My 4th of July Present and How We Can Return the Favor

I slept in this morning, and then lazily took my time getting ready for the day. I fired up "the Beast" and opened Outlook. It's the 4th of July on the email. It's from a young Navy Corpsman. I only know of this man from his words in the comments section of another blog, but I sent him and email last month, thanking him for his service. Today he thanked me for taking the time to do so. His words are telling, and worthy of your consideration, for they convey something we know is going on with the media's move to make the GWoT into something wrong and immoral. We can easily shake it off. We can link to the blog of a real person, with a real vision, with a real heart, in the middle of the sandbox, that gives us hope that all is not lost, that the young men and women, and sometimes not so young of the same types, are doing what others have done before them, so that we may sit in our backyards with our friends and families today. Our troops don't have that luxury. When the stacks of Time, Newsweek, NYT, etc, etc, etc are laying out on a table to read, and they have a precious moment of free tiem, they pick it up, anxious to see what's going on in the "world." They are routinely slapped in the face with headlines that their eyes must cross, that either directly imply, or clearly state that their efforts are either in vein, or bordering on criminal. Here's my proof:

"The majority of the news we get while in country is about anti war protests or one of our fallen brothers family dishonoring his death and renouncing the military and our cause."

What's their source of input to counter this flood of negativism? Your support...your emails, your letters, your care packages. My truth, which I have known, having been on the other end of this issue myself, is reinforced with his words this very day:

"And it's people like you that we think about while fighting in country."

I'm humbled, and I know I'm just one. I presume "like you" tells a story that he received many emails in support of he and his shipmates. I know you're all out there. In summary, it's a good day to take a moment to express your thanks and support to those who are not only in the sandbox, but to any serving member of the Armed Forces, for they all are necessary to keep us in fireworks, BBQ and potato salad today. It's sometimes hard to think how a mechanic under a tank at a repair depot, who may be so competent that he or she will never be allowed to transfer to a combat zone, is part of the GWoT, but they are deserving of our thanks, too. Thank all you can find, or think of. And, don't make it just a holiday thing, every day is a holiday for us, compared to what the troops in theater are putting up with in our name. Maybe, now that I think about it, do make it a holiday routine to thank them.... Here's the post where I reported on then HM3 Pell's (now HM2) journey to the graveside of his brother in arms....it's a good day to read it again...lest we forget the cost.