Our troops and vets need and deserve our support...

What do I mean when I say that I support the troops? Unlike my explanation for why I am anti-war, this is fairly self explanatory. However, there are a few gray areas which do require a bit of clarification. But I’ll get to that part later.

The most prevalent form of troops support was via the internet. There are a myriad of pro-troops websites. Some are created by and run by Iraq War vets themselves. Sites such as this one have links to anti-war soldiers and vets’ blogs and other anti-war, pro-troops websites. This site also has interviews with soldiers and vets of this war and links to upcoming events which encourage participation. This website is another example of a veteran created and run website that is against the war. This site has a very useful and informative front page with recent news concerning the war that is relevant to the websites cause. This website gives a comprehensive list of reasons why the vets who run and support this site do not support the war.

Sites such as AdoptaPlatoon and AnySoldier depend on citizens participation in order for their various supportive operations to work. These types of sites do precisely what I believe should be and needs to be done: provide moral support for the troops while they are over in Iraq.

However, the veterans need support when they return from the war. Many of them come home injured and/or mentally unstable and need our help. Some come back and have no place to stay and have trouble finding jobs (either due to the lack of availability or their own physical or mental ailments) with which to support themselves. This was and to a certain extent still is a huge problem for vets of the Vietnam War. This is why I am in support of special disability benefits for Veterans (and any funding that can further the inception and growth of such an idea). Also, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans is one organization in particular that I think is doing a great job of taking care of our veterans. Their mission statement: “NCHV will end homelessness among veterans by shaping public policy, promoting collaboration, and building the capacity of service providers”. Its organizations such as this one that need more funding from the government to continue to run and expand their operations so that no veteran is left without a place to hang their helmet when they return.

My next entry will focus on the gray areas of being supporter of the troops while being against the war.