The best Veterans Day memes

Veterans Day is usually packed with BBQs, going out for a drink, or getting together with your buddies.

But along with beer and BBQ, a more informal staple of the holiday are the Veterans Day memes. 

Veterans Day is based on Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I, which ended officially on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Along with Veterans Day in the US, November 11 is celebrated by Australia, Canada, and Great Britain, though the ways they celebrate and the meanings behind the day are slightly different. 

Veterans Day memes are generally universal, though the ones circulating American military veteran circles are the best, in my not-so-humble opinion. We’ve scoured the web to bring you some of the best Veterans Day memes available. Remember, thank you for your service, and enjoy the memes. 

That awkward moment when someone says Happy Veterans Day, but you didn’t see combat and feel like a sham even responding. 

This lovely Veterans Day meme was pulled directly from Reddit’s r/Meme channel. The user was deleted at some point, but we appreciate the quality of this one, so whoever you are, thank you for your service. 

Anyone who served should be proud, regardless of whether you saw combat or not.

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To the veterans who get it

One of my favorite Veterans Day memories is from last year. My brother and I went to a restaurant called The Goat in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. They serve some excellent food and aren’t too busy during the week. So, we went there for lunch just to cheers the holiday. The waitress asked us if we were veterans, and we jokingly said, “Please don’t profile me. I’m offended.” 

She got us back saying something along the lines of ‘Too bad you aren’t. We are giving free meals to veterans today.’ Luckily, she had a good sense of humor, and we all laughed. Not expecting it, she still gave us free food. They don’t advertise this sale for obvious reasons, and whether they will do it again this year is unclear, so don’t beat down their door.

Them thirsty vet bois seeking out that primo discount

Yeah, I’m calling you out. Serving your country will get you stuff like life experience and the GI Bill. But no, the contract you have with Uncle Sam does not include a guaranteed veterans discount. When you walk around in your basic training PT gear asking for veterans discounts on Veterans Day, that’s cringy as hell and gives us all a bad name. Just stop it. 

Yes, you can piss off veterans if you confuse Veterans Day and Memorial Day

This happens all the time. Someone makes a heartfelt post on Facebook, and pretty soon, they have an army of internet trolls chasing them down, calling them names, and ridiculing them for mistaking Veterans Day for Memorial Day.

Though your heart is in the right place, please do your homework and make sure you aren’t posting a Memorial Day post when this is a day dedicated to celebrating all veterans, not just those that we’ve lost. For all you veterans out there, avoid the dramatic arguing in the comments section.

Please, just don’t do this

It’s Veterans Day, not ‘I almost joined’ day. So, when you are thanking a veteran on their holiday, don’t start by explaining how or why you couldn’t or didn’t want to join. Most veterans have likely lost count of the number of times they’ve heard this ‘explanation.’ 

Hurry up and cry

Veterans Day is filled with messages from friends, family, and your military buddies reaching out with well wishes. Maybe you throw a get-together and get blasted while rocking out to 80s rock music, playing lawn darts, and talking about the good ‘ol days. Either way, many veterans are eager to get out of the military, but after a couple of years of being out, they realize what they don’t have anymore. 

Look at me, I’m a veteran

Most people can pick out a veteran, whether it’s the Oakleys, combat boots, clean-cropped haircut, or just how you carry yourself. Some people take it as a compliment when they aren’t immediately dimed out as a veteran. 

It’s Veterans Day! Enjoy yourself, but don’t make a fool of yourself or the rest of the veteran community. Don’t do something that would lead to a safety briefing, either. 

Your guardian angel is tired; don’t stress them more because it’s Veterans Day.

Veterans Day isn’t an excuse to get black out drunk and fight a bunch of cops, so don’t do that. But, it’s OK to tell stories about when you were still in and what you all did.

Veterans don’t always like to be treated like celebrities

Some veterans want to be left alone, whether it’s Veterans Day or any other military or veteran-focused holidays. If someone asks to be left alone on Veterans Day to have their coffee and read the paper in peace, oblige them.

But don’t be afraid to get a pulse check. Anyone closing themselves off to the public can be a sign of a troubled mind — that doesn’t mean someone is suicidal just because they don’t want to get blasted drunk at the bar, though. 

You made it. Get out there and enjoy your day.

You are a veteran whether you didn’t serve your entire term, served for 25 years, or knocked out a four-year contract. Don’t sell yourself up, don’t dick yourself down. Go out there and enjoy the federal holiday dedicated to you. When MeMa invites you to join her for lunch after seeing an ad about the local Applebees Veterans Day discount, don’t say no! 

Get out there and mingle in the madness that most chain restaurants attract on Veterans Day. Don’t forget that you served your country and sacrificed a lot, whether it was a limb, your mental sanity, or something in between. You deserve a day off. Make some good food, enjoy time with your family and friends, and drink responsibly. Safety brief complete! 

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