Thank You For Your Service
I think I posted about this before, but it happened again today and I STILL get rattled when it happens – enough to post about it yet again.
Some back-story: For 30 plus years I didn’t acknowledge my Vietnam service outside of some very narrow confines. BTW – The only VN mud I got on me was during a one-time trip to a bar in DaNang .
Around the time we did GoE (Gathering of Eagles in ’07) it kinda felt okay to do so. A coupla years ago I bought a baseball cap (made in China?) , and I wear it often.
So today I visited my local Mini-Mart and a guy also checking out said “Thank you for your service.” I had enough wits to respond with “Thanks, we all did what we could.” But THEN he added “I hope you didn’t get greeted like some did?”
By this time there were, maybe, a half dozen folks standing there and I kinda blurted out ” Got spit at and called Baby Killer once in San Fransisco in ’69.” Noted some odd looks from the mini-group and left.
Yeah, I know the PC answer to the “Thank You…” is a simple “you’re welcome”, but I still get flummoxed and fumble.
Just might be too old to learn proper decorum?
Category: Geezer Alert!
I think you handled that perfectly correctly, Zero. The left is trying desperately these days to hide how they treated the military during Vietnam. The truth needs to be heard.
I was just a little bit too young for Vietnam, but my brother went. He told me years later that he thought about going to Canada, but he didn’t cause he wanted to come back to the USA.
I hold a special contempt for those who went to Sweden and Canada, and a cold anger towards Carter for pardoning them. And it REALLY ticks me off that they came back to the USA as HEROES!
Anybody who was living during that time carries around baggage from that really crappy time in our history.
I’ve said it here before, but I kind of laugh at this Greatest Generation stuff. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that it’s not deserved. It’s just that many of the people who started that stuff hated those same veterans in the 60s.
I understand that it’s just humans being humans, but I don’t think anyone came out of the 60s without strong opinions about what happened.
Actually, it is an unfortunate fact that many of these draft dodging hippies were raised by parents from “The Greatest Generation”. They didn’t get the job done as parents and we are still paying the price for it.
Zero…..I think you handled it quite well. There have been times I have fumbled and mumbled, when being thanked for serving during that difficult time.
I think part of the issue is, most of Vietnam vets, came home and put the whole experience in the closet for decades. It takes a little getting used to being thanked after all these passing years.
Zero……you were there and did your part! Many opted for Canada and other places.
Thank you for your service! And that’s from the heart.
I agree with Hondo that you did fine. However, you indicated you “blurted out,” which makes me think YOU think you said something wrong. If that’s the case, perhaps this suggestion might help. Try for what’s called a “positive response.” Basically, those fit into a couple of catagories:
A.) Total strangers = polite response.
B.) New/casual acquaintances = short response.
c.) Friends = detailed response
Since the people at Walmart are presumed to be strangers, an example of a “positive response” to the comment you said you blurted on would be something like this:
“I wasn’t greeted as politely as our vets of the current wars usually are.”
And just remember this: You are not REQUIRED to answer any question. If somebody gets really obnoxious — walk away. You owe them nothing.
Thanks, but it was actually at the mini-mart: Small rural place with gas pumps and beer, etc. Some were strangers, as was the guy who spoke, but likely locals.
Sorry, Zero! I did see that. It’s at the end of a Friday, and my eyes are crossing. My bad.
Should have asked him to pull your finger.
It was 44 years before I heard the words, “Thank you for your Service”.
I was dumbfounded.
He was thirty something, me in my sixties
…..all I could say was “Thank you, Sir” and retreated quickly.
Zero, you did great! Lots of people aren’t old enough to remember and social unrest around the Vietnam War wasn’t taught in schools so anybody under the ago of 50 probably doesn’t know what you were talking about.
Those who know about the times – they know. The younger ones – maybe you said something that made them go home and google the Vietnam War. I was active duty and had an experience similar to yours in Seattle — I never went to Vietnam. Those assholes screamed at everybody in uniform. And, yeah, about that time we got the order to stop traveling in uniform. I was young and pretty confused.
If you were there, tell people what happened, talk about those times. It matters. In 40 years we will all be dead and there will be no one who was there – no one who saw it. I didn’t go anywhere interesting or dangerous and I didn’t do anything heroic but I signed up. We are the keepers of this history. Tell your family and friends so that it is not forgotten. What happened to us in airports may happen to other service people in the future but if we fail to pass on the history, it WILL happen again.
Richard, you kit it out of the park.
Thank you, and I also remember being screamed at and spit on in O’Hare too…
We couldn’t travel in uniform back then… It was the final surrender by the lousy ass Generals of the Vietnam Era…
The same ones we have now… Asskissers…
Hi it out of the park…
Sorry, fat fingers, old, bald ugly, fat fingers…
Thunder…..got the same treatment in the airport in Hawaii. A couple of kids about sixteen, got in my face about going to Vietnam. Did not put up with it then , wouldn’t now.
Regarding our glorious generals in charge during that time, supposedly from the “Greatest Generation” fuck them. We did not trust anyone above the rank of Captain. most of those career officers were just getting their ticket punched at our expense!
“We did not trust anyone above the rank of Captain. most of those career officers were just getting their ticket punched at our expense!”
The more things change, the more they stay the same…
Hell, I graduated from boot camp in ’85 and when we were on liberty got cursed at and called a baby killer at the San Diego zoo.
I advised them that I had graduated to adults and they could be next if they didn’t STFU.
Now I hear “Thank you for your service” and I kinda stumble around for a response. I wasn’t some high speed operator, I played on a flight deck launching and recovering – what 19 year old in his right mind wouldn’t want that as his office?? I was doing what I wanted to do.
I heard a story about a janitor in NASA.
