Thank You for Your Service

Gilbert Buettner

Gilbert Buettner

Line Up and Wait
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Dec 5, 2022
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Wausau, Wisconsin
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Gil
Today I was sitting in the Rochester, NY airport waiting for my flight when a young man came up to me and, seeing my Vietnam Veteran cap, said, "Excuse me, sir. Thank you for your service." I was a bit surprised and just replied, "You're welcome." It's a natural reply to a thank you and just came out. What I try to say, when I get that, is "It was an honor" or "it was my privilege."

Very few people cared when we came home from Vietnam, and it wasn't until about ten years ago that a guy said, "Welcome home." Wow. That was the first time I remember anyone saying welcome home.

Today there are a lot of people who feel much differently about veterans than back in the 60s and 70s, and the "Thank you for your service" is pretty common. I never really cared for it, because they mean well but probably have no understanding of what it was to face the draft, to know you were going to have to do something.... and it seems like sort of an obligatory thing to say.

If you see a Vietnam veteran, think about saying "Welcome home!" It would mean much more than a thank you for something in which we really had little choice.
 
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Yeah, different mindset back then. I went to high school at a private military school. In 1973 I was walking home from school in my ROTC uniform when a VW car painted with flowers and a peace symbol and loaded with girls slowly drove by. They yelled baby killer then threw a beer can at me. And this was in a very conservative town at the time. They probably went and bragged to their friends on what they did.

Gilbert, thank you for going, thank you for doing your best and thank you for coming home.
 
Please do not misread any negative in my response - not intended.

Objectively, if one is wearing a WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Air Force/Army/Navy/Marine or whatever cap, they’re pretty clearly communicating they want to be recognized for that service. Even if one was drafted, if they’re wearing the cap (or lapel pin or car decal), they’re proud of their contribution. Saying thanks, regardless of whether or not the service was voluntary, seems polite and sincere. If one doesn’t want to hear thanks, maybe not wearing the cap/lapel pin/sticker could be an option.

You served. You didn’t declare you had bone spurs or something. Thanks.

/A fellow Vet (who chooses to say “my privilege” in response)
 
Not a vet myself. However if the opportunity presents itself and I see the uniform or something else that identifies a person as military or vet, I won't put them on the spot by thanking them directly. But if you happen to find your meal paid for, thank you.
 
Llewtrah381 said:
Please do not misread any negative in my response - not intended.

Objectively, if one is wearing a WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Air Force/Army/Navy/Marine or whatever cap, they’re pretty clearly communicating they want to be recognized for that service. Even if one was drafted, if they’re wearing the cap (or lapel pin or car decal), they’re proud of their contribution. Saying thanks, regardless of whether or not the service was voluntary, seems polite and sincere. If one doesn’t want to hear thanks, maybe not wearing the cap/lapel pin/sticker could be an option.

You served. You didn’t declare you had bone spurs or something. Thanks.

/A fellow Vet (who chooses to say “my privilege” in response)
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Yes, I do want to be recognized. By fellow veterans.

And I want to return that recognition.
 
It was always awkward for me too and I didn’t know what to say. “You’re welcome” didn’t sound right so now I just say “thank you for your support” but I don’t wear anything that would indicate I was ever in the Air Force. I wore a uniform for 24 years, that was enough. It is when I use my military discount or show my retired ID card when people say it. I think nowadays they feel compelled to say it. That’s okay I guess.
 
:yeahthat:
Exactly the same for me
 
I don’t wear anything to indicate that I was in the service. The only time anyone notices is when I show my VIC for park admissions, discounts, etc.
 
I rarely get it but I rarely wear vet stuff and rarely use military discounts. Even Lowes. No stickers on the vehicles either and no GWOT license plate! Old friend was visiting the other day and had an Air Medal license plate. That’s fine and all but not for me.
 
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Here's my problem with thanking someone wearing a hat. I have seen these in grocery stores and Walmart too.
People have been known to buy these hats and wear them on street corners with cardboard signs saying "homeless Vet".
Many of them are neither homeless or veterans.

