Veteran's Day (US)

TastyReuben

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Monday, November 11th, is Vereran's Day, a federal/bank holiday.

It's become a tradition for businesses, especially restaurants, to offer free or discounted services to veterans.

I always like taking the day completely for myself, getting an early start, then bouncing from one meal or food item to the next, then coming home full of questionable things. The wife usually doesn't get involved because she's either working or not interested.

This year, I'm looking at Denny's for breakfast, Starbuck's for coffee, Little Caesar's for lunch, Dunkin' Donuts for a doughnut, and Applebee's or Chili's for supper. I may even try to meet up with one or two brothers who are also vets and get a meal together.

Anybody else?
 
Not a Vet myself, but come from a family of military members. I think it's wonderful so many businesses offer the free meal on Veteran's Day.
Most importantly, thank you and all Vets for your service.
 
We don't have a Veteran's Day - we do have Remembrance (Armistice) Day on Monday 11th - it marks the day World War One ended, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, in 1918. A two-minute silence is held at 11am to remember the people who have died in wars. There is also Remembrance Sunday every year, which falls on the second Sunday in November.

Many people wear red poppies in their lapels as a mark of respect for all those who have lost their lives fighting on behalf of their country, and to raise money for those whose lives have been affected by war.

We don't however have a national holiday on that day - which is rather strange given all the hoo ha involved, which is all over the TV for days before. I think we should - not least because there are no holidays here between August Bank holiday at the end of August and Christmas day.
 
Well, the wife is coming along to breakfast, and my brother is meeting me for lunch, so I won't be completely on my own, but that's ok.
 
Monday, November 11th, is Vereran's Day, a federal/bank holiday.

It's become a tradition for businesses, especially restaurants, to offer free or discounted services to veterans.

This year, I'm looking at Denny's for breakfast, Starbuck's for coffee, Little Caesar's for lunch, Dunkin' Donuts for a doughnut, and Applebee's or Chili's for supper. I may even try to meet up with one or two brothers who are also vets and get a meal together.

Anybody else?

And, there's where you lost me. Didn't you eat enough bad food in the armed services? :D

CD
 
So - does veteran in the sense of Veteran's Day mean anyone who fought in a war - or is it anyone from the armed forces?
 
And, there's where you lost me. Didn't you eat enough bad food in the armed services? :D

CD
Let me tell you a story...

When I joined the Air Force, it was off to Lackland AFB in San Antonio for basic training, six weeks.

Being a training base, with lots of official visits and parades and all that, the food was pretty good. Let me take that back...the food was fantastic. Nothing fancy, but things like meatloaf and chicken and dumplings and chili, and burgers, just wonderful.

I was a little underweight when I joined (oh, if they could see me now), so every meal, when I'd push my tray through (it was all served cafeteria style) and order my meal, one of the roving TI's there to keep order and instill fear, would say, "He'll have two."

So I'd order, say, a bacon chili double cheeseburger and chili cheese fries, and he'd tell the guy dishing it up, "He'll have two," and I'd get two of those double burgers and two orders of fries.

Keep in mind, we also, before we were allowed to take a bite of any food, had to drink either four or eight glasses of water (I think in the Winter, it was four, but I can't remember), and we weren't allowed to get up from the table until we ate everything we ordered.

It took me no time at all to remember to order about half of what I really wanted, or else I'd eat myself sick.

Ok, so from Lackland, I went to Keesler for technical training, on the Gulf coast in Biloxi, and another training base, with students from other militaries around the world, that sort of thing, so the food was still pretty good. Not quite as good as Lackland, but close.

I used to think, "Man, I could get used to this AF life...three egg omelettes every day, big pile of chili mac for lunch, and fried chicken for supper, yes sir!"

Then I got to my permanent duty station, way upstate NY. Reality was about to set in.

First meal at the dining hall, very first one, I sauntered in, grabbed my tray, and obvious from my still-skinned head and no-stripe rank, fresh from tech school:

"Yeah, I'd like a bacon chili cheeseburger, medium, and chili cheese fries on the side, please."

The guy behind the counter didn't even blink an eye. He reached into a big buffet dish that held about 50 pre-made burgers, like the worst fast-food burger held on the heat, slapped it on a plate with some greasy cold fries, threw a piece of sliced cheese on top of them, then ladled a big scoop of watery chili on top of the whole thing:

"Yeah, and welcome to Plattsburgh, Slick."
:eek:

The food there was...better than inedible, but on par with bad school cafeteria food. For the next four years, I survived off of salads, and grilled cheese and tuna salad sandwiches.
 
So - does veteran in the sense of Veteran's Day mean anyone who fought in a war - or is it anyone from the armed forces?
"Veteran" can mean anything from having served, having served a full career, and having served while at war (but not in-theatre), and serving in a combat zone.

For the purposes of discounts on Veteran's Day, generally as long as you served, you're covered. I've never been asked to provide proof of service, either, so I conceivably could have a dishonorable discharge and still get my coffee, doughnut, and lunch, because it's easier on staff not to have to check.

A lot of places do discounts all year round. They usually ask for some type of proof at some point. For example, I use my 10% discount at Lowe's (big box DIY chain), but I had to register with them as a veteran, and show proof at that time. Now, whenever I buy something, I scan my Lowe's loyalty card, and they know I'm a vet, so it automatically applies the discount.

We also have a few veterans' organizations; VFW, American Legion, and AmVets. They all have slightly different rules for membership, and I'm a member of the American Legion (though I may be lapsed, I'm not sure - my access card to the local Legion hall still works :laugh:
 
Not a Vet myself, but come from a family of military members. I think it's wonderful so many businesses offer the free meal on Veteran's Day.
Most importantly, thank you and all Vets for your service.
Thanks! Same in my family - I think more of us have been in than been out.
 
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