I do on occasion, long ago spending extended periods overseas (including a not-brief-enough period in a conflict) in the service of this country (which incidentally includes both you and Continental Ailines). If CO also chooses to buy these men and women a drink, I applaud the decision, although from an admittedly less than objective perspective.

After all, it is WE (That's all of us/US.) who send them into Harm's Way. They are ours, the sons and dfaughters of this nation.

If everyone was as reasonable in admitting their prior feelings, this thread would have been over awhile ago.

^

I applaud CO for offering to provide free drinks to US servicemembers and I am happy to buy a drink for them when the airline I am flying does not offer them free drinks. I would also support a similar gesture from BA, Qantas, Alitalia, or any other carrier wishing to show their appreciation to those who serve (along with police, firefighters, etc.). These are difficult and dangerous jobs (generally with not much pay) no matter where one lives.

FWIW, this whole thread could have been avoided if CO would offer free drinks to everyone in Y for TATL flights like most airlines

And you feel free alcohol is a good way to compensate your sons and daughters for sending them into harms way? Odd. Some of them are not even the legal age of drinking, or are still at an age we should encourage responsible drinking and yet we 'reward' them with free booze?

Personally I think it is derisory that 1) any one would suggest a 1 dollar glass of cheap alcohol (which most airlines give out free but CO sells for 5 USD) should be a mark of appreciation compensation for anyone's sacrifice and 2) that we reduce these gallant men and women to the level that they should be grateful to us for, and accepting of, this free alcohol.

What kind of image does it portray of both the military and our perception of them if we feel free booze is a good way to say thanks. I doubt if CO wanted to thank executives, pilots, doctors, astronauts, politicians or whatever that they would use free booze as a way to do so - this whole thing to me denigrates rather than elevates these young soilders.

Okay, then. I�ll guess they�ll have to settle for a free cup of wholesome, nutritious, milk instead.

-sigh-

Did anyone said they should be grateful? Did anyone say they had to accept this gesture? It was a gesture, take it or leave it. You can't please everyone all of the time, but it doesn't hurt to try and do something nice for someone else.

-sigh-

One of many gestures. You're right, we can't offer them up what they truly deserve, so we should do nothing.

In other news, I'm routinely offered free coffee when I wear a uniform*. Do I find this demeaning or take it in any way beyond an expression of simple gratitude? No.








*I am not a member of any armed service and am not trying to insinuate or imply that I am.

Wow! something we agree on.

We get so wrapped up with the people overseas that we forget that we all have a calling in life and some people are serving the country as much or even more than the military by staying home.

My big thing is acknowledging people in janitorial positions. Thank the person who cleaned the toilet in the airport. Thank the person who emptied the overflowing trash cans. Just think of what our way of life would be like without them!

It is perceived as distasteful to you because it is plainly obvious that you are trying to argue objectively and failing. YOU are the offended party, and you clearly do not agree with the political happenings surrounding the armed forces, nor do you see your own country in a good light. It's OK, you can admit it.

You're serious? Come on now. If you truly believe that, I sincerely hope that you at some point need the police and they fail to arrive in time to save you.

Well said, sir.

Only if they surrender first.

Yes, because rogue behavior is immediately assumed to be patriotic behavior. Another hater who can not comprehend that there are people who are willing to make sacrifices to ensure that your freedom to say such asinine stuff remains in tact. If anyone should be the most thankful for the things military members do to fight off those who would do us harm, it should be the people who hate the military the most...free speech would be the first thing to go out the window should the bad guys take over. Your very freedom to speak the dreck that you speak is in part upheld by the very same class of people that you profess to despise... it's really quite ironic, isn't it? And before you say that my language is too strong, watch out. You have a history of anti-military sentiment in this forum.

Following your non-logic, if your job was such that it entitled you to some goodies here and there that the average person did not receive, you would refuse said goodies? Why do I not think so?

How dare you stereotype in the way that you do. I'm sure the families of the Congressional Medal of Honor recipients that have resulted from these last few years of conflict would love to hear you lump their deceased family member's exploits of valor and heroism into the same pile as the idiots at Abu Ghraib.

Uh, no. It's blantantly obvious that the assertion that you find ridiculous is indeed accurate.

You are in the minority. Suck it up and deal with it. I would pay to see you stand up on a flight with a sizable military presence and say that you think they do not deserve a drink on the airline because of who they are or the job they do. Were that to happen, you can rest assured that your survivors would thank you for not passing on whatever amount of money CO charges to ship a dead body.

Support of the US military is not limited to the right side of the political aisle...though to me at least it is obvious that some people in this thread are those who probably did spend a little time spitting on returning vets or hoping that the POW's were getting beaten even harder.

It's also vastly different when those "few weeks of target practice" include time spent being the target.

Well said. Someone might not agree with the mission, but it does not mean that in turn you refuse to support your fellow human being who chooses to sign up and at some point engage in that mission. To assign political hatred to the grunt on the ground is unspeakably wrong.

Please don't as this is sure to lead to Audacious and Unmitigated Flatulence

For my part, I don't like that CO does this. Not because I am particularly for/against military personnel from the U.S. or elsewhere, but because I think it's annoying. I think that there are ample opportunities and ways to support troops, their families, or any other worthy cause if individuals and companies have such compassion and/or patriotism. By all means - CO can start a program where all military or cops or doctors or whoever get X free drinks if they print a voucher or show their ID (or how about a non-booze gift that the troops under 21 or who are non-drinkers can enjoy as well?). I just don't want to have the announcements go on for minutes longer with a pause for jingoistic applause. In the same breath, I do a fair amount of international non-profit work, but don't want to hear about ABC cause while taxiing or free extra bbq turkey rolls for XYZ group in the air just because a CO employee feels empowered to say/do whatever.

Please just give me a quiet travel experience without injecting politics or nationalism into any of it.

I think the more appropriate thing would be for CO to instead do more to support the USOs in their hubs or donate to the Special Ops Warrior Foundation or the 100s of other groups out there rather than foist politics, nationalism, etc upon travelers. It would also be money better spent on actually supporting troops and their families than handing out booze. Just my $0.02.

peace,
~Ben~

Who despises anyone? I don't think it's appropriate to single the military out for special treatment, but that doesn't make one despise them. They're people, just like everyone else. They chose a profession, just like everyone else. And they get paid for their work, just like everyone else with a job.


I also disagree with this. Of those speaking about the issue, he's in the minority. But of people overall, if asked individually and confidentially, the division is probably split right down the middle.

Most likely people realize that those who are pro-military are so gung-ho about the issue (your rhetoric is a perfect example), that they either don't want to express their sentiment publicly, or are simply too intimidated to do so publicly.

I guess that's one of those freedoms, too.

as an aside for the record CO does support the USO at IAH. They stock it with cups, and cookies and all the stuff they stock the president's club with. Other groups do as well, but CO does make the IAH USO quite nice.

Ciao,
FH

You're 100% wrong, you're late to this discussion, and your argumentation doesn't make a lot of sense. Sorry.

Agreed. The whole "the military protects your freedom of speech" thing is pretty ridiculous as well. How are soldiers in Iraq protecting my ability to proffer an argument on the internet? The whole concept doesn't make any sense.

What in the hell is "argumentation"? If something makes little to no sense, it's your command of English.