As Iraq war continues, two men work to send a message that the nation cares.
by Craig McKee
ST. ALBANS -- The fourth anniversary of the Iraq war recently passed.
With it, a number of images from across the country and the world showed people protesting the war and disagreeing with American policy.
But now two veterans who served in separate wars want to remind citizens that there is a line between support for the war and support for the men and women in uniform.
"The citizens there in Los Angeles airport literally picked up garbage out of the trash cans and threw at us," said Vietnam era veteran Brad Morgan.
Returning from overseas during the Vietnam War, Brad Morgan, like so many other veterans, was met with disdain...
Now Morgan and his fellow veteran, Walter Durbin, who served during the Korean War, are concerned that the nation is beginning to go down a familiar path where anti-war becomes anti-service member.
"Their message is construed is that the guys that used to love me back home don't care for me no more, they don't want me because I'm over here fighting in someone else's war," Durbin said.
Reading what sounds like a grocery shopping list, Morgan is developing an idea, taken from the pages of the American Legion magazine.
He wants to create a way to let the troops know that despite protests and flip-flop comments on Capitol Hill, that there actually is an anti-anti-war campaign.
"It's not about the politicians, it's not about the war. It's about our men and women who are serving our country," Morgan said.
He's already receiving preliminary support from Kmart and Wendy's, and he now hopes other area groups, churches and former veterans will help create mini care packages to those serving overseas.
"For those people on the battlefield with the big guns," Morgan recalled from his time of service, "they're fighting several things – two main ... the war itself the enemy and the missing of family members."
And while these Morgan and Durbin can't do anything about the fight on the ground, they're hoping they can redefine the line between it and those who serve.
"We're not here to judge why these soldiers are defending their country; we're here to support them in every possible way we can," Durbin said.
You can contact Brad Morgan via email, abmorgan@suddenlink.net.
