A challenge to you all.

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plymouth67

plymouth67

It be a lot cooler if you did...
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I'm not a big donation guy but, I will do random acts of kindness for people I know need it.

I feel as a country we don't do enough for our veterans. These men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice for us to sit on here and ***** about gas prices, parts prices and, any other 1st world problems we may have. Anytime I see a veteran I always try and thank them for making that sacrifice.

The other night my wife and I were entering a restaurant as, I open the door for my wife to go in an older couple are coming up behind us so, I continue to hold the door for them to enter. The gentleman had a Vietnam veterans hat on so, I thank him for his service as he entered the building.

We sat across the room from each other and I watched as they ordered. Once they began to eat I slipped up the register and paid for their meal. My wife and I got done eating, paid for our meal and left. We did not go up and tell them we did this and, I told the girl at the register I did not want them to know I did this. It's not about that.

I'm posting this not for recognition of what I did but, for recognition of what these men and women do to keep us safe and, the tiny little things we all could do to show our respect and appreciation.

So, my challenge to all of you that haven't served is, next time your out and about, do something nice for a veteran, buy their meal, buy their gas, buy their coffee and, thank them for all they have done or, continue to for our freedoms. I would love nothing more than to hear this become a big thing across our nation and maybe, just maybe, we can start that here.

To all of you on here that have served or are serving currently.......THANK YOU!!!!
 
A number of years ago I worked about a block away from an Army Reserve Center (Lexington Reserve Center in Arden Hills, MN), and about once a week I was able to "pay it forward" (or back?) to the Servicemen at the local Subway Sandwich shop. Felt pretty damn good, too.

I work for a different company now and no longer run into these opportunities, but your post is a timely reminder to keep my eyes open for them.

Thank you.
 
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My wife and I have done the same thing.
plymouth67 said:
I'm not a big donation guy but, I will do random acts of kindness for people I know need it.

I feel as a country we don't do enough for our veterans. These men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice for us to sit on here and ***** about gas prices, parts prices and, any other 1st world problems we may have. Anytime I see a veteran I always try and thank them for making that sacrifice.

The other night my wife and I were entering a restaurant as, I open the door for my wife to go in an older couple are coming up behind us so, I continue to hold the door for them to enter. The gentleman had a Vietnam veterans hat on so, I thank him for his service as he entered the building.

We sat across the room from each other and I watched as they ordered. Once they began to eat I slipped up the register and paid for their meal. My wife and I got done eating, paid for our meal and left. We did not go up and tell them we did this and, I told the girl at the register I did not want them to know I did this. It's not about that.

I'm posting this not for recognition of what I did but, for recognition of what these men and women do to keep us safe and, the tiny little things we all could do to show our respect and appreciation.

So, my challenge to all of you that haven't served is, next time your out and about, do something nice for a veteran, buy their meal, buy their gas, buy their coffee and, thank them for all they have done or, continue to for our freedoms. I would love nothing more than to hear this become a big thing across our nation and maybe, just maybe, we can start that here.

To all of you on here that have served or are serving currently.......THANK YOU!!!!
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I totally agree. I am Retired Air Force, and I applaud you for your efforts. I would also suggest that police officers be included. They are also on the front lines every day.
 
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harrisonm said:
I totally agree. I am Retired Air Force, and I applaud you for your efforts. I would also suggest that police officers be included. They are also on the front lines every day.
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I was at the NHRA finals at Pomona and driving out the pit gate there was a Pomona Police SUV sitting there with two cops in it. I pulled up along side of them and said “hey”, they both startled and I thought I was going to get shot. “Thank you guys for being here, we appreciate you”, I couldn’t get it out fast enough. They both smiled and said thank you very much, we don’t get that often. Sometimes just a thank you is all it takes. I love this post. Thank you to ALL of our service men and women. Police, Firefighters, and military.
 
