By Mark Green
Guest Columnist
Happy Veterans Day to all of you who I get to call my brothers and sisters-in-arms. This is a special time of the year where we get to gather together and celebrate being part of a unique community. All over the country, those of us who’ve served get to reminisce on our memories of service to our country alongside people who went from being complete strangers to the closest family we could ever ask for. Parades are taking place, and people everywhere are coming together to show support in thanks for the sacrifices you’ve all made. So let me add my gratitude to the rising number of voices of the day and say thank you. Thank you for your service to our great country.
“Thank you for your service.” We’ve all been proffered this kind gesture, often accompanied by an extended hand or even a hug. I still remember the first time I was graced with the gratitude of a complete stranger uttering this phrase. I was home from my first deployment, eating dinner at an Outback Steakhouse with some of my brothers at the end of a duty day, in uniform, and sharing memories when two wonderful older women passed our table and thanked us for our service. None of us knew how to respond, and we weren’t even prepared for this reception; all of us, as we could see it, were just doing our jobs. I believe someone broke the silence with a professional “you’re welcome,” and the interaction ended with a parting of smiles.
But, admittedly, that phrase has always been a difficult one to react to. Army Times reports that a survey conducted by USAA over a two-month period shows 50 percent of responders, out of the total 1,639, feel “uncomfortable or awkward” by the saying. In the younger generation of veterans and military personnel, specifically ages 18 to 29, the percentage jumped to 70 percent. The response was more favorable among the older generations of veterans. I think that makes complete sense.
I was twenty-two when I came home from my first tour, and people began shaking my hand, thanking me for “everything I’ve done.” I wasn’t prepared for the response of a grateful nation, nor the responsibility of acknowledging it. It took time for me to grasp the weight of the words people shared with me, and the emotions that were behind those words. I’ve listened to my brothers and sisters who’ve come before me, and the reception given to them upon their return during the Vietnam era, and it hits home even harder. It took maturing to see the wisdom in accepting a thank you when someone takes the time to offer it.
I didn’t do it for the thanks. I don’t think any of us did. We all join for our own reasons, but what always rises to the top of our personal drive to serve is a selflessness to give to something greater than ourselves. I think that’s why I faltered in my youth to respond to the thanks. How could I explain to the person thanking me for my service that I didn’t do it for the acknowledgment, that saying “you’re welcome” or “my pleasure” sounded less than humble? It took time for me to understand that I wasn’t placing myself up on a pedestal by giving receipt for someone’s gratitude. I was, however, doing a disservice to all who served by deflecting the thankfulness of a grateful nation and its people who would take the time to acknowledge so.
Look, this day is about us. I’m not trying to get on a soapbox and call anyone who feels uncomfortable with the phrase immature, and I’m not here to say you’re wrong if you don’t like hearing it. I do know that we’re going to hear a lot more of them today than typically, and I think it’s worth having the conversation. There are people out there who won’t ever understand the experiences we’ve gone through—and that’s not a slight on them. But they don’t have to understand, because we stepped up to the plate to get the job done. I think that’s the point of the whole thing. There’s a whole lot of people who just want to let us know that they appreciate what we’ve done, and they’ve found a way to do that. There’s been a lot of us that never got that appreciation, and there may come a time when we aren’t looked upon with the kind of support that we receive now. So, remember that you’ve done something worthy of thanks and that being thanked is their way of supporting all the sacrifices you made.
Happy Veterans Day, brothers and sisters! Come together and laugh at the memories of your sleepless nights on missionsand the stories of hurry-up-and-wait operations that gave your service its charm. Raise a glass to the blood, sweat, and tears you gave to your unit, and your country, to provide a brighter future for your family. If you see a fellow serviceman or woman, don’t let them celebrate this day alone. We’re a family, and we never leave anyone behind.
And thank you all for your service.
