I know a lot of younger guys in the military don’t like being thanked for their service and I get that.
But if you see a Vietnam vet wearing a hat or shirt or anything else that brings attention to his service, he wants to be thanked. They were treated like shit when they got back and that is still an open wound for many of them.
This is a great piece of advice. Bourbon, did you serve?
No, my dad was in Vietnam and I’ve been with him when people stopped him and thanked him and I know how much it means to him.
That's cool to hear. I like this kind of post b/c a lot of us that didn't serve (or didn't have anyone close that served) don't know how to handle this without awkwardness.
Thanking them for their service always feels like a patronizing brush off. If I want to show appreciation I usually ask them about their story.
That’s the way I always felt too. And until the mid 2000s, my dad never had any interest in letting anyone know about his service.
But once he saw the outpouring of support for Iraq/Afghanistan vets he got a Vietnam vet license plate and started wearing a Vietnam vet hat. The first time I saw him get thanked by a stranger on the street I understood how much it meant to him.
Now anytime I see someone wearing anything related to Vietnam vet status in public I make a point of saying thanks.
I was reminded of this by people talking about Rambo on Twitter today. The context of how vets were treated in the ‘70s and early ’80s is an important element of that story that I think is lost on some people.
My dad still hates Jane Fonda and starts ranting and raving any time she comes up.
Totally, it was very rough for them all around. Bad war, that we lost, that they were vilified for even fighting. Worst of all worlds.
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