It’s all fine as well to thank a veteran for their “service to the country”. But when was the last time you thanked an accountant in your local government for stewarding your tax dollars? When was the last time you thanked a teacher for creating a future American? When is the last time you thanked the guy that’s paving the road you drive on every day? Those folks spend their entire lives serving their country and, quite frankly, they are ignored. They all serve. Their contributions are many. 
In country areas in Luxembourg (and maybe other European countries) it is usual to thank the bus driver when you alight from the bus deep within the Luxembourg countryside.
A 'thank-you is well merited in Luxembourg as all public transport, trains, trams and buses, is completely free in that country. The idea was to try to reduce Luxembourg City's notorious rush-hour traffic jams by encouraging people to commute to work by public transport rather than by private car. To some extent, it has succeeded
