Irish - your PM above clears up that you are NOT affiliated with the company, and were just posting FYI info on something coming up.
I don't get particularly out of sorts that a company is offering discounts to certain groups of folks. I know many individuals that have served our great nation (as you note above), but don't happen to readily fall into any of the categories that many companies (not just this one) extend discounts to.
I have many friends and relatives who are current and former sworn officers. Many friends and relatives have served in the armed forces, and have been in harms way. I am glad to see companies like this making offers that they can avail themselves of.
However, I do want to point out to all such companies that there are many other folks that do not fall into these defined categories, and have definitely been in harms way, in the service of this country.
- A civilian agency employee that has been shot at and had rocks thrown at her, while in the performance of her duties, overseas.
- A company employee working in support of a government contract, who likewise found himself staring down the barrel of a rifle.
- Two colleagues, who gave up much of their personal lives post-911, one as an employee of a civilian domestic agency, the other as a contractor to another agency.
- And the list goes on of regular folks that have made significant sacrifices in the service of this nation.
This is not to denigrate many of the fine folks who have served in a uniformed capacity. Many of these folks go above and beyond, and its nice to give them some recognition.
On the other hand, maybe some companies could consider if and how they could extend any such offering to other folks who have gone above and beyond, have very much been in harms way, but just don't fit into those tried and true categories of "badges and helmets." Not just government (which could BTW include DHS, State Dep't, CIA, NSA, not just DOD) ... How about civilian contractors that end up doing a lot of the drudge work? (OK, I do recognize the problem that a
individual might get in a heck of a lot of hot water by disclosing the
company's gov't contract, work order or even general nature of work. Not sure how to resolve that...).
As a side note, I'll note a friend who does fall into the stated category (armed forces), who has never been in harms way, spent his entire tour in an aircondition room drinking soda pop (his words, not mine). He is a government employee, and he actually cringes over the 50+ point hiring benefit he gets just by checking off a box on government job applications (putting him ahead of other folks who may not have served). We talked about these purchasing benefits that selected groups get, and yes he did avail himself of the armed forces discount on some purchases, but he really sounded conflicted about it. He just mailed in for a $30 rebate from S&W on a revolver for example, just for being retired military. Interesting discussions with him.
So, I kind of can see where Willie might be coming from. But the the company being discussed here has a discount program offer that - as described - may already be broader than similar programs offered by other companies.
I would be nice to extend such discount programs to other deserving individuals and groups, but I'm not sure how to do that easily.
How about a random one-day-a-year discount for everyone who does NOT fit into the tried and true categories. Kind of a reverse program
