income widow and there were three younger children at home.
I will say this...I have bought MANY a cup of coffee or lunch for WWII veterans from various nations. My reason is this: all four of my grandparents were Jewish refugees from various European nations that were steamrolled and occupied by Hitler in the 30s/40s. All four of them managed to find asylum in the United States in an era when the US government was handing out precious few visas to European Jews. It was a miracle and we praise g-d for it. I was raised to have reverence and appreciation for Allied servicemen and women who risked and gave their lives to liberate Europe from the Nazis.
I have sat and embraced a Russian WWII vet who liberated a concentration camp. I hugged him as he wept. It was a very moving experience for both of us.
I appreciate and respect those who have served and those who are serving. However, we already have two national holidays devoted to honoring our veterans and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the United States.
My question is THIS...why are peoples' Instagrams, Twitter feeds, and Facebook timelines full of "thank a soldier" memes and "god bless our troops" hashtags?
Have people forgotten what these holidays are supposed to be about? And if you really give a chit about the troops, Facebook "likes" and tweets don't do ANYTHING for them. Try striking up a correspondence with a soldier without a family (they DO exist), assemble a care package, volunteer with an organization that assists veterans/military families, etc. I just wish people would stop hijacking every freaking holiday and making it about the troops. I find it mealy-mouthed, glib, and irritating. Put up or shut up.
Speaking as a Viet Nam vet who served without family contact, I gotta tell you I am really tired of all the welcome home videos and such.
I did surprise myself once. I was at a patriotic musical type of production and it stopped and asked all Viet Nam vets to stand. My wife pushed me, so I stood. There were only a couple of others! The applause made me cry, and I'm telling you, that ain't easy.
You won't recognize a forgotten soldier even if you see one. We quickly become adept at blending in and smiling along with everyone else. We shoulder up our duffel bags and walk purposefully just like we had some place to go. You won't notice, and it won't be on YouTube.
I'm glad the OP brought this up, because that's the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw online a website listing all the ways you can thank the troops for the fourth of July.
It's like every little thing is thank the troops. Halloween, thank the troops. Valentine's Day, thank the troops. Mother's day....
You get the picture.
This non stop butt kissing, hero worship, and adulation of those who put on the military uniform is wearing thin. Where's the day we thank our police officers or fire fighters, they also serve to protect us (though not so much at times).
And I'm a military veteran myself (Navy and reserves).
One of my best friends is a career military man, and I think he feels the same way as you. A couple of Veterans Days ago, I thanked him for his service to our country, and he acted like he didn't want to hear it. I think it kinda embarrassed him and made him uncomfortable, and he rolled his eyes. Then I got kind embarrassed for bringing it up and wished I never said anything. He's more in line with WW 2 vets, Korean Vets and Vietnam Vets, when these guys came back from war, they rarely ever talked about it. Now-a-days the Vets have bumper stickers and window stickers that lets everybody know they are in the military. My friend did 2 tours of duty in the Iraq War and also in the Gulf War in the early 90's. He never talks about it.
I appreciate and respect those who have served and those who are serving. However, we already have two national holidays devoted to honoring our veterans and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the United States.
My question is THIS...why are peoples' Instagrams, Twitter feeds, and Facebook timelines full of "thank a soldier" memes and "god bless our troops" hashtags?
Have people forgotten what these holidays are supposed to be about? And if you really give a chit about the troops, Facebook "likes" and tweets don't do ANYTHING for them. Try striking up a correspondence with a soldier without a family (they DO exist), assemble a care package, volunteer with an organization that assists veterans/military families, etc. I just wish people would stop hijacking every freaking holiday and making it about the troops. I find it mealy-mouthed, glib, and irritating. Put up or shut up.
Over reaction to Vietnam and how troops were seen coming back from that war.
Much like the racism for a time in this country. If we do something bad, we over compensate for it, generally.
Labor day, however, is not generally seen as about the troops.
One of my best friends is a career military man, and I think he feels the same way as you. A couple of Veterans Days ago, I thanked him for his service to our country, and he acted like he didn't want to hear it. I think it kinda embarrassed him and made him uncomfortable, and he rolled his eyes. Then I got kind embarrassed for bringing it up and wished I never said anything. He's more in line with WW 2 vets, Korean Vets and Vietnam Vets, when these guys came back from war, they rarely ever talked about it. Now-a-days the Vets have bumper stickers and window stickers that lets everybody know they are in the military. My friend did 2 tours of duty in the Iraq War and also in the Gulf War in the early 90's. He never talks about it.
