I hope nobody takes this the wrong way. I am a veteran and I hate Veterans day. I feel very uncomfortable being thanked for doing the job I volunteered for. To me being in the military is no more important than a teacher, firefighter, police officer, construction worker, nurse, doctor, stay at home mother/father or any other person who wakes up everyday and works to make the country a better place. Don't thank me, thank everybody because we are all just as important in this great nation.
Being a veteran I share some of your thought process but not completely. All of those you mention deserve our thanks and I am more than happy to do so. Yet everyone deserves their day and even though the part I played was negligible, I will accept the thank yous I get graciously while knowing it does not detract from thanks we owe to others. BTW, I do thank you for your service. You deserve that thanks too! As do all those serving past and present.
To all that are vets, are active military, take pride in kbowing that when we do say thank you, we mean it. Dont feel uncomfortable, you deserve all the thanks and praise you all can get. Without you brave men and women, we would not be the greatest nation on the planet. So THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy your day, God Bless America!
Because I served more than 6 months active duty in the U.S. Army I became a veteran. I did not enlist to become some noble being. Like most I needed to : get a job, away from where I was, get an education, see the world, keep out of jail, answer the call from my nation. It was for me I swore the oath. But for what ever reason it must be remembered that we are sons and daughters, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers and we transformed due to the duty we preformed. We drew a line in the sand, snow, forest, field, on water and in the air to protect the ones we love and love us. We defended the weak and those unable to deter evil for no other reason than it was asked of us. Some never heard a shot fired in anger but for those who's toes were on the line had faith in the ones behind us. We stood not because we were brave, no, because we were afraid to let those who depended on us down. No greater gift is there than to lay down one's life for another, but the ones at home sure paid a heavy price because we offered ours. Some did their tour in times of peace. It is because they did we had peace. They did their duty and that was what was asked of them. That is all any of us did. But a Veteran still did their duty and stood their post when others would not. They performed the task required of them. If you served in the Armed Forces with honor and dignity then you earned the right to be included in the special group known as Veterans. I include Police and Fire Fighters in these ranks because they to lay their lives on the line for others. And that is what separates us from others. No other job I have had required me to die for the company. I swore no oath to defend anything. I salute those who in uniform served, serving and the ones at home who love them. I got your six.
I am a Veteran and I appreciate when people take time to thank me for my service. I take time as often as I can to tell Police officers, other soldiers and servants of the public Thanks For Your Service. I told 2 Police officers this morning in Dunkin Doughnuts. My Dad and my brothers served and I chose to do the same thing. I think back to the horror stories my relatives told me of when my Dad and Uncles fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars. How, when they returned home, they were spat at, cursed and called horrible names. Many wounded, dying and forever scarred all for fighting a war they were not allowed to finish. So to see soldiers being appreciated, it makes me feel good. I know the ones who fought in wars past really appreciate too!
