What does it mean to "support the troops"
 

The title says it all.

I am curious as to what people mean by "I support the troops." What do you *do*? How do you show that you support them?
The answers from people who hate GW Bush and/or are against the war may be the most interesting.

Adrienne (PNAM-2003)

On my campus there is a new support group for family and friends of soldiers deployed in this war. The people running this support group have a broad range of opinions on war but they are working together for the loved ones of soldiers as a way of showing support for the troops and their loved ones.

sign up to write the troops who don't get much mail some letters, pray for them, and when they come home be supportive and don't attack them for doing their job. i may not support this war, but that hasn't once stopped me from telling the guys i know in the army that i know why they are fighting it.

Excellent question, Adrienne! I show my support for the members of the Armed Forces in a few different ways...

I write well and often to friends who are deployed

I send care packages (Admittedly, these folks are going through enough without being subjected to my baking but it's the thought that counts, right??)

I regularly check in on their families to make sure they don't need anything. Often all they do need is someone to talk to; which I am glad to do.

I wear a yellow ribbon on my jacket. Doesn't actually DO anything for the troops; just a symbolic gesture.

I pray for their safety

What I don't do is try to engage them in debate about why they should or shouldn't be over there. They are there, and that's that. I just want to keep my friends' spirits up.

I don't vote for politicians who would try to cut the military budget (ie no pay raises, massive pass-overs, dilapidated base housing, etc.)

If I didn't agree with this action and wanted to protest it, I would never, ever, ever carry a sign or shout a slogan that disparaged them. None of them are responsible for this situation; they're just the ones sent to carry it out.

What do I do to support the troops? Well, in this case, I am the troops. Thanks for your support.

As an OBTW, for those of you who know roughly where I am right now, you wouldn't believe the convoluted lash up I am using to relay this from my laptop to an internet connection.

dude, how fast is your connection? when I was in the congo using satellite connection, it sucked when the weather sucked. oh well, life goes on.

Arya,
The connection is pretty reasonable as to speed, but it is kind of unstable and I get blown off every few minutes. Also, I can only check in when I have a spare minute or two. Kind of busy otherwise.

How in the world did you finagle an uplink from wherever the hell you are???? :p

I hadn't considered that people posting here were actually deployed already.......wow!

OK, here's a Part B to the question--to those of you who are in the military (past or present), or military families: what do the people on the front lines (or close to it) need or want in terms of support that the average civilian can supply?

(On my end, my DAR chapter is going through the machinations of this question as well--what can we do as a group to support the people in the military, esp at a time of war, and REALLY especially when opinions on it are divided.)

Thanx for the very thoughtful answers people!
Adrienne (PNAM-2003)

Adduncan, not from military backing, but had families in them, and I was also in the middle of conflict both in angola and congo for about a month each. Letters from family and friends help a whole lot. Dekeguy, stay safe, look both ways at all time, and come home safely.

Re: What does it mean to "support the troops"
 

adduncan,
Like I said, you wouldn't believe the lash up, especially since I am routing it so nothing interferes with official traffic.

What can you do? Right now, PRAY. Seriously, pray that these poor guys wake up and surrender so we don't have to hurt them. You might also say a quick one that they don't get lucky and score a fluke hit on our guys.
If I dont get the chance to log off remember us tonight in the US and keep pulling for us in the next few days. We want to do this right. I need to get the job done and then get all my guys home in one piece. Thanks.

dekeguy,
you and the rest of the troops are in my prayers :)

My cousin is in the Royal Marines, and is attached to the Special Air Service as a para trooper. The last time we heard from him he was in Diego Garcia, that was three weeks ago. If anybody knows anything about the SAS they are one of, if not the most, elite fighting forces in the world. At this point in time i can only assume is already in Iraq and has been for a while. The best i can do to support him is pray.

I am one of those people that is against the war and George W. Bush. How to do I plan to support the troops? With daily PRAYER and a weekly message of encouragement via Operation Dear Abby.

I will not support our President and don't care who knows this.

I don't like Bush but still support the troops. To me it means that you don't call them baby killer or stuff like that. One time a couple years ago I had a job going door to door collectting donations. One guy was in the army and as I left I said thank you for whatever he did and then I said "thank you for serving our country" He didn't know how to take that at all. I think I was the first (maybe only) person to ever say that.
I don't like death, especially human death, but sometimes its necesarry. I almost joined after highschool but you can't serve in the military with the type of medication I"m on.