harrisonm said:
I totally agree. I am Retired Air Force, and I applaud you for your efforts. I would also suggest that police officers be included. They are also on the front lines every day.
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Let's do it!! Police are in!!! It would be cool to hear how many of these people we can thank so, if ya want to just drop a post on here when ya do something for one of these fine individuals we can watch how this goes!!
 
been doing this for a while, there is a little bit of undulation to it of course, like everything else
a few years ago i had a broken ankle and my wife had just given birth, so we had a lot of time together, and in one week i was able to buy breakfast three times for the same veteran, without him ever catching on it was me
 
I started doing this many years ago and I continue to do so just a simple thank you I believe means so much I know it does for me
 
plymouth67 said:
I'm not a big donation guy but, I will do random acts of kindness for people I know need it.

I feel as a country we don't do enough for our veterans. These men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice for us to sit on here and ***** about gas prices, parts prices and, any other 1st world problems we may have. Anytime I see a veteran I always try and thank them for making that sacrifice.

The other night my wife and I were entering a restaurant as, I open the door for my wife to go in an older couple are coming up behind us so, I continue to hold the door for them to enter. The gentleman had a Vietnam veterans hat on so, I thank him for his service as he entered the building.

We sat across the room from each other and I watched as they ordered. Once they began to eat I slipped up the register and paid for their meal. My wife and I got done eating, paid for our meal and left. We did not go up and tell them we did this and, I told the girl at the register I did not want them to know I did this. It's not about that.

I'm posting this not for recognition of what I did but, for recognition of what these men and women do to keep us safe and, the tiny little things we all could do to show our respect and appreciation.

So, my challenge to all of you that haven't served is, next time your out and about, do something nice for a veteran, buy their meal, buy their gas, buy their coffee and, thank them for all they have done or, continue to for our freedoms. I would love nothing more than to hear this become a big thing across our nation and maybe, just maybe, we can start that here.

To all of you on here that have served or are serving currently.......THANK YOU!!!!
Click to expand...

I agree. As a Veteran and a full-time Firefighter, ..... I live just 6 miles south on Interstate 40 near Oklahoma City. There is a big travel stop at the exit where I like to get my diesel. If anyone is driving through drop me a PM and I'll meet you there with my 3500 Cummins and fuel drum for the tractor. Thanks!

:rofl:

In all honesty, I am pretty modest about my service. I don't feel the same way I did back then but that is for another thread. I'm the Veteran who doesn't stand to be recognized at ball games. I support others that do but it just doesn't do me any good to stand up with my hat over my head and thank everyone in the stands for clapping for me for doing a service voluntarily. I appreciate it though.

My attitude toward myself is self-depricating. I do however buy meals for lonely old Vets and try to get their story if I can. One gentleman was a Vietnam Veteran who was eating alone. He was in the 82nd, had a tough go X2, lost his wife not long ago. I got his story, told him about my brother and Veteran suicide, gave him my story. It was good. I can really tell he valued someone listening.
 
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I've donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation for years. It is highly rated for the amount of money that actually makes it to the veterans in need of there services. Many are not that honest about what percentage gets to veterans in need of help, and what gets side tracked by greed. Have to add one note, it's a frigging shame that these organizations need to exist to help veterans in need. In the richest country in the world, we sent these men and women into harms way, and yet we need charities for their support ?
 
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I’ll never forget my first time back from deployment in Iraq. Was about July 2004 most the soldiers get sent thru the Dallas airport on there way home for leave. A nice older stewardess (old to me then, my age now) asked to buy me lunch I was In my dessert uniform at the time. At first I didn’t think much of it and went to McDonalds got my lunch. As nearly 20 years has passed I still haven’t had a random act of kindness like that. When I see older vets around town I always thank them for their service, never mention my own.
 
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It's Bell Ringer season for Salvation Army! I hope this year they actually have some bell ringers around here. The last couple years haven't seen many and of course at times when I was unable to contribute due to bad traffic or empty pockets.
 
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