The owners of the veterinarian practice across the street from the Harley dealer are obviously more patriotic: They kept their "Thank You Veterans" sign up all the way to Thanksgiving.

Beginning on Veterans Day and running through Thanksgiving Day there have been stories on the news and during football games about the poor U.S. soldiers we should thank in Afghanistan and the Middle East who won't be home to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families.

Some churches had on Thanksgiving Day, or had the night before, special services in which the congregations were reminded from the pulpit to not forget to thank both veterans and the troops.

Thank them for what?

It is generally never said. Sometimes we are told that we should thank veterans and the troops for "their service." Other times we are told that we should thank veterans and the troops for "defending our freedoms." On other occasions we are told that we should thank veterans and the troops for fighting "over there" so we didn't/don't have to fight "over here." And still other times we are told that we should thank veterans and the troops for "keeping us safe."

But above all we are just bombarded with "Thank You Veterans" or "Thank You Soldiers."