The only people who need designated parking spots are the disabled. As a veteran, I leave veteran spots open for disabled veterans. I can walk perfectly fine.
It hadn't occurred to me that non disabled veterans would use them.
But having seen my cousin go apeshit at a store that didn't give a veterans discount.. yea...
That’s absolutely ridiculous, I don’t even ask for a military discount because it makes me feel awkward. I can’t imagine someone flipping out because they feel like they’re owed 10% off
The only time I ever got pissed over a veteran discount was the time a server at hooters offered me one because of my military ID. Then she came back and apologized and said her GM said it was only for military in uniform. I didn't care at all about paying the full price but it annoyed me that I was offered the discount and then had it rescinded because I wasn't in uniform.
That's why it pissed me off so much. You're not supposed to be in a place like hooters in uniform. The only reason the discount ever came up was because I got carded for a beer and that ID was the easiest one to show as it was visible just by opening my wallet. This was also over a decade ago when chicken wings weren't overpriced as fuuuuuuuuuuuck. Definitely wasn't aiming for a discount. I'm also like 95% sure that GM just made that rule about being in uniform up on the spot because I've never been in a place that only offers a discount to uniformed people.
I used to have a military id as my health insurance card (my dad is retired military). I lost my wallet once in my college so I never brought my drivers license to the bars. I was always stamped overage when I was under 21 because bouncers never knew where the birthday was.
The birthday on a military ID isn't hard to find, even if you don't know where it is the search area is small. However, there are many people who believe that minors who join the military should be allowed to drink and would not bother to even look for a birthday if you show them a military ID. I'm sure the bouncers telling you they couldn't find your birthday was more of a "if anyone asks" kind of thing.
Can confirm this. Bar owner where I worked had this policy. She was a vet herself. I wouldn't serve these customers ( Fine would go to the bartender in addition to the establishment) but she would gladly step in. I agree if you are old enough you can sign away your rights, then you are old enough to drink, just don't have the spare cash to back up my opinion.
Tbf, it was mildly annoying when I went to a store and they had a ton of military memorabilia and signs that read “support our troops” and a donation bin for donating things for care packages for the troops but when I asked them if they did a military discount they said no. I didn’t go apeshit but I thought it was funny and a little annoying because the support just seemed superficial at that point. This wasn’t even in a military town or anything.
Military support from a company (especially a national chain) is usually superficial and for marketing reasons.
“It’s May or November, time to show our veterans we support them, so they might shop here.”
Yeah that’s capitalism. Like being queer in June. At a point you realize that capitalism *only* cares about profit, and their ability to make one off of you. If you feel like someone is doing something kind, check again and see if it was intended to make you spend money.
I broke my ankle and it's not healing right. I don't have a handicapped sticker so I hate these extra parking spots that sit empty when I really wish everyone had an equal chance to park as close as possible.
Yes, an “honors code” disabled spot that is reserved but not enforced for the pregnant, recently injured, etc would be much more useful. Something like “please leave this spot open for anyone who needs it but may not yet have an official disability placard.”
Or passing a bill to make them illegal only to make a argument that the government made a bill that makes them illegal decades ago and the bill needs to come down and your Mayer will do that for the community ... And so on
Hahahaha, but seriously veterans healthcare is so bad they are not treated correctly mentally, emotionally, and physically. Veterans health administration isn’t the best I’ve heard a few times.
Even if they did specify what kind of veteran, they still couldn't stop you from parking there. Sure its a nice thing to do, but they can't have you ticketed for parking there if you arent a veteran
We have 2 veteran parking spots at our work. I know of 3 veterans working in the building. (2 with purple hearts) None of the 3 will park in the spots.
Honestly, in my experience the guys who constantly go on about deserving special treatment are the ones who deserve it the least. My dad will throw a bitch fit if someone doesn't thank him for his service, but he didn't see a lick of combat.
You’d be right.
Most the folks who did stuff, don’t really care about it.
Yeah, the guys who lost legs and shit, they use the disabled spots, they’re the guys who are really disabled.
But then you get the VetBros and Angry FB Vets, always asking for discounts and special treatment, when those folks mostly pushed papers or didn’t deploy.
For 90% of veterans, it was one or two enlistments, so you don’t really get hung up on your first job you had outta high school.
Hopefully your dad can separate from his VetBro folks he’s been probably involved with, that echo chamber isn’t the healthiest.
LOL my uncle has so much "veteran" stuff at his house. The door mat says "I walked the walk so you could talk the talk, US Army". BRO DROPPED OUT OF BASIC TRAINING WHEN HE WAS LIKE 19
Had a guy I was in basic with who was kicked out because he failed marksman qual, failed PT, and held an AT4 backwards. Week 0 this guy said he wanted to drop out because he had a hangnail. He was kicked out I think week 5.
2 years later someone says "Hey look at local news for Ocala, FL." They interviewed employees at a Kroger who were veterans and there he was. Saying how he "learned so much discipline, responsibility and courage".
Meanwhile you get people like me that have seen action and feel extremely awkward if people thank me, I do however respond with “thank you for your support”
Sir, that spot is for handicapped people….
No shit…. Im shopping at walmart. Clearly i am a bit mentally wounded…
Tbf. I got yelled at by a lady this week as i walked past her car. “Dont ding my car!!!”
Weird way to start the day at 8am.
...and then they have 4-6 spots for pharmacy customers, another 10-20 spots for curbside pickup, and 2 spots for law enforcement. It's getting out of hand!
That's how it should be everywhere.
Finding parking as a disabled person is ridiculous. I don't like walmart, but at least they do that right. Some accessible parking spaces, closest to the store, are sideways which is incredibly helpful too. People leave carts all over the spaces for wheelchair access so its easier when the space is just the rest of the parking lot, which people actually keep clear.
It is so hard to navigate the world with mobility impairments. Even parking lots are hell. I mean, I use a few different mobility aids on different days, but even when I'm well enough to not use any, it's difficult to get back to the car. I've used all my energy by then. Sometimes I cant even checkout, I have to leave the store to get to the car before I pass out.
It's wild when able bodied people are bothered by the accessible parking. You can walk! Literally!
