Now don’t be a douche…

False humility is worse than honest arrogance. The truth is people can do whatever they want, that’s the beauty about being a human being, we get to be our own individual.

Whether someone says anything or nothing, in both circumstances your response and character should be the same. You should IMO be polite, whether it’s awkward for you or you feel entitled to it, you should be kind regardless.

Whether you’re too humble to receive a thank you or so entitled you need the validation, in both cases the common denominator is you’re a Veteran.

So you can either hurt the community by being an entitled, disgruntled broken victim, shaming people for not thanking you…or…be so arrogantly modest, so lofty in your humility, you make people feel embarrassed and feel stupid for thanking you.

Either way, the irony is you both are the same, douche bags. Instead, veterans or not, be a human being that is kind, respectful, empathetic, mature. Be a good person. Say thank you, say I appreciate it, say it was my honor.

Don’t make someone who took the personal initiative to be polite, whether they meant it or not, feel stupid for it or worse be discouraged from being kind and ashamed for their actual gratitude.

“Youth ends when egotism does; maturity begins when one lives for others.”~Hermann Hesse

Happy Veteran’s Day

*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.

 

By Jordan Laird

Former Chief Scout, Staff Non-Commissioned Officer, Platoon Commander, Pre-Sniper Instructor, Infantry Squad Leader, Infantryman and Scout Sniper in the U.S. Marine Corps. Serving with: 2nd Btn. 23rd Mar. • 3rd Btn 25th Mar. 2nd Btn 5th Mar. • 3rd Btn 5th Mar. After leaving the Corps, he became a private contractor working both over seas and in country, as a DDM (Designated Defensive Marksman) and WPPS instructor in CQC, CQB, Weapons and Tactics, Land Navigation, S.E.R.E techniques and more. This opened the door for opportunities, that led to his recruitment as an operator in a CSOT (Contingency Special Operations Team.) Again working as an instructor and operator, both in the states and overseas in austere environments. He finished his career in the tactical community as a Special Weapons And Tactics Instructor for the coveted DOE Courier program, teaching advanced marksmanship, tactics, and more.

One thought on “Thank you for your Service”
  1. Well said and on point. I find the glib statements often made today to be empty execution of protocol. I find that frustrating in itself, as it has become the “thing to do.” My gratitude to all veterans lies deep in my heart and soul. Being the wife of one provides a unique, albeit “bystander” opportunity to intimately understand one person’s experience. On a humorous note, I got so tired of people disingenuously thanking me for my “service” as a teacher (extremely annoying as it places me on a level that is false and unwarranted), that when it was over the top and obviously false; I would say, “Well, I do take checks…” (I guess you’re better at humility than I am…)

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