Asking for a Mil discount

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Asking for a Mil discount

Posted: 7/18/2014 12:57:12 PM EDT

Had a guy come in today. Asked about a mil discount. I informed him that we provide a MIL/LEO/First Responder Discount to active duty only.

He then proceeds to pull out his ID out and spouts off about 20 years in, fighting in the jungles of Vietnam and it's bullshit that he can't get a discount even though he got a Bronze Star... etc.

This seems to be happening more and more often lately. Anyone else running into this?

Posted: 7/18/2014 1:04:36 PM EDT

[#1]

Your business, your rules.

I don't expect anyone to offer a mil discount.

Posted: 7/18/2014 1:16:30 PM EDT

[#2]

The world is full of people who feel entitled.

Posted: 7/18/2014 2:24:44 PM EDT

[#3]

No I haven't seen that

What I have seen is a lot of homeless "vets"

I "" vets because some are really hard to believe they were vet. Now they could easily be one but theres been many scams on claim what they arent

Posted: 7/18/2014 2:27:39 PM EDT

[#4]

I always refuse the discount if offered, and I never ask.

Posted: 7/18/2014 5:24:21 PM EDT

[#5]

local zoo here gave discount for me and family showing my retired id.

Posted: 7/18/2014 5:59:16 PM EDT

[#6]

it seems a lot more people are asking to try and get handed stuff lately. I very rarely ask about a .mil discount more often than not I am informed by the individual who is providing the service that there is a discount.

Posted: 7/18/2014 6:16:46 PM EDT

[#7]

I hate asking for a mil discount, however, my wife gets pissed if I dont ask for it on .10 cent nut at lowes.

It really just depends what im buying and who I am buying it from. If it is a large chain store and I know they offer it, I will ask for it, especially on larger purchases.

If it is a local or mom and pop type shop, I wont even bother

ETA: your biz your rules, If I were to open a shop and were to offer a mil discount I would offer it to retirees and currently active personnell. If you did you 4 years or so and got out you would be SOL. No current ID no discount

Posted: 7/19/2014 5:40:37 AM EDT

[#8]

If it is offered or advertised I may or may not take advantage and say thank you.

If it isn't I wouldn't ask about it unless it is a big purchase item and it would be something commonly related to the field i.e. guns, knives, etc.

Posted: 7/19/2014 5:52:23 AM EDT

[#9]

Asking about a discount is fine. Arguing with you about it is pretty lame.

Posted: 7/19/2014 6:28:38 PM EDT

[#10]

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Asking about a discount is fine. Arguing with you about it is pretty lame.

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This.

Posted: 7/19/2014 6:45:56 PM EDT

[#11]

I never ask. If the vendor asks if I'm in the military I respond truthfully and respond gratefully.

However I rarely hand out with other .mil types when I'm on liberty since the sense of entitlement that a great many show sickens me.

A few years ago I was stationed in Detroit and our exchange was a popular spot for the locals to purchase smokes and alcohol for resale outside the gates. One of these dirtbags pulled up to the gate smoking a joint and proceeded to go nuts when I wouldn't allow him on base. According to this dude I was a worthless veteran hating SOB and I should be grateful for all he did.

Finally he parked outside the gate and left his weed in the POS rust bucket he was driving and a few minutes later came strolling out with two carts of cigarets and booze. But I was still the asshole.

Posted: 7/20/2014 5:22:11 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
I never ask. If the vendor asks if I'm in the military I respond truthfully and respond gratefully.

However I rarely hand out with other .mil types when I'm on liberty since the sense of entitlement that a great many show sickens me.

A few years ago I was stationed in Detroit and our exchange was a popular spot for the locals to purchase smokes and alcohol for resale outside the gates. One of these dirtbags pulled up to the gate smoking a joint and proceeded to go nuts when I wouldn't allow him on base. According to this dude I was a worthless veteran hating SOB and I should be grateful for all he did.

Finally he parked outside the gate and left his weed in the POS rust bucket he was driving and a few minutes later came strolling out with two carts of cigarets and booze. But I was still the asshole.

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Off topic but something about your story makes no sense.

So you had authority to keep him from entering base but did not have the authority to detain/arrest/apprehend him for simple use? You didn't feel the need to call someone on base who did?

Posted: 7/20/2014 6:28:47 AM EDT

[#13]

Medicinal marijuana is legal in Michigan. He had his card for the state, but you still can't bring it on Federal property.

The DPD can't do anything since he was complying with MI law and they don't have jurisdiction on base. The Coast Guard can authorize very limited LE powers on base, but that wasn't the case in Detroit and furthermore and no federal prosecutor would touch a personal use weed case. They have better things to do.

Even when we caught merchant mariners with cocaine and tried to get someone to help, CBP just laughed since they don't have time to mess with personal use stuff. Most of the time they just tossed what was found. Granted the guy lost his license, but that's much easier for is to revoke.

I have a good bit of authority on the water, but very little on land.

Posted: 7/20/2014 6:35:32 AM EDT

[#14]

I'll ask at the big box stores I j ow have it, but even there I still ask. My wife is active duty also and she always just says "I am active duty" to the cashiers at home depot. It differs from person to person. When I do a big purchase I always ask, but would never complain if someone says no.

Posted: 7/20/2014 10:32:05 AM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
Medicinal marijuana is legal in Michigan. He had his card for the state, but you still can't bring it on Federal property.

The DPD can't do anything since he was complying with MI law and they don't have jurisdiction on base. The Coast Guard can authorize very limited LE powers on base, but that wasn't the case in Detroit and furthermore and no federal prosecutor would touch a personal use weed case. They have better things to do.

Even when we caught merchant mariners with cocaine and tried to get someone to help, CBP just laughed since they don't have time to mess with personal use stuff. Most of the time they just tossed what was found. Granted the guy lost his license, but that's much easier for is to revoke.