My brother (two tours in Nam) would sometimes ask them what unit they were with. Most of them didn't even know how to answer.

To the real Vets, "Welcome Home".
 

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Velocity173 said:
I rarely get it but I rarely wear vet stuff and rarely use military discounts. Even Lowes. No stickers on the vehicles either and no GWOT license plate! Old friend was visiting the other day and had an Air Medal license plate. That’s fine and all but not for me.
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I should qualify my previous answers a bit. Here in Austin, the airport gives free parking for certain vets (based on certain medals plus for disabled, which I’m not). and a license plate is needed. That has saved me well north of $1,000 so far, so I have the plates.
 
Llewtrah381 said:
I should qualify my previous answers a bit. Here in Austin, the airport gives free parking for certain vets (based on certain medals plus for disabled, which I’m not). and a license plate is needed. That has saved me well north of $1,000 so far, so I have the plates.
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Yeah if I were disabled I have the plate but random awards, nah. Few weeks back in my town I saw an Air Force vet leaving a restaurant and he had an MSM license plate. Same day I saw another car at the grocery store with a DFC plate. Now, personally I’m not gonna get a plate for an MSM but if I was awarded a DFC? Yeah I’d probably get one for that. Then again, a lot of DFCs were awarded the last 20 yrs for stupid stuff that should’ve been just an AM.
 
Not exactly sure what to say to this guy…(for those not familiar, an “Article 15” is a punishment for things not bad enough to warrant a jury trial) (Just saw this guy literally half an hour ago)

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Times sure have changed. My graduating class at Stanford had exactly 7 of us serve in the military out of a class of 1600. In the late 70s, military service was vilified on campus; there was no distinction made between those who served and the nation’s policies. Nowadays everyone wants to thank us for our service.
 
Llewtrah381 said:
Not exactly sure what to say to this guy…(for those not familiar, an “Article 15” is a punishment for things not bad enough to warrant a jury trial) (Just saw this guy literally half an hour ago)

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We have a guy around here that has a Purple Heart vanity plate IT HURT. Another one sats OUCH.
 
I have a DFC license plate in Massachusetts because it is a benefit the states grants veterans at no cost . Saves a lot on registration fees.
 
I grew up in a military family, and was military myself. Whenever I hear "thank you for your service" I find it a little odd, in that it wasn't a thing when I was growing up. The military was just another job. It's akin to telling a French chef "Thank you for your ceviche." I suppose the dynamic might be a little different if one was drafted but that was before my time.

I don't need thanks*. I didn't sign up for medals or ribbons and I don't feel some sort of special entitlement. I signed up because it was the life I knew plus I wanted to play with cool toys and do cool stuff.

*I'm not saying I would turn down a beer
 
Zeldman said:
Yeah, different mindset back then. I went to high school at a private military school. In 1973 I was walking home from school in my ROTC uniform when a VW car painted with flowers and a peace symbol and loaded with girls slowly drove by. They yelled baby killer then threw a beer can at me. And this was in a very conservative town at the time. They probably went and bragged to their friends on what they did.

Gilbert, thank you for going, thank you for doing your best and thank you for coming home.
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I remember being called a baby killer when I was in ROTC in college. We were under orders when in uniform to tolerate all abuse said in our direction. The unofficial orders where when out of uniform we don't care what you do to them. The interesting thing was that every time I heard someone say something negative it was behind my back so I couldn't identify them. That M14 I carried in formation was checked out to me. I said to my fellow cadets that if any hippy so much as laid a finger on that rifle he would sound like a woman, singing soprano, for the rest of his life, however short that might be.

Iflydogs said:
Times sure have changed. My graduating class at Stanford had exactly 7 of us serve in the military out of a class of 1600. In the late 70s, military service was vilified on campus; there was no distinction made between those who served and the nation’s policies.
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I was told (by others) that I was in ROTC to dodge the draft. Yeah, I was in the last high school class who could get a 2S student deferment (class of 1970). I traded it in for a 1D ROTC deferment. My lottery number was 297 when they came up with them, so I really didn't care if they reclassified me 1A. I blew my commissioning physical due to injuries suffered when a clown ran a stop sign and hit our motorcycle broadside, so I traded that 1D for a 4F. No active duty, but I still have my DD 214 saying that I was honorably discharged. I tried to serve, but in 1975 Vietnam had ended and the Army was looking for reasons not to commission people. Oh well, at least I earned a BSEE degree and my career was nothing to complain about.
 
