"Thank you for your service."
For those wondering why some of us Veterans laugh or make jokes at each other, it comes with the brotherhood. Some go through service fairly uneventful, some see some serious shit that you'll never be able to understand, and chances are there was a whole lot of bullshit and 'hurry up and wait' in between. Most of us get through our time in uniform and afterwards with a messed up sense of humor. Remember, most Veterans joined in their late teens or twenties, were given their first real taste of responsibility, some with no real authority and others with far too much, some got a gun and went to war, and some had to mop the parking lot in the rain or sweep the dust off the sand.
The bond we share though is stronger than family, and when one of us falls down we'll laugh at them, call them a fucker, then pick them up and get them any help they need. Most are proud to have served, even if we aren't proud of everything we did while in uniform, and most of us would gladly do it again without hesitation. It can be the best time in our lives, it can be the worst time, and we get through it in different ways. We're all brothers and sisters though, regardless of the color of our skin, if we're inbred or educated, and whether we hand out basketballs at the gym, turn wrenches on billion dollar equipment, or stack bodies like it ain't no thing.
So don't get upset if one Veteran laughs at another when you see something that makes you want to thank them for their service. That's just how we are with each other. We serve because it's who we are, and it's not for everyone. But just realize, when you think 'thank you for your service' Kermit may very well be showing you what our service was like.
