Are veterans the newest victim group?

[vaskidmark]

But you didn't know when you signed-up that it would be all state-side peace-time.  I appreciate that y'all *might* have been shot, at or worse. (but I won't thank you for it if it makes you uncomfortable.  You did get paid )

I do think that Memorial Day is the one day out of the year that it's totally inappropriate to thank a vet or servicemember.  Maybe you can buy him a beer and just listen while he talks...

No.  Just plain "No".  That's what Veterans Day is for.  Or Armed Forces Day for the ones still in uniform.

[rant]How hard is it to keep in mind that there is one day a year that is devoted to people who died during military service?  Didn't even have to be during a war/other hostilities or even in a place where you drew combat pay.[/rant]

stay safe.

[vaskidmark]

I've pretty much quit wearing veteran gear.  It's so bad around here that I could barely go to the grocery store without someone saying it.  Yes, I'm proud of my time.  But the toughest thing back in the 90's was DADT.  I didn't shoot any goat *expletive deleted*ers.  Never been to Iraq.  I've been out for almost 20 years. 

Enlisted for 4 years to avoid being drafted for 2 years.  Was hoping that if I made some technical MOS I could avoid the beautiful all-expenses paid Asian vacation by going to schools till my time ran out.  Came pretty close.

I wear my "Former FNG" hat when I go to the VA mostly to use as a conversation started with the other old(er) guys and for the entertainment of the young whippersnappers who come up to ask what a FNG is.    Other than that I'm usually under my "John Moose" hat. http://www.ebay.com/itm/John-Moose-Alaska-Embroidered-Hat-a-play-on-John-deer-great-Alaska-souvenir-/330939682605

stay safe.

[zxcvbob]

No.  Just plain "No".  That's what Veterans Day is for.  Or Armed Forces Day for the ones still in uniform.

[rant]How hard is it to keep in mind that there is one day a year that is devoted to people who died during military service?  Didn't even have to be during a war/other hostilities or even in a place where you drew combat pay.[/rant]

I think that's what I said.  (that's what I was trying to say) 

[vaskidmark]

I think that's what I said.  (that's what I was trying to say) 

You said, and I quote:

I do think that Memorial Day is the one day out of the year that it's totally inappropriate to thank a vet or servicemember.  Maybe you can buy him a beer and just listen while he talks...

I have bought beers for dead servicemembers.  Either left a can at their headstone/at their panel at The Wall, or a glass at the bar*.

But so far I have not sat down and listened while dead servicemembers talked.  It could be me - there are lots of people who don't want to talk with/to/at me and dead servicemembers have no lock on that.

Buy a vet a beer on Veterans Day.  Listen to them on Veterans Day, if they are willing to talk.

Not yelling at you Bob - just pointing out that even the most well-intentioned can at times get the days mixed up.

stay safe.

* - When I went to the head a bartender emptied/washed a glass of beer sitting on the bar that I had told him was for a dead friend.  He replaced it (after some discussion).  Guy I know who worked security there told me the second glass - on the house - was the last thing touched before the place was locked up.  Said that after I left the bartender guarded it like it was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.

[zxcvbob]

I was talking about giving him an ear moreso than the beer if he wanted to talk about his buddies that didnt come back.  OTOH, maybe that's a subject that would never come up, I don't know.