As a military veteran, this makes me a little sad… but the whole military discount thing has always made me feel weird. I mean, I’m no hero. I spent 20 years sitting at a desk, fixing computers. Why should I deserve a discount over any other office worker?
I currently live in an area far away from any military bases, so I’ve mostly stopped asking about military/veteran discounts. Most people here aren’t used to military being around this area anyway so there’s rarely a discount to offer. And I don’t really care if I get a discount or not; it doesn’t hurt me to pay full price.
But I’ve definitely worked with service members who would boycott businesses near our bases if they refused to provide a military discount. Some people get really entitled about their status. Those were the worst people I had to deal with in the service.
Seems like if you run a business near a military base then you would just set your prices X% higher than you really want to set them, and then offer an X% discount to all the people who shop there, knowing that everyone will wind up paying what you originally wanted to charge anyway
Related: JC Penney very publicly stopped pretending everything was always on sale, and just set everything to the “sale” price.
Despite the publicity of the move, sales tanked. Just a few months later, everyone involved was sacked, and they went back to pretending everything was always on sale.
Wait, was that the same as the ‘not setting prices at 0.99 instead of 1.00’ company?
TIL that was part of it as well
I worked at a popular restaurant near a major VA hospital, and this is how I explained why we only had a military discount for active duty, not veterans. Surprisingly, it seemed like a satisfactory explanation more often than not.
I know you got paid to be there, but still. A country without a military, even in times of “peace”, is a scary thing. Especially given the direction the world is heading these days… sure you sat behind a desk but who knows what you may have been needed to do if called upon in a worst case scenario, and so for that I say thank you for your service 🙏
lol
Reading this made me cringe.
👅💦🥾
The Facebook moms found us — who’s making the next link aggregator?
“Thank you for your service” cringe apart, you are right, militaries are paid for the inherit risk their profession carries, even if unlikely.
Also, on a little more distopian way, if incentivized, people are more likely to enroll in your military. And I’m guessing these discounts are on the shops, so it’s free benefit from the state.
The idea that I should care about a corporate losing money is laughable to me. I’ll give anyone a discount when allowed by the company without hesitation.
Oh, I’m all in for spending company money. But I’d rather not incentivize murderers.
But…why? I never faulted people asking for any sort of discount when I worked retail. Why blame them for simply asking if there was a way to get something cheaper? I couldn’t give a fuck if corporate was making less money while my fellow citizen saved some cash.
A lot of them just assume that everywhere bends over backwards for them. It’s incredibly obnoxious. Source: was a bartender for a decade
Wait, people asked for a vet discount… at a bar?
I can see a restaurant, but a bar!?
Oh heavens yes, some people have no shame
Seems appropriate. Much faster service for your medication than at the va.
Source: was a bartender for a decade
Thank you for your service 🫡
Based on the stories I have read some people are quite rude about asking for it.
Being able to deny rude people their request is a power play that customer service people can enjoy using.
Oh, well, that’s a different situation from the one I interpreted here, I guess. Yeah, unreasonably rude customers of any kind are awful.
Stories like what?
“Dependapotamus” and “dependa” should yield some results.
Stories posted on AskReddit when people are being asked about their jobs.
I don’t really use reddit at home anymore so I don’t have any exact links.
Because they are military and some people do not like that.
You can’t get your discount without going through the ID me website anywhere corporate nowadays anyway… it doesn’t work nor have human contact points, it’s impossible for older veterans to use and it says half of us don’t even exist so basically military discounts have become enshitified as well . It does however take millions of dollars from the government in subsidies to ID me to obstruct Our discounts and your unemployment and disability benefits. We’re both working class and in this together whether give me my 10% off on hardware or not.
I’m not from the U.S., but why would people from the military get a discount? If you do that as a store, why not doctors and nurses too? Why stop there and why not include firefighters, government workers or teachers?
And who compensates you as a business owner for these giveaways? If your store happens to be close to an army base, do you just accept the disadvantage of giving away part of your profit?
It sounds pretty stupid. People should get paid enough to pay full price for their stuff. Especially by the government. Especially in a country that allocates an enormous part of their GDP to their military.
It sounds pretty stupid.
America in a nutshell
Teachers did actually get benefits in my country until 2016. It was a pretty decent system.
If you are a landlord then having an operational school nearby increases local rent prices so you do get to profit from charging teachers less rent.
Many Americans have an uncanny reverence for the military and those who served. I guess that reverence seeped its way into many a retail store’s management.
I think it’s just about optics for the most part.
If your store happens to be close to an army base, do you just accept the disadvantage of giving away part of your profit?
No they just raise the base price for everyone.
I could be wrong here… but around the George W. Bush administration + 9/11 and the government painting everything they do as something to protect “against the terrorists!!!” that’s when a lot of things started happening.
