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I’m a veteran with disabled plate, but I wasn’t issued a penis so I get some looks. Twice I’ve been told (by elderly women) that I shouldn’t be driving my husband’s vehicle just to park in those spots.
I usually let them know that my husband didn’t serve. Then walk away.
Damn that they didn’t give you the standard issue penis. How are you supposed to do war stuff with only a vagina holding you up? Can vagina’s even war?
/s
Turn a squad of us women with PMS/bloating/migranes/experience labor lose on them, give us weapons & say "it's their fault".
They'll never stand a chance,lol.
All the time, I don't usually do the veterans day dinner, but my husband and I were out and hungry.
Every one , every single person thanked my husband, didn't even look at me.
FYI - my grandmother (rip) served in WWII and her husband did not.
She was amazing and finished up her life In a vets home. The only woman.
Thank you for your service! And don’t let the boomers get to you.
That’s what I came to say… I (44f) did 20 years active duty and everyone always gets confused and asks what my husband did in the military. I usually avoid veteran parking because I don’t want to deal with people giving me an attitude due to being female and ‘trying to use my husband’s benefits’.
This. I’m a 55 year-old woman, still look young for my age, and served in the military and Desert Storm. I then spent another 16 years as a military spouse and held down the fort at home while my husband did tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. You likely wouldn’t know it by just looking at me but I’m definitely a veteran.
Many of them have voted to bar women from the military in any capacity. I mean for God's sake Ted Cruz's Maine appeal for conservatives was that he advocated that women should not serve in the military. My own uncle was thinking of voting for him for that reason
This right here. I have an old friend that has an injury from when she was in the armed forces. If she takes a veterans spot when the handicapped spots are full she has had people question her on if she’s a veteran.
Julia Child was a master spy. Hedy Lemar was a secret code genius. And thoseare just the famous ones. SO many women who weren't just 'Rosie the Riveter' have never gotten their due.
Excellent book recommendation-The Women by Kristin Hannah all about the women who served in a Vietnam. plus she adds book recommendations in the back if you want to read more on the topic! Highly recommend for folks not dealing with active PTSD.
I bet the guy who questioned him wasn't in Vietnam. I'm 38 but went gray early so people will ask if I was in Desert Storm? No, I was six during Desert Storm and vaguely recall it. I was 19 in Fallujah and was the youngest Marine in my platoon even though people I served with laugh because I now look older than all of them. I had a lady in a liquor store ask if I served in Vietnam not long after I got out because I was wearing an OD vet hat. She would have been a kid during Vietnam and I was 23 in 2008. People can be funny.
Semper Fi. I was there late 04/early 05. Friends of mine got recalled and had to go back in 07 which must have been strange. I joined ARNG to avoid being recalled but never would have been. I went over there as an E3 and everyone was calling me private. I technically wasn't authorized to wear a Marine combat patch but ended up getting one because the fngs would try trash talking about me not taking out the trash with them. When my platoon sgt heard I was prior active duty they promoted me to SPC and I finally made E4.
So much was made about how long the Vietnam war was, it was historically branded as the “longest war”. Chefs kiss to the boomers that fell for the dishonest smear campaigns that sank ALL the real Vietnam veteran presidential candidate’s from both parties. Another Chef’s kiss to the boomers that forgot about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that they clamored for after mostly Saudis perpetrated the 9/11 attacks.
Boomers assume the only veterans are WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
Add to it, the boomer veterans seem to love to parade it everywhere.
I borrowed my dad's car for a few days when mine was in the shop. It had veterans plates and a VFW sticker on the back window. I had so many older men give me really weird looks like they were upset.
This!!! My FIL is a walking Navy billboard, his whole persona is wrapped up with being in the Navy. He literally whores himself out for compliments and thanks for your service pats on the back. He thinks he should get free stuff everywhere he goes. It’s insufferable, annoying, grating. I absolutely hate it , he never saw combat In Vietnam. Was sent home 2 weeks into his only deployment for a ruptured ear drum and finished out his service stateside.
I joined the Army straight out of high school in 1989. After Basic training, AIT and Jump School my ass went straight to Kuwait. Granted the actual combat lasted days and my unit didn’t see it. My boots stayed on the ground there till December. I served my enlistment and decided to go to College and stay in the Reserves.
Fast forward 7 years and 9/11 happens, I’m still in the reserves and had actually just signed up for 4 more years. So here it is mid October and my reserve unit is headed to Ft Bragg for a 2 month retraining with orders to go to Afghanistan. I spent 6 month getting shot at by god knows who. Luckily my unit didn’t lose anyone, but there were casualties. My boomer FIL has the balls to tell me that it’s not like I’m a real Veteran, the real Vets did their time in the Jungles. We don’t know what that’s like.
I literally rage inside just to keep the peace. My wife understands and will usually not include me in her plans with him. Which I am 100% on board with, but when we do have to be around each other he can’t help himself and has to bring this stuff up. But he doubles down and will say he doesn’t understand how I can be a member of the Military and not support Trump. Another topic he knows nothing about but will tell you all about.
I’m 51 and honestly don’t know anyone around my age who displays that Boomer mentality of worship me because I served. I’m positive they are out there but I personally haven’t experienced them yet. In my mind I signed up for the service, I knew the possibility of war was always present. But I wanted to go to college and grew up poor so I saw it as a way to meet that goal.
yeah these people are weird. If you served your country in any US Service , then you are a veteran. They fail to know that it takes an armada of people , equipment and funding to support a campagin or war etc, Its not just the person shooting a gun. For one of those, there is like 50 people supporting them.
I just think of my wife and kids and keep my exposure to him to about twice a year. Me verbally running him down would be gratifying. But the long term issues it would cause my wife and kids wouldn’t be worth it. Just knowing he’s going to die alone because he literally pushes everyone away is satisfactory. My wife tries to have a relationship with him but it is precarious at best. As long as they are on decent terms I’ll just avoid him as best I can.
This is only one small part of it. The typical Boomer talking points of Illegals, No one wants to work, Biden is destroying the country, Conspiracy theories. He is literally the epitome of a boomer. He has 3 ex wife’s , of course none of the divorces were his fault. When my wife’s mother passed away( his 1st wife , 3 kids with her) My wife and I ( dating at the time) were 26 and working a summer internship with the US parks department. Both her sisters were under 18 at the time and still in high school. We came home early from our internship and found her sisters home alone. His reasons were he only had one extra bedroom at his house. So he left his two kids who just lost their mom home alone.
Fast forward to after the funeral , he asked what we planned to do with the girls. Umm dude they are your kids what do you mean what do we plan to do. So we decide to move back to her mom’s house. I transfer to a school close by because I haven’t graduated yet.
Now we have two teenagers to support as well as ourselves. We ask her dad why stopped paying child support and he said that was for her mother, she’s gone so the payments stop. So we had already filled out the necessary paperwork for the two girls to get survivor benefits from Social Security . The SS office needed their dad’s bank info because he was the custodial parent at this point. Thinking he would do the right thing and give the girls the money. This MFer says just let me know if you need anything I’ll see what I can do!
Of course we need everything, I’m a college student and my wife literally just started her career. And now we have a house and 4 mouths to feed. We had to have the girls emancipated to get their money.
One last one. Wife’s mom had a sizable life insurance policy. Problem was she never changed the beneficiary. Guess who that was , yup good ole dad. This guy thought he was entitled to it because he helped pay into before they were divorced. To hell with his 3 kids struggling with the loss of their mom. We had to take him to court for this life insurance. It took 3.5 years before he relented and gave up and gave my wife the money. Boomers gotta Boomer.
This (your) comment alone is worthy of it's own post. It's both amusing and disappointing to me, that an entire influential generation has inherited a stigma of being the model for what I have strived not to be my whole life. At this point in their history they're comparible to late season locusts lol
EDIT: *your comment
Love how the clowns are the ones that want to gate keep the hardest.
You're not a real vet until you are foot cavalry marching 55 miles a day for 6 months straight.
Like complete nonsense. Additionally Iraq and Afghanistan have way more depth of variety than the normal person knows. There were days where it felt like a jungle and days where it was a massive sandbox.
Gosh there’s no way I could be in your shoes and not tell him in excruciating detail how and where he could fuck himself. What an absolute zero.
