This was written for my Advance Composition class, but I thought I would share with you too:
In today’s news, we are constantly bombarded
with negative reports of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Regardless of how we
feel about the wars – they didn’t choose to wage them, we must ensure that each
service member knows we care about them and that we still believe in them and
the liberties they fight for – that we know freedom isn’t free.
Right now, an American soldier sits
in a tent, sand and dust on and in everything, he hasn’t showered in a week or
more, he misses everyone and all the comforts of home. He woke before dawn and
worked until long after sunset. He lost a friend today. None of that matters, because
at this moment he is reading a letter.
I support our troops; it’s not a
secret, I take action – I wrote that letter. I didn’t just stick a magnet on my
car. Who are those yellow car magnets for anyhow? The soldier a world away,
risking his life for our freedom and safety? How would he know about the magnet
on your car – and why should he care? I challenge you to take action to
authenticate your car magnet proclamation. Get involved. As John F. Kennedy so
aptly put it, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can
do for your country."
Supporting our troops doesn’t
require knowing a soldier ahead of time or spending much money. In fact, there
are many different support options from one-time campaigns to deployment-long
soldier adoption and everything in between. Personally, I volunteer with three
organizations on a regular basis:
Adopt a Platoon,
Soldiers Angels, and
Cup of Joe for a Joe. Adopt a Platoon offers approved supporters (simply fill out an
application and pass a friendly phone interview) the opportunity to adopt - one
card or letter per week and one care package per month; be a pen-pal – a card
or letter per week; and/or participate in a one-time campaign – usually
seasonally themed. Soldiers Angels is similar; supporters apply and then
assigned an adoptee. Supporters can also participate in other projects related
to other aspects of military life including wounded warrior support.
Finally, Cup of Joe for a Joe (COJ) is a
program organized by Green Beans Coffee Company. It allows a supporter to
purchase a cup of coffee – basically, any coffee stand drink, for a deployed
service member enrolled in the program. Along with the “cup of joe,” the
supporter can type a message to the service member and the service member will
have the opportunity to write back in a thank you note. All three organizations
are easy to work with and eagerly awaiting new supporters. Are you ready to get
involved yet?
When “my soldiers” come up in
conversation, I’m always asked questions. Most frequently asked is, “what do
you write about?” The first letter is usually the most awkward, but I introduce
myself and ask the same questions as when meeting someone in person for the
first time. After that, I write about my adventures and thoughts; after all, I
am writing to a friend. Another question is, “do they write back?” They do
write back occasionally if they can, but sometimes they can’t. I always keep
writing; the ones who don’t write back usually need the most support. Finally,
people question why I would put myself at risk for a “severe emotional trauma.”
Why wouldn’t I? There is always a risk that something will happen – someone
could be injured or killed in action, but the stories I’ve heard, the people
I’ve met, the friends I’ve made, and the experiences I’ve gained, make the risk
of worry and emotional hurt worth it. My life is full of rewards because of my
willingness to take a risk.
John Michael Montgomery’s song,
“Letters from Home” says it well, “I fold it up an' put it in my shirt, pick up
my gun an' get back to work. An' it keeps me driving me on, waiting on letters
from home.” I do have a yellow ribbon on my car – it serves as a reminder to me;
every time I see it, I am reminded of “my soldiers” and think of one thing to
tell them about when I write my next letter or e-mail. Right now, I plan to
tell them about my challenge. Join me in taking action – Support our troops!
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