That’s when the view of the military seemed to flip and it’s just been stuck that way. Movies like Top Gun were made as a PR stunt to make the military look better. The same is for basically every cop show out there: make cops look like the good guys. Anywho, every company went out of their way to really show “how much they support the troops” by giving a discount. And every smooth-brain started saying “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE” every single time. The hero worship was/is real, and it shouldn’t be, and it’s a real problem. (Totally different conversation, but it’s led to an influx of people joining the military, or trying to, who really shouldn’t). Before Bush + 9/11, I don’t recall military discounts outside of, like, businesses that were owned/operated by vets.
I’ve heard that some food joints would offer military discounts back when people were figuring out how bad Vietnam was especially with how many vets were coming back broken and homeless. Theres at least one place near me that’s had a veterans discount as far back as '78, they also let folks camp out in their parking lot since it was a bit bigger to accommodate the firetrucks since they were in a more central location than the fire station at the time.
Rambling aside, veterans discount started out as a way to help conscripted veterans during and after the fustercluck that was Vietnam and then was hijacked at some point.
Ah. So possible it was cranked up to 11 (no pun intended) after 9/11. That, or its frequency illusion, and I just never noticed really before a certain point.
Hard to say without digging up when different places adopted it but I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.
“Land of the free, home of the brave”, but with the caveat that those other professions don’t qualify as brave enough is my guess.
My dad loves the discount.
Its just a habit, he could care less about the actual amount.
Fuck Reddit and Fuck Spez.
Fuck Reddit and its suppression of non-western narratives.
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Fuck Reddit and its suppression of my freedom to say removed
Yeah, auto-censored Lemmy instances are peak freedom, indeed
I censored it myself as a joke
I guessed, because probably
Fuckwould also be removed. That’s on point, still
do you feel better after saying that now?
The only time I would give a military discount would be if you are a military member that meets the following criteria:
- You were conscripted for a defensive war
OR
- You volunteered (as in you weren’t paid) to fight a defensive war
If you fight for a professional army, you’re a professional, and professionals don’t need discounts because they’re doing what they’re paid to do.
Serious question - in places where they offer military or veteran discount how do you check? Do you ask them to show some relevant id?
My partner shows a VA card when asked.
Did your partner eat Iraqi children or Afghan children? Which one tasted his favorite?
Oh look, a coward.
If you read through my post history you would likely edit “coward” to something else more fitting…
You literally have no posts which makes you what exactly?
Comment history*
Apologies, I often forget I’m an extremely poor communicator in a community filled with intelligent neurodivergent people, and I need to contextualize better.
Which makes me an idiot. Not a coward. - to answer your question
I mean I scrolled thru your comments too but there was nothing that stood out to me. I don’t know how your comment history is supposed to show you are an idiot but I’m willing to take your word for it
My dad is a veteran, and he will sometimes ask, and sometimes they will ask him. Almost always, especially in restaurants, he just says that he is, and they give him the discount.
The big box hardware stores, Home Depot and Lowe’s have sort of set the standard. There are a few ID cards that they accept as proof.
At the end of the day it is up to each store how they handle it.
Pretty much, yeah. Every veteran and their spouse (and kids under 21) has military ID.
No they don’t. People who separated and didn’t retire are veterans, but don’t get military IDs. They can get a VA ID or some states will add veteran to their license.
You also have your old military id. Even if expired it should work 99.99% of the time.
The one you’re supposed to return?
Fuck military discounts.
Y’know, I understand where you’re coming from, but my dad did his time in the military, including a stint in Vietnam. He’s 81 now, and I don’t see the harm in giving him a little bit off of a bill for his service. He’s not obnoxious about it, but will sometimes ask, and take it if it’s available. If not, no big deal.
I thought it was a joke, but people really are butthurt about vets.
History just loves to repeat itself.
This has more to do with propaganda. Where are the discounts for all other contributors to our functional society? Do the garbage people or the electrical worker or sewer worker get discounts?
Its all part of a much larger scale propaganda across our countries history.
You get pissed at senior discounts too?
😂
I really don’t get why a senior ex-military has better benefits than a normal senior. One is a benefit everyone applies and another is a benefit that a specific subset applies, and it’s not like they do things that are more important than those that work everyday in the country to keep it running.
A kid spends 5 years in military, lifetime discounts. A teacher spends 5 years teaching, lifetime debt. I really don’t get the point.
I was highlighting the fallacy in your argument, but that was clearly a waste of time.
You obviously don’t know the history of veterans in the U.S. or what brought this type of culture to the U.S.
You probably see the military as an extension of a government you hate (understandable) and think of its members as fully endorsing said government (not correct at all).
That you get butthurt over a discount says a lot about you though.
I’m not the same person of the original comment. For you to personally insult me while not bothering to read the name of the user says a lot about you too though.
