Imagine being 17 or 18 and feeling enough patriotism to voluntarily walk into a recruiting station and make a life changing decision.
That’s what I did. And I can honestly say it was the best decision I ever made. The Woman and Men who make up our Military forces work harder than any of us can imagine. To be in a constant state of readiness is exhausting. The American people need to show their support as often as possible. Gratitude goes a long way.
When I was a young Marine, mail call was the best part of the day. I always hoped for a letter from home, a letter from a friend or family member, something to connect with the outside world. Anything to keep me motivated. With technology, you can reach our service members much easier than in the past. Whether it’s electronic or on paper, the result is the same.
No matter how you may feel about governmental decisions, our military personnel believe they are doing the right thing in protecting our freedoms. They need our support. The next time you see someone in uniform, stop and thank them. Shake their hand. Let them know you appreciate the sacrifice they are making on your behalf.
The media is usually content with reporting the faults in our military. Instead, they miss all the wonderful things our service Woman and Men do every day in their communities. Take for instance, the Marine Corps supporting Toys for Tots, a program that accepts donated toys for children who are in need at Christmas time.
While you consider what you are thankful for over the next few months, please keep our military folks in your thoughts. Make some kind of gesture by participating in programs like those of eMail Our Military. This program works hard to send gifts and letters to those serving in the various branches, improving moral, and giving you an opportunity to show your support.
Thom Allen
Former United States Marine
http://thomallen.com/
This post is part of our Why Americans Should Support Our Troops ongoing series. We encourage you to participate too.
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If you’ve been looking for a way to support our troops, now you can. Participate in one of our many projects or register with eMOM and sign up to correspond with service members one-on-one. Learn more about our holiday project to support our troops.
[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, Patriotism, Thom Allen, Veteran, Guest Blogger, MilBlogging, USMC, Americana, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail ]
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eMOM says
Fantastic post! We really appreciate you being a part of this ongoing series. Your post was inspiring.