Imagine being a military veteran.

If you went to a store that had reserved parking spots for veterans, would you park in one of those parking spots, or would you park somewhere else?

In today’s story, one woman who grew up in a military town has a different answer to this question than her father-in-law who is a military veteran.

Let’s read the whole story.

AITA for telling my FIL that we shouldn’t park in the veteran parking?

My FIL was a reservist in the army, never went active duty, but because he was a reservist for 20 years he is considered a veteran.

He worked as a CPA until he retired, and is in very good physical condition.

I live/grew up in the town next to the biggest army base in the country. There is a huge military presence here.

Almost all the men in her family were in the military.

One of my grandfathers retired from the army after 20+ years of active duty, my other grandfather retired marine after 20 years of active duty.

My ex husband was medically discharged from the marine corps after an injury that left him with permanent nerve issues in his arm.

My brother served 4 years active duty army. 3 of my uncles are retired military, and my other uncle served 10 years but didn’t retire.

Growing up where I did, at least 50% of my friends dads were career military.

The veterans in her family didn’t use the veteran parking spots.

I’ve never seen any of these people I just named park in a veteran parking spot except for my grandfather one time, when he was in his late 80’s.

Even my ex husband did not use veteran parking when his arm was in a sling, he had an eye patch, I was 9 months pregnant and he couldn’t help me tote our 2 year old because of his injuries.

We still walked the parking lot.

Why?

They had a good reason.

Because there could have been a veteran who came behind us that couldn’t walk and maybe all the handicap spots were taken, or whose mental health was so deteriorated due to their time in the service that walking the parking lot felt like an impossible task.

That’s what I was taught and what the people around me practiced.

That you treat it with the same respect as a handicap spot and don’t use it unless you need it.

Her FIL doesn’t think the same way about veteran parking spots.

My FIL came to town (from 8 hours away, don’t know exactly what the military presence is like where he lives) and we all went to Lowe’s.

Lowes has veterans parking spots.

As we’re pulling in, my FIL starts boasting about how he’s going to look for the veteran parking because he’s a veteran, and was asking me if I knew where it was.

I was like “uhh… I don’t think we should park there.”

He was like “why?”

She explained her reasoning.

I was like “well because all of us can walk just fine.” He is more than capable of walking from a further parking spot.

He was like “well I’m a veteran and it’s my right to park there.” This is as we’re coming up on the veterans spots and they are empty.

I was like “that’s true but those spots are for veterans who NEED to park there. Can you see how many cars are in this parking lot right now? We’re in (my city), there’s probably at least 15 other veterans who are at this Lowe’s right now and none of them are parked in the veterans spot because you don’t use that spot unless you need to. It’s honestly in poor taste.”

He didn’t take that well.

Just that morning he got up and walked the neighborhood for exercise. Why can’t he walk the parking lot?

Apparently he got very offended and is really upset with me.

But I feel that it needed to be said.

I mean, I guess if he wants to park in the veterans spots at home that isn’t a military town, so be it.

But he shouldn’t do that here in a place that is very saturated with veterans.

AITA?

It might be different in a military town versus a non-military town.

Does Reddit think she should’ve let her FIL parking in the veteran parking spot, or was she right to speak up?

This person thinks she should’ve let her FIL park in the veteran parking spot.

Here’s a similar comment.

She seems pretty judgmental considering she’s not a veteran.

Another person thinks he has every right to park there.

Her family has taught her some weird rules about parking.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.