I've never known a veteran who wanted to be thanked for his or her service, though I have thanked a few.
Wow, I haven't seen all of the bumper stickers, window stickers. I don't think they are common in all areas.
When my husband retired from the military, he started to buy window stickers for his truck. In the end, I think he needed some more windows!
Personally, I hate the concept of "Always make big deal out of veterans!" because there are such drastically different reasons for joining and such drastically different sacrifices made in doing so.
The guy who joined at 18, served in germany, and got a GI bill to college? Sorry buddy, but I don't really care about you at all. You just used a program that accepts all commers. Granted there was a risk of dangerous service, but you never faced it.
The guy who joined and went to Iraq or some other combat zone? You've got my attention. You served in Vietname when you didn't even get to "join" and got draftered? You have my sympathy.
Read the personal finance forums, or the work and employment forums. Most people joining just consider it a job. I respect you as much as I respect a security guard at an office. You're doing a job for a pay check.
When you choose to put yourself in a risky situation to protect ALL people, now you have my respect. I will never have any appreciation for the guy who joins for a pay check and a GI bill education and serves in Iceland. If you're just doing it for the pay check, there's no real honor.
Leave the holidays for the ones who deserve it. Those who gave it all, and those who risked it all.
If you did it for a paycheck, you're no better than a mercenary.
Not sure, but it might have something to do with our media/govt constantly shoving so-called 'PATRIOTISM' down our throats in order to encourage everyone to get behind our (often) ill-advised military pursuits.. as we spend billions getting involved in the business of other countries while our own country just rots away... cities decline, roads and bridges crumble, no real health care (unless you're either rich or poor).. the working class continues to struggle and can't get ahead.. everything keeps going up while wages stall.. no help for us but PLENTY of help for 'foreign aid'.. and our own govt continues to betray us by rolling out the red carpet for thousands of illegal immigrants and giving them everything for free... We're supposedly 'broke', trillions of dollars in debt...?? But somehow, there's always plenty of money for everyone but our own hard-working citizens. None of it makes any sense.... HELLO-- WE DESPERATELY NEED HELP HERE!!!
I absolutely appreciate the unbelievable sacrifices that our troops make for us.. however I question the motives for which our govt (is it really 'ours' anymore..?) sends them off to die or get maimed.. and then when they come back, they seem to be mostly forgotten about. They might get a memorial plaque or a park here and there, but what about real life help..?? (With the exception of WW2, which seemed to be the 'golden era' for returning troops.)
I'm an Army veteran and I've never required to be 'thanked for my service', and I don't feel that I'm owed anything for it. But if people feel the need to say thanks for your service, that's fine... as long as they don't go overboard about it. Then it gets embarrassing. I think in recent years it's become a fad and maybe a bit overdone, but that's ok. I'd rather see it that way than the way peoples attitudes were back when I was in (1967-1970), when it wasn't exactly the popular thing to do being in uniform. So I'm fine with it.
You got a paycheck from the taxpayers. That is thanks enough. The only vets who should be "thanked" are the ones who were DRAFTED and that has not been done since Vietnam.
You got a paycheck from the taxpayers. That is thanks enough. The only vets who should be "thanked" are the ones who were DRAFTED and that has not been done since Vietnam.
We weren't exactly paid top wages, but yes, we were compensated for doing our job. The ones who really deserve the thanks are the ones who didn't make it back, whether they were drafted or not.
I appreciate and respect those who have served and those who are serving. However, we already have two national holidays devoted to honoring our veterans and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the United States.
My question is THIS...why are peoples' Instagrams, Twitter feeds, and Facebook timelines full of "thank a soldier" memes and "god bless our troops" hashtags?
Have people forgotten what these holidays are supposed to be about? And if you really give a chit about the troops, Facebook "likes" and tweets don't do ANYTHING for them. Try striking up a correspondence with a soldier without a family (they DO exist), assemble a care package, volunteer with an organization that assists veterans/military families, etc. I just wish people would stop hijacking every freaking holiday and making it about the troops. I find it mealy-mouthed, glib, and irritating. Put up or shut up.
Great post. I was thinking the same thing. Why do they always show military people? There's so much more to America than our military. What does defending foreign lands like Crimea, Iraq, Vietnam, Korea, Israel, have to do with America?
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