You know what? I support our troops. Why is this going to piss some people off? Read on.
I have noticed this strange trend, not only on LC, but on other sites as well. Soldiers, returning from Iraq, Afghanistan....wherever. Mostly young. And BITTER.
They say that no one stateside supports them. They claim that no one cares that they're dying over there. They seem to have this chip the size of Texas on their shoulders, and I don't get it.
Daily, on this board, I see some form of a "support the troops" bulletin. Personally, I've been pen pals with over a dozen men in Anaconda. Some of my best friends have served. Some of them died. I don't support the war, but I do support the men fighting it.
Let me tell all these bitter soldiers something. There is no draft. No one forced you to join whatever branch you decided to serve in. When you signed that piece of paper, you did so fully intending to serve your country. You knew that you might go to war. You knew that you might die, or men you served with might die instead.
Do you want to know what it is to be unappreciated? Go talk to a veteran of Vietnam. Were you spit on when you got back from your tour? Did anyone call you a babykiller? No? Huh. Still feel unappreciated? Go talk to my grandfather, I'll give you his phone number.
I will support our troops, whereever they are deployed. And there are thousands of Americans here stateside that do the same. So don't lay a guilt trip on me because I chose NOT to. I have no idea what its like in the desert, I'm sure its not a bowl of roses. But it was YOUR choice. Otherwise.......man, you should have joined the Coast Guard.
