That's because "Support our troops" has never been about supporting the actual humans in the military--it's always been about supporting the wars those troops are fed into and the administrations that wage them.
To be generous, some of it might also come from memories of shitty treatment of returning soldiers in the Vietnam era. But for all of my adult life, it has just been a rebuttal to people expressing anti-war sentiment. The exact same way that "Back the Blue" is a rebuttal to people protesting police violence.
Most people in the military feel the same. Everyone I knew when I was in hated being thanked for their service. Most didn't join to serve their country, they joined for the benefits that come with it.
I have personally helped two veterans out of a downward spiral. One I helped from homelessness all the way to being the foreman to a crew of dedicated home remodelers (he made $60k+ per year). I bailed them out, multiple times, and paid their legal costs because our system of "justice" is abusive and designed to prey on the poor. I NEVER thank a service member for their service and I never do any symbolic theatre like the dipshit on the photo who I guarantee you has never done a thing to help a vet in his life. People that really want to help, just do it. People like that asshole just talk and pretend.
PS: After years of drug abuse, the vet I helped got clean and got his life together (the foreman), because life is a sadistic fucker, got diagnosed with chronic heart disease. It was because of his past drug abuse (meth). His heart slowly failed, so he had time to ponder and he knew it was coming. Please don't judge me too harshly but I've never been able to help anyone else like that since. That just sucked too much. Rest in peace Tyler. You deserved better.
Thanks for helping when you could. (Not that you need the thanks). A lot of time the people that need help don't get it because they don't know how to ask. I know veterans like to keep quiet about shit, so that must have been tough for you to get him on the right track.
His body might not have been able to recover for a longer life, but you helped him end his life on a more positive note. Addiction is rough and we all make dumb mistakes, but not everyone can get back on track. Any of his friends/family that talked to him after he got clean have more loving memories of him because of your help. That's a good thing, but I understand the toll it takes on you as the helper.
Jesus Christ I'm so tired of having to take these absolute morons seriously. In their tiny pea brain they think they're making a brilliant point here. "I are good guy, you am bad guy" Maybe democracy really is a mistake.
I don't think I've ever met a single person who has something against any military personnel for being military personnel. Just the war machine they're a part of. We ain't in post Vietnam anymore
Im not in the US but I've heard many people argue that joining the military (beyond mandatory service) makes you right wing. My country's military doesn't even leave the country.
I'm against how our troop are used and abused then largely dumped to fend for themselves. Usually with the approval of dipshits that put messages like that on the DUI king of trucks.