Faking status for military discounts

When I was a young and naive sailor had never heard of a military perquisite. Then (just once) when I was travelling on leave in my dress blues (required during VN period) was in my seat in the back of the commercial airliner. A very comely stewardess appoached and asked if I'd like to sit in first class.

I was gobsmacked by her question. Said 'really'? Even got a free drink.
 
They didn't allow us the box with the built-in sharpener. Said it was too dangerous and we could hurt ourselves with it.

Same with a toaster. So they gave us C4 instead. This is a weird flavored dip though.
Here's the real test.....what was your favorite flavor?
 
“Dependapotamus" is military slang term for a dependent or spouse (usually jobless) who is perceived as lazy, usually overweight, entitled, and entirely reliant on their partner’s service benefits. The term blends "dependent" and "hippopotamus", often demanding they get treated accordingly to their spouses’ rank, goes along with “Do you know who my (insert spouse and an rank) is”?
Military jargon is loaded with portmanteaus and acronyms like that. Remember 'civdiv', figmo, 'short timer' or 'head shed'? How about a 72 or 96? Military argot is sometimes so strange that Reader's Digest had a regular feature of the magazine dedicated to military humor.
 
Oh wow. I haven't read about, when was that announced?

There's still asbestos and lead paint in barracks everywhere. Camp Lejuene and the Dept of Navy not too long ago announced families stationed there for 30 days between '53-87 can apply for a settlement payment.....but by this time the negative affects are have taken hold.
Man, did the Billboard Cowboys run with CLJ … 🤠
Heard an advertisement that went: “my grandfather was stationed at CLJ - what if one of us gets sick” …
 
I’m a veteran and never take advantage of discounts or VA benefits. I believe those less fortunate than myself that served our great country are more deserving.
I park in veteran's spots at the stores that offer them if they're available, not always. And I'll take advantage of advertised freebies like veteran's day lunches and such.

But I never ask for a veteran's discount.

USAF, 1994-2008
USAF ACADEMY, C/O 2000
 
I get it. I worked with a guy who was on disability but no longer is. His doctor offered him a handicap plaque for his car. A few people commented that he's not handicap. He knows but says "It's convenient to have".
The abuse of handicap spots is not limited to VA or military stuff.

Apparently being just fat or lazy is a handicap.
 
The abuse of handicap spots is not limited to VA or military stuff.

Apparently being just fat or lazy is a handicap.
Or just lazy. I know a medically retired Marine Captain, paralyzed on one side. Wears a brace on his leg to walk. Can't move the fingers on his left hand. He doesn't use a placard, doesn't use handicapped spaces. Doesn't ask for nor want any special help.
 
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Or just lazy. I know a medically retired Marine Captain, paralyzed on one side. Wears a brace on his leg to walk. Can't move the fingers on his left hand. He doesn't use a placard, doesn't use handicapped spaces. Doesn't ask for nor want any special help.
Because he knows what it means to need and to suffer, and to push through if at all capable. Kittens with a placard for easy parking thinking suffering is their EBT card not covering MichUltra.
 
I’m sure there are many people that do. I only use it when my mom is with me because she is a veteran so if she’s there then I use it. If not I don’t. She does get defensive if asked to show her ID though and starts going off on a rant about how “technically” they can’t ask for an ID or anything because of something about discrimination or something like that I don’t know but I’m always like mom just show the ID and quit making a scene. I hate when people do that “technically” stuff, that’s like one of my biggest pet peeves and most of the time isn’t true.
 
ChatGPT was posed with the following question:

"write a merit based military discount plan for home depot based on how hard each branch's operational service burden, with ten percent military discount being the highest discount"

This is ChatGPT's response:

"I’ll frame this as a practical corporate proposal using measurable operational burden rather than stereotypes, with 10% as the maximum benefit. The policy will recognize individual service hardship without ranking entire branches as inherently more deserving."

Example 1: Army veteran with extensive deployment history​


  • Army starting discount: 7%
  • More than 220 deployed days in one year: +3%
  • Calculated rate: 10%

Final discount: 10%


Example 2: Navy veteran with a lengthy sea deployment​


  • Navy starting discount: 6%
  • 180 days away from home port: +2%
  • Certified hazardous operational duty: +1%
  • Calculated rate: 9%

Final discount: 9%


Example 3: Air National Guard member mobilized for disaster response​


  • Air Force starting discount: 6%
  • 90 operational days: +1%
  • Qualifying involuntary activation: +1%
  • Calculated rate: 8%

Final discount: 8%


Example 4: Space Force member in continuous missile-warning operations​


  • Space Force starting discount: 5%
  • No qualifying deployment-time credit: 0%
  • Continuous 24-hour operational assignment: +1%
  • Calculated rate: 6%

Final discount: 6%


Example 5: Marine with combat and deployment service​


  • Marine Corps starting discount: 7%
  • 150 deployment days: +2%
  • Hostile-fire or imminent-danger qualification: +1%
  • Calculated rate: 10%

Final discount: 10%


7. Veterans, spouses, and surviving spouses​


For veterans, the discount would be based on the highest qualifying operational period during their entire military service rather than only recent service. Once verified, the veteran’s rate would remain permanent unless the veteran later submits documentation supporting a higher rate.


Current military spouses would receive the verified rate assigned to their sponsoring service member. A surviving Gold Star spouse would receive the sponsoring member’s verified rate or 10% when the necessary service details cannot reasonably be obtained.


This preserves independent Home Depot accounts for spouses, consistent with the present program.

Screenshot_26-7-2026_13465_chatgpt.com.webp
 
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