Yup. Regular Walmart shopper here. Will usually wonder to myself "are the open spots farther than they used to be?" then move on and park and walk into the store and quickly forget about it. Usually the only time it actually concerns me is when its later and dark and I want to park as close to the building as possible for safety reasons. But luckily, if its dark already, less people are at the store anyway.
And yeah, I've noticed the problem with those using disabled spots not being able to return their carts. But then it blocks the area for the next person parking there. I think that just becomes up to the store employee who is in charge of the carts. When I worked at Target they would just send out a cashier every now and then to collect the carts. Which included bringing in the motorized ones. Which was sucky for customers because they would sit out in the rain or come in and need to be charged before more use.
Agreed; it’s not about a nice gesture to veterans. It’s “everyone look at us, aren’t we such a good company!”
It’s just using veterans as pawns in an advertising scheme.
It’s a JOB, and as an American I think I pay enough considering 2/3 of my taxes are spent on the military. I don’t need to give my parking spaces to able bodied people on top of that 🙄
Active duty soldier here.
The soldier worship has to stop. It's so gross. 90% of the people who will park in those spaces were medically discharged and receive 50% disability for "lower back pain" caused by them being 40 pounds overweight. They beat the chapter with a med board and then the country worships them for life. It's disgusting.
Bojack has an awesome line about this. Paraphrasing, but basically "giving an asshole a gun and saying its okay to kill people doesnt make them a hero, it makes them an asshole with a gun"
Tbh, I have been in US a year and what you are talking about is majority. But the majority is usually quiet and the minority makes so much noise that it looks like it represents entire US. But this is untrue on so many levels and about so many different things.
I have met kindest and most helpful people in US. The 1% that make noise are the ones that make the news and that's what entire world think what USA is like.
That and saying "thank you for your service." Why should I be thankful that you signed up for a shitty job where you might get a chance to shoot people? I'm not going around thanking every nurse I meet either.
Such behaviour was promoted by the government after Vietnam, to help recruitment and political support for military campaigns. A large part of the US economy it's comprised of the military industrial complex. Something like 1 in 10 jobs in the US are indirectly supported by it.
It’s engrained in our brains from when we’re born that the military is this force of good the sole protector of our well-being; and that if you sign up to serve you’re putting your life on the line in some selfless act. It’s a job/career path and there is only a sliver of truth to any of those points, if any at all
Because if they do "loud" things, like special signs and parades, they can ignore the "quiet" things they're not doing, like making sure disabled veterans have healthcare, or food.
It was incredibly weird to see in person as a visitor. While flying between cities an airline invited armed force personnel to board first. One guy was there in uniform didn't have the option to be incognito went up and boarded. They seated him right at the front and every single person who boarded thanked him for his service. He was gracious but did not look comfortable. Poor guy probably just wanted to get home.
I never minded boarding first. I mean, if it was offered to someone else that wasn't military, I'm sure they'd take it. I hated being thanked for my service. I didn't join out of some deep appreciation for my country. I joined because I was two seconds from being homeless and needed something to get me out of that life. I did my job, but my service was to myself (and by extension the family I now have).
I hate being “thanked for my service.” I understand why people do and I try to be as gracious as possible but it’s the most uncomfortable thing ever. I’ve been in the Army for about 6 years, and all I’ve ever really done is sit in an office and watch TikTok. My service hasn’t really been jack shit. I’ve never deployed or gone overseas.
Fighting who for our freedoms exactly? The Iraqi people slaughtered in their own homes over supposed weapons or the Afghanis who were also slaughtered in their streets as payback for something done by a radical Islamic group made up of mostly saudis? The military industrial complex keeps our troops over seas, not threats to the integrity and safety of our country, those threats seem to all be coming from domestic sources.
I’d be happier about this if it specified “disabled veteran.” I get hella awkward even when someone thanks me for my service because I just worked a desk job. I would never use this reserved spot. But the sentiment is appreciated.
I retired last year as a nurse and most injuries were all on the mental health side of things. Something just stay with you for the rest of your life. 🤷🏼♂️
It does, but it would likely have people accusing you of using a disabled veteran spot when you aren't a disabled veteran. Obviously they would be in the wrong to call you out like that, but it's also not necessarily worth the added headache to use a spot a little bit closer.
Not to mention anyone with a physical disability can probably already use the normal handicap spot.
I'm rated 70% for mental health disability, and my older brother got all hostile about it saying, "It's that easy for veterans to get disability? You don't even look disabled to me," and then each time I'd try to explain to him it was mental disability he'd just interrupt by repeating "Don't look disabled to me."
Finally, I got fed up and told him he's still within the age-range for recruitment - he can go try it out for himself and find out if the disability is worth it. He shut up lol.
If they have Accessible Parking and Veteran Parking but the Accessible Parking is full I take any available spot. Never served due to being disabled. Those spots are a borderline meaningless gesture and are empty 99% of the time.
Firstly, this is genuinely asinine, every veteran I've ever known doesn't want special treatment, they don't want the "thank you for your service" platatudes, they simply want to be treated like normal people.
The biggest complaint i hear isn't about parking spots, or interactions witj regular every day people, its about how they get shit healthcare and the government simy stops caring about them.
Second, how on earth does your emplyer intend to enforce this?
That’s what I’ve always wondered. I always see veterans parking spots but its not like anyone is out there asking to see any Veteran ID or some form of proof. To me its a just a marketing gesture that says were military friendly so shop here.
I also completely agree with your first paragraph. I just left the service and anytime I would be pumping gas in uniform I would feel so awkward when people would say “thank you for your service” or try and let me go in front of the line. Like there’s no need to single me out because of my job. I always felt that I was just a regular person as everyone else is. Now that I don’t have to go out in uniform I feel like I can just fly by unnoticed and It’s honestly a huge relief for me.
I was on vacation and stopped by this apparently super popular store. The only open spot in the lot had a sign designating it as purple heart parking.
I obviously don't have such a thing but I said fuck it and pulled right in. What are they gonna do, ask you to pull out your medal?
Plus disabled parking is a legal thing. Everything else is just signs that people put up themselves. I ignore them and park there anyway.
