What about the "other" veterans? Miscellaneous Discuss What about the "other" veterans? in the News & Rumors forums; This is something that has really been bothering me for a long time in regards to perks and specials for military members. It seems to me, and I've never been ...

[EC1982]

This is something that has really been bothering me for a long time in regards to perks and specials for military members. It seems to me, and I've never been able to understand it, that regular military veterans get left out of virtually every discount that's offered. There are specials and discounts for active duty military, activated guardsmen, military retirees (20 and 30 year), and veterans with 100% service connected disabilities.

My question here is this: what about all of us men and women who have served, whether it be 2 years or 10 years (my own military service lasted 6 years), and chose to get out at the end of our active service obligation with an honorable discharge?

We are veterans, our service no different than any one of the above mentioned groups, yet we seem to be routinely passed over when any discounts or specials are published. We are shut out of Shades of Green except during very specific promotions, and Disney does not include us in any of their promotions. The most specific example I can give is the most recent military special granting military members severely discounted rates on park passes.

If anyone has any information on our exclusion I would be very interested to hear it!

Okay, rant over, back to your regularly scheduled programming...

[Tim]

Originally Posted by EC1982

This is something that has really been bothering me for a long time in regards to perks and specials for military members. It seems to me, and I've never been able to understand it, that regular military veterans get left out of virtually every discount that's offered. There are specials and discounts for active duty military, activated guardsmen, military retirees (20 and 30 year), and veterans with 100% service connected disabilities.

My question here is this: what about all of us men and women who have served, whether it be 2 years or 10 years (my own military service lasted 6 years), and chose to get out at the end of our active service obligation with an honorable discharge?

We are veterans, our service no different than any one of the above mentioned groups, yet we seem to be routinely passed over when any discounts or specials are published. We are shut out of Shades of Green except during very specific promotions, and Disney does not include us in any of their promotions. The most specific example I can give is the most recent military special granting military members severely discounted rates on park passes.

If anyone has any information on our exclusion I would be very interested to hear it!

Okay, rant over, back to your regularly scheduled programming...

If that's the case, it's not fair. A military discount should apply to all veterans.

[EC1982]

As far as I've been able to find out it most certainly is true. The following is the eligibility statement for the 5-day pass offered to military:

"Active and Retired U.S. Military, also includes members of the U.S. Coast Guard and activated members of the National Guard or Reservists"

As far as Shades of Green is concerned, I am aware that it is owned and run by MWR and not by Disney, but I figured I'd throw their policy in as well:

"Service Members on Active Duty, Reserve Components (Ready Reserve and National Guard; Reservists in Training) Cadets of Service Academies. Armed Forces Retirees (and their families) who retired from active duty or retired from the Reserves with pay, and retired without pay (gray area). Honorably Discharged Veterans with 100% service-connected disability (and their families) and involuntarily separated service members under the Transition Assistance Management Program. Personnel separated under the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI) and Special Separation Benefit (SSB) programs for two years after separation."

I've made phone calls and done a lot of looking around and the answer is the same every time. "Regular" veterans are not included in any deals or discounts offered by Disney. I really fail to understand why we are excluded from these discounts, and I have not been given a satisfactory reason for this exclusion.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by EC1982

As far as I've been able to find out it most certainly is true. The following is the eligibility statement for the 5-day pass offered to military:

"Active and Retired U.S. Military, also includes members of the U.S. Coast Guard and activated members of the National Guard or Reservists"

As far as Shades of Green is concerned, I am aware that it is owned and run by MWR and not by Disney, but I figured I'd throw their policy in as well:

"Service Members on Active Duty, Reserve Components (Ready Reserve and National Guard; Reservists in Training) Cadets of Service Academies. Armed Forces Retirees (and their families) who retired from active duty or retired from the Reserves with pay, and retired without pay (gray area). Honorably Discharged Veterans with 100% service-connected disability (and their families) and involuntarily separated service members under the Transition Assistance Management Program. Personnel separated under the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI) and Special Separation Benefit (SSB) programs for two years after separation."

I've made phone calls and done a lot of looking around and the answer is the same every time. "Regular" veterans are not included in any deals or discounts offered by Disney. I really fail to understand why we are excluded from these discounts, and I have not been given a satisfactory reason for this exclusion.

That ****s, plain and simple.