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.
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".
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.
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…
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.
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".
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.
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.
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.
Careful. They will take that as acceptance of military prank culture. This includes everything from filling your car with post it notes to signing you up for Russian porn on your work email.
I mean... That is a theory. I don't like it but it's still better than war. Arguably the cold war and proxy wars prevented a major war...
I dont think of it as a perfect win obviously because of the proxy wars like Vietnam and Korea. Those wars specifically gave me a bucket full of nice medals but cost me every single one of my uncles. There were other proxy wars though.
Anyway my point is 2 fold.
Arguably that strategy prevented a much bloodier war between Russia and the US but there were still better ways to handle that without any war.
And 2) if you ignore the proxy wars the "cold war" approach is one way to avoid war, I guess. The government equivalent of the obnoxious drunk guy flexing his muscles and saying "you don't want none of this bro"... It's better than a war but not my favorite strategy. Although I might not like that approach it did prevent a war, it was better than a war.... So... Good job?
Again the proxy wars ruin that but they were unnecessary and didn't change much for the US or Russia. Obviously they did a lot of damage to the countries we fought in. My point is the cold war approach didn't need that to prevent the war. It actually pushed us closer.
I'm just saying the "I've got a bigger gun" diplomacy... Well it's definitely a strategy that is better than war...