How do YOU show respect for the troops?

Question

Happy 4th!

This is my personal shout out to all the brave men and women who serve their country! The way i show respect, is whenever I meet someone and I find out they have ever or do now serve in the military, I always shake their hand, look them in the eye, and sincerely thank them for serving our country...that one small gesture goes a long way to let them know they are not forgotten!

How do you show your respect?

Just last weekend, I was talking to a man and woman I had just met, about a different subject altogether, and it came up that the man had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and had suffered quite a bit in life because of it, including developing heart problems, etc...later in the conversation, I asked him what had caused the trauma, he said he was a Vietnam Vet...my heart went out to him, I felt humbled that he should have to suffer yrs his whole life for having done the right thing in his youth...I reached out, put my arm around his shoulder, and told him how much I appreciated what he had done for "me" by choosing to serve...he seemed pleasantly surprised...it was evident, he hadn't heard those words often enough...he was humbled by the gesture also and thanked me and said "it was an honor to serve, ma'am"...I will never forget this man's wonderful heart, nor any of the others who serve so diligently, in spite of what may lie ahead for them...

We owe all of them our gratitude!

Answer 1

I live it 24/7 as an AF wife! I feed him and do his laundry. I hug him when he comes home every day. I bake for his guys. I help put together care boxes for the guys deployed. Arrange activities and outing for spouses and families. Keep my own family going when he deploys. The list is endless!

Answer 2

I send letters and packages to people I've never met. Their service to our country honors me and I want to tell and show them I am appreciative.

I also travel often through international airports. When I see a man or woman in uniform, I stop them by saying, "Excuse me, but I just want to thank you for your service," and I shake their hand. I don't care if they are an E-1 (the lowest enlisted rank) or a General (or Admiral), I treat them all the same way, with thankfulness and respect.

I NEVER speak ill of our troops, and I will NEVER vote for any candidate for any public office who has publicly made what I deem to be disrespectful comments toward our troops. Having said that, most of the candidates that I would not vote for do not really care what I think anyway, and I am more concerned that our troops know that I respect and appreciate them than I am concerned about what a candidate thinks about me.

As a veteran of military service myself, I know full well that military service is much more demanding now than when I served in the late 1970s. May God Bless the men and women who wear the uniform of the military of the United States of America.

Answer 3

I show respect, by simply shaking hands and saying good job.

I personally hate the word "Thank you for your service." I'd always respond with "Don't thank me. I did because I wanted too, and I got a lot in return." But then again I am kind of a Butt.

BTW, Baby Poots really sounds bitter about something. I just hope she learns the difference between politics and the military. It is because of teacher like here that are Vets where spit upon during the Vietnam era. Well, not not on my watch sister! You'll have to many people like me to deal with if you even think of showing even the slightest disrespect to our troops.

Answer 4

Everyone I meet I shake their hand and Thank them for what they are doing. I have never played down or made light of their job and would put anyone in their place that did. I fly the American Flag on Holidays and military occasions. I am also looking for a job that will take me overseas to help support them by standing along side of them. There is no reason for the American Soldier to shoulder the entire burden our Honorable, Moral, Duty Bound Country has under-taken.

Please show your Support for our Troops and Civilian Contractors....These People have a hard Job to do and are doing so with all the Honor, Morality, Dignity and Duty they can Muster. They are warriors doing the Jobs that our Country has call upon them to do.

Vet-USAF 44MMS

Answer 5

As much as I truly appreciate that sentiment, and I REALLY do, thank you, I see the 4th of July as a celeration of our country and the remembrance of our first patriots.

What we're going through, today, is nothing compared to what the early colonists went through. We're we are fighting a war on foreign soil, they fought it in their own backyards and many of the signers of the Declaration of Independance lost everything or were killed during the Revolution.

This is a time for us to reflect on not only where we have come from, but to look at where we are and where we are going. We need to check ourselves to make sure we are doing what is in the best interest of our country and it's people.

The world has changed over the alst 231 years but our principles still apply.

I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th!

Remember those who have come before us and let's make their sacrifices count for generations to come!

Answer 6

We as a family run right up to them and do the same as you do.

We also speak in appreciation when our troops are no where near us, we pray for their safety and return to their families.

GOD Bless our Troops.

Thank You All For Serving To Keep America Free.
And we hope someday GOD willing the Iraqi people will be able to celebrate their Independence Day, because YOU Severed.

Edited
Yes you are absolutely right. I am thankful to all who has served in every war, past, present and I pray there wont have to be a future war. I thank and love you all.

Answer 7

As a retired soldier and an ex-Army recruiter, I continue to talk to young people about serving in the military. I am proud of my years of service and really resent people like Baby Poots, who blame President Bush for everything. I ran into many like her when I was a recruiter, and feel sorry for the recruiters who are still encountering people of her ilk.

Answer 8

oh definitely #2. though many do not agree on principle with the war, a good majority still support the troops in their decision to do what they feel is right...and i thank them every day for doing that... but being a flaming idiot...obviously a product of the conservative system put into schools (NCLB in action right there folks!).

Answer 9

Find a mailing list for soldiers and mail letters. If you see one on the street just say thank you. Maybe if you live near a VA hospital go visit them and cher them up. Just show respect for them and be nice to them. If you know of a soldiers wife that is home with young kids help her. Tell her to go out with some friens and babysit her kids.

Answer 10

Unfortunately, I have not shown my respect for the young men and women who are currently serving in the U.S. military services.

My youngest daughter served in the U.S. Army for eight years, stationed in Germany and Virginia. Her husband served for 14 years in Hawaii and Germany. My father-in-law retired as a Master Sargent from the U.S. Marines, joining at the age of l7, serving in Korea and Vietnam.

My oldest daughter's husband (now ex) served in Germany for eight years, and in the Middle East for four years. He is now a Communications Specialist stationed at the Pentagon in Washington DC. My brother served four years in the U.S. Navy. One of my mother's brothers was in the Navy in WWII.

I am proud of every member of my family who served in the military. My regret is that when I was 18, graduating from high school, the military "gurus" were not recruiting women. These "military experts" were not even recruiting young women college graduates, unless you were a nurse!

By the time my children were graduating from high school in the 80's and 90's, they were "actively recruiting" women, whether they had a strong academic record or not--just fill the quota! For that, I have no respect for the military. As a teacher, I respect my students for joining and giving their all to the military; but I have no respect for the burearacy of the government or the false enticements given these young people by the recruiters.

I will fly my flag today, the Fourth of July, but it will be for my daughter who served, and for my daughter who had to endure the days her husband was gone. It will not be for President Bush or any of his cohorts who flagrantly place our troops at risk.

Bush is no better than Sadam Hussein!