How do you support the troops?

Please note: This is meant to be a completely apolitical thread!!! Posting your views on the war will only get it banished to IMO (a scary place ).

Most of us, no matter what our political views, support the troops. I'd like to know how you show that support. I don't mean simply displaying the flag or putting a "Support the Troops" magnet on your car, though it's certainly good to see those things. What are you doing that requires some time, effort, or money? Some of us write letters to the troops through Adopt -a -Soldier, Marine, Sailor, etc. programs. Some, like me, send care packages through Operation Gratitude (www.opgratitude.com). I also contribute to Operation Helmet (www.operation-helmet.org). You might be taking care of a soldier's dog or cat while he's deployed. Maybe you're helping out the family down the street whose Dad is in Afghanistan.

Whatever it might be, please share how you're helping our brave heroes and/or their families. Big or small, everything we do helps. It all makes a difference and means so much to the troops.

If you want to do more, check out www.americasupportsyou.mil

Thanks!

Nice idea for a thread.

I sent in my broken old cell phones to the Cell Phones for Soldiers organization. They recycle them and turn the cash into prepaid phone cards for soldiers overseas.

I also ride my motorcycle in support of our troops by attending my Local Heroes organization fundraisers. They send care packages to our troops.

I used to send monthly donations to an organization called MilitaryMascots. The donations were used to help a soldier pay to have a cat or dog shipped back over here to the states. Unfortunately the organization is no longer around.

(BTW GingersMom, what kind of bike to you have?)

Our work groups supports a squad from Fort Riley. We contacted the colonel on the base and asked what his troops needed and send them gift boxes at Christmas. I usually spend about $500 a year for them. Everyone writes a few letters in the boxes and one year in my letter I asked if anyone had pets at home that perhaps needed some toys to play with in their absense. I got an e-mail back from one soldier who said his cat was living with his GF and could I send some cat toys. So I shipped a bunch of cat toys to her.

We do some little things, other than supporting our many active duty friends and their families. One simple thing I do is take part in the Presidential Pray Team's Adopt a Troop campaign. I have 2 soldiers and their families that I pray for by name each day. I think I've had their names about 5 years for one and 6 or almost 7 for the other guy. When I was in college we made donataions to the USO. At that time DH was still active duty and we saw direct support from them, so that's one reason we chose them. It went for phone cards for guys to call home.

I also help my parent's each year with the Memorial Day service at our Church, which is dedicated to the Troops. Whoever speaks (usually my Step-Dad, sometimes my Mom with me chiming in) does the whole service, usually sharing unknown stories and then recognizing each person in our church who served and stating who they served under, what campaigns, etc. We have one older gentleman at our church who was a prisoner of war that we've done some special things for. This year my Step-Grandfather is coming down to speak. He retired pretty high ranking from the Army. I'm told he retired because they were going to promote him to a position in DC and he didn't want to move the family anymore. I'm looking forward to that.

It's so good to read these replies. All of you are doing wonderful things for the troops!!!

Ah! I just thought of one more thing I do for the troops....or should I say that I don't do! I don't talk bad about them -ever-.

Now when an individual soldier commits a crime, that's a separate thing entirely. I won't condone things like that, but as a group bad mouthing them is a big no no! I know a few years ago one of my step-father's Airmen was spit on at the post office because of a person's personal beliefs....if I had witnessed that.....oh I would probably have a criminal record.....

I have started writing letters to different soldiers. It seems that they like to hear about things like gardening and everyday sorts of things that go on over here. I also try to tell any of the soldiers that I see in person that I appreciate their decision to serve our country.

My fiance (husband in a week!!! ) is a Naval Lut. He is not on active duty at the moment (he's an IRR- individul ready reservist) he works as a civilian for our city's police dpt as a motorcycle cop. That being said- We are always prepared for the possibility of him being called up at a moments notice....so that in my eyes is a pretty big committment knowing that he could be taken away from me like that to fight. He did 8 yrs on active duty and is just now getting to live a little as a reservist since he went off active to be a cop, but there's ALWAYS the possibilty of him being called up- it's scarry, but we know that- it's a big sacrafice we're willing to make for the safety and service of our country.

Other than that, we also make donations to the military, we're huge supporters of toys for tots (the marines do it every year), and just whatever else we feel we can do to help out.

And the biggest sign of support in my book- we fly our flag proud and high every single day - we are proud to have it!

I guess mine is a little more personal than some...

One of the guys on the shooting team is a gunsmith and regularly communicates with troops he has built firearms for. Especially snipers and Special Forces. Anyway, at one time he got word that a unit that used M-14s (which we used previously in our competitive shooting, or the civilian equivalent an M-1A) was running horribly low on repair parts, so we all went through our kits and sent a whole mess of supplies for them.

We also came to be well aquainted with a small group of SF (Special Forces) guys out at our National Matches who were out there for some fun. We made sure that they shot in every match they possibly could by putting together out-of-competition teams with them on the teams. They loved it and said that they learned a lot about their firearms.

Also, one of those SF guys was sent back to Iraq a few months after the Nationals, and has kept in touch with one of the other members of our team. Laura lets me know if Jose (like Josey Wales) needs anything or when she's putting together a package for him. Right now he's been BORED and tired of just sitting there doing nothing (which we think is a really GOOD thing!), so movies and other ways to pass the time have been sent to him and his unit.

I have been known to buy their meals when I see them in uniform eating at a place. One time, the waiter and upper mgmt refused to let me do this, as I was a female and the male would take offense to this gesture. It was a Chinese establishment and they believed in tradition I guess! But usually no problems and others feel the need to help too.
And I send packages with notes, nothing big and fancy, but I feel they need to know they are cared for and appreciated. I sometimes tell them thank you in person too. Honestly, I don't believe in this war and hate war, but I do strongly support the troops who put their lives at risk for our freedom.

Thank you so much to everyone who has responded. It's very touching to read how many of you are reaching out to the troops in very personal ways - the letter-writing, the special Memorial Day service in church dedicated to the troops and recognizing those who've served, buying a meal for a serviceman, sending repair parts for firearms, and toys for a soldier's cat...

You've come up with wonderful ways to show your support . Thank you and bless you all.

Special blessings to StarryEyedTiGeR and her soon-to-be-husband. A big Thank You for his service to our country in the past, and continuing to serve as a law enforcement officer and reservist.

I look at the pics of my little girl who is not so little anymore who is going to iraq in january of 2009 to serve our country. I cry when i think of it and see her pictures of her graduation from basic training. But she is a strong girl and will be fine.

I write letters to the troops all the time on Americasupportsyou. I also NEVER say anything bad about what they are doing. Every time I see a person in military uniform or hear that they are in the service, I stop and say thank-you and ask them to spred my thank-yous to others in their sqaud. I also pray for them every day.