respect

Kind of a positive tangent from the Why? Thread that shows not everyone is a my first a-hole.

It got in the Gondi Sunday with 4 guys from Ft Drum that turned out to Blackhawk pilots.  

The other guy had long hair and pulls a beer from his pack.  I also see him pull out a lighter.  I'm sure a joint was coming next.  I saw the 4 pilots had military lift tickets so I immediately asked them if they were from Drum.  The other guy discretely put his lighter away and joined in the conversation.

I thought that was a respectful move on his part to the army guys.  I was impressed who ever he was.

I made a point of shaking each of the pilots hands and thanking them for thier service.

Coach Z wrote

I made a point of shaking each of the pilots hands and thanking them for thier service.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/22/sunday-review/please-dont-thank-me-for-my-service.html

I'm not sure what this article means and given the source...

I can tell you that I am personally profoundly thankful of our military's service.  I've let myself been bumped from a full flight to give a serviceman my seat, bought rounds of beers, etc.  It's cheap to say thank you but I can tell you I really mean it.

The point of my post was to say there are good people regardless of outward appearances that show respect where due.  after the Why thread it seemed like something to remind folks of.

What if the Military guys loved smoking weed?

So it was OK for him to lite up a joint while Joe public was in the car versus military personnel? I don't get what you are trying to say.

I'm surprised someone would light up in the Gond-dubbie without feeling out the crowd first

Sumbitch better not toke up on my Gondi. Dammit !

Signed
Clint

mattchuck2 wrote

What if the Military guys loved smoking weed?

Right.  I think some people would be surprised... Most of the guys I know that are in the military smoke more weed than I do. My feelings on whether they should be thanked would be inflammatory, so I'll keep them to myself.

   

I saw the nyt article too. Not sure how the source discredits the ideas expressed by the soldiers involved.  

I also didn't really "get" what the soldiers were trying to say.  You can misunderstand anything you want and I think it's good those soldiers got to express themselves but I bet many understand the sentiment that people like coach are trying to express.  Basically "thank you."

People say stuff all the time that feels offensive but if they are trying to be positive you got to try to be polite and let it go.

When I see soldiers I jus smile.  To be true to myself I'd have to say something like "I'm sorry for your sacrifice" vs thank you.  They don't need to hear that from me.

Interesting topic...as a military guy I think being thanked is a way for civilians to show gratitude. I appreciate it, I don't ask for it though. My service is just that...service.  Harvey- not sure if there is any reason to be sorry for our sacrifices. We knew what we were getting into when we signed up. Back to the original point about the gondola...we (military) are subject to routine unannounced urinalysis. I don't think second hand smoke would be enough to pop hot but why take the risk. Whenever I am around people who are smoking, I excuse myself and find something else to do. I guess most people realize that we have frequent drug tests and out of respect didn't light up or he would be scared that some Army guys would kick his ass for doing drugs 

Just got back from New Orleans, I spent about 3 hrs at the WW2 museum. I was nice to see a bunch of WW2 veterans  there. They sit at a table and just talk to the public.. Great place to visit if your in town..

The D Day museum in NO is fantastic.  I could spend days in there.

As for thanking service members for their service, it depends.   I served.  I was a military brat.  Back in the day, we werent all heros.  We did our jobs.....the hero thing began after 911.  If i am speaking with someone in the service, and it seems appropriate, I thank them....or offer them a hit from my joint....

kidding

Grillman wrote

As for thanking service members for their service, it depends.   I served.  I was a military brat.  Back in the day, we werent all heros.  We did our jobs.....the hero thing began after 911.

Grillman... what, if anything, would you like to hear from a grateful civilian about your service?  Also if you are so inclined, I'd like to hear what you think about how 911 changed civilians (or Americans) approach to military personnel.

Coach,

I'm also confused by your thread here.

The "long hair" had respect for the law because the military was there? Or was he saving his own ass? And what if those guys think the law is stupid and smoke too? There are so many problems with this thread that have nothing to do with skiing. Wasn't Johnny Marijuanaseed the first patriot or something?

Either way, guy sounds like a real douche for not asking. If someone lights up in my cabin I'm going to politely let him know that there are two ways out of the cabin -- at the top smoke free or through the window.

The thing is he chose on his own to not ask and put it away on his own

Chopper pilots can be drug tested so these guys were not going to happy with second hand smoke

My point with this thread was to counter act the Why? Thread that surmised there are to many a holes in the world.  My point.  This guy was a decent guy.

ml242 wrote

Coach,

I'm also confused by your thread here.

 There are so many problems with this thread that have nothing to do with skiing.

Really ? Then what's the following about ?

ml242 wrote

 If someone lights up in my cabin I'm going to politely let him know that there are two ways out of the cabin -- at the top smoke free or through the window.

If Johnny Marihoochey was the first patriot then ....  Or was it all about this for you....

Coach Z wrote

 Chopper pilots can be drug tested so these guys were not going to happy with second hand smoke

Absolutely true.

Oh, the faux pas I've committed.....I think?

There's a group of infantry grunts from Drum that frequent WF.  Ran into them the first time.......sitting on the deck outside the Cloudspin Lounge just before 11:00.  I think one had a PBR in hand, I made some comment about waiting for the bar to open, another of the guys pulls out his flask of whiskey and offers it up.  We shared a drink and shot the shit.  I do work in Government contracts, which supports the infrastructure and supply chain to keep guys like them in the fight, my own minuscule contribution to their effort.  My brother is retired reserves, so he 'spoke their language', at least a little.  Rather than a thank you, I expressed that, while I couldn't truely imagine what it is like to do what they had to do, I respected them for doing it.  My way of saying thanks was to have the waitress get them a round of drinks on me after the bar opened.

So....I may have thanked servicemen who didn't want to be thanked, while contributing toward the alcoholism problem in America?

I see Coach's point.  Mr. BoJaneGles would have been a potentially (we don't know, he might have offered) selfish, disrespectful a'hole, but he showed some deference to our military.  Maybe the dude wasn't going to show much respect to the GP, but he did to the military, which is something.