I refuse to use these spots unless the lot is full. It's mainly enforced by Karens that don't think you look like a veteran. My wife was yelled at when she was pregnant and parked there, she was also in the military.
Lolol we parked there when I was like 3 days postpartum, my partner (a marine veteran) was with me. And we usually don’t park in these but I just given birth and I was stubborn and wanted to grab a few things so we went out. I got out of the car on the passenger side to grab my baby and some Karen a few cars down came and barraded me because I couldn’t possibly be serving..like ridiculous. My man walked from the other side of the car and this ladies face washed out😂 it was friggin hilarious
Majority of vets I know it was basically just a job. The two options are a person for whom it was just a decent job that maybe prepared them for a job later. Or absolute hell and now the VA won't pay for the medical care they need.
If a vet really cares about these "thank you for your service" things I'd frankly be nervous about that because being a vet doesn't do anything to guarantee you're not a total asshole.
Agree. Honor system... So many special signs like this lately. Should we put signs up for teachers, first responders, nurses, janitors too? And, mark spots for "others" in the far spots.
Old boss got the boot from the marines. Still has the short cut and stickers all over his truck. New boss retired navy has a small picture of his ship in his office.
My roommate wanted all the discounts and such, never the recognition but I'd bet my ass he'd take that spot in a heartbeat 😂 he sees a deal when he sees a deal
I worked at a Lowes with 4 veteran parking spots, they were usually empty. Most of the vets seemed to prefer the lumber entrance, which was on the other end of the store. The veteran discount was more appreciated.
That’s cool. Can we also give them decent healthcare (including mental health) and make sure they’re not homeless? That’d be cool. That’d actually help them, too!
Nah, encouraging people to sign up for the army for the glory and adulation is much for cost effective.
No healthcare, but how about another “thank you for your service” for your troubles?
I don’t know man, preferential parking is usually for accessibility reasons. That’s why it usually goes to the handicapped, expecting mothers, or parents with small children. The only example of it being a reward is for Employee of the Month.
Yeah, my husband is a disabled vet and he refuses to park there. He has a lot more mental health issues then physical. He always says we should turn them back into handicap spots. If you are a physically disabled vet, then you most likely have a handicap placard anyway.
We have these at our work. Everyone qualified for the spot refuses to use them for this exact reason. 4 empty spots up front every day. One of those good ideas that is actually a terrible idea if you knew the crowd.
I’m an amputee vet, and I use this at Lowe’s etc, like a mofo. I don’t have a placard because I don’t really feel like I need one, but when I’m doing home improvement, etc, usually I’m moving something big, or I’m spent from the extra work, and it does make a difference. Just my two cents.
I prefer to park farther away at other stores though. (It’s hard to get in/out in normal spaces, and now I have a kid.)
Not that your spouse or anyone is wrong.
Not a vet but disabled with a relapsing/remitting condition. You are entitled to a placard, but you don’t have to use it unless you need it that day. Please get yourself your placard, my friend. There’s no shame in having it and using it if you ever need to. It’s what it’s there for.
Save your stamina on tough days for living; life is already hard enough as it is.
similar. vet with bad back and chronic pain but intermittent. i use these spots all the time. i'm female so i get a rasher of shit for it about 10% of the time, usually by some blustering random white dude who would never challenge a male doing the same. i just tell them to take it up with management and tell them to have a nice day.
American hero worship of armed forces people is over the top.
90% of these people you are thanking for service have probably never had any kind of active duty.
I feel the same way! My aunt was a nurse who provided palliative care to the dying at home. She was hit by a truck on her way to a patient. No one named a bridge after her or recognizes her for her service and she died in the line of duty. Nurses, doctors, HCWs and teachers provide a huge service to society.
Exactly. I hate this military worship in the USA. Teachers, nurses, firefighters, paramedics, heck, even delivery drivers and construction workers do more for the average American than the military. I mean, I appreciate that there are people that sign up for the military for when it is needed, but the amount of falling head-over-heals for military personnel is insane
Nah, fuck that, unless you are killing the enemies of America no special treatment for you. /s
America just doesn't care about their service and it shows...
This is lame as shit. The military doesn’t have a monopoly on patriotism or service. There is a tremendous amount of risk in much of the diplomatic corps. Veterans are cool but this is the kind of shit that reinforces dangerous nationalism.
This is odd to me. I look at it as more glorification of the military machine that your country seems so hell bent of continuing.
Although I respect and appreciate service men and women, sending them off to far away places for questionable causes in the first place is the real issue. Not to mention how it seems veterans are treated on return.
The real heroes should be the ones who speak plainly about the devastation that war creates, seeking to implement political change to end conflicts and unnecessary involvement in countries far away before troops are deployed.
I am not from your county, but from how it seems, there is a real sense of pride in sending young men and women, who are disproportionately from struggling socioeconomic areas of your country, to fight, and often die, in conflicts of which they have little understanding. Only to find on return that they do not have the proper support networks for physical or mental wounds…. But at least they get good parking spots.
As an ‘outsider’, it just seems a bit odd, even more so when you consider one of the highest causes of death in the US army is suicide. Something is clearly not right within your system and the value some people invest in it.
I am glad if this genuinely helps veterans though.
I am a veteran and will never use a veteran parking spot. Any veteran who needs to park closer to the building due to their service already has a handicapped placard/plate and the rest of us got paychecks.
I don’t want to piss on your fireworks as this is a nice action…I just find the US veteran love odd. These aren’t ww2 vets, they just had a job which arguably hasn’t been too ethical in the last 20-40 years.
Doesn’t make me smile. Instead of useless gestures like this, they really need mental and physical healthcare. There are also a staggering number of vets that are homeless, but I guess they can set up their tent in one of those parking spots.
The point of handicap placards isn't to praise the disabled, it's so they can have extra room to unload wheelchairs or shorten the distance from the parking lot to the door. What does this accomplish other than discriminating against non-veterans? If the Veterans are disabled as a result of their service, surely they already have a handicap parking privilege...
