How do you respond when someone says "Thank you for your service"?

LCDR Jerry Maurer hello? Kevin? Guidelines? Or did you just decide on your own? Respectfully request you delete the tree hugging civilians comment as he is insulting veterans that served in Vietnam.

LCDR Jerry Maurer - Here are the guidelines; I suggest you read them. Plus, I recommend you get verified before casting opinions towards our civilian members. If you remain unverified, that could very well mean you are also a civilian.

https://rallypoint.my.site.com/Support/s/article/rallypoint-answers-and-discussion-conduct-2020-03-13-10-21-35

Nelson Ormsby - As a Vietnam Era Veteran, I'm surprised more people aren't offended by your comment, "I never thank any veteran, much less one of the unpleasantness in Greater Southeast Asia". Is that better, LTC Kevin?

LCDR Jerry Maurer perhaps my fractured syntax working against effective communication? My point was I welcome all veterans home, including those who served in Southeast Asia. In my experience, celebrating the homecoming is a “conversation starter”, whereas thanking someone for their service comes off to my ear as merely pro forma (hence my reference to the the “thanks” representing little more than cheap grace). When my current generation of 19 Deltas thanked for their service they are very polite, with responses including “it’s an honor to serve”. But as one of my favorite and sadly now late SSG’s once said to me with a wink, “what they are really saying in thanks is ‘I’m glad my Son or Daughter gets to go to college instead”. Which raises one of the unintended consequences of all the all-volunteer force: the link between citizenship and service now largely broken, and the resultant civilian-military divide grows ever-wider, as the one percenters defend all the tree-hugging civilians like me. I hope with that clarification you are less offended. If not, give me another swing at the ball and maybe I’ll make contact?

Thanks for your support!

I always thot of my Dad, & my 3 brothers, when someone would say that to me, because I was the last of my family to enter the US Military. I normally reply, thank You for saying that, & I would do it again, if I could!

I had uncles in Vietnam Army and Navy all came home. I also had Uncles and great Uncle in WWII. Army all! One was in Philippines, fought Bataan wounded death march died as Japanese POW October 1944 on Hell ship! His older brother fought under MacArthur up New Guinea and finished war in Philippines. Great Uncle fought Europe from fall 1944 to end and an uncle fought Europe till end and occupier of Japan. I served during Vietnam but never in country. A Vietnam combat Veteran 66-67 asked me once "IF I WAS ORDERED INTO NAM WOULD I HAVE GONE-YES" He made me feel better about myself.

The FEW, THE PROUD! God Bless You, & family.

SGM Bobby Langford Sr - I served in the 70's, pre-Tailhook. When my squadron cdr told me to go see the deputy wing cdr off duty, I was E-3, halfway around the world, in a country under martial law. I did see the JAG.. His advice, which I believe was well meant, was that if I complained, I "would be lucky if nothing happened." That is verbatim. So, it's not surprising you never heard what might have been going on. BTW, the first evening I went to the Col's quarters, he had a dozen or so other officers in for drinks. Nobody raised an eyebrow, and they all moseyed along after awhile. It was a small base, very few women, and if they never saw me at the O club, they knew I was enlisted.

CSM William Everroad - So, why the heck bring MST into the thread at all? It should indeed be a topic on its own. That's a rhetorical question, and I really don't see any point in continuing any exchange with you.

Don't forget we were "suckers" and "losers".

Oh, my. Yes, "suckers and losers," indeed. That didn't age so well, nor should it. Some of the best people I know were "suckers and losers" at one point in their lives. That phrase should be treated like the slight it was. The only suckers and losers are Trump supporters, bringing our republic to its knees. Let the mourning begin.