If you want to help the US troops...

Not trying to start anything, just a simple post to share a cool way I've learned of to help the US troops if it is something you are wanting to do.

A place I've been to many, many times in Wilmington, NC called Flaming Amy's makes the best food in town, including their salsas. For $15 you can sponser a whole package of their salsa being sent to the troops in the middle east right now.

http://www.operationsalsadrop.org/

I have a lot of friends and family who have served and they always say it is those little home comforts that help the most.

Definitely don't mind things like this being posted. My grandfather was a WWII (Army) vet, my cousin is an Iraq (Marine) vet, another cousin is in the Air Force. Very awesome that they do this.

Back to - Like it or not, we're going to be respectful here. So all the way post this for anyone who might be interested.

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Not saying anything...

What a cool opportunity!! I have a good friend who was in afghanistan for a year and a half, I never got to ask her what food was like, but I can't imagine it was that awesome. Thanks for sharing!

LyzGrace wrote:

What a cool opportunity!! I have a good friend who was in afghanistan for a year and a half, I never got to ask her what food was like, but I can't imagine it was that awesome. Thanks for sharing!

From what my cousin and former friends have said, they get MREs when people don't send care packages. An MRE is basically freeze dried stuff you add water to and eat. None too appetizing.

I don't support the wars, but I definitely do support the troops.

I was quiet, but only one question: did anybody force them to go there? Or it's their decision... And just to think about that: are they doing that straight from patriotism for free or they get paid from our taxes?

The United States has an all volunteer military and has not drafted anyone to fight in a war since Vietnam. Tax dollars pay the salaries of the servicemen and women, occasionally the troops are eligible for base housing as well.

In the U.S., men are required to register for the Selective Service on their 18th birthday. Selective Service is basically registering for the draft should there be one. I, and many others, highly doubt that there would ever be another draft. If you're a male and do not register, you are ineligible for certain things, financial aid for college being one.

zazanomore wrote:

Not saying anything...

Ditto.

Margaret wrote:

I was quiet, but only one question: did anybody force them to go there? Or it's their decision... And just to think about that: are they doing that straight from patriotism for free or they get paid from our taxes?

If you're talking about drafting, the US hasn't done that since Vietnam, all of our forces have enlisted. And yes, they do get paid. Not enough for the service they provide for our country and the pain and separation that their families go through while they're gone, if you ask me.

Like Kaela said, whether you're for or against war, the men and women overseas are serving YOU. And just because they're soldiers doesn't mean they're for war, either. They're just taking orders and risking their life protecting ours.

Where's VickiNumbers? I wanna see her blood pressure spike a few points.

LyzGrace wrote:

Like Kaela said, whether you're for or against war, the men and women overseas are serving YOU. And just because they're soldiers doesn't mean they're for war, either. They're just taking orders and risking their life protecting ours.

But there is still their choice or they are forced to do that? No hard-fillings, it's only discussion.

LyzGrace wrote:

Like Kaela said, whether you're for or against war, the men and women overseas are serving YOU. And just because they're soldiers doesn't mean they're for war, either. They're just taking orders and risking their life protecting ours.

This. Absolutely this.

Most of the people I've known that have enlisted (and there've been more than a few) have enlisted so they have the opportunity to go to college -- something they couldn't have afforded otherwise. Some of them enlisted prior to 2001, some of them enlisted after.

My cousin wouldn't have had the chance to get the job he has now if he hadn't enlisted in the Marines. He was an awful student in high school and wouldn't have gotten into college. Since he enlisted after 2001, he served in Iraq and luckily made it back home safely. Now he's able to work in some super classified job making enough money to support himself, his son and his ex-wife.

My other cousin is the exact same way. He was a mediocre student in high school and had no idea what he wanted to do. He worked for a few years in dead end jobs before enlisting in the Air Force. As far as I know, he's still in the Air Force. Once he's discharged, he'll have an opportunity to work in a hospital since he's a medic where he is now. This is definitely not something he would've done otherwise.

I'm probably the most anti-war, left leaning, slash the defense department budget kind of person anyone will ever meet. But I absolutely support the job they do and respect them for doing it.

Margaret wrote:

But there is still their choice or they are forced to do that? No hard-fillings, it's only discussion.

Now, military enlistment is a choice. You can decide if that's something you want to do or not. In the 1960s during the Vietnam War, you either went or draft dodged and went to Canada.

In no way is Bombing the hell out of the Middle East serving ME?

KayLayUh wrote:

Margaret wrote:

But there is still their choice or they are forced to do that? No hard-fillings, it's only discussion.

