Appreciate the troops’ sacrifices
Jack Anderson
Throughout this political campaigning and past holiday season, an element of the American civic duty has been shamefully overlooked. By the start of this year, thousands of troops have come home having spent years fighting in the unforgiving landscape of Iraq. Whether you agree with the principles of this war or not, Americans must understand these troops experienced conditions that we as citizens could not even imagine. We should offer our sincere gratitude and thanks.
While speaking with some soldiers at the airport recently, they characterized their experience as “utter and continuous daily hell.” Every day they woke up to temperatures in the triple digits, put on long sleeved uniforms, and carried heavy gear across miles of desert terrain. Every step and patrol taken could be his or her last due to the constant risk of an IED or other enemy threat.
For many troops, these were their or their friends’ last steps on earth. This everyday routine seems unimaginable to the ordinary citizen. However, to the troops I spoke with, “it was just part of the duty of serving your country.” Nevertheless, this isn’t without saying that they are scared or suffer from PTSD. Nightmares are unfortunately a common occurrence and the lack of trust some of these troops have with strangers lingers with them on an everyday basis.
The experiences of our troops are all too common for those who have served in war. As a society and as Americans, it should be our civic duty to comfort and care for our troops and veterans. Ever since World War II, we as Americans have neglected to care to celebrate our troops return to the home front. This is utterly disgraceful and must be changed.
As a society which has not had to sacrifice anything in these recent wars, the least that we could do is give our appreciation. The next time you see a soldier, stop and shake their hand, thank them for their service and maybe buy them a drink or even offer a helping hand. After all, they have done that for our country.
One response to “Appreciate the troops’ sacrifices”
“Throughout this political campaigning and past holiday season, an element of the American civic duty has been shamefully overlooked.”
Civic duty… no thank you.
“By the start of this year, thousands of troops have come home having spent years fighting in the unforgiving landscape of Iraq. Whether you agree with the principles of this war or not, Americans must understand these troops experienced conditions that we as citizens could not even imagine. We should offer our sincere gratitude and thanks.”
Why? I don’t offer my thanks to other people who have needlessly gone through poor conditions. Condolences, maybe. And since we have no draft in effect, they volunteered for it. And this is not even getting into the ethics of the thing.
“As a society and as Americans, it should be our civic duty to comfort and care for our troops and veterans. Ever since World War II, we as Americans have neglected to care to celebrate our troops return to the home front. This is utterly disgraceful and must be changed.”
Why? I don’t feel compelled to comfort and care for serial killers. Why should I feel compelled to comfort and care for people who contribute to war, which is murder on a large scale?
“As a society which has not had to sacrifice anything in these recent wars,”
Uh. Economy. Taxes. Civil liberties’ disappearing. Listening to war apologism. etc.
“the least that we could do is give our appreciation. The next time you see a soldier, stop and shake their hand, thank them for their service and maybe buy them a drink or even offer a helping hand.”
But I don’t appreciate them. Why encourage their bad behavior?
“After all, they have done that for our country.”
Who is this “our country” and when did they buy him or her a drink?