Ghery said:
was told (by others) that I was in ROTC to dodge the draft. Yeah, I was in the last high school class who could get a 2S student deferment (class of 1970). I traded it in for a 1D ROTC deferment. My lottery number was 297 when they came up with them, so I really didn't care if they reclassified me 1A. I blew my commissioning physical due to injuries suffered when a clown ran a stop sign and hit our motorcycle broadside, so I traded that 1D for a 4F. No active duty, but I still have my DD 214 saying that I was honorably discharged
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I graduated HS in 79 so wasn’t subject to the draft. Didn’t join ROTC but in any case it wasn’t on campus, the student had firebombed it a few years before and all the services pulled out of Stanford, not to return. The ROTC guys had to travel to Berkley to go; I believe they still do today.
 
Iflydogs said:
I graduated HS in 79 so wasn’t subject to the draft. Didn’t join ROTC but in any case it wasn’t on campus, the student had firebombed it a few years before and all the services pulled out of Stanford, not to return. The ROTC guys had to travel to Berkley to go; I believe they still do today.
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As I recall, any Morrill grant school (Washington State University is one) is required to offer ROTC. You don't have to be a ROTC cadet, but the school must offer it as an option. A fast way to find out if a school is one is to look at their list of buildings. If they have a Morrill Hall, they probably are one.
 
Ghery said:
As I recall, any Morrill grant school (Washington State University is one) is required to offer ROTC. You don't have to be a ROTC cadet, but the school must offer it as an option. A fast way to find out if a school is one is to look at their list of buildings. If they have a Morrill Hall, they probably are one.
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I went to the University of Missouri, where ROTC was required for the first two years. It's a land grant university. After two years of Army ROTC, I joined the Air Force when I graduated.
 
When I'm thanked for my service, I usually reply, "Thanks, but I got more out of it than I put into it." It puts both of us at ease.

They don't need to know that I put a lot of pain, suffering, and loss into that service and was fortunate enough for it to have changed my life in a way that is still paying dividends now. It's a complicated calculation.
 
Gilbert Buettner said:
If you see a Vietnam veteran, think about saying "Welcome home!" It would mean much more than a thank you for something in which we really had little choice.
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I had the opportunity to do that today, and explain the meaning to my son. Thank you.
 
My brother had to explain to his son recently that he’s a veteran. Four years AF and honorable discharge. A lot of people mistakenly believe you either have to retire or have to serve in combat zone with the military. No on both accounts.
 
I served in the Army 68 to 71 but the missile system I was trained on was not used in Vietnam so I went to Germany while you guys were in Vietnam. I came home on leave in the summer of 70. I made a connection in New York City, don’t remember which airport, in uniform for a cheaper air fare. I guess only someone in the Army could look at my uniform and know that I hadn’t been to Vietnam. A sharp looking young lady with long blond hair was on a bee line toward me. I thought, man it’s great to be in the USA! Then when she got just a few feet from me she let out a huge spit right into my face. It’s the closest I’ve ever come to striking a woman in my whole life, but I controlled myself.

Now, I have people thank me for my service and I usually just tell them “Thanks, but I just did what I had to do.” The draft was in full force in 68 and there was no lottery at that time, so I had no choice.
 
Velocity173 said:
I saw an Air Force vet leaving a restaurant and he had an MSM license plate.
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An MSM license plate? Wow. That's crossing the border into "pretentious" to me.

For those unaware, a Meritorious Service Medal, at least in the USAF, was (still is?) pretty much a "gimme" when you change duty locations for anyone in the grade of about Major or higher or MSgt or higher, as long as you did a decent job. Common as a retirement decoration as well. In fact, if you were in those grades and moved, or retired, and DIDN'T get an MSM (or higher), it would be considered a pretty negative reflection on your career.

