Military appreciation has jumped the shark

[BashiChuni]

Thanks for the advice.  Never said I had it all figured out. 

 

[MooseAg03]

Since toll roads are out of control in Texas, I’d be all for getting a plate to avoid paying. My research shows the TX Tag and Harris county toll roads (Houston) only recognize the Medal of Honor, Service Cross or Purple Heart for free tolls. Am I missing something?

[icohftb]

Certain tolls in tx are free simply by showing a military id. Not txtag ones though.

[sputnik]

On 5/13/2018 at 4:32 PM, mudhen69 said:

 

And Lowes...gents, Lowes is for housewives and people who don't know what they are doing. Find a local contractor, become friends, figure out where he shops for supplies and go there. It's usually better stuff, and beats the Lowes 10% off. 

 

 

 

Interesting.  I go to Lowe's quite a bit and always see contractors vehicles in lot, and contractors inside buying mass amounts of stuff.  Where do you shop?

[ThreeHoler]

Contractors get 20% off at Lowe’s. And some (definitely not all) of their stuff is better.

[Homestar]

Well, in my slice of America, Lowe's and Ace are the two options, and I can tell you that the folk at Ace are just as clueless as the fine folks at Lowe's.  And Ace doesn't give me 10% off.

[Hopefulflyer389]

Edited May 16, 2018 by Hopefulflyer389

[TreeA10]

Since I live in the boonies, I have a wireless internet provider. I just changed providers and the dude is checking the router in my "I love  me" study. He looks at the aircraft prints, plagues, etc. and asks if I had been in the military. When I answered yes, he says he is taking 50% off the $100 install fee. Should i have said "No thanks."?

[BashiChuni]

lol thats awesome. i think you've missed the point of the thread.

you must have a nice study

[Lord Ratner]

Since I live in the boonies, I have a wireless internet provider. I just changed providers and the dude is checking the router in my "I love  me" study. He looks at the aircraft prints, plagues, etc. and asks if I had been in the military. When I answered yes, he says he is taking 50% off the $100 install fee. Should i have said "No thanks."?

lol thats awesome. i think you've missed the point of the thread.
you must have a nice study

If you had been paying attention, you would understand that Bashi would have preferred the installer commit ritual seppuku as a demonstration of gratitude for your service. You would then pay full price, but still use a dial-up modem. This way everyone bleeds for Lady Liberty!

[Majestik Møøse]

Well, I’m not cool enough to know where my secret local organic free-trade hipster hardware store is. Luckily I noticed today that Amex has a special offer on Home Depot gift cards through June: $100 for 8k points. HD is usually 10k points, which is pretty good already; most of their other $100 cards run 14-20k points.

Combine that with the military discount and/or the Memorial Day sale and you might walk away with some good stuff. That is, of course, if your dignity can take the hit!

[BashiChuni]

Yet another poster missing the point. 

I’m disheartened by the majority of the posts in this thread. 

Its not about discounts, or deals at lumber stores, or credit card offers. 

Thats not the point. 

 

[BashiChuni]

On 5/14/2018 at 2:54 PM, HossHarris said:

Sidebar ....

getting the va rating stuff (if any) figured out as soon as you separate is paramount. It’s not about the money (and you can decline it if it suits your moral high ground).

It’s about getting service connection and a “chain of evidence” established while its fresh....so that 40 years from now when you need a kidney transplant because the chem trails cocktail of the month turned out to be carcinogenic you aren’t thoroughly screwed. 

Dont scoff the va stuff. It’s worth the effort early. 

And glad to hear you’ve got everything all figured out .... 

Hoss, 

I’ve thought more about your post the last week...and I think there’s a moral difference between documenting possible injuries/exposures that could manifest themselves more seriously later in life vs. the “document EVERYTHING to get AS MUCH MONEY AS YOU CAN MILK FROM THE VA, cause you’re entitled to it, cause well, yeah, VETERAN DUH” attitude. 

Theres cleary a difference between the two attitudes. The later is disgusting in my mind. 

Thats what I was referring to in my previous post. People who leave after their service, uninjured, never deploying, never being shot at, wounded, or dealing with lost comrades...who file unsubstantiated claims with the VA just to get money. Just cause they can. That’s disgusting, vile, and morally hollow. 

 

Edited May 28, 2018 by BashiChuni

[pawnman]

7 minutes ago, BashiChuni said:

Yet another poster missing the point. 

I’m disheartened by the majority of the posts in this thread. 

Its not about discounts, or deals at lumber stores, or credit card offers. 

Thats not the point. 

 

Sorry if we're all too selfish for you.  Feel free to refuse your discounts if you want.  These folks are happy to give them, I'm happy to take them.

[BashiChuni]

Just now, pawnman said:

Sorry if we're all too selfish for you.  Feel free to refuse your discounts if you want.  These folks are happy to give them, I'm happy to take them.

Pawnman,

its not about the discounts brother. I promise you it’s not. 

[pawnman]

Just now, BashiChuni said:

Pawnman,

its not about the discounts brother. I promise you it’s not. 

I have no idea what it is about.  You are about 2 steps from the angry veterans screaming at people who thank them for their service on Memorial Day.

[BashiChuni]

7 minutes ago, pawnman said:

I have no idea what it is about.  You are about 2 steps from the angry veterans screaming at people who thank them for their service on Memorial Day.

Far from two steps sir. Far from it. 

Its about serving with quiet dignity. That’s what it’s about. 

Getting discounts if people offer them is dignified. Take them! No problem.

