This is how we should support our troops!!!

After reading the last post, I thought I'd tell you what you SHOULD do.

When you see this video clip you'll notice that the troops do NOT act like what my previous post aritcle author had stated about our troops. Now where do you see anything like, it's like night and day. While on a occasion you make see a service member milk something like this for all it's worth, most do not.

As I sit here on a deserved day off, I can use this time to acknowledge some things regarding getting support. It's might be a long way around, but you'll see how it ends, so bear with me.

My sister, Jill, teaches high schools civics in Denver and she does a fantastic job of it. In fact, she was nominated for an award that the Daughers of the American Revolution gives to outstanding civic teachers. While she did not make the cut she still is outstanding in my book.

Another time just recently my sister Jill put together a Colorado Supreme Court event at her school that is recorded here and here concerning her event. Basically the Court showed up at her school and presented two real cases in front of the kids to show them how things are done. I was not able to make it but it was a sight to be hold for sure. More accolades for my sister were shown when they gave her a memento for her work. Good on ya, Sis!!!! You always make me proud!!

But by far the greatest thing my sister has done, at least from a personal perspective, was when I had a day off and her high school had a Veterans Day event she invited me to attend which the kids put on. They did a really outstanding job with the production. But either I forgot or she did not mention to me was that near the end they called out to each of the service veterans that were in attendance and asked them to come down and stand behind their respective flags of their services when they were called out. I was not expecting it at all, but when they finally called my service, the Air Force, I had a grin on my face as I walked down the bleecher steps and onto the basketball court to take my place behind the young person dressed the Air Force's military uniform and flag and the other AF vets. Needless to say, when all of the services were called the kids gave us a standing ovation for our service.

As I took in their clapping of thanks in a heart felt stride I looked around to see all of their faces and then caught my sisters face. She was wiping tears from her eyes as the kids were giving all of the Vets the standing ovation. That did it for me! My heart got so big in my chest that if I still had on my Air Force dress blues I probably would have popped a button or two off of the coat. When total strangers and your family are giving you their thanks for your service, especially from teenage kids, there is nothing like that feeling of pride and satisfaction of having served our great country.

I will never forget that moment when my efforts were respected by those I served and thanked, and neither will the kids that come home at the DFW airport in the video on the above web site.

Those thank yous mean the world to those that have sacrificed, but they mean a whole lot more to both the service member AND their famiies when thanks are given on the spur of the moment, especially for those that have made the greatest sacrifice, of giving of their lives, to serve others. May we acknowledge those more than those of us that are still living.

No mother would ever willingly sacrifice her sons for territorial gain, for economic advantage, for ideology. - Ronald Reagan

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. Gen. George Patton.

The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. Gen George Patton

Update #1: From a post on a web site: Figures this [video] was in Texas, a red state. It makes me mad that the blue states (NJ, PA) I grew up in have shifted so far to the left that they oughta be in the Pacific Ocean. When I was in the military there were just as many Yankees as there were Southeners. But not anymore, it’s all based on party now. I spoke to a recruiter on my plane last week who said the red states were filling in the ranks and nobody from the blue states were joining up. Conservative America is fighting this war. The media should report THAT! Amen to that.

Update #2: While my previous post was about the less than stellar troops that go into the military, here's one who gives the more prevelant view: The immortal words of 2LT Mark Daily. There are a few young men, not kids, that understand the meaning of service and sacrifice.