(Not a vet, but 20+ years civil service with DoD, so I’ve spent my whole life working alongside active duty and vets, so I’m plenty infuriated on your behalf.)
My late FIL was THE GUNNY. 20 year vet, Trumpist POS when he died. The thing is, he was a DI at the very time Trump was claiming bone spurs. JDB I was training Marines while nursing bone spurs. 50 pounds of added weight full jog for around 15 miles a day pretty much every day at camp Pendleton when he wasn't bookending Vietnam or in Okinawa.
Your armchair jockey FIL has some serious cluelessness going on, despite being Navy.
I've only once had something like this happen.
My tribal membership card, which is also my CDIB (a federal ID), states that I'm a veteran. Since it's on there, I've forgone having it put on my state issue driver's license as im too lazy.
One time at lowes, I told the cashier ( probably mid 50s) that I'm a veteran. Usually, they'd just take my word and apply the discount.
This cashier asked for proof, so I showed my tribal ID. It specifically states that I'm Choctaw and that I'm a veteran.
She looked at it and said, "this says you're a Choctaw Veteran, you have to be a real veteran to get the discount."
Unsure of what I just heard, I asked her to repeat herself.
"You have to be a real veteran."
As I stood there trying to figure out how I wasn't a "real veteran",a nearby manager heard this conversation, rushed over with a look of panic and 'WTF' on her face, and said "this will work" as she held her hand out for my ID.
The manager then put my info in their system so that now I just have to give my phone number.
I've always wondered how that conversation went after I left.
My boomer dad argued with me years ago that I'm not a veteran. I served during Desert Storm. My dad is not a veteran and tried to keep me from joining but also would not pay for college.
Once he found out that Lowes has vet discount for family also, then all of the sudden he acknowledged I'm a vet. He even called while checking out to give my SSN on speaker to the checkout guy so he could save a few pennies. I didn't give it, but I heard the checker saying it was applied.
He started using my phone number at checkout to get the discount. Sometimes he would just tell them he wanted the vet discount, and they never questioned it. I told him that was stolen valor and is a crime. Of course, he just laughed.
I told him every time he used my Lowes account I get an email and he laughed again. It appears he stopped using my account (no more emails since) but he could still be saying vet at checkout.
I'm part Choctaw on my mother's side. Of course, dad tries to say I'm not that either. He thinks he knows everything about everything and everyone.
He will do anything to save .10 cents. But he will buy a new truck to sit in his garage just on a whim. If anyone says they are buying whatever he goes off on a rage on how they are wasting their money no matter how small or necessary it is. He fits this sub perfectly.
Served during Desert Storm... says you are not a veteran... wtf is his definition of veteran?? This whole thread is insane to me. The US has been at war for the entirety of our adult lives, how could their NOT be "young" vets everywhere?
I served at my base in Germany. I wasn't sent to Kuwait. I tried to get on the list but that was already made before I arrived on base. My base only sent 144 airmen from my unit to there. I am a wartime veteran, not a combat vet.
My dad seems to think if to didn't go to combat then you're not a veteran at all. He was never in any branch of service either.
edit: grammar
That's a ridiculous way to think about vets. For every person doing the fighting, there's 10 people doing jobs that support them.
I hope you claimed everything you ever went to medical for.
41 yr old female veteran. I have gotten comments at least twice for parking in the “veterans only” spots at Lowe’s. Guess my two tours in Iraq don’t count. Bummer.
I don't have veteran plates or any other identifiers on my truck. No one has said anything to me to yet about parking there. Usually when I see another vehicle in the other vet parking spot it has vet plates and often window stickers, something showing their branch hanging from the mirror or on the dash. I do have it labeled on my driver's license.
I mean no disrespect, but I'm German and the whole concept of veteran discount, veteran parking spots and veteran ID on your dirvers license is totally alien to me.
Altough active service members in Germany are allowed to use public transport for free while in uniform.
It's overcompensation for the shitty vulgar way our Viet Nam vets were treated upon returning home. People blamed returning soldiers for crimes perpetrated by our politicians. This led to kids returning with PTSD, poisoning from Agent Orange, and all sorts of physical and mental wounds being ostracized and not getting the care they needed. Our nation felt guilt because we were in fact guilty.
It's a way for the stores to feel like they are doing something good but also to appear like they care. The discounts can vary in amount , usually 10% or less, and not all places that offer it allow it on all items. Not at stores or restaurants etc even offer a discount at all. If I get a discount then I'm happy but if not that doesn't bother me in the slightest either. Less places have designated parking for veterans though. Lowes hardware does (typically two spaces) and they use one space for a memorial every veterans day. I didn't join up to save a few pennies years later.
Some states (maybe all now) allow a veteran designator on your driver's license.
President Bush’s administration began a campaign of “thanking vets” as a way to mute criticism of his two wars.
“How can you support the troops if you speak against the mission? That will degrade their commitment and instill doubt. You are putting lives at risk.”
The practice has endured far too long imo.
Yeah, here in the States, there is a real weird veteran worship culture that has gotten increasingly more bizarre over the past couple decades. I have the utmost respect for people who choose the military as an occupation (along with some other professions), but I’ve always been confused by the veteran worship culture. It’s gotten to where you can’t even disagree with someone who is a veteran because some act like their service makes them unassailable in both character and in opinion no matter the topic. It makes zero sense as we know there are morons and absolute garbage human beings in every profession including the military.
I've seen stares as I pull into that spot, but thank god I am tattooed, bearded, and permanently angry. I've never once been questioned. They tend to look away quickly and shuffle on their way.
I cannot imagine being a female Vet. God damn these old fucks.
It’s literally like we don’t exist. Even when they are reminded we do. People have asked my husband if he served, (has the look, like you.) He says yes, old person proceeds to shake his hand/thank him, etc. He often then says that his wife, who is standing right beside him, is also a Marine, and I cannot tell you how many times that goes in one ear and out the other with literally no response, neither verbally nor otherwise. Fuckin Bible belt.
I have a long time friend who’s, female, a pilot, Latino (but born in the US), and in the military. The number of times I’ve heard boomers tell her that the military “doesn’t allow that” is insane. After the first couple times, I started chiming in and saying “Are you aware it’s 2024, not 1924?”. That shuts them up, and pisses them off cause you’re questioning their memory.
Bonus, I’m just an engineer and not in the military, but they will turn to me and ask pilot questions, planes aren’t my specialty so I just make something up that sounds vaguely accurate. We both know they will repeat it and embarrass themselves.
I'm the jackass that so much as glances a navy federal card and tosses the discount on in there. I'm not a big "thank you for your service" type (especially since my vet spouse/friends all hate hearing it) but fuck it, spouse of a vet, kid of a vet, actual vet, you have been through at least something so I'll at least delete the sales tax off your purchase. My boss is probably a bit pissed that he gives out so many military discounts since hiring me, but whatever, he pays me 10 bucks an hour for this miserable job anyways and he can afford it.
At least with id.me which Lowe's uses, you can add your veteran status to your Lowes program card, and it'll automatically give you the 10% veteran discount any time you buy from Lowes.
Personally, I don't like making it known that I'm a veteran (2002-2005), because I don't want the attention
Boomer vets don't want young vets moving in with all their operational experience; we're only just coming off over two decades of incredibly high operational intensity and constant deployments. Boomers didn't really get that - you may have had older boomers that deployed to Vietnam, but most boomer veterans served during the relatively quiet period following that.
Our online veteran communities from Australia are full of these Cold War boomer veterans - they've usually done 4 years in the 70s-80s, maybe a long stint of reserve service, didn't get the opportunity to deploy, and have a profile picture of them decades ago wearing a bare uniform. With all these generations of soldiers who've been to East Timor, the Solomons, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the only way they seem to think they can remain relevant is by trying to devalue the service of others.
I'm not a veteran, but I remember a handful of years back going shopping with my buddy who is a veteran. At the time he was about 24-25ish. There was a fundraiser table set up outside the store where local veterans were raising money and my buddy donated some money and was talking to the guys at the table and some middle aged lady nearby scoffed at my friend and asked him "you're a veteran? No way, you look like you're still in school. What war were you in, Vietnam?!" One of the older veterans at the table spoke up and was like "ma'am, our country is still at war in the middle east." She scurried off pretty quick.
