A very pleasant surprise

[rjfoxx]

I have a military split personality.  I am a Captain in the Delaware Wing and I am also a Chief Warrant 4 in the Maryland Defense Force (MDDF).  Today on my way home from a morning MDDF staff meeting (I was in ACU's) I stopped at the Cracker Barrel restaurant for lunch.  I was about halfway through my meal when the manager told me "There will be no bill today, the couple behind you is taking care of it."  A young couple; complete strangers, paid my bill as a "Thank You for your service".  Between active duty, reserve duty, defense force duty and CAP, I have almost 30 years service.  Nothing like this has ever happened before.  I was floored.  You never know when you will meet someone who really understands what service means.

[EMT-83]

I did that for an elderly couple earlier this year; one of those spur of the moment things. I had stopped in at a buffet hoping for a quick lunch on the way back to the office.

Holding up the line was an older gentleman giving the buffet a very thorough review before he would commit to staying for lunch. His wife was so embarrassed, commenting he spent 30 years as a Marine and didn't know good food anyway.

She was so cute; I just had to buy them lunch. For 20 bucks, it made my day, and theirs.

[RiverAux]

Although no one has bought him a meal, my Dad sometimes wears and Air Force ball cap and twice in the last few months has been thanked for his service and asked if he served in WWII.  As he is only 70 and sort of a Vietnam vet my Mom got some laughs out of that until I pointed out that it implied that it looked like she was married to a WWII vet (who you don't see much below the age of 90)....

[MajorPayne]

It is reassuring I'm sure to see in person that people have not forgotten what our men and women in our armed forces have done for us, especially seeing in how they don't ask for anything in return.

[RADIOMAN015]

I have a military split personality.  I am a Captain in the Delaware Wing and I am also a Chief Warrant 4 in the Maryland Defense Force (MDDF).  Today on my way home from a morning MDDF staff meeting (I was in ACU's) I stopped at the Cracker Barrel restaurant for lunch.  I was about halfway through my meal when the manager told me "There will be no bill today, the couple behind you is taking care of it."  A young couple; complete strangers, paid my bill as a "Thank You for your service".  Between active duty, reserve duty, defense force duty and CAP, I have almost 30 years service.  Nothing like this has ever happened before.  I was floored.  You never know when you will meet someone who really understands what service means.

Hmm, well it kind of looks like the MDF actually does something in support of the state, so I'll give you a pass on this one.   Frankly, my guess is they were confused with what your real military status was and thought you were an active duty type.

What I'd suggest is taking that money you saved on that meal and perhaps donating it to a veterans support organization such as the "Wounded Warrior Project"
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/   
RM

[RiverAux]

Hmm, well it kind of looks like the MDF actually does something in support of the state, so I'll give you a pass on this one.   Frankly, my guess is they were confused with what your real military status was and thought you were an active duty type.

His real military status was that he was returning from military duty at the time.  Nothing to be confused about.

[afgeo4]

I'm afraid RiverAux is correct. He may be SDF, but that's still Real Military. It may be State military, not Federal, but so is most of the National Guard (Army and Air.) They can still be ordered into harms way and they are still under contract and by law cannot refuse such orders.

[Smokey]

Once again RM has to throw a dig in about military status......

Geez RM, just give it a break.  We know you loathe anyone who is not active military. You've made that quite clear.

Move on please, these aren't the droids you are looking for.

[zonaman]

Once again RM has to throw a dig in about military status......

Geez RM, just give it a break.  We know you loathe anyone who is not active military. You've made that quite clear.

Move on please, these aren't the droids you are looking for.

+1

[RADIOMAN015]

Once again RM has to throw a dig in about military status......

Geez RM, just give it a break.  We know you loathe anyone who is not active military. You've made that quite clear.

Move on please, these aren't the droids you are looking for.

Quite the contrary on active duty status only --- but Civil Air Patrol members are just that, CAP members.  State Defense Force Members, are just that, SDF members.   There IS a VAST difference between a REAL MILITARY member (and I include the real National Guard & Reserves, as well as active military service personnel) than there is with a voluntary outfit you can decide IF or WHEN you will participate or quit at will . Real military also go overseas and fight wars, get wounded, or killed, etc  -- they just can't quit or not show up. 

BTW IF any commercial establishments wants to specifically ID and give CAP or SDF members a discount etc, that's fine with me, that's their "informed" decision. 

The issue is the confusion that wearing military "look alike" uniforms has on the general public and the "mistaken" appreciation that is given to the individuals due to the public's perception as to who the member is 

It is what it is, and if folks lack the integrity to NOT accept this (or again depending upon the circumstances, just donate the difference to a good veteran cause), than that's the way it is.  I won't be able to change that, BUT I have no intention on quietly standing by either
RM     

[RiverAux]

State Defense Force Members, are just that, SDF members.   There IS a VAST difference between a REAL MILITARY member (and I include the real National Guard & Reserves, as well as active military service personnel) than there is with a voluntary outfit you can decide IF or WHEN you will participate or quit at will . Real military also go overseas and fight wars, get wounded, or killed, etc  -- they just can't quit or not show up. 