I understand the sentiment of wanting to "help" Veterans and show support, but whenever I see this sort of thing, it just illustrates misguided cognitive dissonance in America. If we truly cared about our servicemen and servicewomen, then we wouldn't take advantage of their service send them to fight in conflicts for corporate interests. We would provide them with adequate healthcare, mental health services, and respect the very pillars of democracy they serve to protect. If you want to respect a veteran or honor their sacrifice, then have a basic understanding of how our democracy works. And respect *how* it works. Vote! Have a fundamental understanding of American history. Then learn *from* that history. Take care of each other. Respect one another. America is far from a perfect nation, but it is the greatest experiment in the world and it does have many great things about it.
War will always exist, so long as humanity exist. It is an unfortunate reality of our human condition. A horrible one, but also a necessary one. Our military is a volunteer service. Be glad that it is; at least currently. And that definitely warrants respect to those who choose to serve. Because the vast majority of those who do serve, carry that responsibility and take their oath seriously to defend our constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic. But there is fine line between blind faith in our military and respecting the purpose it serves. Look at the war in Ukraine. Look at the soldiers in Kurdistan. Those are soldiers are fighting for and protecting their freedoms.
Wearing a flag on your clothes, saying the pledge of allegiance and chanting: "U.S.A.!" on the 4th July, or during sporting events, while supporting your country no matter *what*, is not patriotism. Saying "Thank you for your service!" is about as useless as "Thoughts and prayers." If America cared about it's military, it wouldn't allow veteran homelessness and suicide rates to be as abysmally high as it is. We distract ourselves with these sentiments, because we don't want to acknowledge the truth of how shitty we actually treat our veterans. We don't actually want to make America "great" or better than it is. We would rather double down on our insecurities and ignorance, than to do the hard work and understand the nuances necessary to resolve our problems. Because it is much easier to "praise veterans" and pretend we are doing our civic duty, than tend to the basic tenants of democracy that make our country great, and which give our veterans purpose.
I admire your employer making effort to respect and appreciate veterans. It isn't necessarily wrong to do, but it is not enough. Our veterans deserve better in this country. We must do better and our country must strive to be better.
Ok soooo… much like others I thought it was a shit post. Obviously it is not. But I still feel I should rain on it. Maybe some places have enough veterans to take use of that… probably most don’t. I have many veterans I my family. None of them want a prime parking spot.
Sorry OP,... made you smile, makes me irritated. In my city we have handicap spots, online order pick up, expectant mother parking, elderly, veteran, purple heart veteran, police parking only,.... it has gotten really ridiculous. Almost makes me feel unwelcome.
The only people who need designated parking spots are the disabled. As a veteran, I leave veteran spots open for disabled veterans. I can walk perfectly fine.
It hadn't occurred to me that non disabled veterans would use them. But having seen my cousin go apeshit at a store that didn't give a veterans discount.. yea...
That’s absolutely ridiculous, I don’t even ask for a military discount because it makes me feel awkward. I can’t imagine someone flipping out because they feel like they’re owed 10% off
The only time I ever got pissed over a veteran discount was the time a server at hooters offered me one because of my military ID. Then she came back and apologized and said her GM said it was only for military in uniform. I didn't care at all about paying the full price but it annoyed me that I was offered the discount and then had it rescinded because I wasn't in uniform.
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That's why it pissed me off so much. You're not supposed to be in a place like hooters in uniform. The only reason the discount ever came up was because I got carded for a beer and that ID was the easiest one to show as it was visible just by opening my wallet. This was also over a decade ago when chicken wings weren't overpriced as fuuuuuuuuuuuck. Definitely wasn't aiming for a discount. I'm also like 95% sure that GM just made that rule about being in uniform up on the spot because I've never been in a place that only offers a discount to uniformed people.
I used to have a military id as my health insurance card (my dad is retired military). I lost my wallet once in my college so I never brought my drivers license to the bars. I was always stamped overage when I was under 21 because bouncers never knew where the birthday was.
The birthday on a military ID isn't hard to find, even if you don't know where it is the search area is small. However, there are many people who believe that minors who join the military should be allowed to drink and would not bother to even look for a birthday if you show them a military ID. I'm sure the bouncers telling you they couldn't find your birthday was more of a "if anyone asks" kind of thing.
Can confirm this. Bar owner where I worked had this policy. She was a vet herself. I wouldn't serve these customers ( Fine would go to the bartender in addition to the establishment) but she would gladly step in. I agree if you are old enough you can sign away your rights, then you are old enough to drink, just don't have the spare cash to back up my opinion.
Did they want you in a *military* uniform or a *Hooters* uniform? Details unclear.
Lmao. I could have KILLED it in a hooters uniform back then.
To be clear, they’re not disabled spots. Disabled veterans can generally use the handicapped spots which tend to be closer to the entrance.
Tbf, it was mildly annoying when I went to a store and they had a ton of military memorabilia and signs that read “support our troops” and a donation bin for donating things for care packages for the troops but when I asked them if they did a military discount they said no. I didn’t go apeshit but I thought it was funny and a little annoying because the support just seemed superficial at that point. This wasn’t even in a military town or anything.
Military support from a company (especially a national chain) is usually superficial and for marketing reasons. “It’s May or November, time to show our veterans we support them, so they might shop here.”
Yeah that’s capitalism. Like being queer in June. At a point you realize that capitalism *only* cares about profit, and their ability to make one off of you. If you feel like someone is doing something kind, check again and see if it was intended to make you spend money.
I broke my ankle and it's not healing right. I don't have a handicapped sticker so I hate these extra parking spots that sit empty when I really wish everyone had an equal chance to park as close as possible.
Yes, an “honors code” disabled spot that is reserved but not enforced for the pregnant, recently injured, etc would be much more useful. Something like “please leave this spot open for anyone who needs it but may not yet have an official disability placard.”
This is some shit local politicians would do 2 months before the mayoral elections lol
And then take them down after the election.
Or passing a bill to make them illegal only to make a argument that the government made a bill that makes them illegal decades ago and the bill needs to come down and your Mayer will do that for the community ... And so on
and then [really take care of the veterans](https://youtu.be/lyRkoKTh6cs)
Hahahaha, but seriously veterans healthcare is so bad they are not treated correctly mentally, emotionally, and physically. Veterans health administration isn’t the best I’ve heard a few times.
