Give Thanks to a Soldier Serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Around the World

As we come into the Christmas season please do not forget those who provide the safety with which we exchange gifts, complain about gas prices, and eat too much. Somewhere on the other side of the world an American soldier is sweating in the hot desert sun as we scarf down pumpkin pie. As we try to avoid our annoying relatives they are trying to avoid the enemy's gunfire. When we are stressing trying to find the ideal gift, they are stressing trying to find terrorists. While we are opening our presents, they are diffusing bombs. At the same time we are honking in traffic on our way to the mall, they are wondering if they'll make it home alive. As we are snapping pictures of our children opening presents, there are wishing they were home just to hug the children.

Regardless of your political opinion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, regardless of your opinion of President George W. Bush, and regardless if you are a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or Independent you should take a moment of time to send thanks to those who give us so much. Whether a member of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard the men and women of the United States Military are volunteers doing the countries dirty work for low wages and deserve our awe and gratitude for the work that they do.

The United States Department of Defense provides a great website titled America Supports You (at americasupportsyou.mil) that lists many ways that the average citizen can provide support to the members of our military. My favorite area is the link on the right side of the page indicated as "THANK THE TROOPS". Following this link will take you a page where you can enter a simple message to the troops. This process can be completed in less than a minute, certainly a small amount of your time to bring comfort to those so far from home. You can even read messages left by others.