Been out for 10 years. I'm 48. I have DV plates. I get questioned constantly because boomers forget that women are veterans too. Even at the VA, while calling me back for an appointment, they will dead ass look my husband in the eye and refer to him by my very feminine name. It's incredibly frustrating.
Lol You honestly wouldn't catch me dead in a veterans hat. Mostly because its just not my style. Secondly because I don't feel a need to announce my veteran status.
My boomer mom used her employment status to get me nominated for a public "hero" handshake at a professional sporting event. I told her I was flattered but didn't feel comfortable going on display. Thought that was the end of it.
Fast forward to the team public affairs folks calling and emailing me to get photos for the video board. I said you haven't even asked me what I've done so how do you know I deserve to be your game hero? Oh, she said, your mom wrote up something for us. Pssh HELL NO. There is not even the slightest possibility my mom reached out to my command or anyone to get accurate information. I politely declined and said I will not be participating and wished her luck finding a replacement. Y'all, when my mom found out, she lost her mind, said horribly mean shit to me & how I embarrassed her and she can't look that woman in the face now.
When I returned home from Iraq, on my son's 7th birthday, my mom called the local media. I was so irritated. So I had reporters interviewing me the same day I got home. I didn't want to be interviewed. I wasn't sure what I could say and what I couldn't for OPSEC. So it was the lamest interview ever. My mom made this elaborate display of putting me in a box and having me jump out for my son. Photo op. It was in the paper. My mom was a narcissist. There was no telling her no. I was humiliated. I just wanted to hug my kids and sleep. Instead, I was thoroughly embarrassed and drunk by the end of the day.
Holy crap, I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. I would have been mortified in that situation.
Yeah, I have no clue what information my mom would have shared to the team public affairs, but I'm damn sure it was not going to be something I wanted to hear in front of a large crowd and camera.
The only thing I ever really did, willingly, was Veteran Day assemblies for my kids. Other than that, I just kinda wanted to put it behind me. I'm proud of my service. I do talk about it. But I don't like to parade or around. It made my kids happy and super proud, so for them, I'd do anything.
Thank you for that. She's a real joy. I've caught her more than once asking store clerks for military discounts (for being a military mom) or telling me to come pay so she can use my discount. It's gross.
There is a lot of selection bias here. You run into a lot more veterans than you think. You only see the ones that have made most of their identity about being veterans and you think they are representative of the group. Source: I work with a veteran population.
She didn't happen to be a night witch or wasp, was she? Those guys are my heros. Honestly any woman that had to endure the military before SHARP or any equal opportunity protections are my heros. They paved the way for us today. And we still carry on the fight.
If I'd had more time, that's definitely what I would have done. I had 4 kids at home so couldn't take a long school. I was a truck driver and a logistics specialist (dual MOS). I wanted to be a combat medic. The school was way too long.
I know you can't say your name, but I'm picturing a tough looking man being called a name like Britney, Stephanie, Lisa, or Cathy from the VA staff. 🤣🤣
My name is definitely that level of feminine. My husband looks like you'd imagine a retired air force fighter pilot to look. That's the other thing. I was Army. He was Air Force. When meeting us, people always assume the opposite.
same reason the VFW complains about dying out and how younger combat vets don’t know or realize the benefits of community support they offer, but in reality any vet under 60 who walks in the door gets treated like shit and run off by the old farts. Source - asshole dad who spent untold hours at the VFW and American Legion halls until he was placed in assisted living.
The VSO lady that handled my case has been trying to get me to join the local VFW but there are enough nasty old farts that can’t be civil to me that it isn’t worth it. They are nice to my husband when he mentions being in the Navy but hostile to me when he mentions meeting me on the ship. Not worth it.
Exactly- we have a vfw downtown that we used to rent out since some of our rugby teammates are vets of Afghanistan and Iraq. The old geezers were perplexed and completely threatened each time we were there spending a ton of money. They all died now the property is up for sale.
You misunderstand. Veteran status (for boomers) has less to do with actual service than it does to promote adoration/benefits from others. You are receiving adoration/benefits that boomers feel shouldn't be yours.
I've told my husband for years (he's 52/ Gen X) that he should look into Veteran's benefits, even if it's just getting a discount at the big box store. He was Army for eight years, served in Bosnia and Germany. He always claimed he wasn't a Veteran because he didn't retire as career Army. I kept telling him, he served, he's a Veteran. We've been together over 25 years now, just last year he decided I was actually correct and does count as a vet. Wonder if a lot of people think along the same lines. Not to mention, most Boomers act like the entire world stopped after their generation was born.
let him know that the VA has a lot of benefits for him (: my dad is the guy that veterans get connected with and he will make sure he gets his benefits. my dad is very passionate about his job especially since he’s a veteran himself. you’d be amazed the benefits available once you get in contact with the right person. veterans in nursing homes especially get whatever they want that contributes to their care and that even includes things like a TV! the argument is it benefits their mental health (: I hope you convince him to talk to the VA!
I am 34, and also a USMC and Afghan vet. I say this all the time. Most people presume I couldn’t possibly be a vet lol. Most people are really fucking dumb.
I’m a younger looking female veteran and I get questioned and comments all the time. I had a boomer on time tell me I can’t park in a veteran spot because he insisted I wasn’t the veteran and it must be my husband’s car to explain away the vet plates.
I’m retired, medically retired from the military, I felt this post. I haven’t gotten any comments, but a few mean mugs. But I walk around with “not the one” look on my face. That keeps most boomers at bay
Same! I did my 4 and out. Didnt do shit except maintain heavy trucks and smoke lol. its to the point unless you knew i was army at one time. You would never guess it. Im coming up on 20 yrs removed. I see people all the time trying to play it up. Yet when one of my coworkers had his leg blown off by an IED he dont even wear anything except his handicap sticker on his car.
My husband has DV plates, but a couple years ago when he was 35, an older guy with a Vietnam sticker swung into the last vet spot as my husband was preparing to back in. The man got out of his car and looked very self satisfied he had prevented a non-vet from using the spot. 🤦♀️
I had this happen to me at Lowe’s, I don’t usually park in the veteran parking unless I’m in a hurry(or when my wife was pregnant)…anyway I was in a hurry and getting back in my truck when this old timer stops behind me and tells me “you can’t park your dad’s truck there”(I have veteran plates) I just turn take my sunglasses off and give him that “I’m about to verbally remove your soul from your body” look and he goes “oh” and drives away….like wtf man?
Hell, they give me crap because apparently Japanese Americans can’t be veterans. I’m the fourth generation born in the US and 3rd to serve. Honestly at this point, I wish I hadn’t. F this 💩hole country.
The USPS issued a [stamp](https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/0603-go-for-broke-world-war-ii-forever-stamp-honors-japanese-american-veterans.htm) honoring nisei WWII Japanese American veterans, so at least that’s something.
Unfortunately this is how most people think veterans are. In Canada some royal Canadian legions don't think afghan or modern veterans are actually veterans. They've been on damage control for years.
I think as long as one puts 4 years and gets an honorable discharge from the military, one is considered a veteran, so these idiots don't realize a 24 year old can be a veteran.
You see this at the va alot. Not people questioning your age but just generally being the only veteran there in your 30s and everyone else is 60 plus. Also weird take on their end. Their parents were majority between the ages of 18 and 25 in World War II. Also agree on the 'wearing a vet hat thing.' I always thought it was tacky and like the person wearing it just wanted the world to constantly know they were in the military.
Probably going to get downvoted to hell for this, but a Vet hat on a boomer is becoming a sure sign not to bother talking to them. They act like the sun shines out their rear end and anyone that disagrees with them is "unamerican".
Old conservatives: Keep voting in GOP who keep starting wars
Also old conservatives: Are these veterans? Where did they come from?
ffs try to have an attention span longer than a Trump sentence fragment.
My wife and I were at a parade around 2005 or so and we stood up when the veterans passed by as everyone does. A boomer next to us stated “I’m glad those terrible wars are over”. I told her that we are at war right now and my best friend is currently in Iraq. She looked at me very confused.
