13 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

It is not that people don't appreciate what they do, it is that outside the USA it is not as much acknowledged in public but people still appreciate it all the same. I've lived in Canada, USA and New Zealand, you are more likely to enjoy your anonymity in Canada or New Zealand compared to the USA, and some people just prefer it that way. 

 

New Zealand does have a certain, "get on with the job, you're not in it for the recognition" type of culture.

We often talk about tall-poppy syndrome as being a cornerstone of the NZ psyche. People who self-promote or are even seen to be self-promoting are often cut down (hence, tall poppy). The notional NZ heroes, usually All Blacks Rugby Captains, ANZAC soldiers and the like, are typically self-effacing and un-welcoming of attention and praise, at least outwardly!

Few people would stop emergency services or active duty military personnel in the street to thank them for their service, largely because there is a perception that these people would not want the attention.

That said, the annual ANZAC day dawn services draw thousands of people who want to pay respect to those who have served in the military. The one in Wellington is typically well attended by old and young alike, regardless of the weather. Its a strange feeling to silently walk the streets of your town in the pre-dawn calm, surrounded by thousands of people doing the same thing!

2 hours ago, markadeane said:

New Zealand does have a certain, "get on with the job, you're not in it for the recognition" type of culture.

We often talk about tall-poppy syndrome as being a cornerstone of the NZ psyche. People who self-promote or are even seen to be self-promoting are often cut down (hence, tall poppy). The notional NZ heroes, usually All Blacks Rugby Captains, ANZAC soldiers and the like, are typically self-effacing and un-welcoming of attention and praise, at least outwardly!

Few people would stop emergency services or active duty military personnel in the street to thank them for their service, largely because there is a perception that these people would not want the attention.

That said, the annual ANZAC day dawn services draw thousands of people who want to pay respect to those who have served in the military. The one in Wellington is typically well attended by old and young alike, regardless of the weather. Its a strange feeling to silently walk the streets of your town in the pre-dawn calm, surrounded by thousands of people doing the same thing!

I once had an ex marine who worked for one of my hotel clients who worked with me closely on our implementation.  I also found him very self effacing, same was true for a former highway patrol officer I worked with who taught me how to keep my hotel I later managed safe.  The marine was funny, a former sergeant, and out of respect I would sometimes call him sir, to which he would growl: "Do not call me sir, I WORK for a living".

  I was raised by a former Army sergeant who finished his career by working as a civilian for the US Government in its civilian and navy nuclear programs.  Although a strict father who believed in discipline, he was also a loving and dedicated father very apologetic for his trips away from home thru his career (I later followed in his footsteps as a road warrior).  My father was also humble about his service, which extended late in WWII into the Korean war, where he served as staff sergeant and combat photographer.  One of my favorite photos of his was one he took of Eisenhower and some Korean top brass.  He hated guns with a passion, always told me not to own one which I faithfully have all my life, although I used to handle small bb guns and pellet guns and have handled unloaded hunting guns during a trip to Canada once.

  I have found many US soldiers self effacing but have run into some arrogant ones too.  After Gulf 1 I was visiting Germany when some young officers bragged how they saved "Democracy" for us, forgetting us taxpayers foot the bill, not them.  Having a higher education than them, I just bit my tongue and let them brag and probably embarrass themselves further with the locals with their arrogant attitude.  In Mainz I had to help some enlisted Army understand why the train they were waiting for never came.  Speaking German I pointed out the train schedule with its note that the train did not run on Sundays, and I told them what trains to take instead.  They thanked me and told me they only received a crash course in German, but at least they were thankful and humble, and not arrogant.

A female army enlisted I met in Innsbruck on a later trip to Europe almost returned the favor, I had seriously sprained a knee while trying to stand on the train we were on together from Munich and she offered to take me to the base hospital for treatment, but I chose to walk off the pain which went away gradually over the course of the week.  All in all I say most of my chance meeting with military or law enforcement from many countries has been positive, I was always told to respect their sacrifice, also not to blow it out of proportion to the humility they try to maintain.  Any good soldier will tell you it is a team effort, whether officer or enlisted.

John

John

John, they also serve who only sit and wait.

War aside (I am both a Korean and Vietnam vet) I thoroughly enjoyed my service.  

What I liked about it was it was never boring.  And when I got tired of one job I could cross train into another.

I started out as an EOD tech in the Marines.  Aircraft armament specialist and later a special electronics tech in the Air Force.  A weather forecaster in the Colorado Air Guard (Army support).  You might say I served in three branches.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

Noel

3 minutes ago, birdguy said:

John, they also serve who only sit and wait.

War aside (I am both a Korean and Vietnam vet) I thoroughly enjoyed my service.  

What I liked about it was it was never boring.  And when I got tired of one job I could cross train into another.

I started out as an EOD tech in the Marines.  Aircraft armament specialist and later a special electronics tech in the Air Force.  A weather forecaster in the Colorado Air Guard (Army support).  You might say I served in three branches.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

Noel

My middle brother enlisted in the air force (during peacetime).  My oldest brother, the national guard where he served for twenty years as a transport sergeant.   My brother who was in the air force got discharged early because the air force could not position him in electronics like he wanted.  They gave him a discharge per his request, he then went to the division of forestry and became a firefighter, before finally entering hotel guest service, like I initially did early in my career.  He passed away all too early, at age 33 but due to his military service he was able to have a military funeral with a flag draped over his coffin.  He is buried now in Reno, Nevada.  As the only relative of his living in Nevada at that time (we both worked for competing casinos but I was an accounting supervisor, he a bartender), he was released to our family, otherwise we might have had challenges.  He worked at Fitzgeralds casino and the first Whoopie singing sing in Sister Act was filmed at his bar, the stage bar there.  I was there while the movie was being filmed but not while action was taking place.  Fitzgeralds is no longer a casino and the building in Reno, though still a hotel, goes by a different name.

When I married some three years after I lost my brother, I married in Reno like both my brothers did, I went back to that bar and talked to his former room mate and best friend on our wedding day, much to the joy of my new bride who wanted to learn about my family.  My family has a deep military background.  One uncle of mine was the driver for Gene Autry in WWII.  Another uncle, my Mom's brother, was with the 101st airborne, he was my favorite uncle, I was at his home the night his first child was born.

And of course I mentioned my father.  I was a member of the sons of VFW when I was a boy, I was so proud of my cap and my honoring of my father's service.  My three closest friends all went into the military, two went to Mainz Germany and another who I already mentioned served in the Air Force, finally being stationed at Luke.  He was the one who encouraged me to move to Phoenix and when my mother passed on and my wife and I went to Napa to oversee her burial wishes, he came to drive us to the place where she was buried, alongside my father then he drove us around the Valley and my wife and I were able to forget for a while what had happened and enjoy my former home.

Two of the most deeply moving experiences I have had related to the military was seeing the changing of the guard at Arlington, and visiting a WWII Allied burial site last year in italy near Monte Cassino.  Honorable mention was seeing the changing of the guard in London last year and the Swiss guards at the Vatican last year and in 1984.

John