Special Treatment

[Johnny_F]

As an Army Veteran I have never consider about getting special treatment or have perks cause of my service.
I guess as a LEO there are perks. So the occasional over look if the LEO is speeding without his lights on, allow to carry his firearm in gun safety areas when off duty, and even get a free meal at a local restaurant. I get that.
But for me as an Army Veteran that is a Iraq War Veteran I have never ask or use my service to get me anything. NOW I do get some free meals and deals on 11/11.
My thought is that, because of our current position or past position, is it ok to have those perks and apply them. My problem is that I do not agree using them to break the LAW.
I am not hating on anyone or group, I am just observing a trend due to having perks.
Thanks for letting me get this off my chest…

[BRUCE26]

@Johnny_F

My problem is that I do not agree using them to break the LAW.

I agree.

[BruceE]

I know your feels, Johnny_F. When I got out in '92 (Dessert Shield/Dessert Storm era) the public sentiment was not very conducive to being a Veteran, and for the longest time I didn’t even have the Veteran’s Endorsement on my Driver’s Liscence. I hasn’t been until recently, like the last three or four years, that I have been more inclined to ask for the discounts.

Many larger retailers have discounts for Veterans and some of them even have parking slots for Veterans. Lowe’s, for example. 10 percent discount and a parking slot. Not Home Depot. Discount, Yes, but no parking spot I have seen. Lowe’s is closer anyway.

My Wifey and I also have our favorite restaurants we go to which offer discounts. One restaurant in particular does not have a corporate policy for discounts, but the Manager has put the message out to his staff that all Veterans, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Medical Professionals all get 10 percent discounts.

Still today though, 30+ years after being discharged, there are still little turds in the civilian world who think I am a “Baby Killer” because I served. Well, I guess you can say that is my fault for fighting for their right to call me a “Baby Killer”. 1st Amendment and all that rot. Whatever.

I have a “DD-214 Alumni” ball cap with Air Force insignia and Staff Sargent stripes I wear when we are out on the weekends and for the most part I get favorable comments, “Thank you for your Service”, several handshakes, that sort of thing. There are times though some Millennial will say something like “I bet you think you’re special.” They do not rate a response. I even had one guy, a Navy Veteran, claim Stolen Valor because “There never was a DD-214!” There was a DD-214 in the Navy. Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

USS Tracy (DD-214/DM-19) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the only ship named for Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Franklin Tracy.

Anyway, I had to explain to him what the DD-214 meant to me and that “YES” I am a Veteran.

I don’t ever recall being able to violating any laws as a benefit to my DD-214 Alumni status though.

[Scott52]

Maybe I’m lucky, I have never received any negative feedback. I wear my boats insignia and hull number with my Meritorious lapel pin.
I usually get asked if that was a “nuclear” submarine.
Only during the past 4 - 6 years have I heard “thank you for your service”. More and more frequently with each passing year.
In my area there are many, many vets and conversations ensue!

I don’t ask for anything, usually even while wearing my cap, I’ll be asked if I’m a veteran. The answer is always yes. If they wish to impart a discount, sure, who am I to say no! I do have the veteran endorsement on my license. As a matter of fact just yesterday at Home Depot I was asked if I was a veteran, I said yes, she said if you have your license I can give you a discount! Sure!

The only real special treatment I seek, is to be left alone, and keep my country intact! That’s not much to ask, I don’t need discounts!
I wear my hat because I’m proud of what I did!
Makes for good conversation when meeting people and I prefer my hat as an ice breaker, it used to be a cigarette or a drink, which I quit 25 years ago!

[leo23]

@BruceE

'92 (Dessert Shield/Dessert Storm era)

I was in the sandbox sept 1990 untill april 1991

@Scott52

to be left alone, and keep my country intact!

same thing here just leave me alone and I am happy. leave my country intact and under 1 flag and I’m very happy

[Don102]

Thank you all for your service.
Each Vet should be treated BETTER and if a ‘Perk’ comes your way TAKE IT!
The Vet’s of WW2 got the G.I.Bill and Thanks from a grateful Country
Lately you get scorn or worse.
Just like Lawmen and Women who would want to do it anyway now?
But we still do,
We ‘Get the Call!’ and we respond.
Somebody must have 'Trained-up; Mark Wahlberg for the film Shooter
because the phrases he used then and in subsequent films is spot on.
‘Somebody presses that Patriot Button and I respond where and when’
(Paraphrased a bit)
I TOOK the ‘Perk’ when I got blown up. There was a ‘Special Dispensation’ written
into my contract by a General that in the advent of my ‘wounding’ I was to be treated like I was Regular Army. I was not ‘allowed’ to be awarded Medals or VA Benny’s and that was fine with me No Mas!. I had (13) operations to put humpty dumpty back together again and @ $95,000 an OP suffice it to say I would need a Biden size Pardon to afford a can of soup if didn’t have that contract. Hey, you know what? I knew what I was signing up for. No regrets, No whining. Today I had my (3rd) MRI and Lord know what those cost? but it is confirmed I have a double egg ‘over easy’ size Tumor resting on top my Brain–hold da cheeze please. Found it just before Dave17 came for a visit last year (Hope I didn’t put a damper on your trip Brother). It’s all good, No worries, Won’t be crying in my Coke. I took a few rounds to my Helmet over the years and I guess Mother Nature or whoever took it from there. It didn’t EVER penetrate the tiny helmet so there is that. Small mercies 'ey?
No Don102 to be around to bore you with long winded stories and as Karacal jokes ‘My Advice’—Dear Donald perhaps? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm I could write a ?..oh nevermind!
As I say I lived a pretty good life, Lot’s of excitement, Plenty of Tales to tell. I don’t drink so that saves the Real Vet’s@ the VFW Hall a sh–ton of grief! :rofl :‘Here comes Spyder again’ GROAN! Hey, Dave Thanks for keeping my Secret.
As you just said Scott, I wear My prized possession a 'Thunder Ranch cap, given to me by Clint hisself. I have Unit patches and other souvenirs from my Brothers but my jackets are clean. I see Vet’s wearing them and that makes me smile. Good for you! I say to myself! Pride in your unit/rank etc! there’s not enough of that. If I feel Patriotic (and wish to tweek some noses) my second hat is a camo DJT hat! If I ever had lunch w/ my bud Mark697, I’d wear that proudly! [image

I have one. Proudly!

