What Are We, Chopped Liver?

It's such a shame that chopped liver has such a bad rap. I bet whoever invented the dish thought it was lovely.

Anyway, those of you who know me know that I have a very hard time with the "military" life. I hate rules, regulations and someone telling me or my Mr. Navy that he has to be at a certain place at a certain time wearing a certain outfit. I hate acronyms (why can't they just say the whole term???) and the fact that no one on this base knows how to drive.

But however I feel about the institution of the Navy, I have to ask--what's with the lack of military discounts?

Before I got involved with the military, I never knew that having a military discount was pretty standard in some places. Once I figured it out, it's something that I found reassuring and very necessary--these men and women let themselves be "owned" for years, while their significant others go along for the ride all for the freedoms that make our country wonderful. I think a 10% or 20% discount is just common courtesy. But I have found that the farther you travel outside of a base area, the fewer and far between the military discounts become. Maybe some people think that military doesn't deserve a discount--that they should pay full price, like everyone else. All I'm saying is that if a place, like a movie theatre, is willing to offer a student discount AND a senior discount, why not a military discount?

I'm assuming students get their discount because people figure they are broke, and furthering their education is such a daunting but incredible task that they deserve $2 off their movie ticket. Ok, sure, school is rough and I'll applaud those who study to make more money some day and hopefully are able to then pay full price. I'm assuming seniors get a discount as a reward for..still being alive? No joke, making it unscathed until your 60s is incredible, and you should be given that discount, regardless of the number of mistakes you've made or the wrongs you've done throughout those years. But military members give themselves, their time and their freedoms up for the freedoms of all of those other people standing on line at the movie theatre and selling them tickets at full price.

If students and seniors get rewarded for their contributions to society, shouldn't military members? They should know by now that even if they knock off the $2 for Mr. Navy's movie ticket, he'll give it back to them triple time at the snack bar.