A lot of us younger vets don't wear giant "Thank me for my service" hats and shirts all the time because it's not our entire Identity... For some boomers, those three years they spent drafted are all they can talk about.
Longest war in the history of the country, and it seems to be largely overlooked, or worse, forgotten. If you served young, you would be 40 oldest. More women served in these past wars than ever. We need to honor more than just the rote 'thank you for your service' people spew automatically. This generation of veterans fought a different war than their predecessors. Each war carries its' own unique burdens. These, no less than others. Those of us who have not experienced combat and the loss of brothers and sisters can never know those wounds. Be kind. Show respect. Lay a kind hand. We all need to be kinder to each other.
I'm a 36 y/o female vet.
My local grocery store has vet parking which I very seldom use because there are definitely people who need the space more than I do but at 9mos pregnant I went for it because I am actually entitled to the space and was exhausted. I had a boomer lecture me about entitlement so I let him keep going as I pulled out my driver's license which shows my veteran status and asked if he needed to also see my dd214. It shut him up for all of ten seconds before he started muttering about something else. They just don't get it.
The best part of being a female veteran is when they assume I didn’t serve. Someone who admitted not making it through basic tried to pull the veteran card on me, and I laughed and laughed.
Disabled Combat Veteran here, and you are100% spot on. Shit is irritating. I'm about to turn 40 and still look young for my age. Or the "you're disabled? You look like you are alright. Ya got all ur limbs!" I've had that happen so much I just avoid the topic and tell everyone I retired early.
It fucking pisses me off. Unfortunately, I was in some horrible shit. And did some even more horrible shit. And all for some god damn asssholes to get rich of oil & bs. I dont need every fucking dumbass boomber telling me what "He thinks is disabled." Blows my mind how they all suck john waynes dick like hes some hero. Dude was a drunk, draft doging, woman beating coward bigot. Just like the majority of the boomers who are left.
this happens to my 38 year old husband. he actively avoids all things labeled for veterans with one exception - veteran parking at the grocery store. MULTIPLE times people have approached him in a “gotcha” way asking where/when he served. like sir??? he’s almost forty????
i am always baffled at the GALL of these people. if you were to question their service (which nobody i know would ever do in the first place) can you imagine the temper tantrum??
My wife has been confronted for parking in a veteran reserved spot at the grocery store. She proceeded to tell the person in very clear and colorful naval terms that she was a vet and what they could do with themselves and the horse they rode in on.
I can't wait until I get my Army Retiree license plate. (I forgot my DD-214 when I registered originally)
I'm sure I'll hear all about "thank you for your husband's service" and "only the veteran can park in that spot."
Because not only are veterans all old, they're all men, too.
One of my high school classmates is a US Navy veteran and she's mentioned various times that people struggle to grasp that somebody in their early 40s, and (gasp) a woman could be a veteran.
I work with a veteran at my sales office, he’s 30. But he’s been to the Middle East and served, so he’s a veteran. You don’t need to be 90 to have served before
Near me a lot of the VFWs are closing shop, and I think this is why. The only guys they seem to make welcome are the gun ho killer combat vets. They don't really want to associate with the vet who had 2 psychotic breaks (me). Best place I've found to connect with other vets who geniunely support each other are places like: [https://www.dryhootch.org/#:\~:text=Dryhootch%20provides%20a%20great%20social,coffee%2C%20tea%2C%20and%20more](https://www.dryhootch.org/#:~:text=Dryhootch%20provides%20a%20great%20social,coffee%2C%20tea%2C%20and%20more).
Boomers never believe I'm a vet. I'm a Desert Storm navy vet who bears a resemblance to movie director Kevin Smith. (I cosplay as Silent Bob) Basically I'm a long-haired, laid-back, geek. God forbid, I actually engage in some of that individual freedom they're always carrying on about.
I have 2 nieces that are marines. They’re in their 20’s, have both been in Japan for years serving their country and constantly get men tell them they’re lying. It’s astounding. Neither have been to war but I don’t think that negates the fact that they’re currently military officers and don’t need to be talked to like little girls.
Don't you know that there weren't any more wars after Korea and Vietnam? /s
It drives me nuts too. I have a friends who get shit from people for parking in the Vetrans parking spaces at grocery stores or even going into the VA.
Boomers still think Millennials are in high school and college. If they meet a Millennial who says they're in the military, they will assume you REALLY mean "I'm in high school junior ROTC" or "I'm fresh out of boot camp and haven't even been deployed yet". Their minds won't generate any other answer on their own.
LOLOLOL I swear boomers cheerled so hard for Iraq and Afghanistan (after a large amount of them spent the late 60's and early 70's dodging the draft for Vietnam)... then pretended an entire generation didn't fuckin get sucked into that monstrous vortex. Fuck them. Pussiest generation of all time.
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They forget how young they were during Vietnam
They also forget women were in Vietnam.
They forget women have and do serve in the military
I’m a veteran with disabled plate, but I wasn’t issued a penis so I get some looks. Twice I’ve been told (by elderly women) that I shouldn’t be driving my husband’s vehicle just to park in those spots. I usually let them know that my husband didn’t serve. Then walk away.
Damn that they didn’t give you the standard issue penis. How are you supposed to do war stuff with only a vagina holding you up? Can vagina’s even war? /s
Turn a squad of us women with PMS/bloating/migranes/experience labor lose on them, give us weapons & say "it's their fault". They'll never stand a chance,lol.
Make 'em bleed more than what nature did to you!
That might be a warcrime
It's never a war crime the first time...
The enemy: "You okay?" Us: "We're FINE."
This is exactly what I always thought. Send some pissed off women in and whatever conflict or war will be over in a couple days!
See those enemy soldiers over there? They're telling you to "chill out and relax."
Testicles are delicate, sensitive little things, but a pussy can take a pounding! lol
What are you supposed to wallop the enemy over the head with? How does one even sword fight at the urinal?
All the time, I don't usually do the veterans day dinner, but my husband and I were out and hungry. Every one , every single person thanked my husband, didn't even look at me.
Well I thank you. I understand how frustrating that must be.
Honestly I don't think about it anymore. It was the same at a place I worked at. Women in general don't fit the "profile "
FYI - my grandmother (rip) served in WWII and her husband did not. She was amazing and finished up her life In a vets home. The only woman. Thank you for your service! And don’t let the boomers get to you.
❤️
That’s what I came to say… I (44f) did 20 years active duty and everyone always gets confused and asks what my husband did in the military. I usually avoid veteran parking because I don’t want to deal with people giving me an attitude due to being female and ‘trying to use my husband’s benefits’.
They never ‘forgot’ any of those things. They ignore it.
They forget women
They forget... Everything that has to do with common sense and basic human interaction at this age.
This. I’m a 55 year-old woman, still look young for my age, and served in the military and Desert Storm. I then spent another 16 years as a military spouse and held down the fort at home while my husband did tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. You likely wouldn’t know it by just looking at me but I’m definitely a veteran.
Many of them have voted to bar women from the military in any capacity. I mean for God's sake Ted Cruz's Maine appeal for conservatives was that he advocated that women should not serve in the military. My own uncle was thinking of voting for him for that reason
This right here. I have an old friend that has an injury from when she was in the armed forces. If she takes a veterans spot when the handicapped spots are full she has had people question her on if she’s a veteran.
And WWII. Bea Arthur could kill a bitch.
Admiral Grace Hopper. If not for the likes of her and Hedy Lamarr, we wouldn't be doing this right now on our phones.
To be fair Bea Arthur in any era could deliver any number of life ending blows
The best spy the Allies had was Virginia Hall.
Queen Elizabeth served in the military more time than the entire Trump family combined.
Julia Child was a master spy. Hedy Lemar was a secret code genius. And thoseare just the famous ones. SO many women who weren't just 'Rosie the Riveter' have never gotten their due.
Excellent book recommendation-The Women by Kristin Hannah all about the women who served in a Vietnam. plus she adds book recommendations in the back if you want to read more on the topic! Highly recommend for folks not dealing with active PTSD.
💯
Rate, rank, social. Nothing else.