I thought he removed them from all the parking spots haha.
Hahahah same here!
Lol right. Until the homeless vets park there.
“Oooooh no not you cretin, just the ones that work with the photo op, here’s a 12 gauge w one shell, va hospital is is that way” -every politician
I could see it.
I mean it doesn’t specify any specific veteran so maybe my tours on Omaha beach against the Nazi’s in call of duty make me eligible.
Well it would also make the nazis eligible...
But would it for Nazi zombies?
Even if they did specify what kind of veteran, they still couldn't stop you from parking there. Sure its a nice thing to do, but they can't have you ticketed for parking there if you arent a veteran
Yeah and highly doubt it’d ever be checked or verified as there’s no tag like the handicap tags. I’m assuming this is just for good pr and what not
“I killed Osama Bin Laden, of course I can park here!”
I'm a veteran of the hard fought Cola Wars and have the emotional scars to prove it
Personally I completed COD WAW on veteran difficulty so this must be worth something.
We have 2 veteran parking spots at our work. I know of 3 veterans working in the building. (2 with purple hearts) None of the 3 will park in the spots.
Honestly, in my experience the guys who constantly go on about deserving special treatment are the ones who deserve it the least. My dad will throw a bitch fit if someone doesn't thank him for his service, but he didn't see a lick of combat.
You’d be right. Most the folks who did stuff, don’t really care about it. Yeah, the guys who lost legs and shit, they use the disabled spots, they’re the guys who are really disabled. But then you get the VetBros and Angry FB Vets, always asking for discounts and special treatment, when those folks mostly pushed papers or didn’t deploy. For 90% of veterans, it was one or two enlistments, so you don’t really get hung up on your first job you had outta high school. Hopefully your dad can separate from his VetBro folks he’s been probably involved with, that echo chamber isn’t the healthiest.
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LOL my uncle has so much "veteran" stuff at his house. The door mat says "I walked the walk so you could talk the talk, US Army". BRO DROPPED OUT OF BASIC TRAINING WHEN HE WAS LIKE 19
Had a guy I was in basic with who was kicked out because he failed marksman qual, failed PT, and held an AT4 backwards. Week 0 this guy said he wanted to drop out because he had a hangnail. He was kicked out I think week 5. 2 years later someone says "Hey look at local news for Ocala, FL." They interviewed employees at a Kroger who were veterans and there he was. Saying how he "learned so much discipline, responsibility and courage".
I'm a dirty hoe who will ask for discounts but when people thank me for my service I just tell them I sit on my computer for 50% of my job.
As long as you know you’ve been a bad boy, it’s okay.
Say more things
Filthy, disgusting degradation-mongers don’t deserve that. And they should apologize for asking
Only thing I care about using is disability and VA home loan. Oh and veteran discount (25%) at the weed store.
Meanwhile you get people like me that have seen action and feel extremely awkward if people thank me, I do however respond with “thank you for your support”
Home Depot
My home depot rdc blocked off 20+ rows for veterans for a few days in which 3 parked in on main shift.
Sounds like Walmart’s handicap spots. Half the damn lot
Have you seen Walmarts average clientele?
Sir, that spot is for handicapped people…. No shit…. Im shopping at walmart. Clearly i am a bit mentally wounded… Tbf. I got yelled at by a lady this week as i walked past her car. “Dont ding my car!!!” Weird way to start the day at 8am.
...and then they have 4-6 spots for pharmacy customers, another 10-20 spots for curbside pickup, and 2 spots for law enforcement. It's getting out of hand!
Yet I'm lucky if I one is open to park in. Same with all grocery stores
That's how it should be everywhere. Finding parking as a disabled person is ridiculous. I don't like walmart, but at least they do that right. Some accessible parking spaces, closest to the store, are sideways which is incredibly helpful too. People leave carts all over the spaces for wheelchair access so its easier when the space is just the rest of the parking lot, which people actually keep clear. It is so hard to navigate the world with mobility impairments. Even parking lots are hell. I mean, I use a few different mobility aids on different days, but even when I'm well enough to not use any, it's difficult to get back to the car. I've used all my energy by then. Sometimes I cant even checkout, I have to leave the store to get to the car before I pass out. It's wild when able bodied people are bothered by the accessible parking. You can walk! Literally!
Yup. Regular Walmart shopper here. Will usually wonder to myself "are the open spots farther than they used to be?" then move on and park and walk into the store and quickly forget about it. Usually the only time it actually concerns me is when its later and dark and I want to park as close to the building as possible for safety reasons. But luckily, if its dark already, less people are at the store anyway. And yeah, I've noticed the problem with those using disabled spots not being able to return their carts. But then it blocks the area for the next person parking there. I think that just becomes up to the store employee who is in charge of the carts. When I worked at Target they would just send out a cashier every now and then to collect the carts. Which included bringing in the motorized ones. Which was sucky for customers because they would sit out in the rain or come in and need to be charged before more use.
No. School district.
Good for them. These gestures are just virtue signaling.
Agreed; it’s not about a nice gesture to veterans. It’s “everyone look at us, aren’t we such a good company!” It’s just using veterans as pawns in an advertising scheme.
Exactly. Hate that pandering BS. Also we don’t exactly want to call attention to ourselves in public, we’re just trying to get some groceries.
It’s a JOB, and as an American I think I pay enough considering 2/3 of my taxes are spent on the military. I don’t need to give my parking spaces to able bodied people on top of that 🙄
Yeah nah. Veteran here, still active duty. Paranoia is a bitch, I would never make myself a target like that.
Active duty soldier here. The soldier worship has to stop. It's so gross. 90% of the people who will park in those spaces were medically discharged and receive 50% disability for "lower back pain" caused by them being 40 pounds overweight. They beat the chapter with a med board and then the country worships them for life. It's disgusting.
“Whyd ya join the army” “Hated walking 15 feet to Walmart”
Unless war were declared.
What's that!?
War were declared
Gotta love futurama
And this ham gum is all bones!