I think I’m trying to articulate (allbiet poorly) how the “hero worship” of everyone in the military is long term harmful to the profession of arms and not healthy for our democracy. And how it’s furthering the divide between the American people and her military. It’s not a new argument. 

I look at returning WWII vets... they came home victorious and went about their civilian lives without chest thumping and medals prominently displayed daily for people to see. Most never told their stories. 

Edited May 28, 2018 by BashiChuni

[Homestar]

54 minutes ago, BashiChuni said:

Yet another poster missing the point. 

I’m disheartened by the majority of the posts in this thread. 

Its not about discounts, or deals at lumber stores, or credit card offers. 

Thats not the point. 

 

If everyone but you has missed the point, I think a different point has been made that you’re missing. 

[BashiChuni]

3 minutes ago, Homestar said:

If everyone but you has missed the point, I think a different point has been made that you’re missing. 

Disagree. 

[pawnman]

8 hours ago, Homestar said:

If everyone but you has missed the point, I think a different point has been made that you’re missing. 

At the very least, he has failed to make the point he set out to make.

[HossHarris]

9 hours ago, BashiChuni said:

Hoss, 

I’ve thought more about your post the last week...and I think there’s a moral difference between documenting possible injuries/exposures that could manifest themselves more seriously later in life vs. the “document EVERYTHING to get AS MUCH MONEY AS YOU CAN MILK FROM THE VA, cause you’re entitled to it, cause well, yeah, VETERAN DUH” attitude. 

Theres cleary a difference between the two attitudes. The later is disgusting in my mind. 

Thats what I was referring to in my previous post. People who leave after their service, uninjured, never deploying, never being shot at, wounded, or dealing with lost comrades...who file unsubstantiated claims with the VA just to get money. Just cause they can. That’s disgusting, vile, and morally hollow. 

 

Glad to hear you can predict the future. 

Document it all.  Send it all to the va. You have no idea what minor issue now may be the bane of your existence in 20 years. 

 

I used to have similar thoughts about folks “milking” the va. But the way the va operates is so completely foreign to military folks (and military docs) that I think the best way is to throw as much (legitimate) poo at the wall as possible and see what sticks. 

Sleep apnea? No idea. Get a sleep study and find out. GERD? if you have recurrent heartburn that’s worth 10-20%. Knee issues to the point you have a hard time going up stairs?  Not service related.  One time plantar fasciitis that has completely healed, 10%.  Broken digits that don’t work right anymore with reems of X-rays and pt, not service connected.

It completely seems like there is zero rhyme or reason to the answers the va gives....until you start to peel back the onion a bit and wrap your head around a completely foreign way of doing business. It helps to have good help. 

But until it all starts making sense, throw as much (legitimate) stuff at the va as possible. 

Edited May 29, 2018 by HossHarris

[BashiChuni]

Your last sentanc is key. LEGITIMATE. 

Thanks for agreeing. 

Edited May 29, 2018 by BashiChuni

[BashiChuni]

51 minutes ago, pawnman said:

At the very least, he has failed to make the point he set out to make.

And you have failed to articulate what you disagree with in my post. You only sarcastically comment about turning down discounts. Never addressing the underlying issues I’ve brought up. 

[HeloDude]

35 minutes ago, BashiChuni said:

And you have failed to articulate what you disagree with in my post. You only sarcastically comment about turning down discounts. Never addressing the underlying issues I’ve brought up. 

I don't know how you're being a "quiet professional" at Lowes when you're asking for your 10% military discount in front of the guy who is not getting the discount.  

Look dude, it's fine if you want to make the argument that military members/veterans should get nothing (nor accept anything) more than what is offered to a non-military/member from a private business, but when you start picking and choosing what we should take vs not take you come across as very hypocritical.  Again, when an airline voluntarily offers military members to board first, I don't see how this equates to "demanding" special treatment, especially when you say it's cool to ask for the military discount in front of the guy who doesn't get them.

Take one position and be consistent...it's obvious that you're just confusing the rest of us on where you stand, at best.

[pawnman]

1 hour ago, BashiChuni said:

And you have failed to articulate what you disagree with in my post. You only sarcastically comment about turning down discounts. Never addressing the underlying issues I’ve brought up. 

I'm not sure what I disagree with, other than you claim the point everyone on the board thinks you are making isn't the point you are making.  The fact that so few people understand what you are trying to say tells me the problem lies with how you are attempting to communicate, not with the majority of the listeners.

Frankly, I think we've got bigger problems than upgrades to first class and 10% discounts at home improvement stores and restaurants.  You're the one that started with this "jumped the shark" thing, not me.  The Air Force and by extension the American Taxpayer have taken a lot from me...missed birthdays, anniversaries, Christmases and Thanksgivings.  So pardon me if I don't weep tears or refuse to take the small pieces of gratitude that they are willing to extend.  It makes them feel better, it makes my life just a tiny bit easier.  Win-win.

As to your point about WWII vets...of course they didn't feel the need to talk about their experiences.  Everyone they would have talked about their experiences with had either served, was related to someone who served, or was close friends with someone who served.  And their reluctance to talk is starting to take a toll as those stories and history are disappearing forever.  Add to that the fact that the opening days of OIF and OEF were almost completely lacking documentation until 2008, and I'd actually argue the other side - we need MORE people willing to talk about their experiences, not less.  You want to bring accountability to the use of force?  Bring home the sacrifice and the cost of using the military to a civilian populace that's almost completely detached?  Well, the way to do that isn't to shut up and deny all association with the military.  It's to tell the stories and connect those civilians with what we're asking the military to do.