Thank you and Bless you (Please comment)

[zanla]

I've been gone for a while. It is something along the order of 9 years. I left in 1999 when I went to basic training. After two schools I went to Korea. From Korea I was stationed in Hawaii, German, Korea, and now Virginia 2008. Here in Virginia, people are acting...weird...Can you explain it for me

Comments

[annsk8r]

I have mixed feelings about it, but I don't discourage it. I can't say I have had tons of experience with this, but so far, I'd put the well wishers in these categories:

1) People who have served or have had close family members serve who worry that I am being mistreated by the general population (I have not received any mistreatment - yet)

2) People who think I am going to die. The ones that get choked up and tell me to be careful "over there"...where? In Arizona?

3) People who, as explodingalice pointed out feel guilty. They add comments like, "I was dying to sign up, but my bad kneee blah, blah, blah".

4) Dirty old men looking to feel me up.

The attention makes me feel uncomfortable because I haven't done anything yet. I feel like a fraud. I usually refuse any special favors because I think about the soldiers who deserve them. At the same time, I wouldn't want people to stop because if I am encouraging with them, someday they will do it to a deserving soldier - I am well aware that in a few years I will be that deserving soldier.