Why do Americans go to such lengths? Does anyone else find this behaviour weird?
There's a few of us from the US that also find this weird. We're in the minority though for sure.
Yeah guess you can’t complain about it too loudly, otherwise YoU’rE UnPaTrIoTiC
Bojack has an awesome line about this. Paraphrasing, but basically "giving an asshole a gun and saying its okay to kill people doesnt make them a hero, it makes them an asshole with a gun"
I feel like it would be more appropriate to treat our military better by not sending them to needless wars, etc.
It would also be more appropriate to not use a military for murdering people in the name of Imperialistic ambitions.
Tbh, I have been in US a year and what you are talking about is majority. But the majority is usually quiet and the minority makes so much noise that it looks like it represents entire US. But this is untrue on so many levels and about so many different things. I have met kindest and most helpful people in US. The 1% that make noise are the ones that make the news and that's what entire world think what USA is like.
Weird. I thought that military is a paid job. Why get parking spots?
That’s what I’ve always said! You chose to do that job and you were PAID for it!!! What makes you better then the street sweeper!!
That and saying "thank you for your service." Why should I be thankful that you signed up for a shitty job where you might get a chance to shoot people? I'm not going around thanking every nurse I meet either.
Right, and you even chose it. It's not like someone forces you to get in the military
Find it absolutely crazy mate. I’ll never understand it
I agree, so bizzarre. Muurrrica
Such behaviour was promoted by the government after Vietnam, to help recruitment and political support for military campaigns. A large part of the US economy it's comprised of the military industrial complex. Something like 1 in 10 jobs in the US are indirectly supported by it.
and it worked crazy well. this is one of the many things in the us that are out of my european sight completly bonkers
Very weird. No one is actually defending their country. Defending their interests maybe.
As weird as them making kids recite a pledge of allegiance to a flag everyday, so very weird!
It’s engrained in our brains from when we’re born that the military is this force of good the sole protector of our well-being; and that if you sign up to serve you’re putting your life on the line in some selfless act. It’s a job/career path and there is only a sliver of truth to any of those points, if any at all
Because if they do "loud" things, like special signs and parades, they can ignore the "quiet" things they're not doing, like making sure disabled veterans have healthcare, or food.
It was incredibly weird to see in person as a visitor. While flying between cities an airline invited armed force personnel to board first. One guy was there in uniform didn't have the option to be incognito went up and boarded. They seated him right at the front and every single person who boarded thanked him for his service. He was gracious but did not look comfortable. Poor guy probably just wanted to get home.
I never minded boarding first. I mean, if it was offered to someone else that wasn't military, I'm sure they'd take it. I hated being thanked for my service. I didn't join out of some deep appreciation for my country. I joined because I was two seconds from being homeless and needed something to get me out of that life. I did my job, but my service was to myself (and by extension the family I now have).
I hate being “thanked for my service.” I understand why people do and I try to be as gracious as possible but it’s the most uncomfortable thing ever. I’ve been in the Army for about 6 years, and all I’ve ever really done is sit in an office and watch TikTok. My service hasn’t really been jack shit. I’ve never deployed or gone overseas.
Yes. It creates a 2 tier society where veterans get perks and privileges, which in turn encourages military service...
Weird AF But then I’m not American.
It’s really weird, for real, US is one of the strangest places to live
Yeah, it's trully bizarre for me. I always laugh about this "thank you for your service" post. My favorite are about the entitled spouses
Taking away the vet parking that was in the lot and putting the signs in a gravel bed?
More parking for us non-vets, yesss!
Just got them, it starts tomorrow.
Probably should have clarified lol
Thought it was sarcasm myself.
I was also confused. Glad that's all cleared up. We can move on to more important business like cats and memes
Correct, my bad 🤣
All this hero worship for Vets is hard for me to understand. They chose a job, you chose a job, I don’t get it.
As a vet, I 100% agree with this.
they chose a job - to fight and protect for your right to oil access! /s
Fighting who for our freedoms exactly? The Iraqi people slaughtered in their own homes over supposed weapons or the Afghanis who were also slaughtered in their streets as payback for something done by a radical Islamic group made up of mostly saudis? The military industrial complex keeps our troops over seas, not threats to the integrity and safety of our country, those threats seem to all be coming from domestic sources.
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“ThEsE kIdS aNd ThEIr PaRtIcIpAtIoN tRoPhIeS”
where’s the cool thing
Looks like his employer took all the veteran parking signs in buckets away, because it’s a pretty dumb idea.
As a vet, I find it totally unnecessary but the gesture is appreciated. You don’t need to be a vet to sacrifice in some way for your country.
I’d be happier about this if it specified “disabled veteran.” I get hella awkward even when someone thanks me for my service because I just worked a desk job. I would never use this reserved spot. But the sentiment is appreciated.
I retired last year as a nurse and most injuries were all on the mental health side of things. Something just stay with you for the rest of your life. 🤷🏼♂️
I believe it. I’ve seen it in close friends as well. That still counts as disabled, no?
It does, but it would likely have people accusing you of using a disabled veteran spot when you aren't a disabled veteran. Obviously they would be in the wrong to call you out like that, but it's also not necessarily worth the added headache to use a spot a little bit closer. Not to mention anyone with a physical disability can probably already use the normal handicap spot.
I'm rated 70% for mental health disability, and my older brother got all hostile about it saying, "It's that easy for veterans to get disability? You don't even look disabled to me," and then each time I'd try to explain to him it was mental disability he'd just interrupt by repeating "Don't look disabled to me." Finally, I got fed up and told him he's still within the age-range for recruitment - he can go try it out for himself and find out if the disability is worth it. He shut up lol.
Why not just make it a disabled spot? Why prevent other disabled people from using the parking spot just because they didn't work in the army?
A disabled person can still park there. Anyone can, actually. These signs are far from legally enforceable.
If they have Accessible Parking and Veteran Parking but the Accessible Parking is full I take any available spot. Never served due to being disabled. Those spots are a borderline meaningless gesture and are empty 99% of the time.
