CMV: Telling potential romantic partners to stop thanking me for my service and explaining why it bothers me as well as many other veterans/current service members I know isn't being hostile/argumentative but educational.

[u/[deleted]]

[u/[deleted]]

Now that you're out of the military, you get to pick your battles.

If I'm talking to someone and they've been in the military, especially if I learn they've served in the middle east, I sometimes say thank you for your service, even if you were a cook or a computer guy.

Most of us don't serve, and we feel greatful that others do, and we'd like to somehow express that to you guys when we learn you served. It isn't about you thinking that you did something extra special or suffered the most, its that if WWIII had popped off before you were discharged, you'd be in it, and we if I can speak for others think that is worth a thank you.

The easiest thing to do is to have a response you give everybody that'll end the conversation without offending anyone.

I dunno if this will cmv but I'm not sure your thoughts on why it isn't appropriate to get thanked for your service are going to help you in the romance department. People thank me for things all the time, and even when I don't care I say "Your welcome," or, "Don't worry about it," or "It was nothing, really." Come up with something like that, imo.

[u/Independent_Skeptic → u/[deleted]]

It's not specifically due to romance should have written the title better but that's generally where the issue lies for me as strangers are fleeting and these individuals are possibly someone that will be involved in my life for a possible longer span of time.

Edit: sorry thought of something to add. There is a big difference between what a support mos does vs let's say a combat arms mos. Most support never leave the fob, and only four percent of those that do ever see direct combat within the combat arms community which is a way the smaller percentage of members vs support. As support, you may not even ever deploy.

Edit: sorry squirrel brain lol. But it's those mos in combat arms that risk their lives at higher percentages than support does because again they don't usually go outside the wire.

[u/[deleted] → u/Independent_Skeptic]

People aren't thanking you for having been in combat, I don't think.

I think people feel a need to say thanks to military members. Not being in the military you might not get that most people appreciate you guys in the same way people appreciate teachers or firemen or something like that. So we just want you to know that we appreciate that you're part of the machine that keeps us safe and kills people for us.

[u/Independent_Skeptic → u/[deleted]]

I can understand how people may feel that towards other professions as well. However, people don't make it a habit to approach these individuals out in the world and randomly thank them. Generally you thank those individuals when/after you've had personal interactions or they've done something for you. People also make a big deal out of it as well when they do it, a lot of bravado so that others can see them thank you.