What Did You Do for Veterans Day?

[rps]

I am a former National Guardsman. In my mind that does not make me a veteran.

The Veterans parade in Tulsa, despite the best efforts of people I know and respect, is lame.

No way am I going to the breakfast at the VFW post.

On Fridays I always meet a small group of like age gentlemen for breakfast at 10:00. One other of the group was a reservist. This morning, as we solved world problems after eating, a gentleman and his wife came in for early lunch. He was wearing a hat commemorating his naval service during the VN era.

Our table figured the least we could do was buy their lunch anonymously. Guess how we felt.

[BilletHead]

6 hours ago, rps said:

I am a former National Guardsman. In my mind that does not make me a veteran.

The Veterans parade in Tulsa, despite the best efforts of people I know and respect, is lame.

No way am I going to the breakfast at the VFW post.

On Fridays I always meet a small group of like age gentlemen for breakfast at 10:00. One other of the group was a reservist. This morning, as we solved world problems after eating, a gentleman and his wife came in for early lunch. He was wearing a hat commemorating his naval service during the VN era.

Our table figured the least we could do was buy their lunch anonymously. Guess how we felt.

             Thanks

[tjm]

I am a  Vietnam Era Veteran, but not a Vietnam Veteran, that was my Bronze Star older brother and some of my classmates. The difference in my mind is that I fought that war in places  like the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the North Sea ect. and was never "in country". I believe the VFW is reserved for those that actually served in the combat zones, while the American Legion is open to all. I spent the day at home sorting fly reels and lines, thank you. 

I do recall the People spitting on anyone in uniform and cussing us in public places, airports in particular. And each time someone says "thank you for your service" I ask what branch they were in. I remember the movie star taking the photo op in the POW camp too ...

Nice of you all to buy the meal, I had a few  different couples buy my supper when I was on active duty and all those nice folks had a son or grandson in the service or had lost one.

[rps]

I mis-spoke. I meant to say American Legion. About the "lame." I do not know why, but the event here is not even as good as the ones I attended in Eureka Springs with my 8th grade.

[tho1mas]

rps- If you were man enough to wear the U.S. uniform you are a veteran. In one stroke of someones pen you could have been sent anywhere in the world.(during six years of your life)

[Carl1969]

Served breakfast down at the Mason Lodge to mostly Vietnam & Korea era vets. One or 2 salty old WW2 bubbas as well. Always fun to swap war stories with the old silverbacks & it's nice to give back to the community.

I enlisted in the Cold War Army & retired from the "Global War on Terror" Army & despite my best efforts, I missed out on every single conflict from Panama on & that with the 2nd half of my career on jump status as a PSYOPer. Always a case of my unit either not being sent, or deploying after accepting a different assignment. Did a lot of janky, plain clothes, classified stuff in Africa, but even being actively sought & targeted by the booger eaters, never once was I in a legit combat zone. I got orders authorizing wear of a combat patch for a central African boondoggle right before I retired, but never wore it. 

Too many friends saw the elephant up close & not all of them came home & I'd feel like a poseur for wearing a combat patch, like I was claiming something I hadn't earned. I've never been one of those "you're welcome for my service" dipwads. Maybe I endured & did some whacky, sometimes not fun stuff, but nobody made me do it. Hell, the Army paid for 2 college degrees & most of a third, enabled me to buy 3 houses & got to see the world on Uncle Sugar's nickel. I had a blast & the Army was the best vehicle available for me to escape my hyper-toxic home environment. So, yeah. I appreciate the sentiment, but it makes me uncomfortable to be thanked for my service. If a retailer offers a military discount, I will gladly take advantage of it, but I've never once partaken of any of the "vets eat free" deals on Veteran's Day.

To be fair, I am very socially awkward & self conscious & compliments & gifts/freebies just make me really uncomfortable. Maybe it's also that for me, it's more a sense of personal accomplishment & self satisfaction- I did what I did for myself & my self alone.