Nothing has become more grating on my ears than when I hear the phrase; “Thank you for your service.” This is typically said aloud today, to every military serviceman, every fireman, every policeman, everybody except, well nobody. Yes, people even say it to me when I accidentally alert them of my time holding a US naval commission.

This singular phrase said with such abandon as ‘good morning’ at the first arrival of the day at the office or ‘welcome’ every time you enter a commercial store that it has cheapened the meaning and made everyone a hero for even their ability to drive a truck to the docks delivering goods to be shipped overseas for the military. It has made being a hero so prolific that they can even now be called ‘Losers and Suckers’ by the current President-Elect of the United States without retribution by those that support him.

Republicans of all walks of life look the other way or deflect the questioning of a man who was and will be the commander in chief of our military on this idea. Trump plays this game for his political enrichment but it is the American people that have abandoned the meaning of the terms hero and service. It is the American people who have allowed those wounded and killed in the defense of this great Republic’s objectives and ideals to be ridiculed by this man who himself is a beneficiary of their idyllic sacrifice.

Ever since 9-11 the awarding of participation heroism has become a cornucopia of verbal awards to those that served in any capacity the same status as those decorated. Their efforts cheapened. Their service almost becoming a tissue paper to sneeze the words in.

The 21+ years of seemingly endless Middle East wars has deadened the American people to the heroic acts during combat for their government. It has equalized all efforts to be reward with a single phrase, letting Americans thinking they are showing true gratitude when they are only saying it in a self-satisfying monotone. This relieves their souls of the guilt that the government they voted for creates these conflicts.

It may be better to look to the days of Vietnam or even the World Wars where soldiers knew where they stood. All soldiers enlisted, drafted and commissioned alike were one. They did not find the need to inflate their part but remained part of the whole. They knew they were summoned to be part of their US government’s efforts and felt the most pride in that quiet role.

I was summoned by my country, whose voice I can never hear but with veneration and love. – George Washington.