Suport our troops!!!

[draggar]

I'm really sick of these people who think all they need to do to support our troops is to join some facebook group, become a fan of some page, or something like that.

I'll admit, it might be nice for some solder who has been deployed to see people joining his group but seriously. If you really want to suport our troops try doing something beyond punching keys on a keyboard.

I sent DVDs (that he didn't have access to) to a friend of mine who was deployed to Afganistan. He asked if it was OK if he left them there for the next group when he came home - I said hell yes. (They loved the first seaon of Jericho, BTW).

I contributed to a care package (towels, socks, underwear, hand sanitizer, lotion, etc.) to my boss' son in Iraq.

I sent a similar care package to a forum-buddy of mine who was also in Iraq. I also sent him weekly PMs checking up on him, yeah, it would take a few days (or weeks) for him to respond but he always appreciated the checking up.

I owe at least a dozen "beers" (or whatever they drink) to some vets I've met online if I ever meet up with them IRL. One of which was a responder on 9-11 (in NYC) and then later joined the military to go to Afganistan (he was there when the UN building got bombed in Kabul and saved many lives).

While waiting for my wife at the airport I walked up to a group of solders (who were clearly being deployed / leaving home) and told them I appreciated the job that they were doing and thanked them for their service.

Yeah, joining these groups may be nice but don't just stop there or post on the group's wall "YEAH!" etc.. do something nice to someone who has gone though hell. It doesn't even have to be the current "wars" going on now, Viernam, Korea, WWII, WWI, the first Gulf war, etc. Even something as simple as a "thank you" and shake their hand can really lighten their day.

[Boozy]

The "support the troops" thing bothers me, because whenever there's a real opportunity to improve the lives of war veterans, nothing happens because it costs money.

Tying a stupid ribbon to a car's antenna does nothing, especially when the military's hospitals are in need to new technology and more staffing, and returning soldiers need education opportunities and counselling.

Just don't raise anyone's taxes to pay for these things. :rolleyes:

[Hobbs]

"Support the troops" doesn't have to be somthing big, Boozy. A few months ago I was in the mall waiting for a haircut. I was in uniform b/c I had just gotten off of school. A woman walked up to me and asked to give me a hug. Now, it felt kinda weird to be hugged by a random stranger, but it was nice just to know she appreciated me.

[Dreamstalker]

Exactly. We need to support not only the troops that are going/already over there, but also the injured who come back and are in need of services.

There's a neighborhood around here that has a lot of homeless veterans...there is public housing a few blocks south, but for whatever reason they can't get in. I've talked to a few who have told me that the shelters are so bad they'd rather take chances on the street. Aftercare/rehab and job-training services are few and far between.

Raise taxes of the wealthy idiots who scream the most about "supporting the troops" yet want everyone else to foot the bill (pretty much all republicans). They'll do just fine with only 5 houses and six zeroes in their bank account.

[Fryk]

Draggar, that's awesome. I never thought of sending DVDs over there. I think I might have to start.

[smileyeagle1021]

Tying a stupid ribbon to a car's antenna does nothing, especially when the military's hospitals are in need to new technology and more staffing, and returning soldiers need education opportunities and counselling.



I actually pointed that out to one of my former coworkers, they gave me a hard time that I didn't have a support the troops ribbon, I pointed out that I donated the money I would have spent on the ribbon and more to a homeless shelter that supported homeless vets and asked what he had done for the troops or our vets... I never did get a response from him.

[draggar]

Draggar, that's awesome. I never thought of sending DVDs over there. I think I might have to start.

Check with them to make sure they don't already have access to it (and it's something they'd actually want). They actually have TONS of movies, TV shows, etc.. on a network drive (computer harddrive). I don't know if it's legal but hell, if Hollywood has an issue with our military on active duty (in a foreign country / warzone) accessing these for free, they can go phuck themselves and move to a different country.

The drives even include new releases (possibly even some that aren't in the thatres yet). Hopefully my DVDs found their way onto that drive. I was actually shocked at how much they enjoyed Jericho (especially considering how well it didn't do here stateside).

Funny how people think they always want porn, porn, and porn, yet whenever I talked to them all they'd want would be a Sports Illustrated, Mens Health, Time, Entertainment Weekly, even some wanted Reader's Digest.

I actually pointed that out to one of my former coworkers, they gave me a hard time that I didn't have a support the troops ribbon, I pointed out that I donated the money I would have spent on the ribbon and more to a homeless shelter that supported homeless vets and asked what he had done for the troops or our vets... I never did get a response from him.

You won't. People like that think buying some yellow ribbon and tying it to their car antenna will magically make the troops happier. How about real support (as I mentioned above). Don'tbe a cheapskate, I'm sure even local bases will take donations if you don't know who to send something too - EVEN A DAMN LETTER. I'm sure there are also sites that will tell you how to do things, even "adopt" a solder to write to.

[smileyeagle1021]

I don't know if it's legal but hell, if Hollywood has an issue with our military on active duty (in a foreign country / warzone) accessing these for free, they can go phuck themselves and move to a different country.



That one I will argue against vehemently. No one is above the law, not police, not lawmakers, not soldiers.
It does no good to swear an oath to protect this land and it's laws if you are going to flagrantly break them.

[draggar]

Like I said, I don't know if what they have is legal or not, for all we know they could have permission from the people who own the rights to the entertainment to distribute them in situations like these, or the military could pay for them.

