I, as a stay home dad, do the grocery shopping, take the kids to school (before CoVid shut everything down), run errands, takemy daughter to gymnastics and my autistic son watches the trains go through town as the tracks are behind the gym, clean the house and tinker in the garage. When I’m getting groceries, I see Vets from Nam, Korea, WW2 and the Middle East, sometimes I see active duty sailors and when I do, I say “Sir, thank you for your service”. The younger guys/gals say “thanks” but the older guys, will stop and stare for a second (as though they are in shock) then say “you’re welcome, I’ll hold my hand out and we shake hands, even chat for a bit, some have their wives present and we all chat.
I teach my kids to say “thank you for your service” when they are with me and we see someone old guy wearing a hat. I also explain why they should thank them, hopefully some day they will actually understand.
I’ve never been thanked, don’t expect it either. I don’t wear hat(s) that show where I served. I have the same buzz haircut that I’ve had since bt, along with a go-tee. My license plate has the handicapped insignia with DV (Disabled Veteran). Rarely do I use those parking spaces, but I do enjoy that I don’t have to pay registration (California) on my vehicle, nice perk.
If some of the Vets on this forum don’t like to hear the “thanks” it’s cool, but if I see ya wearing hat declaring you served, I’m gonna thank ya, just my way of saying you’re not alone and I’ve got your 6!