Usually, if you do something for one person, you should do it for everyone.

So, what would you do if the same people who gave you nothing when you retired later asked you to contribute money toward a generous gift for someone else? Would you just agree to chip in and let it go? Or would you joke about how your own retirement went unnoticed?

In the following story, one retired Army Reservist does just that and can’t get a reply now. Here’s how it all played out.

AITA for reminding a guy I got absolutely nothing as a retirement gift when being asked to contribute to another?

I retired from the Army Reserve after 22 years in the summer of 2024. I got nothing as a parting gift from any level (unit, BN, BDE, etc.). I didn’t really care. I was just happy to be retired and have put that phase of my life behind me.

This past week, I was asked over text by the same guys who couldn’t be bothered to give me so much as a certificate of appreciation on a piece of A4 if I wanted to contribute to a gift for another guy who is retiring soon. They plan to get him a 1911.

I told them I yes, but kind of jokingly reminded him I didn’t even get a used Starbucks gift card when I left. I didn’t get a reply.

He’s still awaiting a reply.

I waited a couple of days and let him know that I really wasn’t trying to be a jerk if it had seemed like it, but that I was caught a little off guard being asked to contribute to such a gift after having received nothing, and that it was a bit of a gut punch.

I’ve still heard nothing back. It’s not like these guys are just casual acquaintances. I’ve deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, etc. with these guys, and a couple even stood at my wedding. Also, I’ve known a few of them for nearly 20 years.

I still have heard nothing at all. Just crickets.

AITA?

Yikes! That would be enough to hurt most people’s feelings.

Let’s see what the folks over at Reddit think about what happened here.

This person is also retired Army.

As this comment points out, they may be embarrassed.

Here’s someone who thinks they don’t know what to do.

For this person, the same thing happened but with a baby shower.

That’s pretty hurtful.

Hopefully, they realize what they did and make it up to him.

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.