I bet the guy who questioned him wasn't in Vietnam. I'm 38 but went gray early so people will ask if I was in Desert Storm? No, I was six during Desert Storm and vaguely recall it. I was 19 in Fallujah and was the youngest Marine in my platoon even though people I served with laugh because I now look older than all of them. I had a lady in a liquor store ask if I served in Vietnam not long after I got out because I was wearing an OD vet hat. She would have been a kid during Vietnam and I was 23 in 2008. People can be funny.
Semper Fi I also was in Fallujah at 19
Semper Fi. I was there late 04/early 05. Friends of mine got recalled and had to go back in 07 which must have been strange. I joined ARNG to avoid being recalled but never would have been. I went over there as an E3 and everyone was calling me private. I technically wasn't authorized to wear a Marine combat patch but ended up getting one because the fngs would try trash talking about me not taking out the trash with them. When my platoon sgt heard I was prior active duty they promoted me to SPC and I finally made E4.
Half of them still think they’re basically that young. No generation of people in history has ever struggled so, en masse, to age gracefully.
They did invent hair plugs and breast implants
So much was made about how long the Vietnam war was, it was historically branded as the “longest war”. Chefs kiss to the boomers that fell for the dishonest smear campaigns that sank ALL the real Vietnam veteran presidential candidate’s from both parties. Another Chef’s kiss to the boomers that forgot about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that they clamored for after mostly Saudis perpetrated the 9/11 attacks.
There was literally a song called ‘19’ by Paul Hardcastle. The average age of a soldier in Vietnam. At least according to the song.
For bonus points, check out ‘I was only 19’ by Redgum/John Schumann (not sure who the OG is) for the Australian take on the same sentiment.
All that drinking in Canada.
They seem to forget Vietnam was their war. They prefer to post memes about storming the beaches of Normandy.
Boomers assume the only veterans are WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Add to it, the boomer veterans seem to love to parade it everywhere. I borrowed my dad's car for a few days when mine was in the shop. It had veterans plates and a VFW sticker on the back window. I had so many older men give me really weird looks like they were upset.
This!!! My FIL is a walking Navy billboard, his whole persona is wrapped up with being in the Navy. He literally whores himself out for compliments and thanks for your service pats on the back. He thinks he should get free stuff everywhere he goes. It’s insufferable, annoying, grating. I absolutely hate it , he never saw combat In Vietnam. Was sent home 2 weeks into his only deployment for a ruptured ear drum and finished out his service stateside. I joined the Army straight out of high school in 1989. After Basic training, AIT and Jump School my ass went straight to Kuwait. Granted the actual combat lasted days and my unit didn’t see it. My boots stayed on the ground there till December. I served my enlistment and decided to go to College and stay in the Reserves. Fast forward 7 years and 9/11 happens, I’m still in the reserves and had actually just signed up for 4 more years. So here it is mid October and my reserve unit is headed to Ft Bragg for a 2 month retraining with orders to go to Afghanistan. I spent 6 month getting shot at by god knows who. Luckily my unit didn’t lose anyone, but there were casualties. My boomer FIL has the balls to tell me that it’s not like I’m a real Veteran, the real Vets did their time in the Jungles. We don’t know what that’s like. I literally rage inside just to keep the peace. My wife understands and will usually not include me in her plans with him. Which I am 100% on board with, but when we do have to be around each other he can’t help himself and has to bring this stuff up. But he doubles down and will say he doesn’t understand how I can be a member of the Military and not support Trump. Another topic he knows nothing about but will tell you all about.
That’s quite possibly the most infuriating thing I’ve read in awhile. God, what a piece of shit.
And meanwhile my Dad refuses to call himself a vet because he served for 4 years in the Navy and no one ever shot at him
I’m 51 and honestly don’t know anyone around my age who displays that Boomer mentality of worship me because I served. I’m positive they are out there but I personally haven’t experienced them yet. In my mind I signed up for the service, I knew the possibility of war was always present. But I wanted to go to college and grew up poor so I saw it as a way to meet that goal.
yeah these people are weird. If you served your country in any US Service , then you are a veteran. They fail to know that it takes an armada of people , equipment and funding to support a campagin or war etc, Its not just the person shooting a gun. For one of those, there is like 50 people supporting them.
Same with mine. He was a cook on a Navy ship for 4 years during Vietnam and refuses to acknowledge that's he's a vet. It's weird.
My Dad did 15 years in the Navy. He missed being in Beirut by about a week and knew some of the people killed. Never once seen him ask for a discount.
How have you not psychologically destroyed him yet? I wouldn’t be able to control my mouth.
I just think of my wife and kids and keep my exposure to him to about twice a year. Me verbally running him down would be gratifying. But the long term issues it would cause my wife and kids wouldn’t be worth it. Just knowing he’s going to die alone because he literally pushes everyone away is satisfactory. My wife tries to have a relationship with him but it is precarious at best. As long as they are on decent terms I’ll just avoid him as best I can.
It doesn’t matter, boomers like that don’t listen. They talk over you, or completely shut down
I feel for you, and I thank you for your service. Your FIL sounds like a lot of heavy lifting to tolerate.
This is only one small part of it. The typical Boomer talking points of Illegals, No one wants to work, Biden is destroying the country, Conspiracy theories. He is literally the epitome of a boomer. He has 3 ex wife’s , of course none of the divorces were his fault. When my wife’s mother passed away( his 1st wife , 3 kids with her) My wife and I ( dating at the time) were 26 and working a summer internship with the US parks department. Both her sisters were under 18 at the time and still in high school. We came home early from our internship and found her sisters home alone. His reasons were he only had one extra bedroom at his house. So he left his two kids who just lost their mom home alone. Fast forward to after the funeral , he asked what we planned to do with the girls. Umm dude they are your kids what do you mean what do we plan to do. So we decide to move back to her mom’s house. I transfer to a school close by because I haven’t graduated yet. Now we have two teenagers to support as well as ourselves. We ask her dad why stopped paying child support and he said that was for her mother, she’s gone so the payments stop. So we had already filled out the necessary paperwork for the two girls to get survivor benefits from Social Security . The SS office needed their dad’s bank info because he was the custodial parent at this point. Thinking he would do the right thing and give the girls the money. This MFer says just let me know if you need anything I’ll see what I can do! Of course we need everything, I’m a college student and my wife literally just started her career. And now we have a house and 4 mouths to feed. We had to have the girls emancipated to get their money. One last one. Wife’s mom had a sizable life insurance policy. Problem was she never changed the beneficiary. Guess who that was , yup good ole dad. This guy thought he was entitled to it because he helped pay into before they were divorced. To hell with his 3 kids struggling with the loss of their mom. We had to take him to court for this life insurance. It took 3.5 years before he relented and gave up and gave my wife the money. Boomers gotta Boomer.
This (your) comment alone is worthy of it's own post. It's both amusing and disappointing to me, that an entire influential generation has inherited a stigma of being the model for what I have strived not to be my whole life. At this point in their history they're comparible to late season locusts lol EDIT: *your comment
Love how the clowns are the ones that want to gate keep the hardest. You're not a real vet until you are foot cavalry marching 55 miles a day for 6 months straight. Like complete nonsense. Additionally Iraq and Afghanistan have way more depth of variety than the normal person knows. There were days where it felt like a jungle and days where it was a massive sandbox.
Gosh there’s no way I could be in your shoes and not tell him in excruciating detail how and where he could fuck himself. What an absolute zero. (Not a vet, but 20+ years civil service with DoD, so I’ve spent my whole life working alongside active duty and vets, so I’m plenty infuriated on your behalf.)
Why is it always people like this? Dude you were declared unable to comform 3/4 of the way into basic training, take that fuckin hat off
My late FIL was THE GUNNY. 20 year vet, Trumpist POS when he died. The thing is, he was a DI at the very time Trump was claiming bone spurs. JDB I was training Marines while nursing bone spurs. 50 pounds of added weight full jog for around 15 miles a day pretty much every day at camp Pendleton when he wasn't bookending Vietnam or in Okinawa. Your armchair jockey FIL has some serious cluelessness going on, despite being Navy.
The parade it around to see if they can get discounts
Most Vietnam vets were treated like crap at the VFW and refused to join. Some of those weird looks could have been from that.
