Veteran Shocked After Being Denied Home Depot Discount

Epoch Newsroom
5/31/2016
Updated:
5/31/2016

A Gulf War veteran says that he was denied a military discount when he went to make a purchase at Home Depot.

Ted Hosko, a Michigan man who was in the U.S. Navy for 14 years, said he had been receiving a discount for the past 10 months. However, a clerk at Home Depot looked at his veterans ID card and told him he should had never been receiving the discount, saying he wasn’t eligible, reported FOX17.

For Home Depot and Lowes, anyone who has served in the U.S. military is eligible for a discount on Memorial, Labor, and Veterans Day. But for year-round discounts, it is only available for active duty, retired military members, or veterans who were injured or disabled.

“I don’t think they explained it right,” Hosko told the station. “Because they were giving me the discount since September, and I got all the receipts and it says military discount.”

Home Depot released a statement on the matter, acknowledging confusion over the policy:

“We apologize for any confusion regarding our two-tiered policy. We match our competitor’s policy, offering a 10 percent discount to all veterans and active-duty military on major patriotic holidays, including Memorial Day. We’re also one of only a few retailers that provides an everyday discount to active-duty, as well as retired and service-connected disabled service members, and their spouses.”

Hosko said he now understands the policy, but he said that more clarity is needed. The confusion likely took place during checkout, as clerks didn’t carefully inspect his veterans card, FOX17 noted.

According to Guardianofvalor.com, Home Depot “offer[s] a 10 percent discount, up to a $500 maximum, to all active, reserve, retired or disabled veterans and their family members with a valid military ID, every day of the week. All other military veterans qualify for a 10 percent discount during Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Independence Day.”