So today as I was browsing through some Twitter posts under a military related hashtag I saw the following posts.
"Wear read on Friday to show your support for our troops until they all come home"- Username removed
this got a lot of thoughts going and I need to get them off my mind.
I have quite a few military friends that are deployed all over the world and here at home as well. I recently sent some friends of mine some letters and goodies who were stationed in Canadian Forces Base Alert. If you've never heard of this well its right up by Santa Claus aren't these soldiers worthy of our support? I have a friend who is with the National Guard in the USA and he was called in to help prepare for hurricanes, and help with conflicts of various kinds that broke out on our home soil, is he or she not worth of our thoughts and prayers?
A few years ago in Montreal they had some really bad ice storms and people were without power for long periods of time and stranded. The Canadian Forces launched "Operation Recuperation" in Quebec and New Brunswick. Total number of military personnel deployed (AT HOME) was 15,875 including 3700 reservists. They were also deployed at the 1976 Olympics and Manitoba floods back in 1997.
I have a lot of friends who are in the reserves and ready to go when needed. Reservists in my mind are just as amazing as they not only juggle a regular career but are ready to defend us, or help when needed.
Is someone from a little town on the East Coast that is working at a base on the west coast not deployed? They are away from their families for long periods of time and have to up and move whenever they are needed elsewhere. Yes this is there choice but this "Support Our Troops in harms way" sentiment personally bothers me. No this is not a shot at any group of people or anyone with a similar slogan about showing our troops support until they are done in Iraq or Afghanistan. Someone emailed me and asked me if I was going to keep Thank A Soldier going after our troops were pulled out and I simply respond why wouldn't I. If we only included troops in those deployments maybe but not a chance.
I recently sent a box of goods and letters from school kids to a few ships on guard in Somalia with the pirate situation. I would like to share an email I got back from one of the guys:
"Dave, Thank you for the package, me and the guys really appreciated it. We were actually kind of shocked as too often us sea pigeons are forgotten about and wanted to thank you for thinking of us"T. Walters HMCS Halifax (Posted with permission)
Last year at the Calgary Stampede they had a Military display setup with men and women from the Air Force, Regular Force, Navy and reserves I thanked every single one of them and one of the guys says to me "I've done nothing I'm just a reservist" I responded with "You sir are ready to defend my freedom at the call of order and for that I say thanks" he nodded his head back to me and I can tell it meant a lot.
So I guess my two cents here is, in my opinion whether you're a airman, seaman, marine, Canadian Forces, American Army, USMC, British ministry of defence you deserve our support. If you are deployed at home, overseas, on guard at a embassy from home, sitting in a office as a reservist ready to go, you deserve our support. When 2011 comes or whatever date our men and women are brought home, I will continue to do as I do now.
People are entitled to their opinion but to me as soon as you come out of basic training and dawn the full rank of a soldier you have earned my respect.
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