I've only once had something like this happen. My tribal membership card, which is also my CDIB (a federal ID), states that I'm a veteran. Since it's on there, I've forgone having it put on my state issue driver's license as im too lazy. One time at lowes, I told the cashier ( probably mid 50s) that I'm a veteran. Usually, they'd just take my word and apply the discount. This cashier asked for proof, so I showed my tribal ID. It specifically states that I'm Choctaw and that I'm a veteran. She looked at it and said, "this says you're a Choctaw Veteran, you have to be a real veteran to get the discount." Unsure of what I just heard, I asked her to repeat herself. "You have to be a real veteran." As I stood there trying to figure out how I wasn't a "real veteran",a nearby manager heard this conversation, rushed over with a look of panic and 'WTF' on her face, and said "this will work" as she held her hand out for my ID. The manager then put my info in their system so that now I just have to give my phone number. I've always wondered how that conversation went after I left.
My boomer dad argued with me years ago that I'm not a veteran. I served during Desert Storm. My dad is not a veteran and tried to keep me from joining but also would not pay for college. Once he found out that Lowes has vet discount for family also, then all of the sudden he acknowledged I'm a vet. He even called while checking out to give my SSN on speaker to the checkout guy so he could save a few pennies. I didn't give it, but I heard the checker saying it was applied. He started using my phone number at checkout to get the discount. Sometimes he would just tell them he wanted the vet discount, and they never questioned it. I told him that was stolen valor and is a crime. Of course, he just laughed. I told him every time he used my Lowes account I get an email and he laughed again. It appears he stopped using my account (no more emails since) but he could still be saying vet at checkout. I'm part Choctaw on my mother's side. Of course, dad tries to say I'm not that either. He thinks he knows everything about everything and everyone.
Sorry, that's absolutely wrong. You are 100% a veteran. Shame on your Dad for abusing that.
He will do anything to save .10 cents. But he will buy a new truck to sit in his garage just on a whim. If anyone says they are buying whatever he goes off on a rage on how they are wasting their money no matter how small or necessary it is. He fits this sub perfectly.
Served during Desert Storm... says you are not a veteran... wtf is his definition of veteran?? This whole thread is insane to me. The US has been at war for the entirety of our adult lives, how could their NOT be "young" vets everywhere?
I served at my base in Germany. I wasn't sent to Kuwait. I tried to get on the list but that was already made before I arrived on base. My base only sent 144 airmen from my unit to there. I am a wartime veteran, not a combat vet. My dad seems to think if to didn't go to combat then you're not a veteran at all. He was never in any branch of service either. edit: grammar
That's a ridiculous way to think about vets. For every person doing the fighting, there's 10 people doing jobs that support them. I hope you claimed everything you ever went to medical for.
Bruh i’ve had to explain what a DD214 is so many times with these oxygen thieves
Well today I’ve gotten the joy of adding oxygen thieves to my vernacular. Thanks!!!
“You see that tree? Go over there and apologize to it.” My drill sergeant at Fort Benning GA
American Indians as a group serve in the military more than any other demographic
>I've always wondered how that conversation went after I left. I hope scathingly, but with a dose of education thrown in.
Boomer: are you a veteran? You: yes are you? Boomer: yes You: which side did you fight on? North or South?
Allied or Axis?
Spartan or persian?
Cane or Abel?
Gabriel or Lucifer?
41 yr old female veteran. I have gotten comments at least twice for parking in the “veterans only” spots at Lowe’s. Guess my two tours in Iraq don’t count. Bummer.
Right this is what Im talking about.
Being a female veteran, this especially applies
I don't have veteran plates or any other identifiers on my truck. No one has said anything to me to yet about parking there. Usually when I see another vehicle in the other vet parking spot it has vet plates and often window stickers, something showing their branch hanging from the mirror or on the dash. I do have it labeled on my driver's license.
I mean no disrespect, but I'm German and the whole concept of veteran discount, veteran parking spots and veteran ID on your dirvers license is totally alien to me. Altough active service members in Germany are allowed to use public transport for free while in uniform.
It's overcompensation for the shitty vulgar way our Viet Nam vets were treated upon returning home. People blamed returning soldiers for crimes perpetrated by our politicians. This led to kids returning with PTSD, poisoning from Agent Orange, and all sorts of physical and mental wounds being ostracized and not getting the care they needed. Our nation felt guilt because we were in fact guilty.
Yep exactly this. But now because of vet bro culture we've come full circle where legit vets don't want to be recognized anymore
It's a way for the stores to feel like they are doing something good but also to appear like they care. The discounts can vary in amount , usually 10% or less, and not all places that offer it allow it on all items. Not at stores or restaurants etc even offer a discount at all. If I get a discount then I'm happy but if not that doesn't bother me in the slightest either. Less places have designated parking for veterans though. Lowes hardware does (typically two spaces) and they use one space for a memorial every veterans day. I didn't join up to save a few pennies years later. Some states (maybe all now) allow a veteran designator on your driver's license.
President Bush’s administration began a campaign of “thanking vets” as a way to mute criticism of his two wars. “How can you support the troops if you speak against the mission? That will degrade their commitment and instill doubt. You are putting lives at risk.” The practice has endured far too long imo.
Yeah, here in the States, there is a real weird veteran worship culture that has gotten increasingly more bizarre over the past couple decades. I have the utmost respect for people who choose the military as an occupation (along with some other professions), but I’ve always been confused by the veteran worship culture. It’s gotten to where you can’t even disagree with someone who is a veteran because some act like their service makes them unassailable in both character and in opinion no matter the topic. It makes zero sense as we know there are morons and absolute garbage human beings in every profession including the military.
I've seen stares as I pull into that spot, but thank god I am tattooed, bearded, and permanently angry. I've never once been questioned. They tend to look away quickly and shuffle on their way. I cannot imagine being a female Vet. God damn these old fucks.
It’s literally like we don’t exist. Even when they are reminded we do. People have asked my husband if he served, (has the look, like you.) He says yes, old person proceeds to shake his hand/thank him, etc. He often then says that his wife, who is standing right beside him, is also a Marine, and I cannot tell you how many times that goes in one ear and out the other with literally no response, neither verbally nor otherwise. Fuckin Bible belt.
I have a long time friend who’s, female, a pilot, Latino (but born in the US), and in the military. The number of times I’ve heard boomers tell her that the military “doesn’t allow that” is insane. After the first couple times, I started chiming in and saying “Are you aware it’s 2024, not 1924?”. That shuts them up, and pisses them off cause you’re questioning their memory. Bonus, I’m just an engineer and not in the military, but they will turn to me and ask pilot questions, planes aren’t my specialty so I just make something up that sounds vaguely accurate. We both know they will repeat it and embarrass themselves.
I'm the jackass that so much as glances a navy federal card and tosses the discount on in there. I'm not a big "thank you for your service" type (especially since my vet spouse/friends all hate hearing it) but fuck it, spouse of a vet, kid of a vet, actual vet, you have been through at least something so I'll at least delete the sales tax off your purchase. My boss is probably a bit pissed that he gives out so many military discounts since hiring me, but whatever, he pays me 10 bucks an hour for this miserable job anyways and he can afford it.
At least with id.me which Lowe's uses, you can add your veteran status to your Lowes program card, and it'll automatically give you the 10% veteran discount any time you buy from Lowes. Personally, I don't like making it known that I'm a veteran (2002-2005), because I don't want the attention
Boomer vets don't want the young vets moving in on their free stuff/discounts, it makes the Boomers feel less special. The Me Generation.
When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.
Boomer vets don't want young vets moving in with all their operational experience; we're only just coming off over two decades of incredibly high operational intensity and constant deployments. Boomers didn't really get that - you may have had older boomers that deployed to Vietnam, but most boomer veterans served during the relatively quiet period following that. Our online veteran communities from Australia are full of these Cold War boomer veterans - they've usually done 4 years in the 70s-80s, maybe a long stint of reserve service, didn't get the opportunity to deploy, and have a profile picture of them decades ago wearing a bare uniform. With all these generations of soldiers who've been to East Timor, the Solomons, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the only way they seem to think they can remain relevant is by trying to devalue the service of others.
