Do you always think hard about the right thing to say when someone tells you, happy veterans, day? You are not alone.
Many vets have said they are not always sure how to respond when people thank them for their service or say happy Veterans Day to them.
The good part? You are in the right place as I put together some of the smartest replies I’ve come across veterans say whenever they wish happy veterans day and I believe these replies can serve as a go-to response bank that will help you know when to say when the occasion rises.
“No thanks are necessary.”
This is a firm and polite way to show that you appreciate the sentiment and then keep the conversation going into other topics.
It is a smart response to give if you don’t always enjoy being thanked for your normal service.
When you give this response, the person who says happy veterans day feels a sense of gratitude and it means you count it as an honor to have been of service so no thanks are really necessary.
“Proud to serve.”
This is one sharp, smart, and sleek response I hear many times when I even wish a vet on a patriotic day in November. It reminds me of a story a friend told me.
He is a cadet at VMI and on one occasion, a family thanked one of the Captains while they were wrapping up a parade.
He told me that the Captain humbly nodded and replied: “Proud to serve.”
You will agree with me that the above is one of the best replies that one can use when people say “Happy Veterans day.” it never gets old.
When you give this reply, it sends the impression that you are humbled by the wishes and that you take pride in being able to serve the country.
I’d call it one of the straight-up classy responses you can keep in your head whenever someone thanks you for your services or wishes you Happy Veterans day.
“I appreciate you saying that, thank you.”
Let the well-wisher know that you do not take such gestures for granted. As much as you may not always like being thanked for your service, it is always rewarding to hear it from time to time.
Imagine how refreshing it is to see that someone appreciates the effort you made on this special occasion, especially when you are feeling your comrades are being taken for granted.
It means something and there is no harm in expressing your appreciation that they wish you a happy Veterans day.
“Thank you for your support.”
“Thank you for your support” has long been one of the popular responses that vets use when they are thanked for their service or wished happy veterans day.
You may often feel a bit awkward when someone thanks you for your service or appreciate you joining the military because you were doing your job (and you couldn’t complain about the pay)
But when people extend their wishes to you on this patriotic day, it is a sign of support and appreciation and one of the reasonable replies to answer with is to thank them for their support.
The response is short, simple, and straightforward. It doesn’t necessarily require you to talk about the difficult times you faced while in the military.
“Thanks for paying your taxes.”
You have probably seen this line somewhere else and it never gets archaic as a default reply for when people wish for a vest on veterans day in November or simply thank them for their service on any occasion.
The first time I heard this response was from an officer. I would have suspected that he was in an odd or goofy mood.
My intuition told me he have had a bear or two. But the response resonates with everything that your service stands for. After all, the taxes of the well-wishers is what made your service possible.
If I’m in an odd or goofy mood, or perhaps have had a beer or two, I might say, with a smile, “Thanks for paying your taxes.” I mean, their tax dollars made our service possible.
You can even try to add a handshake to this reply if possible.
“Please, don’t mention it”
Another way to respond when someone wishes you Happy Veterans day is to tell them to not mention it. It’s another way of saying you appreciate their sentiment but no thanks are necessary.
I hold a position in the office that exposes me to myriad compliments and adulation, so I have an idea of what it looks like to feel awkward when people thank you for your service, whether they are deserving or not.
I’ve heard military personnel use this response countless times, and it’s something you can add to your reply bank.
With a smile, an extended hand, and a sincere “please, don’t mention it,” you can firmly reply to a person’s happy Veterans Day wishes.
“It was an honor”
In the House of Cards movie, there was a scene where Francis Underwood went to the opening of a memorial in Washington, DC, and then it happened that an old gentleman approached one of my military personnel to thank him for his service.
Of course, we will give it to the scriptwriters of that scene who required the veteran to reply with a simple “It was an honor”
It’s a brilliant and succinct way to respond when people thank you for your service as a veteran, even if they use different words to express their gratitude.
Now, it may be more difficult to respond if the “happy veteran’s day” is coming from a random person, out of the blue, or in some unrelated context.
But whatever the case is, I see no scenario where the “it was an honor” response won’t be appropriate.
It is always good if you can accompany replies like this with a handshake.
“I was only doing my duty.”
All the responses we have looked at that you can give when someone says Happy veterans day are all acceptable, but if you’d prefer a more polite and modest response then I recommend you reply with “I was only doing my duty”
I like this reply because it goes over well with those who agree that more than thanks are required of their fellow citizens.
Sometimes, happy veteran text messages and wishes can remind you of less charming remarks from the public.
You don’t have to overshare anything when you are being thanked for your service.
“I appreciate your kind words.”
Alternatively, you can just reply by thanking the person for their kind words of support.
They wished you a happy Veterans Day because they appreciate your service to the country, and you can express your appreciation for that thoughtfulness instead of responding with a remark about being a veteran.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve.”
This is another way to express that you are humbled by the opportunity to serve. While appreciating their wishes, you are averring that it was your duty, so no thanks are necessary.
It is another way to say you appreciate the intent of the wish, but you were only doing your job.
In a scenario where you try to remember these replies, just know that you don’t always have to know them all verbatim.
The formula here is to first feel humbled by the recognition on the occasion of Veterans Day and then convey your appreciation to the well-wisher for remembering and honoring your service.
Alternatively, you can, in your own words, express that you are proud of your service and the sacrifices made by all veterans. That being said, you appreciate their wishes.
If words fail you totally at those moments, then a simple “Thank you” will suffice, even though it’s quite bland.
Conclusion
Being an incredible and patriotic day in November, Veterans Day is a period where people naturally express their gratitude, thanks, and appreciation for service members like you. So, even though you hear it often, the happy veteran day will always come in.
Of course, the best response to such wishes should be one that shows you appreciate the sentiment. (little wonder why I’ve heard many soldiers in exclusive functions say things along the lines of “I am glad to have had the opportunity,”)
But there are other ways to respond, and I hope these replies listed above have helped you capture the full range of feelings that you have at the moment when someone wishes you a happy Veterans Day.