Now, if you were a SrA or a Lt and got one, that was a pretty big deal. But anybody who made it to retirement, officer or enlisted, would be pretty much expected to have one, or more, MSMs.

And it's a service award, not a valor award, so 3 years of handing out basketballs at the gym might very well be sufficient (I mean, if you did a decent job of it). Heck, I've got one, and my last job was as a HQ paper-pusher doing nothing particularly special.
 
Man, Indon’t have a shadow box, I love me wall, coin display, or vanity plates.

Retiring ended one chapter of my life and a new one started.
 
I never make my status known. Except for discounts. My kids were in 3rd and 4th grade, and the elementary had a vet night on Nov 11. They had records of all vet parents. They called out names, and all the kids clapped briefly as the vet went to the front of the cafeteria. I was near the end and when they called my name, both my kids were surprised. They didn't know dad was in the service. I don't know how the school knew. I seemed to get a big more respect from them after that, so all in all, it was worth the time spent.

When someone recognizes my service now, I just smile and reply 'no prob, it was fun'. (reality, it was a problem, and it wasn't very fun). Fly low, avoid the radar is my plan. No hats, window stickers, badges, markings id of service. Even Lowes now doesn't mention it.
 
TCABM said:
Man, Indon’t have a shadow box, I love me wall, coin display, or vanity plates.

Retiring ended one chapter of my life and a new one started.
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Don’t have a shadow box but have a love me wall behind my coin display. Really the only reason why I have it is because it’s in the aviation man cave and goes with the rest of my displays.
 
I find the "Thank you" to be awkward. I didn't do it for the thanks, I wanted money for college. I've gotten my thanks already.

I'm glad I did and happy to use the parking space up front at Lowes. I thankfully don't qualify for the handicap spot but my knees banged a few too many ladder rungs in the past and I don't like a lot of walking.
 
Don’t have anything left from my service days except for my VIC which I occasionally use for discounts. I’ve never been a look back person.
 
Velocity173 said:
Don’t have a shadow box but have a love me wall behind my coin display. Really the only reason why I have it is because it’s in the aviation man cave and goes with the rest of my displays.
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If I was asked before I retired, I probably had grand plans for all that, but life happened and by the time we got our house finished and HHG delivered post-retirement, all that was nicely boxed up and just didn’t fit in the new place.

It did not help that my employer is very closely affiliated with military members despite having a small veteran footprint inside the walls. It got tiresome being asked how product/service X would impact some intangible aspect of .mil life.

I quickly got to the point where I am now about the topic.
 
at the risk of being pretentious and whatnot...

Wouldn't the best thankyou be supporting veterans coming home, dealing with the transition to civilian life, dealing with injuries, etc...

edit: no, I'm not prior military
 
I volunteered, and the Army paid for my post secondary education and technical training that has translated into a nice career path.

So, while I had a less-than-alturistic motive to enlist, the Gulf War had been fought while I was in high school, so I fully understood what military service could entail.

And there is no "front-line", 28 reservist non-combat technicians gave it all in a single Scud missile strike.

I don't seek attention for my service. But I feel that the benefits conferred veterans, including those who just served out thier active commitment following whatever orders they were lawfully given, are simply deferred compensation for service given.

Now, my grandfather, he spent four years of his youth in Iran in the Transportation Corps moving the industrial might of this great country to the massive Soviet army as it fought a greater evil.

And my father spent his earlier adult years in the Army flying around West Vietnam and Northwest Vietnam . . . places Michelin mistakenly labeled Cambodia and Laos on thier pre-war maps.

I don't and won't disrespect anyone who lawfully served regardless of how they came to serve, where they served. or under what conditions. But some obviously had it tougher than others. They are the heroes.
 
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I have the flag I retired with next to the flags my father and father in law were buried with. My dad had alot of decorations but I kept mine simple with just rank and warfare insignia. My wife says says when I die she will line all four boxes up.
 
Some people say it sincerely and that's nice.

Many say it because it's rote. That kinda annoys me.

I do like the discounts though.
 
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