Every time people thank me for my military service on Memorial Day

[Recursion]

Every. Single. Time.

Let's stick to the fallen today. Love you all, DU!

[LakeArenal]

1. My dad was in the second wave of Normandy

The rest of his life he downplayed his service because to him, the heroes were those who died so that he could live through the second wave and come home to tell about it.

[anciano]

2. Totally agree.

[hlthe2b]

3. I hear you, but I'm glad that military service is appreciated--yours and others...

Seeing how others-- who serve-- are treated today, whether it be physicians, nurses, EMTs, and all HCWs; teachers, fire & rescue officials, and police, in all honestly, I'm glad there is at least one group of honorable and dedicated people who still garner appreciation.

Your humility is noted, but you also deserve to be honored on Memorial Day, IMO.
Still, those who gave the ultimate sacrifice deserve a very special place in our memories and hearts.

[3catwoman3]

4. When you hear someone saying "Happy Memorial Day,"...

…it just feels inappropriate. Do the realize what the day is about?

[1WorldHope]

5. War! What is it good for?

Will a day come on planet earth where men learn to solve their problems with words and end the insanity? Maybe not putting psychopathic sociopaths at the heads of government would be a first step. Such a waste of life.

[usonian]

6. I'm not interested in memorials to myself! Just the fallen.

[NowISeetheLight]

7. Nice Service on Monday

Our local American Legion chapter collaborates with the public cemetery here on Memorial Day. They have a nice service and guests. This year the boy scouts are putting flags on all the veterans graves and there is a flyover of a WW2 plane.

[Hortensis]

8. Nice. Among other remembrances, our city plants flags

along a main boulevard, each with the name of a local person who died in service. They're up for a few days.

Message taken, Recursion.

[BlackSkimmer]

9. Didn't I read that you live out of the country?

Who is thanking you for your service there? I travel frequently, but no one has ever thanked me for my service while in a foreign country. How would they even know I'm a veteran?

Personally, I'm not offended in the least when people say that at any time. At least they have the military in their minds for the weekend.

I have a military discount at some local stores, and just yesterday someone said that to me. I didn't give them a lecture about the fallen because what would be the point?

Sadly, many people don't even know the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day; I've even seen evidence of that here.

[WarGamer]

10. The dead can't express their desires for Memorial Day.

So I think of those I know who have served.

My grandfather, on the deck of a cruiser in the Philippines Sea fighting off kamikazes and shelling islands before the LSAT landed...

One of my best friends, a real life USMC "door Knocker" in Baghdad and Ramadi...

They both celebrate(d) their fallen comrades with BBQ and family get togethers, drinking and fun.


So I don't really get the whole "solemn day, stay depressed" thing...

My grandfather rarely spoke of his service but focused on a single memory of manning a fire hose on a burning deck after a kamikaze attack and spraying the blood off the deck into the deck drains as the water ran like red rivers.

No need to have a special day to think dark thoughts about the deceased, a lot of people live in those memories for decades.