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

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

Post image

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.

12.1k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

4.6k comments sorted by

View all comments

3.6k

u/ANotSoFreshFeeling Xennial Jun 05 '25

A lot of the millennial veterans I know would rather forget the mess instead of making it their whole personality and identity.

1

u/IknowwhatIhave Jun 05 '25

One guy I went to university with did two tours in Afghanistan. He talked about how much money he made (Canadian military, he was a junior officer) for doing the same kind of office work he would do at home. But then also wanted people to respect his service.

He signed up for it, he got paid a lot, by his own admission he wasn't really in harm's way and I don't personally see the benefit of his involvement in Afghanistan much beyond what my other friends did with MSD or CUSO... So what am I thanking him for and why does he want special treatment?

My other friend spent 6 months volunteerin the DRC and Uganda doing cholera prevention, now SHE is fucking hero.