While they were working on the launch to put men on the moon, some VIP asked the janitor what he was doing and he said “Putting a man on the moon.”
We all have our jobs to do and those of us on the ground appreciated seeing CAS overhead and jets doing flyby’s as a show of force. Though the bestest is when we see bombs on target and bad guys flying in multiple directions. They have to take off and land somewhere.
I simply give them the Ebola handshake, fist bump and say “It was an honor to serve…”
Sometimes I add “Although, back in the 70’s I didn’t think so at the time…”
No matter what you say, I am just simply glad that they finally honor those that did serve back then.
I never talked about it until Desert Storm 1 when they came back for the parades and all.
Finally, I was able to say I was proud to be a Veteran>
Although, it worked out well for me when I went to MATC in Madison, WI for the LPN course and walked to the front of the line because I was a Vietnam War Era Veteran. The line was 3 years long then…
Done good, sailor.
By the way, Zero – on behalf of everyone who served post-Vietnam, thanks.
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=45773
Amigo: I do suffer from age related CRS (Can’t Remember S##t”) and forgot that post.
Still hoping that your efforts help me fill some gaps.
One word… Thanks!
After decades of avoidance, you and every other vet who has bit their tongues all these years has more than earned the right to respond any damned way you, and they, want to respond, Zero! But, the one you gave earlier today was great. Honest, to the point, not sugar coated.
I’ve heard it a couple of times since I left. Don’t recall hearing it when I was in, but that was also pre-9/11.
You did fine, Zero.
Zero…et al VN Veterans; When I see an “old-timer” with a VN decal or worn hat, I make it a point to say Welcome home Sir.
My dad had shit thrown at him when he was leaving to go, and spit on when he got back. The very first guys to greet me off the plane at Bangor were guys who served with you and my dad. It was the best part of coming home, they made me feel welcome and some had tears in their eyes; it was an honor to receive their handshakes.
You did just fine at the mini-mart, and you as well as everyone else here who was “lucky” enough to visit far east Asia did just fine then too….you have my respect and nothing to be ashamed of. The deserters/political-college deferred types are the only ones who should be ashamed from their running away, hiding, or treating you like shit.
Take care.
I remember coming home from EBOLC last year and driving home from FLW. I didn’t change out of my ASUs because I wanted to get home ASAP and didn’t feel like trying to change in a latrine. Anyway, I stopped at a rest area and saw this older gentleman who was entering the facilities. He stopped and waited for me which I thought was kind of strange until I saw his ballcap with a 1st CAV patch on it and dates of service from Vietnam. He thanked me for my service and I told him “No, sir, thank you”. Those who held it down during that time kept it going for those of us who are now serving. I had a couple of VN vets in my old Air Guard unit and the skills and knowledge they had were invaluable in making good Airmen out of all of us.
As a 11th ACR Trooper, I returned in 1969 from the 106th General Hospital, Yokohama, Japan (wounded near Quon Loi) through San Francisco. The path we took toward the terminal was boarded up, to protect us from the protestors. There was a lot of profanity and an occasional “thump,” some one throwing something, hitting the plywood.
Fast forward 35 years and I find myself returning through Dallas/Fort Worth from Iraq (124th Cav, 36th ID, TXARNG), with our aircraft receiving a Water Canon Salute. Upon entering the terminal, complete strangers are shaking our hands, slapping us on our backs, hugging, and kissing us. With tears, my thoughts go back to the above and am so thankful that this generation of Troopers will not go through what we did.
As for the OP, I usually reply with a Thank You, (for thank us and thinking of us).
Mario……….Allons! I Troop, 3/11 Cav 67-68 (via 210 General Hospital, Yakota and St. Albans Naval Hosp.)
gathering of eagles was my coming out party. Traveled back to DC from Kansas because Jane Fonda was suppose to be there and I hate that bitch. I went to the gathering with my sister who had a son, son in law, and sister in law in the suck. We were overwhelmed by the experience and I am now a proud Vietnam Vet.
That was the very best part of it for me. It was a distinct honor to have been a small part of that, but especially to observe my generation coming together. discovering new and old friends, and moving forward.
I was at the March ’07 event on the National Mall, to protect the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I met Michelle Malkin (and I think Allah Pundit) there. I even have three or four pictures of the event.
One of the things that I remember the most was how much trash the Code Pink and other left-leaning demonstrators left on their side of the line. They dropped signs, leaflets, bottles, wrappers, all sorts of trash and just left it there. While on our side we did a police-call and cleaned our area, leaving it cleaner than when we got there.
The entire day was an absolute fantastic experience … a little windy and chilly, but fantastic.
Not sure which of these “codes” I’m supposed to use, so bear with me.
[IMG]http://i58.tinypic.com/al0xn8.jpg[/IMG]
Well crap, neither way works. No clue.
You can see it here though.
http://i58.tinypic.com/al0xn8.jpg
Anyway, I got stuck, and a bunch of guys came to my rescue.
I handled commo and OWB handled security.
Might see yourself in the picture 🙂
Just tell them you were in the War of 1812.
Most people were nice when I came back from Nam. There was one ahole bartender in San Francisco that was very rude. I thought about kicking his butt but decided I wanted to go home not stay 2 or 3 days in a San Fran jail so I just walked away.
A few weeks later I went to were I was born in Fla. people there were very cold but not rude. It was as though I had something contagious.
When someone tells me that, I just say thank you back to them. If they are a vet, I say thank you for your service back.
I even get the occasional buy my food occurrence as well. Another thank you situation, usually I also add, you don’t have to do that.
It is just too bad it wasn’t that way for the VN era guys. You deserved it just as much as anyone else, if not more for serving during an “unpopular war” timeframe.
I just say it was a long time ago, Thank You. I just try and make sure our men and women serving today aren’t treated the way we were. Nam 69-70