From a Thankful Civilian

Dear USA Military Family,

I just want to take some time to thank you for your voluntary service, dedication and love of our country. Each service member joins up for an individual reason, but underlying all those various reasons is a love of America. I can rest each night, I can go to work, church, and hang with friends because I know that there are so many wonderful people fighting for my freedom. Thank you.

The news, blogs, and websites talk about the recent deaths of 31 service members. I hear some of them were from the SEAL team that brought about the demise of OBL. Whatever their job, it is tragic to know that 31 more coffins are coming home. Arlington is filling up fast. Too many families and friends are having to grapple with death. For those families and friends I pray.

Yet, each military family knows what COULD happen. We all pray that it doesn't. Yet, we as a country are involved in so many things. We are sending troops to Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, and the Mexico/US border (just to name a few). It is all done voluntarily. I thank each of you, service member and family member, for your dedication, for being willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice to protect this country, to give to the next generation something better than what we have now.

And, what are we doing for you? As a country, we need to treat our current and former military members better. Our VA's are understaffed and over crowded. We need more doctors, nurses, counselors and staff members trained and hired to treat the physical and emotional wounds that come with your dedication, your job. We need to pay you a wage that is fair.

America for all her greatness, and she is still great, even struggling. But, America for all her greatness has the wrong priorities. Athletes and actors are elevated to near deities & making more money than can reasonably be spent in 3 generations while those that serve: teachers, police, firemen, and military members are struggling to make it month to month. Those that serve shouldn't have to also worry about providing the basics for their family.

America is wonderful because here we can say what we want (even if it is unpopular), we can be who we want to be (even if people don't understand us), we can go where we want (when we want), we can choose to worship whomever iwe want, and we can do all this because 200+ years ago a group of people understand how important human rights and freedoms are.

Those beliefs and a willingness (though not an eagerness) to lay it all on the line to defend is what makes our military amazing. Thank you. And may God protect you and guide you. May those of us here in America see the need to make changes, to fight for you as you fight for us.



Sincerely,

A Thankful Civilian