That was a classy response, C_A. As an ex-enlisted puke (BM) who served for 8 years in Uncle Sam’s Confused Group (aka Puddle Pirates), and the son of a Korea and Viet Nam vet, I’ll make a further distinction: there’s frontline combat veterans and then there’s everyone else. Risk is relative. Although myself and many of my peers put ourselves in harm’s way on a regular or semi-regular basis, as have countless other servicemen and women, it’s simply not the same as getting shot at or shelled by people deliberately trying to kill you and your brothers / sisters in arms. Sadly, there’s never been a shortage of military personnel who’ve never been anywhere near the real action but who don’t hesitate to shamelessly ride on the coattails of those who have. The truly honorable ones never pretend otherwise.
I don’t think that we merchant mariners should be entitled to any special consideration [B][U]meant for military personnel or veterans[/U][/B] unless and until we’ve faced serious mortal danger from an organized human enemy. With very few exceptions, that hasn’t happened since WW II’s Battle of the Atlantic, and those MM veterans are very rapidly dying off. It’s a real shame that most of them never got any real recognition for their sacrifices while they were still alive.
If some company wants to give me a discount because I help keep the flow of commerce moving, so be it. But it shouldn’t ever get wrapped in the flag.