SDF members are real military members.  That is a plain fact under state and federal law.  They can go to jail for not following orders or not showing up.  They are in the same exact legal status as the National Guard is when it is not on federal activation (which is most of the time).

If you want to rag on CAP, thats fine and I usually ignore such rantings, but I draw the line at slamming actual soldiers.

[RADIOMAN015]

State Defense Force Members, are just that, SDF members.   There IS a VAST difference between a REAL MILITARY member (and I include the real National Guard & Reserves, as well as active military service personnel) than there is with a voluntary outfit you can decide IF or WHEN you will participate or quit at will . Real military also go overseas and fight wars, get wounded, or killed, etc  -- they just can't quit or not show up. 

SDF members are real military members.  That is a plain fact under state and federal law.  They can go to jail for not following orders or not showing up.  They are in the same exact legal status as the National Guard is when it is not on federal activation (which is most of the time).

If you want to rag on CAP, thats fine and I usually ignore such rantings, but I draw the line at slamming actual soldiers.

The MD SDF website has nothing punitive on it, the worst thing they can do is throw you out.  the MA SDF website doesn't say anything.  IF you aren't getting paid, getting other benefits, or got specific training that cost the state money that required you sign a binding contract, it's highly unlikely that anyone is going to go to jail for not showing up, they are just going to drop you from the rolls, and maybe bill you for the training.  States have enough issues with crowded jails/prisons, without putting in jail military "wanna bees" that decide they don't wanna bee :angel:   

I would think that just about all of these SDF's are similar to CAP units.  So my comments still apply.  Likely the uniform differentiation would only be known to those within the National Guard in that state -- the general public would have no knowledge.
RM   
 

[zonaman]

Between active duty, reserve duty, defense force duty and CAP, I have almost 30 years service.  Nothing like this has ever happened before.

. . . not sure what the confusion is here. Maybe RM did not read the post down this far.

IMHO, rjfoxx deserved that and much more. Clearly rjfoxx was not out "fishing" for salutes, hand shakes, or free food. There was no pretending here regardless of what uniform was on. I am proud to wear my CAP and National Guard uniforms. I have never expected any thing free while wearing any uniform. I can tell you that I received a free cup of coffee at my nearby Circle K while in my ACU's traveling to drill. He said thank you so much for what you do, It was honoring to me, but I do not feel as thou I deserve anything. I told the man he did not have to do that, but he insisted. I thanked him and was on my way.

With all the service rjfoxx has done volunteer or not, if somebody wants to thank him, that's great.

[NC Hokie]

I'm probably going to regret this in the morning...

Quite the contrary on active duty status only --- but Civil Air Patrol members are just that, CAP members.  State Defense Force Members, are just that, SDF members.   There IS a VAST difference between a REAL MILITARY member (and I include the real National Guard & Reserves, as well as active military service personnel) than there is with a voluntary outfit you can decide IF or WHEN you will participate or quit at will.

Ask the 17 survivors of this crash if they care about the difference between CAP and the REAL MILITARY:
http://www.capvolunteernow.com/news.cfm/wva_members_honored_for_role_in_rescuing_17_from_crashed_navy_chopper?show=news&newsID=7018

Ask the residents of eastern North Carolina if they care about the difference between the CAP cadets and National Guard personnel that worked together to distribute relief supplies in the wake of Hurricane Irene last summer.

Sometimes the difference just doesn't matter...

[zonaman]

Ask the 17 survivors of this crash if they care about the difference between CAP and the REAL MILITARY:
http://www.capvolunteernow.com/news.cfm/wva_members_honored_for_role_in_rescuing_17_from_crashed_navy_chopper?show=news&newsID=7018

Ask the residents of eastern North Carolina if they care about the difference between the CAP cadets and National Guard personnel that worked together to distribute relief supplies in the wake of Hurricane Irene last summer.

Sometimes the difference just doesn't matter...

:clap: + 1

[Private Investigator]

Between active duty, reserve duty, defense force duty and CAP, I have almost 30 years service. 

I got about 75 years then since I guess I am triple dipping.

[RiverAux]

The MD SDF website has nothing punitive on it, the worst thing they can do is throw you out.  the MA SDF website doesn't say anything.  IF you aren't getting paid, getting other benefits, or got specific training that cost the state money that required you sign a binding contract, it's highly unlikely that anyone is going to go to jail for not showing up, they are just going to drop you from the rolls, and maybe bill you for the training.  States have enough issues with crowded jails/prisons, without putting in jail military "wanna bees" that decide they don't wanna bee :angel:   

Doesn't matter what is on their web site.  What matters is in their state's version of UCMJ.  How that is applied is irrelevant.  Not all those in the federal military get sent to Leavenworth for doing something wrong either. 

[SARDOC]

Not all those in the federal military get sent to Leavenworth for doing something wrong either.

I've seen a few lately that just received administrative discharges after being declared deserters.

[Smokey]

RM.....maybe the young couple who paid the bill knew rjfoxx was SDF and that is why they paid the bill for his service.  And just maybe when this has occurred to CAP members they were being thanked for thier "service" as CAP.  But I'm sure that would offend you because after all, CAP service , just doesn't measure up to your standards as being real.

[GroundHawg]

I never understood why everyone was so harsh towards RM.

I get it now.

It is well deserved in this case I might add.