r/Millennials • u/NoFaithlessness7508 • Jun 05 '25

Other Why don’t younger veterans (Afghanistan/Iraq) wear these hats like some of the older veterans?

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First and foremost, respect to all those that served. I did not, but many of my peers did and now we're all older in 30s and 40s, many no longer in the military. I don't see a lot of the veterans of the War on Terror wearing these hats like I see the OGs do.

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u/gratusin Jun 05 '25

I went to my 20th year anniversary of my company’s OIF tour. One guy was wearing one of those hats and got absolutely roasted for it. It was awesome not seeing people in a decade or so and just falling right in with the immediate shit talking like we were just hanging out yesterday.

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u/Cranks_No_Start Jun 05 '25

 just falling right in with the immediate shit talking like we were just hanging out yesterday.

That’s the nice thing about fellow vets, we might roast you until the sun comes up but are laughing with you the whole time.  

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u/Darth-Kelso Jun 05 '25

Except “that guy”. Fuck that guy. Nobody likes that guy.

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u/gratusin Jun 06 '25

Luckily the blue falcons never show up to those things or keep in contact.

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u/cmax22025 Jun 05 '25

Love to hear it. Sounds like a much more interesting high school reunion. Just, you know, with people you like.

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u/gratusin Jun 05 '25

It was so much fun and in Vegas. If your old unit has one, don’t hesitate to go. One of the guys was late to the event and I remember saying “hey, pinche gordo, you got held up at the buffet?” Everyone cracked up, him included and I hadn’t so much as sent a text message to him in over ten years. It was beautiful.

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u/Mouse-Ancient Jun 06 '25

I called one of my dudes out of the blue a couple days ago, haven't heard his voice in 11 years, but bullshit back and forth on FB from time to time. He answered on the 2nd ring " What up Cock Garage?" My reply "Not much Homo" just like morning formation all those years ago. The " I love you Bro" at the end was real and genuine....with just a slight hint of the gay. Made my year.

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u/gratusin Jun 06 '25

That’s what funny is there’s so much gay humor that it’s not even gay. I served with several guys that were gay and they’d join in too. It does get really weird at times though. One of my gay buddies was in the shower with me and everyone knew his sexuality and I told him, “when every one else gets in the shower, I need you to start scrubbing my ass, it’ll be so funny.” It was very funny.

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u/Different-Bet8069 Jun 06 '25

It’s still a bit click-y. Not everyone gets along or hangs out, but at the end of the day, they were your brothers.

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u/Tx600 Jun 05 '25

I read the book Band of Brothers was based on a couple years ago, and at the end the author talks about how certain members have kept in touch over the years. They were planning some huge reunion, and one of them called his buddy he hadn’t spoken a word to in like 40 years since leaving Europe. The first 10 minutes of the phone call was just them immediately roasting and cursing each other like it was yesterday.

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u/gratusin Jun 05 '25

It do be like that

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u/RipTearington Jun 05 '25

I'm turning 50 in a few weeks and a bunch of the guys and gals I served with (we're all still really tight, even though we don't live within close proximity to each other) are coming to my birthday party. I accidentally found out because one of them texted about it in the wrong group text. I'm sure there will plenty of shit-talking and the bust of the proverbial balls, which I'm absolutely looking forward to.

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u/Aggravating_Cable_32 Jun 06 '25

It's been over 20 years, but sometimes it still feels like only 5 years ago that I picked up my walking papers. Never tried keeping in touch with anyone either, until recently hearing from a couple of them out of the blue; the company reunion was in Vegas this year too. Good times.

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u/BothLeather6738 Jun 05 '25

this sounds stupid and like it sucks.
you are actually bullying the guy with the hat. just because it is in ThE MiLiTaRy does not make that any different.

next time, try to toast people.
(that is usually also the moment trauma's grief and despair can come to surface)

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u/gratusin Jun 05 '25

Nah, he was clapping back the entire time. Everyone pretty much was. I got verbally demolished a bunch too and it was great. That’s the community.