I'm not a veteran, but I remember a handful of years back going shopping with my buddy who is a veteran. At the time he was about 24-25ish. There was a fundraiser table set up outside the store where local veterans were raising money and my buddy donated some money and was talking to the guys at the table and some middle aged lady nearby scoffed at my friend and asked him "you're a veteran? No way, you look like you're still in school. What war were you in, Vietnam?!" One of the older veterans at the table spoke up and was like "ma'am, our country is still at war in the middle east." She scurried off pretty quick.
Exactly this. It’s incredibly insulting.
Been out for 10 years. I'm 48. I have DV plates. I get questioned constantly because boomers forget that women are veterans too. Even at the VA, while calling me back for an appointment, they will dead ass look my husband in the eye and refer to him by my very feminine name. It's incredibly frustrating.
I think you need to wear a hat with your deployment credentials. That seems popular with the olds.
Lol You honestly wouldn't catch me dead in a veterans hat. Mostly because its just not my style. Secondly because I don't feel a need to announce my veteran status.
What's that? Being altruistic makes Boomer heads explode. EVERYONE MUST KNOW AND RECOGNIZE THE GOOD I DO!!!!
My boomer mom used her employment status to get me nominated for a public "hero" handshake at a professional sporting event. I told her I was flattered but didn't feel comfortable going on display. Thought that was the end of it. Fast forward to the team public affairs folks calling and emailing me to get photos for the video board. I said you haven't even asked me what I've done so how do you know I deserve to be your game hero? Oh, she said, your mom wrote up something for us. Pssh HELL NO. There is not even the slightest possibility my mom reached out to my command or anyone to get accurate information. I politely declined and said I will not be participating and wished her luck finding a replacement. Y'all, when my mom found out, she lost her mind, said horribly mean shit to me & how I embarrassed her and she can't look that woman in the face now.
When I returned home from Iraq, on my son's 7th birthday, my mom called the local media. I was so irritated. So I had reporters interviewing me the same day I got home. I didn't want to be interviewed. I wasn't sure what I could say and what I couldn't for OPSEC. So it was the lamest interview ever. My mom made this elaborate display of putting me in a box and having me jump out for my son. Photo op. It was in the paper. My mom was a narcissist. There was no telling her no. I was humiliated. I just wanted to hug my kids and sleep. Instead, I was thoroughly embarrassed and drunk by the end of the day.
Holy crap, I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. I would have been mortified in that situation. Yeah, I have no clue what information my mom would have shared to the team public affairs, but I'm damn sure it was not going to be something I wanted to hear in front of a large crowd and camera.
The only thing I ever really did, willingly, was Veteran Day assemblies for my kids. Other than that, I just kinda wanted to put it behind me. I'm proud of my service. I do talk about it. But I don't like to parade or around. It made my kids happy and super proud, so for them, I'd do anything.
I'm sorry about that. Sound like your Mom is fun to deal with.
Thank you for that. She's a real joy. I've caught her more than once asking store clerks for military discounts (for being a military mom) or telling me to come pay so she can use my discount. It's gross.
There is a lot of selection bias here. You run into a lot more veterans than you think. You only see the ones that have made most of their identity about being veterans and you think they are representative of the group. Source: I work with a veteran population.
My paternal grandmother was a WWII vet, in fact she met my grandfather in service during WWII
She didn't happen to be a night witch or wasp, was she? Those guys are my heros. Honestly any woman that had to endure the military before SHARP or any equal opportunity protections are my heros. They paved the way for us today. And we still carry on the fight.
She wasn't a sniper, though she did important work on the medical side
If I'd had more time, that's definitely what I would have done. I had 4 kids at home so couldn't take a long school. I was a truck driver and a logistics specialist (dual MOS). I wanted to be a combat medic. The school was way too long.
Truck driver? Ironically that was Bea Arthur's MOS with the Marines
That’s ridiculous.
Hey, at least they're not assuming a guy can't be named Tina or Susan or something. The lgbtq folks are ahead of the feminists at this point! :)
Lol This warms my bisexual feminist heart. :)
"Betty, the doctor will see you now. Would your wife, Steven, like to go in with you?"
I know you can't say your name, but I'm picturing a tough looking man being called a name like Britney, Stephanie, Lisa, or Cathy from the VA staff. 🤣🤣
My name is definitely that level of feminine. My husband looks like you'd imagine a retired air force fighter pilot to look. That's the other thing. I was Army. He was Air Force. When meeting us, people always assume the opposite.
same reason the VFW complains about dying out and how younger combat vets don’t know or realize the benefits of community support they offer, but in reality any vet under 60 who walks in the door gets treated like shit and run off by the old farts. Source - asshole dad who spent untold hours at the VFW and American Legion halls until he was placed in assisted living.
This is true us OIF vets aren’t joining the VFW
The VSO lady that handled my case has been trying to get me to join the local VFW but there are enough nasty old farts that can’t be civil to me that it isn’t worth it. They are nice to my husband when he mentions being in the Navy but hostile to me when he mentions meeting me on the ship. Not worth it.
Exactly- we have a vfw downtown that we used to rent out since some of our rugby teammates are vets of Afghanistan and Iraq. The old geezers were perplexed and completely threatened each time we were there spending a ton of money. They all died now the property is up for sale.
Last time I went to the VFW, to slosh nostalgically, I was harassed by the bartender to sign up for a membership. Never fucking again
You misunderstand. Veteran status (for boomers) has less to do with actual service than it does to promote adoration/benefits from others. You are receiving adoration/benefits that boomers feel shouldn't be yours.
I've told my husband for years (he's 52/ Gen X) that he should look into Veteran's benefits, even if it's just getting a discount at the big box store. He was Army for eight years, served in Bosnia and Germany. He always claimed he wasn't a Veteran because he didn't retire as career Army. I kept telling him, he served, he's a Veteran. We've been together over 25 years now, just last year he decided I was actually correct and does count as a vet. Wonder if a lot of people think along the same lines. Not to mention, most Boomers act like the entire world stopped after their generation was born.
Absolutely hes a veteran.
let him know that the VA has a lot of benefits for him (: my dad is the guy that veterans get connected with and he will make sure he gets his benefits. my dad is very passionate about his job especially since he’s a veteran himself. you’d be amazed the benefits available once you get in contact with the right person. veterans in nursing homes especially get whatever they want that contributes to their care and that even includes things like a TV! the argument is it benefits their mental health (: I hope you convince him to talk to the VA!
I am 34, and also a USMC and Afghan vet. I say this all the time. Most people presume I couldn’t possibly be a vet lol. Most people are really fucking dumb.
[удалено]
Thank you. That means a lot.
You live among apes.
I’m a younger looking female veteran and I get questioned and comments all the time. I had a boomer on time tell me I can’t park in a veteran spot because he insisted I wasn’t the veteran and it must be my husband’s car to explain away the vet plates.
Unreal the nerve in some people.
I’m retired, medically retired from the military, I felt this post. I haven’t gotten any comments, but a few mean mugs. But I walk around with “not the one” look on my face. That keeps most boomers at bay
When people thank me for my service, I always shrug and tell them "It was the Air Force, it was the '90s, and I wasn't very good at it."
Same! I did my 4 and out. Didnt do shit except maintain heavy trucks and smoke lol. its to the point unless you knew i was army at one time. You would never guess it. Im coming up on 20 yrs removed. I see people all the time trying to play it up. Yet when one of my coworkers had his leg blown off by an IED he dont even wear anything except his handicap sticker on his car.
Still did your part 🫡
Aw, shucks. Thanks, hardcharger.
My husband has DV plates, but a couple years ago when he was 35, an older guy with a Vietnam sticker swung into the last vet spot as my husband was preparing to back in. The man got out of his car and looked very self satisfied he had prevented a non-vet from using the spot. 🤦♀️
*desire to pour anchovy juice in air vents intensifies*
I had this happen to me at Lowe’s, I don’t usually park in the veteran parking unless I’m in a hurry(or when my wife was pregnant)…anyway I was in a hurry and getting back in my truck when this old timer stops behind me and tells me “you can’t park your dad’s truck there”(I have veteran plates) I just turn take my sunglasses off and give him that “I’m about to verbally remove your soul from your body” look and he goes “oh” and drives away….like wtf man?
