Have you ever thought about those people who say they’re supporting the troops? The other day a man told me he supports the troops, after hearing this for the 3,000 timed, I asked him bluntly:
“How are you supporting the troops?”
The man stopped in his tracks, he expected me to say thank you, shake his hand like the rest and continue my day.
“Do you know…?” I continued, looking him in the eye “eighteen veterans kill themselves everyday, that approximately 1/5 returning veterans have PTSD, that there are hundreds and hundreds of thousands of homeless veterans. So what are you doing to support the troops?”
The man looked at me, his cheeks flushed red.
“Well, I….” he stuttered.
Back during World War II, there were constant fundraisers for the troops; there were blood drives, can drives, food drives. People were told to conserve their energy, to cut back on spending, to not use so much gasoline, farmers were even told to start farming hemp.
What is today’s America like? NO ONE except the veterans and their families are affected and effected by this war. It’s no wonder there are slogans like “I support the troops but not the War.” It’s real easy to support the troops when you do nothing in support of them.
Now of days supporting the troops is joining a “support the troops” group on facebook. Thanks a lot, there are still hundreds of thousands of homeless veterans, there are still 18 veterans killing themselves EVERYDAY, there are hundreds of thousands of veterans with PTSD, and now we’re left to fend for ourselves. We all know the government isn’t going to do anything. Who is?
The first thing people need to do is learn what really goes on: www.MassCasualties.com
Michael Anthony
SPC Michael Anthony is the author of MASS CASUALTIES: A Young Medic’s True Story of Death, Deception and Dishonor in Iraq (Adams Media, October 2009). The book is drawn from the personal journals of SPC Anthony during the 1st year he spent serving in Iraq. It is a non-partisan look at what really goes on within the military.
*Author Interview coming tomorrow, January 7th*
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