I have a “baseball cap” style hat that I bought about 8 years ago and have rarely worn since.
It is in the style of all the navy veteran military ship caps commonly in use today in the USA, and I believe it was even made by the same company that makes hats for crew and military veterans.
Here’s the thing though – this is a cap for the USS Constellation – a FULL RIG SAILING SHIP in use from 1797-1853 (see https://historicships.org/explore/uss-constellation ). I bought it from a tourist display stand!
I am walking around Disney world this week and I keep getting “THANKED FOR MY SERVICE”. Okay – kind of amusing as I would have had to serve in the REVOLUTIONARY WAR – but then I do nothing to purposefully pose as ex-military (which is very uncool). CAN PEOPLE NOT SEE THE SAILS ON THE BOAT?
My brother thinks I should make light of it (“yes, I served – I climbed the rigging and packed the gun powder… you should have seen those Brits run! Avast ye mates! Walk the plank!”)
I’m thinking of finding another cap to keep my bald head from sunburning… What do you think?
– Zagone
This public „thanks for your service“ thing is so weird to me… Here in Switzerland you have actual soldiers sitting next to imyou in the trains at the beginning and end kf the week. Most of them haven’t joined voluntarily and even the ones who did, no one would ever think about thanking them for thei service. It’s a job like any other, or a mandate for most. Same for surrounding countries who don’t have mandatory military duties.
I find it particularly weird in the US where the most common reason for someone to join the military is to pay of debt or because they pay for your education. My responds to that would be “Stop thanking me and maybe vote for people who wanna change the system so I don’t have to put my life at risk to be able to study.”
The simple answer is that it is much cheaper and easier to make a Veteran holiday once a year, and thank people for their service instead of actually caring for them when they develop ptsd or are crippled in the line of duty. Especially when you have such an overblown military as the United States.
I mean, the Swiss army hasn’t been doing too much for like 200 years, even though it would probably have been needed if it didn’t exist
Therein lies the difference. In your system it is compulsory. In ours it is ultimately voluntary, hence the thanks. That being said, folks should know better than to thank a sailing ship hat wearer unless it is the USS Constitution.
Even if it is voluntary, what exactly are you thanking them for when you thank them for their service? Very confused.
For me its just how we were raised, my dad did, my grandpa did, his grandpa did. It’s more like blessing someone after they sneeze more than anything. However if its in older person I do make sure to be more sincere when thanking them, just out if respect
Their service to the country. It’s not a great deal to put your life on the line for an average paycheck. Public service is still viewed as service, even if of military.
This doesn’t apply when you are forced because you didn’t choose to do it.