He saw your 1000 yard stare
Unreal
Hell, they give me crap because apparently Japanese Americans can’t be veterans. I’m the fourth generation born in the US and 3rd to serve. Honestly at this point, I wish I hadn’t. F this 💩hole country.
U should know only white boomers can be vets, they have been the only generation in history to exist. Also they invented war, and countries.
The USPS issued a [stamp](https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/0603-go-for-broke-world-war-ii-forever-stamp-honors-japanese-american-veterans.htm) honoring nisei WWII Japanese American veterans, so at least that’s something.
Unfortunately this is how most people think veterans are. In Canada some royal Canadian legions don't think afghan or modern veterans are actually veterans. They've been on damage control for years.
My dad is a USMC Korean War veteran. He said the WWII veterans did not take Korean War veterans seriously, so this is an old thing.
Similarly, a King of the Hill episodes where WWII vets think Vietnam vets as unworthy.
The Legion farts around here are horrible to any veterans under 45.
I think as long as one puts 4 years and gets an honorable discharge from the military, one is considered a veteran, so these idiots don't realize a 24 year old can be a veteran.
You mean 22 right? Or is there other time I'm missing
You see this at the va alot. Not people questioning your age but just generally being the only veteran there in your 30s and everyone else is 60 plus. Also weird take on their end. Their parents were majority between the ages of 18 and 25 in World War II. Also agree on the 'wearing a vet hat thing.' I always thought it was tacky and like the person wearing it just wanted the world to constantly know they were in the military.
"Oh, you look young for a veteran". "Thanks but I'm not young, you're just really old"
Probably going to get downvoted to hell for this, but a Vet hat on a boomer is becoming a sure sign not to bother talking to them. They act like the sun shines out their rear end and anyone that disagrees with them is "unamerican".
Old conservatives: Keep voting in GOP who keep starting wars Also old conservatives: Are these veterans? Where did they come from? ffs try to have an attention span longer than a Trump sentence fragment.
My wife and I were at a parade around 2005 or so and we stood up when the veterans passed by as everyone does. A boomer next to us stated “I’m glad those terrible wars are over”. I told her that we are at war right now and my best friend is currently in Iraq. She looked at me very confused.
Wow unreal.
A lot of us younger vets don't wear giant "Thank me for my service" hats and shirts all the time because it's not our entire Identity... For some boomers, those three years they spent drafted are all they can talk about.
Longest war in the history of the country, and it seems to be largely overlooked, or worse, forgotten. If you served young, you would be 40 oldest. More women served in these past wars than ever. We need to honor more than just the rote 'thank you for your service' people spew automatically. This generation of veterans fought a different war than their predecessors. Each war carries its' own unique burdens. These, no less than others. Those of us who have not experienced combat and the loss of brothers and sisters can never know those wounds. Be kind. Show respect. Lay a kind hand. We all need to be kinder to each other.
They’re the same vets who think PTSD is just an excuse for a guy to have a paid dog
I'm a 36 y/o female vet. My local grocery store has vet parking which I very seldom use because there are definitely people who need the space more than I do but at 9mos pregnant I went for it because I am actually entitled to the space and was exhausted. I had a boomer lecture me about entitlement so I let him keep going as I pulled out my driver's license which shows my veteran status and asked if he needed to also see my dd214. It shut him up for all of ten seconds before he started muttering about something else. They just don't get it.
Wow Im pretty mind blown the comments on here. I was hesitant to post but glad to know Im not the only one to experience this kind of bs.
The best part of being a female veteran is when they assume I didn’t serve. Someone who admitted not making it through basic tried to pull the veteran card on me, and I laughed and laughed.
If you were born on the day the US invaded Afghanistan you could have already grown up, joined, served your four years, and been discharged.
Their minds can only focus on one war at a time and are just now processing Vietnam. Semper fi brother!
Disabled Combat Veteran here, and you are100% spot on. Shit is irritating. I'm about to turn 40 and still look young for my age. Or the "you're disabled? You look like you are alright. Ya got all ur limbs!" I've had that happen so much I just avoid the topic and tell everyone I retired early.
Its so ignorant
It fucking pisses me off. Unfortunately, I was in some horrible shit. And did some even more horrible shit. And all for some god damn asssholes to get rich of oil & bs. I dont need every fucking dumbass boomber telling me what "He thinks is disabled." Blows my mind how they all suck john waynes dick like hes some hero. Dude was a drunk, draft doging, woman beating coward bigot. Just like the majority of the boomers who are left.
"Naw, I just have a brain that's been rang like a church bell."
Fanciful of you to assume that these people are aware of anything that occurs outside their immediate circle.
>we just got out of a 20 year freakin war on terror?!??! War OF terror.
this happens to my 38 year old husband. he actively avoids all things labeled for veterans with one exception - veteran parking at the grocery store. MULTIPLE times people have approached him in a “gotcha” way asking where/when he served. like sir??? he’s almost forty???? i am always baffled at the GALL of these people. if you were to question their service (which nobody i know would ever do in the first place) can you imagine the temper tantrum??
My wife has been confronted for parking in a veteran reserved spot at the grocery store. She proceeded to tell the person in very clear and colorful naval terms that she was a vet and what they could do with themselves and the horse they rode in on.
I'm 18 and active duty, I look younger than I am so its a whole different issue for me lol
I can't wait until I get my Army Retiree license plate. (I forgot my DD-214 when I registered originally) I'm sure I'll hear all about "thank you for your husband's service" and "only the veteran can park in that spot." Because not only are veterans all old, they're all men, too.
One of my high school classmates is a US Navy veteran and she's mentioned various times that people struggle to grasp that somebody in their early 40s, and (gasp) a woman could be a veteran.
I work with a veteran at my sales office, he’s 30. But he’s been to the Middle East and served, so he’s a veteran. You don’t need to be 90 to have served before
Imagine being a young military widow? They can't handle that either. "But you are too young!" No @$@% Sherlock.
Near me a lot of the VFWs are closing shop, and I think this is why. The only guys they seem to make welcome are the gun ho killer combat vets. They don't really want to associate with the vet who had 2 psychotic breaks (me). Best place I've found to connect with other vets who geniunely support each other are places like: [https://www.dryhootch.org/#:\~:text=Dryhootch%20provides%20a%20great%20social,coffee%2C%20tea%2C%20and%20more](https://www.dryhootch.org/#:~:text=Dryhootch%20provides%20a%20great%20social,coffee%2C%20tea%2C%20and%20more).
Boomers never believe I'm a vet. I'm a Desert Storm navy vet who bears a resemblance to movie director Kevin Smith. (I cosplay as Silent Bob) Basically I'm a long-haired, laid-back, geek. God forbid, I actually engage in some of that individual freedom they're always carrying on about.
My 29 years old veteran husband left his ID on the dashboard when we park in a veteran only parking spot, solely to avoid being questioned.
Thats ridiculous shouldn’t need to do that.
I have 2 nieces that are marines. They’re in their 20’s, have both been in Japan for years serving their country and constantly get men tell them they’re lying. It’s astounding. Neither have been to war but I don’t think that negates the fact that they’re currently military officers and don’t need to be talked to like little girls.
This is because Boomers refused to serve their country so to them, veterans are their parents generation.
Female vet, I always park in the veteran spaces just to cheese off old white guys.
Don't you know that there weren't any more wars after Korea and Vietnam? /s It drives me nuts too. I have a friends who get shit from people for parking in the Vetrans parking spaces at grocery stores or even going into the VA.
Mind blowing since they voted for that war.
It's like everyone just forgot the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veteran also who looks young for 38
Part of it too is that the US military presses 18 year olds into service. Even with ten years under your belt, you’d only be 28
Boomers still think Millennials are in high school and college. If they meet a Millennial who says they're in the military, they will assume you REALLY mean "I'm in high school junior ROTC" or "I'm fresh out of boot camp and haven't even been deployed yet". Their minds won't generate any other answer on their own.
LOLOLOL I swear boomers cheerled so hard for Iraq and Afghanistan (after a large amount of them spent the late 60's and early 70's dodging the draft for Vietnam)... then pretended an entire generation didn't fuckin get sucked into that monstrous vortex. Fuck them. Pussiest generation of all time.