• sOlitude24k@lemmy.myserv.one
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    2 months ago

    It’s always awkward to respond to it, too. Like, my service sucked. Don’t thank me because I was poor and needed a job and healthcare, lol. Most of the people I was in didn’t give a shit about patriotism. We just wanted to not starve to death and go to college.

    • ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I watched a documentary at a film festival a few years ago about a Vietnam vet, who was there for the premiere and took questions from the audience afterwards. The vet mentioned how much he hated hearing “thank you for your service” all the time. Another Vietnam vet stood up and asked him a question, and the first vet started off his answer with “thank you for your service”.

    • diskmaster23@lemmy.one
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      2 months ago

      Like 10-15 years ago, I contacted the air force to join and become an officer (I have a degree). I wanted to do a gs-1102 job. The recruiter asked why I wanted to join. I said for a job. They said no, they wanted patriots. Guy, ask service members, they aren’t there to “serve their country,” they are there for a job.

      • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        I once got a call back about a job I applied to online informing me I’d have to commission as an officer in the Air Force for it, but that they really liked my resume. It was awkward af because I had rejected the Air Force industrial complex but it met my ethics (it was something like an environmental engineering role), but I had to inform them that as I’m hard of hearing I’m ineligible for the military. Sucks, I really could’ve used the stability, permanent health insurance, pension, and free extra college…

    • SlapnutsGT@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      It’s very awkward for me especially since I was only an electrician fixing lighthouses, I wasn’t getting shot at overseas or anything.

  • N0body@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    2 months ago

    That’s why you shouldn’t thank them for their service with mere words, but with song. A rousing round of God Bless America sung by the entire room is how you properly thank service members. Remind everyone in the audience that if they don’t join in, it’s because they hate America.

  • Mossy Feathers (She/They)@pawb.social
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    2 months ago

    I’ve heard it’s Schrodinger’s virtue signaling. Most military guys get annoyed, but then when you don’t virtue signal, it just happens to be the one guy who actually enjoys it and gets upset that you didn’t say, “thanks for your service”.

  • psion1369@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Thank you for your service and here are your awards and medals. Your family will thank you even more when you die and they hawk your medals at my pawn shop for a few extra bucks of inheritance.

    My father in law used to run flea markets on the side. Used to say that in the service he worked hard as hell and never got a medal of honor, but working the flea markets he had a jar full of them. Nobody gives a shit about service.

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I mean… Medals are like candy in the military. There’s 4 medals that make people pay attention. A purple heart, a silver star, a service cross, and the congressional medal of honor. Most people won’t be awarded any of them, and of those who are awarded, they will likely not receive more than one their entire career.

      There’s like 20 other medals that you’ll receive more than once and amount to, “I was on active duty at X time and didn’t get in trouble”. So a lot of soldiers don’t really care about their own medals.

  • Olhonestjim@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    It’s only the virtue signalling that annoys me. If you’re just trolling me, then it’s good for a laugh.

    I swept for your freedom.

    • evidences@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      One of the guys I work with now won’t stop sweeping at work it’s annoying as all hell. Now every time I see a broom outside of work I have a negative response to it, I might have PTSD. Anyways thanks for your service.