A Cuban military member serving in the United States Army shared a video in which he reflects on the value of the gratitude that Americans express to their soldiers with the phrase "thank you for your service," and his testimony moved thousands of people on social media.
In the video posted on TikTok by user @el_pepe9o, the uniformed individual emphasizes that among the many awards given by the U.S. military, “there is one that comes neither in medals nor in diplomas, nor from a superior,” and that, to him as a Cuban, still impresses him to this day: the gratitude of civilians.
“Much is said about the benefits that the armed forces provide to their military personnel, but experiencing the acknowledgment from the civilians you pledged to defend is undoubtedly one of the best feelings,” explains the soldier, who adds that for Americans “it doesn’t matter how long you’ve served, your rank, or your accent.”
He recalls that one of his first experiences after completing basic training was during Christmas when, at Tampa airport, a child came up to him, touched his hand, and said, "thank you for your service, sir." "It’s something they teach them from a young age, patriotism at its fullest," he comments.
"Something that was difficult for me to adapt to because where I grew up, that doesn't apply, and everyone knows what I'm talking about... pioneers for communism we will be... no one believes that anymore," she says, comparing patriotic education in the United States with the ideological indoctrination of the Cuban system.
The soldier, who in September 2025 recalled in another video his past as an emerging teacher in Cuba —“one of the many failed experiments of the dictatorship,” he said then— now claims to feel “very proud to wear the uniform every day.”
"Do you know what it means to serve the country that welcomed you, to somehow give back and show gratitude to that country through your service for the opportunities it has provided you, and for them to be the ones thanking you? That's beautiful, my friend," he expressed.
The post generated hundreds of comments expressing support and pride, many of them from other immigrants and Cubans living in the United States. Several users shared personal experiences in which they were acknowledged or thanked military personnel for their service, highlighting the respect that is felt in American society towards those who wear the uniform.
Among the most frequently repeated messages is the expression of gratitude: "Thank you for your service" and "God bless America", along with the pride of seeing a Cuban serving in the military of the country that —as many recalled— granted them freedom and opportunities.
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