[Don102]

PS: Apologies to Ron and Bruce who just posted.
I AM NOT A VET, Never claimed that status. I was a Civilian Contractor.(ret.)
I got that patch as a gift and I am proud somebody thought my small contribution to ‘The Cause’ merited this.
__that’s the TRUTH.

[Mike164]

I was a peace time Vet 76-79. I don’t ask for anything, I’d be embarrassed. There are women and men, some on this very board, that did the REAL Military stuff where people were really trying to kill them, a lot. I don’t deserve even a little tiny bit of the “Special Treatment” and Respect those guys deserve.

[Don102]

YES YOU DO MIKE!
You are a Veteran, in peace or WAR you didn’t pick the circumstances of the time or place you served.

YOU SERVED!
Thank you for your service
and God Bless you for your sacrifices
Please think no more of that noise.
You did what many didn’t have the balls to do.
Your Country is proud of you
WE Gunner’s are Extremely PROUD of you.

[RUGER9]

Being a military vet/retired & active/retired Law Enforcement are apples & oranges. Two different worlds. I don’t expect to have exception on places to carry. I do get discounts at my range, purchases on forearms & my CCL was $50 less than regular price.

[Don102]

Ruger: Thank you for your service Brother

[BeanCounter]

Thank you all for your service.

I had the privilege of interacting with a Vietnam veteran earlier this month. I was waiting for my fast food order when I saw this man, looking at the menu and talking to himself, “WTH is a poke?”
I went over to him, thanked him for his service and asked if he wanted to try it?
Long story short, I paid for his meal, we had a good chat, and while we didn’t learn each other’s names, shared a little bit of ourselves.
As I was leaving, we shook hands.
He wished me luck in winning the lottery and I replied Jesus loves him.

Hope to cross paths with him again in our little town.

[BruceE]

You have nothing to be embarrassed about Mike. YOU ARE A VETERAN, and you deserve recognition.

You signed on the same dotted line the rest of us did.
You took the same oath the rest of us did.
And in the event of your Honorable discharge, YOU WERE NOT RELEASED FROM YOUR OATH, just like the rest of us were not released from our oaths.

I am prior active duty Air Force, an airplane mechanic, so I actually had a job to do maintaining high-altitude, high-speed weapons delivery platforms. Fancy way of saying I worked on air planes. The thing is, everyone in the military, regardless of branch or specific job, served a purpose. The folks at S1 shuffling paperwork, the servers in the chow hall, the gymnasium support staff…EVERYONE signed the dotted line.

Thank you for your peace time service, Brother. You were there before me, just in case something happened.

But you were there.

[Scott52]

In addition, at any moment we could have been called to the battlefield, which I’m sure we were all eagerly awaiting! You may want to call it peace time, I can assure you there was plenty going on ‘77 - ‘85,

Small recap of that time period.
1978 Camp David Accords, peace process begins
Senate turns over the Panama Canal back to Panama as I was sailing through it! Fun times! Nothing like being dry docked in the middle of a heated debate!
1979 Iran hostage crises begins
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan leads US to boycott summer Olympics
1980 Botched operation to save hostages by President Cater.
1981 attempted assassination of President Reagan
Gulf of Sidra, US shoots down two Libyan jets.
Let’s not forget Iran-Contra
1983, holy crap! Not so peaceful.
In Lebanon our Marines bombed
Operation Urgent Fury Grenada US invades.
Operation Able Archer, that lead to a number of submariners to leave the Navy! Me, I couldn’t wait to do it again.
The creation of Strategic Defense Initiative or Star wars

There was no peace, we were always alert and prepared to defend!

Our true motto, hurry up and wait!

[Karacal]

@BeanCounter

I went over to him, thanked him for his service and asked if he wanted to try it?

But did you tell him what a ‘poke’ was?

[BeanCounter]

@Karacal

But did you tell him what a ‘poke’ was?

Actually, I did. My wife ordered nothing but spicy poke roll from our favorite Japanese restaurant for about a decade and a half so there’s familiarity with the word

[Don102]

But what’s a Poke? Spicy poke roll/Japanese restaurant?

I’m dying here! oh, ok!
California roll poke includes avocado and cucumbers. Around 2020, the ginger-scallion condiment (geung yung) used in the Chinese dish cold ginger chicken has become a mildly popular poke flavor. Other ingredients include mushrooms, fried onions, cilantro, pineapple, edamame and a variety of … YUCK! Poke THIS!

[BeanCounter]

@Don102 poke is tuna… ebi is shrimp, great as a tempura
mackerel my favorite is saba.

[Don102]

Thanks Bean,
As soon as I read 'Japanese Restaurant, my deductive-deducing kicks in
and I figured fish like substances…
More power to people who like fish. No judgement from me.

but, I am probably the ONLY person of Norwegian decent that can’t even smell fish! That’s why I was kicked out of Norway!
and Lobster?.. crustation’s? don’t get me started!

I plead Tempura insanity! and throw myself on the mercy of the court!

[Karacal]