Veteran's Day was yesterday. Having has to work on it the last four years, it's not a day I much noticed or observed. However, this year it left a bad taste in my mouth. I was soured by all the conspicuous patriotism; this isn't necessarily bad per se but Facebook was full of Oscar-speech-worthy fawning. Cynically I noticed the posters were typically the people generally most concerned with image-building (in all aspects of their lives, Veteran's Day and beyond). The objective seemed to be to demonstrated for the public record that they are someone who cares about soldiers' sacrifices, recognize "we're only the land of the free because of the brave", and by this insert themselves into the larger story occurring that they'd otherwise be involved with. I feel the insincere praise cheapens the day and is worse than saying nothing.
Such postings are now commonplace on these holidays. However, this year I also noticed several veterans (and here I am referring to several people specifically in my age-group, and only in my age group) who took the opportunity to point out that they veterans, either in words or photos. This is a little bit like throwing a birthday party for yourself, no? Like, "Hey, reminder! Don't forget to congratulate me, too, people...". I found it a bit off-putting.
If I came downstairs on Veteran's Day morning to my father saying "ahem..." and looking at me expectantly, it would be no less surprising if he were riding around on a rainbow-farting unicorn while doing it. Throughout my extended family, military service was never a big deal. It was certainly nothing to boast about (with recognition that they'd take almost anyone that signed up). I wondered if that was a certain jadedness by people who experienced military life beyond propaganda, if it was also because they served during an era less pro-military (Vietnam), or, in particular, during a time when a much larger percentage of Americans were serving than at present (Vietnam, World War II) and so it was not seen as something unique or extraordinary.
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