I have a general question w/respect to service members past & present. Whenever I see a service-person in uniform, I shake their hand & thank them for their service & sacrifice. My question is: What is the best way to pay my respect with regard to honoring them? I saw an actor say recently that “we should just say welcome home”. But, I don’t know if they’ve been gone recently. Any suggestions? Do you get annoyed when ppl like me approach to acknowledge you? I would love some advice, honestly.🇺🇸
@JetSetChristy8
Hi and Welcome!
This is a pretty complicated issue, because people feel differently about their service experiences.
Some will welcome your interest and appreciation, and some may feel awkward. What makes it more sticky is the assumptions that people make about service members and the sometimes intrusive questions that some feel entitled to ask.
You might say thank you, shake hands, and state that you respect their service to our country without seeking a response.
~former USN
@Minholkin Thank you so much for your feedback. I don’t ask any intrusive questions, but if they want to talk, I’ll listen. I appreciate some things are ugly & difficult to talk about, so I don’t pry, I just want them to know how truly grateful I am for their/your bravery, commitment, & sacrifice.