Far too often, people assume a level of familiarity with former military that not only breeches proper office conduct but also invades one’s “personal space,” says Kules, who today is Alumni Director for the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization dedicated to helping severely injured veterans transition back into civilian life.
What are eight things you should never say to a veteran?
1. “Thank you for your service, but I don’t think we should have been there in the first place.”
Everyone has an opinion about the war but not everyone wants to hear it, says Kules, who explains that people often use him as a sounding board for their take on the war.
“People should recognize their opinion is a personal view and not necessarily an appropriate thing to share with someone who has obviously physical injuries from a conflict,” says Kules. This is especially true in the workplace.