Now, military enlistment is a choice. You can decide if that's something you want to do or not. In the 1960s during the Vietnam War, you either went or draft dodged and went to Canada.

That was exactly my point. Nobody is forcing nobody to do it. During communism people was forced to go to the army, they didn't have a choice, or like the Vietnam War example, they run to another countries.
I don't understand why we can't talk about it and still respect another people opinion. Wasn't that point of that forum?

Oh yeah, jumbled sentence. You get the point.

zazanomore wrote:

In no way is Bombing the hell out of the Middle East serving ME?

I agree with this. I see no useful purpose to having ever gone to Iraq. Afghanistan was a misguided operation from the beginning and could have been ended so much sooner if Tora Bora wasn't botched to hell. I don't see why the U.S. needs 50,000 troops in Germany anymore, especially considering the Swedes aren't going to act up any time soon.

But however misguided the missions are, there's no mistaking the fact that the soldiers truly do have their hearts in the right place.

How is going to war "having your heart in the right place"?

I just can't support troops. Support the troops and you support the war.

They are not fighting for anyone's freedom. Want to do some good in the world? Stop the Darfur genocide.

They don't have the choice to go to war. Most members of the U.S. military have joined not because they support the war or want to go off and kill things, but because they have no other opportunities open to them. A great many members of the current U.S. military have joined for college money, a steady job, a place to live.

Like I've said, I don't support the wars but I do support the troops fighting in them. Military intervention isn't inherently bad, but it is bad when those military operations are misguided. Iraq was misguided, pre-emptive and a waste of human life and resources. It had no true purpose. Afghanistan is much more tricky, especially considering the fact that the Taliban in Afghanistan had been harboring bin Laden for years.

Intervening in Libya where al-Qaddafi is killing his own people because he refuses to step down -- that, in my opinion, is completely justified if only to get the violence to stop. Using military force to intervene in Darfur, where Southern Darfurians are being slaughtered by Northern Darfurians for their oil resources, would be completely justified.

I think I may be particularly touchy about this because I know or have known so many people in the military.

Quote :

They don't have the choice to go to war. Most members of the U.S. military have joined not because they support the war or want to go off and kill things, but because they have no other opportunities open to them. A great many members of the current U.S. military have joined for college money, a steady job, a place to live.

I'm legally in US and I don't ask nobody for support. Everything I made here, I made by my hard work. Nobody in the world will force me to do something I don't want to do. There is always choice: I choose to work to achieve what I have, cant they?

zazanomore wrote:

How is going to war "having your heart in the right place"?

I just can't support troops. Support the troops and you support the war.

The Nazi soldiers believed in their hearts they were doing the right thing for their country. . .

Hey - if this forum can survive this subject w/out name calling and hatred, we're really all truly becoming friends in Paradise!

patdbunny wrote:

Hey - if this forum can survive this subject w/out name calling and hatred, we're really all truly becoming friends in Paradise!

Why we should call each other the names? We have different opinions, that's all. It's normal discussion among adult people. Imagine world, if everybody would be the same. It would be so boring
I understand that some people can be emotional in that topic, because of family members being in the army, friends and etc. but we all can respect each other and each other different opinions.
I'm also no hard-head, prove me, that all those people really don't have a choice, I'll change my mind. Like I did change my mind about breeders and clipped wings. Only cow didn't change her point of view(to not offend cow)!

I think the reason this works in the first place is that we were all friends first, which makes it easier to have a healthy debate without the name calling

The way I see the choice thing for the soldiers themselves, they have a choice to join the military or not, after that they really don't get to decide where they go and what they do; the point is they have to follow orders (sometimes ones they may not fully agree with). If they don't like the orders they really only have two choices: do it or resign. Disobeying orders is kind of frowned upon in the military, and the punishment is not like civilian life where they just fire your behind. In the military that kind of thing can get you sent to jail.

However, I do take issue with some of the places the military bigwigs decide to go. The fight in Africa has been going on for just as long as the Middle East, but they don't have anything anyone wants so it is deemed not worthwhile to go there. The Middle East has oil, so off they go!

I wasn't trying to start anything. I very simply said if you choose to support the troops- here is something cool.

Why can't you support someone even if they choose to go? I chose to go to college and my parents sent me "care packages". Obviously there is a vast difference in college and being on post at war, but if you do support the troops- them choosing this life doesn't matter.

You absolutely CAN support the troops without supporting the war. I do not, never will, and am ashamed every day this country is at war in the middle east. However, I deeply support the men and women there.