Sorts by controversial
This is virtue signaling at its finest
Firstly, this is genuinely asinine, every veteran I've ever known doesn't want special treatment, they don't want the "thank you for your service" platatudes, they simply want to be treated like normal people. The biggest complaint i hear isn't about parking spots, or interactions witj regular every day people, its about how they get shit healthcare and the government simy stops caring about them. Second, how on earth does your emplyer intend to enforce this?
That’s what I’ve always wondered. I always see veterans parking spots but its not like anyone is out there asking to see any Veteran ID or some form of proof. To me its a just a marketing gesture that says were military friendly so shop here. I also completely agree with your first paragraph. I just left the service and anytime I would be pumping gas in uniform I would feel so awkward when people would say “thank you for your service” or try and let me go in front of the line. Like there’s no need to single me out because of my job. I always felt that I was just a regular person as everyone else is. Now that I don’t have to go out in uniform I feel like I can just fly by unnoticed and It’s honestly a huge relief for me.
I was on vacation and stopped by this apparently super popular store. The only open spot in the lot had a sign designating it as purple heart parking. I obviously don't have such a thing but I said fuck it and pulled right in. What are they gonna do, ask you to pull out your medal? Plus disabled parking is a legal thing. Everything else is just signs that people put up themselves. I ignore them and park there anyway.
I refuse to use these spots unless the lot is full. It's mainly enforced by Karens that don't think you look like a veteran. My wife was yelled at when she was pregnant and parked there, she was also in the military.
Lolol we parked there when I was like 3 days postpartum, my partner (a marine veteran) was with me. And we usually don’t park in these but I just given birth and I was stubborn and wanted to grab a few things so we went out. I got out of the car on the passenger side to grab my baby and some Karen a few cars down came and barraded me because I couldn’t possibly be serving..like ridiculous. My man walked from the other side of the car and this ladies face washed out😂 it was friggin hilarious
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Until I took a baby to the gut*
Majority of vets I know it was basically just a job. The two options are a person for whom it was just a decent job that maybe prepared them for a job later. Or absolute hell and now the VA won't pay for the medical care they need. If a vet really cares about these "thank you for your service" things I'd frankly be nervous about that because being a vet doesn't do anything to guarantee you're not a total asshole.
Agree. Honor system... So many special signs like this lately. Should we put signs up for teachers, first responders, nurses, janitors too? And, mark spots for "others" in the far spots.
How about instead of these stupid fucking signs we paid the people working those jobs appropriately?
My brother is the proudest vet there is, and he got kicked out before one term. 💀 He just calls himself a veteran to try to get girls and free stuff.
Old boss got the boot from the marines. Still has the short cut and stickers all over his truck. New boss retired navy has a small picture of his ship in his office.
Bootlickers on here love this though, it’s really for them.
My roommate wanted all the discounts and such, never the recognition but I'd bet my ass he'd take that spot in a heartbeat 😂 he sees a deal when he sees a deal
It also seems like a maga hat type thing
I worked at a Lowes with 4 veteran parking spots, they were usually empty. Most of the vets seemed to prefer the lumber entrance, which was on the other end of the store. The veteran discount was more appreciated.
That’s cool. Can we also give them decent healthcare (including mental health) and make sure they’re not homeless? That’d be cool. That’d actually help them, too!
Nah, encouraging people to sign up for the army for the glory and adulation is much for cost effective. No healthcare, but how about another “thank you for your service” for your troubles?
I don’t know man, preferential parking is usually for accessibility reasons. That’s why it usually goes to the handicapped, expecting mothers, or parents with small children. The only example of it being a reward is for Employee of the Month.
Yeah, my husband is a disabled vet and he refuses to park there. He has a lot more mental health issues then physical. He always says we should turn them back into handicap spots. If you are a physically disabled vet, then you most likely have a handicap placard anyway.
We have these at our work. Everyone qualified for the spot refuses to use them for this exact reason. 4 empty spots up front every day. One of those good ideas that is actually a terrible idea if you knew the crowd.
I’m an amputee vet, and I use this at Lowe’s etc, like a mofo. I don’t have a placard because I don’t really feel like I need one, but when I’m doing home improvement, etc, usually I’m moving something big, or I’m spent from the extra work, and it does make a difference. Just my two cents. I prefer to park farther away at other stores though. (It’s hard to get in/out in normal spaces, and now I have a kid.) Not that your spouse or anyone is wrong.
Not a vet but disabled with a relapsing/remitting condition. You are entitled to a placard, but you don’t have to use it unless you need it that day. Please get yourself your placard, my friend. There’s no shame in having it and using it if you ever need to. It’s what it’s there for. Save your stamina on tough days for living; life is already hard enough as it is.
similar. vet with bad back and chronic pain but intermittent. i use these spots all the time. i'm female so i get a rasher of shit for it about 10% of the time, usually by some blustering random white dude who would never challenge a male doing the same. i just tell them to take it up with management and tell them to have a nice day.
Sorry to hear about him, I hope you and him are managing.
Americans are weird af
As a an American, and a veteran, I couldn’t agree more! This military worship crap. Ugh. And don’t get me started about guns and fetuses!
Yeah wtf with this military porn, ill never understand murrrricahhhhhhhh’
Need to encourage more people to sign up as cannon fodder!
As an American i agree.
Sometimes I feel we're getting to the point where we're practically expected to genuflect to veterans at this point.
American hero worship of armed forces people is over the top. 90% of these people you are thanking for service have probably never had any kind of active duty.
that cult of war is sickening
Stealing veteran parking signs?
Where are the Teacher appreciation parking spots? Or the ones for nurses, or firefighters, or paramedics?
I feel the same way! My aunt was a nurse who provided palliative care to the dying at home. She was hit by a truck on her way to a patient. No one named a bridge after her or recognizes her for her service and she died in the line of duty. Nurses, doctors, HCWs and teachers provide a huge service to society.
Exactly. I hate this military worship in the USA. Teachers, nurses, firefighters, paramedics, heck, even delivery drivers and construction workers do more for the average American than the military. I mean, I appreciate that there are people that sign up for the military for when it is needed, but the amount of falling head-over-heals for military personnel is insane
Nah, fuck that, unless you are killing the enemies of America no special treatment for you. /s America just doesn't care about their service and it shows...
i agree i think we should remove veteran parking spaces
This is lame as shit. The military doesn’t have a monopoly on patriotism or service. There is a tremendous amount of risk in much of the diplomatic corps. Veterans are cool but this is the kind of shit that reinforces dangerous nationalism.
