Don't Thank Me on Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day and I am a veteran. Do not thank me for my service.

No, seriously--don't.

Last year on Veteran's Day, I found myself avoiding conversations in which I would likely be thanked for my service, becoming frustrated at reading the numerous posts online from ignorant Americans who had no idea why they were thanking veterans and current servicemen and women for their service, growing angry at each thanks offered to me from people who knew not why they were offering their gratitude, but were only doing so under a socialized obligation. It was hard for me to tell whether or not these 'thanks' were true and genuine or not. Many of them felt forced. Others felt recited. And almost all of them contained the element of ignorance--as said, not knowing why they were thankful. After all, if you don't know why you're thanking someone...are you actually grateful?

In all honesty, I couldn't tell you why it made me mad. Maybe it's one of those 'left over' things from being in the institution of the military that we hear about. All I know is this: when people who I knew for a fact were blatantly ignorant of military life were thanking me for my service, it pissed me off. Like I said, I don't know why. 

Only one post on that day in 2013 felt real. The post in question embodied an acknowledgement of why I was so angry (still am, for the most part). And after reading the post, I felt an enormous relief. I felt the weight lift off my shoulders and the anger die down as a I realized to myself, someone actually GETS it. The post was as follows:

"Today, we see almost as many people making a statement to not thank veterans as we see people thanking them. Even some of the vets themselves are asking not to be thanked. Some say that they did not fight for our freedom, because our freedom was never in jeopardy, and either do not deserve thanks, or do not desire it.

The truth is, folks, whether or not our wars are fought for our freedom is not important today. What is important today is that those who signed up truly believed they were fighting for our freedom. Their intentions did not depend on whether or not the war was true - their intentions were true.

So to those who signed up under the sincere belief that our freedom was truly at risk, and that they would be fighting to protect and preserve that freedom, I thank you for it.

And I am terribly sorry that I, as a steward of this nation, could not control the government that fooled you, and sent you to kill or be killed for their personal gain and interests. Your blood, and the blood of all of the victims of these wars, are on my hands. On all of our hands. Because we did not fulfill our end of the bargain.

You were willing to kill and die for us. We were not willing to make sure it was necessary before sending you to do so. And those who were, were not strong enough to overpower those who deceived you. And for that, I am deeply sorry."

I accept your thanks, friend. But more importantly, I accept your apology. And let me, in turn, thank you.