" I Want You," to help me understand.I see all over the place, signs, bumper stickers, flags, and decals extoling me to "support our troops."I feel that by paying taxes I am supporting “our troops.”
I would like to know what you do,beside paying taxes, to "support our troops?
Hardly a GQ…more like an IMHO.
But who am I to say.
I assume you want opinions on what more you should do.
Moved from GQ to IMHO.
samclem GQ moderator
I also made your thread title more descriptive.
to reeder:
i thought about posting to another forum, then decided that anyone who would reply would be giving their factual answer to my question,if the powers that be decide this is an improper question for this forum,I will abide.
Your local veterans groups may be collecting books and such to send to the troops; ask them. (Amvets, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion)
On the other hand, those magnetic ribbons and yard signs are not going to do any good. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan can’t see them from over there.
IMHO, the “Support the Troops” motto divorces the concept of caring for the individuals from pro/anti-war sentiments.
“I support the troops” means that “I am not against the individual soldiers who are over there, regardless of my opinion on the big picture”
Or: “I care for the Americans who are far from home doing somebody else’s dirty work.”
How about morale boosters such as ‘care’ packages.
Email letters to let the troops know their work is appreciated.
They appreciate tangible evidence!
Show up when a local group of vets arrive for “r and r.”
Ask the local National Guard or Reserve unit for more ways.
Here is a site that will give you all kinds of options as to how to support the troops overseas. It also contains links to other efforts of support.
Suport the mission, or at least don’t try to undermind it. Thank them, and all active, reserve and veterans for their service when ever you got the chance. Speak up for THEM when talking to others. And there are charities that help out the troops if you have any extra money burning a hole in your pocket.
“Operation Hero Miles” allows you to donate your Frequent Flyer miles to soldiers and their families.
http://www.heromiles.org/donate.html
I vote for Presidents who don’t endanger the troops with damn fool wars on trumped-up charges.
Aside from that, I develop battlefield C3I systems to improve communication, impar critical information, and reduce “friendly fire” incidents among the troops.
Don’t jump to conclusions about the magnetic ribbons. The one on my wife’s car was bought from my units family readiness group. The money goes to help the families of soldiers that have financial or other troubles. No I can not see it from where I am but it does help support the deployed troops in a very real way.
The VFW has a program that distributes free phone cards to deployed troops. I have taken advantage of this and it is a great program. There are never enough cards and I am sure they take donations for it.
I think this statement is wrong.
Bush and Blair invaded Iraq on faulty information, without international support and with no clear exit strategy.
I don’t see why I can’t say all that, while still hoping that individual soldiers (both UK and US) get home safely.
‘Support our troops’ should NOT mean ‘don’t criticise Bush.’
This site has links to about eight different places with suggestions on ways to support the troops.
Glee we live in a representative republic, we elect officials, including the president, to make governmental decisions for us. The time to question it is election day. Small issues like social security is healthy to debate, but for issues of war are very dangerous to debate for our troops. The enemy will become emboldened by this and it will also lower our troops moral.
Oh boy. I wonder how many soldiers have been killed because of the threads in GD and the Pit. I wonder how many of them logged on and said, “you know what, this suddenly isn’t worth it any more.” How many people were incited to take up suicide bombing because someone said, “I’m not sure that the war is a good idea.”
Unless that post was sarcasm and I’m completely missing it.
You are joking, right?
I don’t think we should discuss politics only on one day every few years.
I don’t think US Social Security is ‘a small issue’. (It was about $461 billion in 2001).
Do you know who ‘the enemy’ is? Do you think that suicide bombers decide to act after reading an opinion poll in the West?
Have you observed the effect that recent US policy has on **the allies ** of the US?
Why would troops be demoralised by my statement ‘Bush and Blair invaded Iraq on faulty information, without international support and with no clear exit strategy.
I don’t see why I can’t say all that, while still hoping that individual soldiers (both UK and US) get home safely.’
But their parents can, and their spouses, and their kids. It does make you feel like you’re not the only one thinking about your loved one. I know, because I felt that way while my brother was in Afghanistan last year.
Unless they endanger you, of course. I got rear-ended last week by someone who admitted that he was trying to read the script on my yellow ribbon magnetic bumper thingie!