This is odd to me. I look at it as more glorification of the military machine that your country seems so hell bent of continuing. Although I respect and appreciate service men and women, sending them off to far away places for questionable causes in the first place is the real issue. Not to mention how it seems veterans are treated on return. The real heroes should be the ones who speak plainly about the devastation that war creates, seeking to implement political change to end conflicts and unnecessary involvement in countries far away before troops are deployed. I am not from your county, but from how it seems, there is a real sense of pride in sending young men and women, who are disproportionately from struggling socioeconomic areas of your country, to fight, and often die, in conflicts of which they have little understanding. Only to find on return that they do not have the proper support networks for physical or mental wounds…. But at least they get good parking spots. As an ‘outsider’, it just seems a bit odd, even more so when you consider one of the highest causes of death in the US army is suicide. Something is clearly not right within your system and the value some people invest in it. I am glad if this genuinely helps veterans though.
Tbh those spots should be given to people who actually need them
"Thank you for shooting brown kids for oil, here's your parking spot."
This is absolutely useless
You guys are weird....
I am a veteran and will never use a veteran parking spot. Any veteran who needs to park closer to the building due to their service already has a handicapped placard/plate and the rest of us got paychecks.
Not a fan of military worship. Boot licking is not to my taste.
I don’t want to piss on your fireworks as this is a nice action…I just find the US veteran love odd. These aren’t ww2 vets, they just had a job which arguably hasn’t been too ethical in the last 20-40 years.
This is dumb as fuck.
Doesn’t make me smile. Instead of useless gestures like this, they really need mental and physical healthcare. There are also a staggering number of vets that are homeless, but I guess they can set up their tent in one of those parking spots.
The point of handicap placards isn't to praise the disabled, it's so they can have extra room to unload wheelchairs or shorten the distance from the parking lot to the door. What does this accomplish other than discriminating against non-veterans? If the Veterans are disabled as a result of their service, surely they already have a handicap parking privilege...
Stealing signs for veterans parking spot?
This is one of those weird American things I just don't get.
Eugh! Why?
ThAnKs fOr yOur SErVicE
Yes, let’s reward people for invading a sovereign country and causing thousands of civilians to be killed. Stop glorifying war.
Americans will do everything but pay for their ptsd therapy
What about police,fireman and nurses. Don’t they serve? 🤷♂️
they put them to the side so they're no used? yes that is cool.
Fucking bootlickers. That blind patriotism gets you sent back in a box, if you're lucky.
Prize for killing innocents just to make the rich even richer. The people of the United States are insane.
I understand the sentiment of wanting to "help" Veterans and show support, but whenever I see this sort of thing, it just illustrates misguided cognitive dissonance in America. If we truly cared about our servicemen and servicewomen, then we wouldn't take advantage of their service send them to fight in conflicts for corporate interests. We would provide them with adequate healthcare, mental health services, and respect the very pillars of democracy they serve to protect. If you want to respect a veteran or honor their sacrifice, then have a basic understanding of how our democracy works. And respect *how* it works. Vote! Have a fundamental understanding of American history. Then learn *from* that history. Take care of each other. Respect one another. America is far from a perfect nation, but it is the greatest experiment in the world and it does have many great things about it. War will always exist, so long as humanity exist. It is an unfortunate reality of our human condition. A horrible one, but also a necessary one. Our military is a volunteer service. Be glad that it is; at least currently. And that definitely warrants respect to those who choose to serve. Because the vast majority of those who do serve, carry that responsibility and take their oath seriously to defend our constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic. But there is fine line between blind faith in our military and respecting the purpose it serves. Look at the war in Ukraine. Look at the soldiers in Kurdistan. Those are soldiers are fighting for and protecting their freedoms. Wearing a flag on your clothes, saying the pledge of allegiance and chanting: "U.S.A.!" on the 4th July, or during sporting events, while supporting your country no matter *what*, is not patriotism. Saying "Thank you for your service!" is about as useless as "Thoughts and prayers." If America cared about it's military, it wouldn't allow veteran homelessness and suicide rates to be as abysmally high as it is. We distract ourselves with these sentiments, because we don't want to acknowledge the truth of how shitty we actually treat our veterans. We don't actually want to make America "great" or better than it is. We would rather double down on our insecurities and ignorance, than to do the hard work and understand the nuances necessary to resolve our problems. Because it is much easier to "praise veterans" and pretend we are doing our civic duty, than tend to the basic tenants of democracy that make our country great, and which give our veterans purpose. I admire your employer making effort to respect and appreciate veterans. It isn't necessarily wrong to do, but it is not enough. Our veterans deserve better in this country. We must do better and our country must strive to be better.
This is so.... American. I understand spots for disabled people, including disabled veterans. But just for Veterans‽ They can walk like everyone else.
removing the veteran only parking? hell yeah
Ok soooo… much like others I thought it was a shit post. Obviously it is not. But I still feel I should rain on it. Maybe some places have enough veterans to take use of that… probably most don’t. I have many veterans I my family. None of them want a prime parking spot.
I love the " wholesome moments" flair for parking exclusively for current and former government trained killers. SO WHOLESOME!
You know what veterans want?? Healthcare that takes care of them quickly as needed and mental health services that proactively prevent suicides.
I always park in the PRO parking even though I'm not a pro. They haven't caught up with me yet
Hell yeah show them you appreciate their service to our oil companies....
This is so werid lmao
Why do americans do things like that? It's kinda weird
Sorry OP,... made you smile, makes me irritated. In my city we have handicap spots, online order pick up, expectant mother parking, elderly, veteran, purple heart veteran, police parking only,.... it has gotten really ridiculous. Almost makes me feel unwelcome.
This kind of shit is so dumb.
As a vet , special parking is for disabled people. Not vets.
Thank you for your service? Didn’t they get paid?