I have a good bit of authority on the water, but very little on land.

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Got it. I've never been stationed someplace where it was legal to have/smoke in public under any circumstances, so that didn't occur to me.

DPD not caring makes sense, too; they probably have bigger fish to fry.

Posted: 7/21/2014 12:25:17 PM EDT

[#16]

I dont mind taking the mil discount from big box stores. I spend so much money at Lowes(we do a lot of remodelling etc) that its fair enough. I would never ask at a gunshop or other small business..the margin is just too low to beat people down like that.

Posted: 7/22/2014 5:14:39 PM EDT

[#17]

I'm an FFL/SOT and I get this fairly regularly. The only guys who ask for it are guys who I've never met/talked to before or guys that have had no interest in building any kind of friendly relationship. The active or recently active .mil guys that like to come in and hang out and sorta be friends have never asked. I thought it was an interesting trend.

We offer a 5% discount to active duty. I've had a few difficult occasions where a vietnam vet will go a little nuts when I tell him it's for active duty only.

We're not a big dog dealer, so we don't get the best prices on stuff and our margins are quite low. The standard goal for any local retail business is a 40% margin or better on inventory. In the gun industry, 10 to 15% margins is typical. On ultra common items like Glocks, it's closer to 10% so that 5% discount is a lot to us. I've had quite a few scoff at the 5% and I even once had a coast guard guy huff and say "Don't even bother".

Posted: 7/25/2014 6:56:46 AM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:

This.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
Asking about a discount is fine. Arguing with you about it is pretty lame.

This.

Agreed.

I have this: Virginia Veterans ID Card

I got it because two ranges in my area happily offer a huge discounts to military (active/retired/reserve/veteran), police, Fire/EMS & first responders for yearly range memberships. I would feel like an ass taking my DD 214 in, but since I shoot every Friday, it was going to save me a crapload every year, so I got this card. It was $10 and the card doesn't expire.

When I see "military discount" I won't ask; I assume it's for active/reserve. If it says "military discount" and mentions active, retired, reserve AND veteran - all four - I know they are specifically trying to honor us and I don't feel bad about asking. But that's only happened at the gun range so far.

I used my GI Bill to get ahead in life, so I'm not going to seek out 5 or 10% off something, but I certainly won't begrudge a fellow veteran - to whom that 5-10% might mean a lot - from doing so. Not really my place to judge.

Posted: 7/26/2014 3:39:37 AM EDT

[#19]

I don't ask. I use my CAC for ID day to day; my state license is from the early 90's and doesn't expire until 90 days after discharge. It's easier to use my CAC than to explain that to every cashier I encounter. ("What's the expiration date?" "It doesn't have one.")

If the business offers a discount based on seeing that card, fine. I never turn them down, because I think that's rude. They're trying to show their appreciation for those of us in uniform, telling them "no, I won't allow you to honor me" is pretty ingracious.

I see the "I DEMAND a discount" guys in the same light as those who demand respect; those shouting the loudest for it are usually the least deserving of it.

Posted: 7/27/2014 6:46:13 AM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
Asking about a discount is fine. Arguing with you about it is pretty lame.

View Quote

+1. Mind the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.

Heck, I would even be willing to negotiate with the store manager on a big purchase, without evening mentioning military status. (Currently in reserves)

Never been so cheap or low class to argue over a discount though. It's either there or it's not.

On the other hand, my fire department has a strict policy on forbidding anyone from asking for a firefighter's discount. One bread store in town offered that years ago and a few guys took advantage of it. One guy stopped in to get his discounted bread and they had stopped the discount. He got bent out of shape and used his position as a fire safety inspector to bring all kinds of misery to the store. He was dealt with appropriately, and everyone has known ever since: Don't even ask, you are a public servant.

Posted: 7/27/2014 6:48:41 AM EDT

[#21]

I've been out for almost 30 years and I've NEVER asked for some "Military discount." Get the fuck on with your lives people and quit expecting everyone else to include ex military members to kiss your ass.

Posted: 7/27/2014 6:49:12 AM EDT

[#22]

I use it at Home Depot and Lowes.

10% off of an appliance is significant.

Posted: 7/27/2014 7:00:56 AM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:

I use it at Home Depot and Lowes.

10% off of an appliance is significant.

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A company with written policy is one thing, demanding it from a business, something else entirely.

Posted: 7/27/2014 7:14:47 AM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:

A company with written policy is one thing, demanding it from a business, something else entirely.

View Quote View All Quotes

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Quoted:

Quoted:

I use it at Home Depot and Lowes.

10% off of an appliance is significant.

A company with written policy is one thing, demanding it from a business, something else entirely.

Yup.

Posted: 7/27/2014 7:22:38 AM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
I've been out for almost 30 years and I've NEVER asked for some "Military discount." Get the fuck on with your lives people and quit expecting everyone else to include ex military members to kiss your ass.

View Quote

^this^

I have been out 35 years and retired from law enforcement for over 10.

My wife has been out for less time (reserves) and retired from law enforcement a little less time, but she gets every damn discount under the sun.

I do not bother

Posted: 7/29/2014 10:32:37 AM EDT

[#26]

I saw an older fellow get all kinds of pissed off and start shouting about being a 100% disabled vet when told there was no discount. Funny thing was, he looked 100% fine, as in no walker, cane, wheelchair, nothing. I do not ask if a store offers a discount because I hate attention whoring. I will flash my ID in Lowes and Home Depot because I know they offer a discount.

Posted: 7/31/2014 10:05:29 PM EDT

[#27]

Shit like this is why I don't ask for a military discount.

But I use the hell outa the Veteran Parking spots in front of Home Depot!
I'm a simple guy

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Asking for a Mil discount

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