I think I should have removed "in a foreign country" . If you're stationed in places like Germany, Japan, etc. then no but those in Afganistan and Iraq (active "warzones") should have access to them, even if it is just for morale's sake.

[smileyeagle1021]

Like I said, I don't know if what they have is legal or not, for all we know they could have permission from the people who own the rights to the entertainment to distribute them in situations like these, or the military could pay for them.


As I said, I have no problem with them having them, and if they are legal then please, keep on giving it to them. The point was if it was illegal then soldiers shouldn't be above the law.

[AdminAssistant]

Funny how people think they always want porn, porn, and porn, yet whenever I talked to them all they'd want would be a Sports Illustrated, Mens Health, Time, Entertainment Weekly, even some wanted Reader's Digest.

Just an FYI, there are things you can't send to soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan, like booze and porn. I'm sure there are care package websites out there that will tell you what you can/can't send.

[Boozy]

You can't send porn?!

Their country hasn't done enough to these poor bastards, so they have to inflict their morality on them too?

You tell them they're fighting for freedom, and then censor their choice of (legal) entertainment.

I'm no fan of porn, but that's bullshit.

[draggar]

Just an FYI, there are things you can't send to soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan, like booze and porn. I'm sure there are care package websites out there that will tell you what you can/can't send.

Don't worry, I didn't. :) I sent them what they wanted.

On a side note - I see tons of "adopt a solder" sites out there and NONE are .mil (military TLD) or .gov (government TLD), not even .edu (education TLD), they're all .org (which anyone with $10-$15 can get).

Has anyone had any experience with these and which ones are legit?

[AdminAssistant]

I'm no fan of porn, but that's bullshit.

Alcohol and porn are banned in many Islamic countries, including Iraq.

ETA: I figured you would, draggar, I just wanted to throw that tidbit out there.

[Hobbs]

As I remember, the possession of pornographic materials is in violation of Art. 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. As it states;

"...all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of...shall be punished at the discretion of that court."

The military, as a general rule, is held to a higher moral standard than civilians because the civil authority we serve expects us to be not only proficient in our profession of arms, but also to be morally irreputable. My Colonel sent back two people from Iraq for possession. They can also be prosecuted under Art. 92 "Failure to Obey Order or Regulation." Let's face it; if someone is incapable of following an order/regulation about porn, how can they be trusted for follow a more serious one like "Misbehavior before the enemy."

However, stateside it is different. In barracks, a base commander can make it a general rule (and this is quite common) that pornography is not allowed in barracks. If an officer makes an inspection and finds said pornography, the officer can't confiscate it because it's the airman's personal property. He can, however, give non-disciplinary actions and instruct the airman to not have it in plain view.

The only real super-duper no-no concerning pornography is using a government computer or equipment for pornography. That's because, when on duty, your time isn't yours; it's the property of the US government. The computer you're using is property of the US government and government property should only be used for official purposes.

[Fryk]

I wouldn't send them movies anyway. I figure anyone could. I'd check via e-mail and see what shows they wanted (like you with Jericho) and send them something like that.

[Boozy]

Alcohol and porn are banned in many Islamic countries, including Iraq.


Alcohol isn't banned in Iraq. There's not a drop to be found in areas controlled by imams, but it's not a national law. The current (official) government is relatively secular.

But, my husband points out to me that alcohol is always contraband in combat zones, for rather obvious reasons. Guns + Booze = Bad Idea. So I can accept that.

I'm still annoyed by the idea that the troops can't look at porno magazines. I realize that the US military is trying to be sensitive to Iraqi Muslims, but in the greater scheme of things, it's not really going to help.

[Hobbs]

Boozy, it's also a matter of being respective of our Sisters in Arms. Let me give you an example our JAG man gave us:

You have a photo in the office of your summer vacation. In one picture, your wife is wearing a bikini. A female coworker (either AF or government employee) sees the picture and finds it offensive, for whatever reason. It's lawful for your supervisor to make you hide the picture or take it home.

Now, in the following scenario, does this happen alot? No. But once a claim of being uncomfortable from a photograph is given, it brings in a whole slew of unwanted ju-ju. And if guys are passing around pornos that their female coutnerparts get offended by, they're contributing, "...to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces..."

[Boozy]

Sure, but there's a difference between looking at porn when you're spending time by yourself in the barracks, and tucking the magazine away in your footlocker afterwards, and displaying it openly in your office.

Civilians can't bring porno to work either, but what they do in the privacy of their own homes is their own business.

Do soldiers seriously get no privacy and no rights to private property?

[Hobbs]

Sure, but there's a difference between looking at porn when you're spending time by yourself in the barracks, and tucking the magazine away in your footlocker afterwards, and displaying it openly in your office.

Civilians can't bring porno to work either, but what they do in the privacy of their own homes is their own business.

Do soldiers seriously get no privacy and no rights to private property?
Not when they're on government time, Boozy. You're legally are property of the US government. We're told where to deploy, what to do, when to sleep, etc.

When you're deployed, you're on government time 24/7. The tent you live in? Property of the US government. The cot you sleep on, the footlocker...all of these are property of the US government. It is not your private property.

[RavenStarr]

Speaking as a former soldier Hobbs is 100% spot on. Even when you are off duty, you are still expected to conduct yourself in an acceptable manner.