Lowes says I'm not a veteran anymore

[paulrussell]

A while back I was wearing my old army field jacket when shopping at Lowes. Cashier asked if I was a veteran and I showed her my driver's licence (in Michigan we have vet status on licence) and got the 10% Veteran's discount. I was told at the time it applied to ALL veterans.

Today I was informed that the Veteran's Discount does no apply to veterans -- it is only for SOME veterans. Active duty, 20+ year retired, and disabled.

So I'm now out of luck. Yeah, I'm retired. Yeah, I'm disabled. Yeah, I'm a veteran. But not a "disabled veteran" or "retired veteran."

[dusty]

A while back I was wearing my old army field jacket when shopping at Lowes. Cashier asked if I was a veteran and I showed her my driver's licence (in Michigan we have vet status on licence) and got the 10% Veteran's discount. I was told at the time it applied to ALL veterans.

Today I was informed that the Veteran's Discount does no apply to veterans -- it is only for SOME veterans. Active duty, 20+ year retired, and disabled.

So I'm now out of luck. Yeah, I'm retired. Yeah, I'm disabled. Yeah, I'm a veteran. But not a "disabled veteran" or "retired veteran."

Read it for yourself. This is the way it has been for as long as I have known of the discount. However, I have heard of many instances where persons have been given the discount without satisfying this criteria.

http://guardianofvalor.com/lowes-and-ho ... explained/

[garys]

From what I can find on Lowes, this is their policy.

"Lowe's now offers a 10% military discount to all active duty military members, members of the Guard and Reserve, retired military members and their immediate family members. The 10% Lowe's discount also applies to disabled veterans and their families."

However, most Lowes stores give all veterans that discount on Memorial Day and Veteran's Day.

So, just having served in the military does not qualify someone for the discount every day. If the local store is more liberal than the official policy, consider yourself lucky and enjoy it.

[jsburger]

A while back I was wearing my old army field jacket when shopping at Lowes. Cashier asked if I was a veteran and I showed her my driver's licence (in Michigan we have vet status on licence) and got the 10% Veteran's discount. I was told at the time it applied to ALL veterans.

Today I was informed that the Veteran's Discount does no apply to veterans -- it is only for SOME veterans. Active duty, 20+ year retired, and disabled.

So I'm now out of luck. Yeah, I'm retired. Yeah, I'm disabled. Yeah, I'm a veteran. But not a "disabled veteran" or "retired veteran."

That is true. It does not apply to ALL Veterans 24/7.

Sorry Paul but when you got the discount the cashier was wrong. Read Dusty's link or go to the Lowes and Home Depot web sites and read the official copy of their policies. They are virtually the same.

You must have a DOD ID card or a VA ID card that says "Service Connected".

AFAIK, the policy has not changed since it was implemented.

You can get the discount on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and the 4th of July by presenting a copy of your DD214.

[dusty]

A while back I was wearing my old army field jacket when shopping at Lowes. Cashier asked if I was a veteran and I showed her my driver's licence (in Michigan we have vet status on licence) and got the 10% Veteran's discount. I was told at the time it applied to ALL veterans.

Today I was informed that the Veteran's Discount does no apply to veterans -- it is only for SOME veterans. Active duty, 20+ year retired, and disabled.

So I'm now out of luck. Yeah, I'm retired. Yeah, I'm disabled. Yeah, I'm a veteran. But not a "disabled veteran" or "retired veteran."

They don't really say "you are not a veteran". Your DD Form 214 proves that you are.

What they say is that your service does not qualify you for their year round discount.

Really, we are all saying the say thing.

[paulrussell]

Sorry, this is a hot button for me. The disrespect the average veteran has gotten over the years.

For example, Veteran's Day, where the mailman and banker get a day off but the veteran's have to go to work.

A "veteran's discount" that only applies to a tiny subset of veterans is just the last of a long string of issues. Frankly, reading the details of the Lowes policy tells me it is more a PR program than a "veteran's discount".

I'll shut up now.

[dusty]

I guess I don't quit understand. If you are other than active duty military, active reserve, retired military or disabled veteran, you are not qualified. It is as simple as that.

If this irritates you, does it also irritate you that I have medical coverage, or that I have the ability to shop in a Base Exchange, or that I have Commissary privileges. I even get a monthly pay check from the Government. Those benefits are "my retirement program". The one I served 20+ years to become entitled to.

When you separated, you had the option to hang in there and you did not. You went about life doing your own thing whatever that was. Maybe it did not pan out like you had hoped but that is life dude. But then again, maybe you are earning a healthy retirement check that makes mine looks like a kids allowance. Well, that is life too. I could have made a different decision when I chose to remain active duty but I did not. Instead, I earned a 10% discount at Lowe's and Home Depot. Golden Corral on special days, too.

Now it is my turn to SHUT UP.

[paulrussell]

does it also irritate you that I have medical coverage, or that I have the ability to shop in a Base Exchange, or that I have Commissary privileges. I even get a monthly pay check from the Government. Those benefits are "my retirement program". The one I served 20+ years to become entitled to.

Nope doesn't bother me at all. In my book you earned every penny, and as you pointed out, it was the deal you made. And I thank you for that service.

[jsburger]

Sorry, this is a hot button for me. The disrespect the average veteran has gotten over the years.

For example, Veteran's Day, where the mailman and banker get a day off but the veteran's have to go to work.

A "veteran's discount" that only applies to a tiny subset of veterans is just the last of a long string of issues. Frankly, reading the details of the Lowes policy tells me it is more a PR program than a "veteran's discount".

I'll shut up now.

Are you a Vietnan Vet? If so I understand your attitude.

Do you know what medical care is available at the VA because of your service? You should check it out. You might be surprised. At the least you can get preventive treatment (colonoscopy, flu shots etc.).

Remember the holidays the mailman gets off are because they are Federal holidays and the mailman is a Federal employee. Not totally true that the post office workers are Federal employees since the Post Office has been "Privatized" but they still are paid under a federal pay scale and get all the other federal benefits.

I doubt the average banker gets the day off on most Federal holidays or anyone else. The policy of the Federal government is that you get Federal holidays off. A private employer has no obligation to honor that even if your a Vet.

I did not get any Federal holidays off when I was in the United Arab Emirates during the first Gulf war even though my employer supported that.

There is a holiday here in Utah called Pioneer Day. It celebrates the arrival of the Mormons in the Salt Lake valley. Most institutions are closed. When I was active duty and as an Air Force civilian here we did not get that day off.

The Lowes and Home Depot policies are what the are. Should they give you the same privileges as me? YES !!!!

Paul... Thank you so much for your service. It means so much to us that have served. If you haven't been there you don't know what it means.

[reible]

Lowes corporate policy is one thing but I have found that some stores have a local policy that gives the discount to any veteran. You can ask and if they say no then that is how it is. On the other hand if they say yes you get your discount. I have had both happen to me and I personally don't feel bad if they say no.

I also have a Lowes card and you can use that every day and get 5% off or special financing if you want it. That is at least some incentive to shop there rather then another store. I still shop around but I always add the Lowes to my stores to look at if for no other reason then there extra discounts. Don't always buy there but I do at least look.

I'm also a combat veteran and serving my country for more then my required term was never going to happen, one year of that was more then enough army life for me. You never look at life the same after you have been in combat.

Ed