Veterans Day: Don’t Thank Me…

Veterans Day…I’m a little unsettled by it.

I understand the sentiment. As a veteran, I appreciate it. I do.  I really do. But I’m not totally comfortable with it.

First, as it seems with everything in this country, there’s the over-commercialization of it, with marketing dedicated to vets for free meals, sales, and special deals (even Amazon has a Veterans Day Sale going on across all departments). How do these organizations treat veterans every other day?

Even more to the point, how has this country historically treated our vets, especially after WW2?

But the biggest reason I’m not comfortable with it is something that, unless you are from a military background or have experience around lots of military people, you may not understand. The military mindset, the psyche…whatever you want to call it, tends to be different than the general population. We think (and rightfully so) that there is always someone more deserving than us, or has it harder than us.

So please don’t thank me. There are so many others that did more, saw more, risked themselves more, and sacrificed more that deserve it far more than I do. Thank them…because they deserve it.

Carry on.

Veterans Day…I’m a little unsettled by it. I understand the sentiment. As a veteran, I appreciate it. I do.  I really do. But I’m not totally comfortable with it. First, as it seems with everything in this country, there’s the over-commercialization of it, with marketing dedicated to vets for free meals, sales, and special deals…