The Scuttlebutt | Season 1 Episode 3

It is common nowadays to say to a veteran or service member, “thank you for your service”. This is a far cry from the way returning Vietnam vets were treated. Even so, some veterans bristle at this well-intended phrase.

I didn’t understand why a post-9/11 vet would feel uneasy about my show of gratitude but after spending time at Veterans Breakfast Club events and now working for the VBC, I’ve begun to understand the issue.

Imagine being a veteran in uniform and everywhere you go you hear the same thank you from numerous strangers. After a while, the repetition can lose its meaning. The service member may wonder, “What do they really know about my service?” “What do they know about the military?”

But if saying, “thank you” isn’t quite right, how should civilians show gratitude to veterans who sacrifice for our country?

Music: Heaven Sent by Soldier Story. Via Musicbed.