I hope you have a great day.
Edit: Also, nowhere in my comment did I mention that I hated the US government or the military because it’s completely besides the point, I said that I didn’t understand why a subset of people that contribute as much as others are supposed to get get special privileges. I’m not even from the US, it’s not a thing where I’m from. You sure assumed a lot about me.
You think that’s an insult?
I’m commenting on a behavior, not a person.
Doesn’t matter if are not OP, your sentiment is clearly the same and my comment still stands.
Your comment, however, screams that you are faux offended, so you can feel like you are on the high road.
Edit: No place I know l let’s you have a vet AND a senior discount. It’s one or the other
I see student discounts a lot. What has a student done that an electrician hasn’t, so that the student deserves a discount but not the electrician?
The right answer: Who gives a shit?
It’s a STUPID FUCKING argument that just highlights a really fucking petty person.
Now if a person acts entitled to a discount, then that is an entirely different story.
Tell me why your father should be rewarded for when they performed the most horrible actions on other humans that anyone can think of?
If anything, they should pay more, and the money should go to all the families they have destroyed.
He should ask just like all Veterans. No big deal if they do not offer discount but nice when they do. It is just a small gesture of support.
People think Military/Service members are bootlickers on Reddit and here I guess. Reality is people join for various reasons a big reason is to support family. The government owns you during that time. You miss celebrations with family like; birthdays, holidays, marriages, and funerals. I know someone will say “well they volunteered.” That is right they did and you didn’t have to volunteer.
This meme is pretty bad to be real. People out here risking/giving their life for you. Man humanity is sliding into the abyss everyday.
My problem with the whole thing is well expressed by Bojack Horseman.
An IT technician who spends their entire career in air-conditioned offices in their home country but happens to be employed by the army is worthy of adoration, special treatment and prioritisation, but obviously a nurse saving lives on a daily basis and facing routine abuse from violent drunks and psychotic nutcases can fuck right off because they work at a privately-owned hospital.
Drawing a circle around the armed forces saying “these people are deserving of unquestionable praise and arbitrary benefits” is the same as saying “no-one else is” and it’s insulting to the intelligence of everyone involved.
At a certain point people just make excuses. First responders receive more discounts than Veterans. Because they are on the front lines everyday. I support that idea.
You are missing a lot of the sacrifices that Veterans make with a generalization. Required to move every 2-4 years. Deploy to various countries for unknown amount of time with less than 24hrs sometimes. Not being able to communicate with loved ones on a regular basis. Not coming back home with all your body parts or your battle buddy. But hey maybe there is a IT person sitting in a AC room in US. So screw all Veterans makes sense I guess?
Ah, the good ol’ crab bucket. Fuck X group because they got some scraps.
More like fuck X group because they are paid murderers that invade other countries and makes every life they interact with worse.
The military is majority support roles like mechanic, cook, medic, signaler, padre, admin, logistics. There’s combat roles like infantry, artillery, combat engineer and armored and then the rest are people supporting them. Even in the combat roles it’s still pretty rare to be “murdering”. Americans are a bit different but a lot of militaries have rules of engagement. It’s not indiscriminate killing. It’s defending your fellow soldier, it’s protecting your base. They’re just people trying to do a job like any other.
Hey man, I’m not a Nazi, I only supply the gas
You’re on .ml
You’re all closer to Nazis than they are.
Oh cool, can I ask for a military discount now or do you need proof you’ve murdered children to get it?
Ah yeah the “I didn’t serve in the SS but the Wehrmacht” defense
Give it a rest. You’re closer to a Nazi then they are.
hows that lol
You’re extremist that are driving politics to the fringes based on in/out group think. You’re highly exploitable and manipulated by people in power while believing you’re fighting for values that somehow superior to everyone and everything else. If you weren’t all so ineffective you’d be dangerous.
being anti-mass murder is violent extremism, TIL
You’re extremist that are driving politics to the fringes based on in/out group think.
Can you elaborate on this, what in/out group think? Those that enable war crimes and those that dont?
You’re highly exploitable and manipulated by people in power
Which people in power recommend reading Marx, Lenin, Fanon, Feinberg or any of those people??
Most of these roles are means to help actual infantry and pilots to kill people.
The only roles that might be seen as something different are medic and cook. But even then - they are there so that the soldiers could be there on the battlefield later on.
No they’re not. The military’s role is not to kill. The majority of soldiers careers are spent assisting during disasters and supporting and maintaining equipment. The amount that kill are a very big minority. Movies and TV play it up.
The military play a bigger role in stabilizing and having a presence and ability to deploy in very dangerous and inhospitable areas where they can assist other nations in stabilizing areas then they do in going some places and indiscriminately killing people. If people try to attack them, they’ll defend. Offensive operations are few and far between.
The military everyday though is some where cutting down trees, training locals, securing supply lines in areas you’d never hear about. Even in war zones, the military medics provided a huge effort to provide medical services to locals. It sucks they have to be in places like Iraq or Afghanistan but that’s not the soldiers decision. Be mad at the politicians and your fellow citizens. But the soldier has a professional role. They’re not monsters. They’re no different than the general population. You’ll hear horror stories. But the vast majority are not and they honestly don’t deserve half the bullshit a lot of you give them.
Assisting during disasters
Emergency responders do this with much less overhead - like, well, weapons. They also receive a much more extensive training for this specific kind of thing.
Supporting and maintaining equipment
Military equipment, i.e. literal murder machines.
Stabilizing areas
UN Peacekeepers do this. National armies serve “national interests”, as defined by the government backing them. They are not always interested in deescalation of conflicts, and US Army in particular stirred so many conflicts and made them so much worse because it served US government. Same idea for the rest.
It’s not the soldiers decision
It’s their decision to join the army and voluntarily give up their right to refuse. If you know you can be sent to raze territories and people, why do you join in the first place? There are better places to do good aspects of what army occasionally does.
The primary role of military is to project power by either destroying or threatening to destroy anything a given government doesn’t like. Everything else comes secondary, and if not for that, we would have dedicated personnel only meant to do the good things instead. Don’t buy weapons and helicopters, train people to respond to emergencies and assist local civilians in hostile areas. UN does this. But hey, how do you instate banana republics then?
Yea not reading all that. I know it’s just your opinion. Facts are the military isn’t a murder machine. They serve the country in multiple areas. Many areas that don’t get credit. They also do a lot of harm. But the vast majority of soldiers are amazing people who do more good in their lifetime than I bet you probably do. Much of a soldier’s career is helping other people. You have a very simplistic understanding of what a military is.
Not reading all that
The most blatant evasion.
Short version personally for you: all good things military does are better done by other specially trained people. And they don’t need deadly weapons for this. Military doesn’t make sense outside killing context.
P.S. My dad served in the army before he disappeared, so I’m pretty sure I know a bit.
It’s not about someone getting a discount. It’s about businesses incentivizing American military that is prone of causing misery around the globe. It is immoral and insane.
Upvote for theft
This seems unnecessarily petty
Maybe I’m weird, but I guess I don’t care about military discounts. I probably just don’t have much experience with veterans. But like we give senior citizens discounts some places, because it’s expected they don’t have much money. And there’s lots of old folks who need it. Haven’t military folks traditionally had a hard time reintegrating? Like isn’t that the plot of “the forever war”? If it helps the ones who need it then good. Helping people in need is a good thing. I’m probably missing something so let me know what it is.
There are two ways to look at it, as I understand:
-
Many (certainly not all) vets have a chip on their shoulder and expect white glove treatment. Kind of like a less whiny Karen.
-
Many are of the belief that we should not reward people for aiding the government in its atrocities.
I think the meme is an exaggeration of those positions.
-
That’s not what a military discount is or does. It’s for active duty only, or full time retired, meaning you need an active and valid military ID on your person that matches YOU. Not your wife, not your friend Larry, not your brother Darrell, not your OTHER brother Darrell, YOU. It’s one of the things that makes life harder for people who leave the military. And while your in it, it does you little good.
I know this because I’ve managed stores with military discounts. The only thing worse than having to say ‘‘we don’t do that’’ is ‘‘Yes we do’’ Because the reality is that unless your talking to an old guy in a military insignia cap, or a surprisingly young enlisted person in uniform or military sweats, they aren’t getting the ID. You got your shins blown off in Vietnam? Well fuck you, the discount is for active enlisted and CAREER officers. No one the fuck else. Guess how many dessert storm, Vietnam, Iraq, Korean War, or WWII vets like hearing that shit explained to them. They are LIVID. They want ass pats and bjs they don’t want to hear they can’t save $0.07 on a pile of lumber because they didn’t make being drafted a career just got PTSD and forever shrapnel. I LOVE telling people no discount for anyone. It’s fantastic.
Ah I get it now, yup that is shitty. I have some compassion for someone who was stupid enough as a kid to enlist. But only for active members? Love how in America we all get fucked over, unless you win the wealth lottery.
Yeah and while your in, you don’t have the free time or money to use a military discount for anything significant.
I’m so glad I gave all of my 20s to get shot at on the other side of the world in a desert, and now live with crippling PTSD, anxiety, and gastrointestinal disorders. But really, it’s all worthwhile because I get 10% off at the Gap.
Ah but you brought freedom and democracy to a bunch of dumb dusty people, right?
Lol no.
But you helped money to flow in the right direction, right? You helped them dusty dummies to understand that’s our stuff under their sand, right?
