Yeah. I'm over that forced phrase, imposed upon us by the warmongers from hell.

Espeically when the appreciation shown isn't really appreciation, more like platitudes.

The troops want to come home - show support by leanding on Congress to make it happen.

Until they come home, send them the equipment they need so they CAN come home when the time comes.

Apart from that, I don't blame the troops for wanting to tell someone that "I support the troops" to go drink several cans of Shut Yer Piehole...aka STHU

Even worse, I hear it most from the guys around me who openly admit that they never wanted to serve, but are SO in favor of the current Iraq war

They thank the troops for their service because reich-wingers actually believe that's "supporting the troops" (tm).

I support my troops by paying my taxes so that when their enlistment period is over they can cash in by signing on with Blackwater.

If a soldier is fortunate enough to avoid a messy court marshall, he can go on to work for a contractor in our mercenary army and murder and torture with no reprisals.

Don Davis @ 10:

That's not what Larry Craig said.

ROFL. Priceless.

That's my point. The simplicity of both side's rhetoric. The far greater goal is to work for justice and keep our eyes open. While we rip each other apart, the fascists are stealing the ground out from under us. If you want to debate the value of a "thank you" to the troops then they have won.

if you want to show support for the troops....keep pushing the message to bring them home ASAP....preferably sooner than later......and.......help a homeless vet...when you can......aside from the VA(not the best but it's a whole lot better than it used to be)...they discard our Vets when the get out....But our soldiers DO NEED to KNOW...that we care and respect them.....otherwise their likely to buy into the repug bullshit...help a homeless Vet when you can...even if it's just a couple of dollars.......together we can help them......

oh and when people say thank you for serving to me......it's embarrassing...when I enlisted I certainly didn't do it so people would thank me.....

The sad, sadistic legacy of the USMC lives on:

Sorry, here's the link. Have I mentioned lately that Haloscan sucks?

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MARINES_INSTRUCTOR_ABUSE?SITE=MABED&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

I live around Camp Pendleton. I see young marines all the time. If I am out and I see one buying a drink or ordering some food, I often step in and ask, "Are you active duty?" If they say yes, I pay for them. I think they appreciate, for the most part, that they have our support. But anytime I tell them thanks, I ALWAYS say that we are working to get them home ASAP.

Che's Lounge @ 23:

I live around Camp Pendleton. I see young marines all the time. If I am out and I see one buying a drink or ordering some food, I often step in and ask, "Are you active duty?" If they say yes, I pay for them. I think they appreciate, for the most part, that they have our support. But anytime I tell them thanks, I ALWAYS say that we are working to get them home ASAP.

Yeah right on...I buy um a beer or a burger or ask them if they need a ride somewhere...and when you get them one on one ...THEY ALWAYS SAY THIS IS FUBAR......not all of them...but 7 out of 10 do.....

Ricky Bones @ 2:

I am a veteran and I HATE when people hear that I was in Kuwait in 91 and Somalia in 93 and they reflexively respond with, "Thanks for your service" It makes me nuts because of the circumstances of my joining the military, which is like so many others when I joined (a job with benefits and college money) and the premise of the comabt zones I served in.

It has become an obligatory response with no sentiment or understanding why they are thanking someone.

Very well said. I was in a supermarket about six weeks ago wearing a Vietnam Veterans Against the War T-shirt when a middle-aged employee told me that his son was in Iraq. He then thanked me for my service. I informed him that I have always regretted the fact that, unlike those military personnel featured in the incredibly moving film Sir! No Sir!, which focused on the GI Movement that took place at or near military bases at home and abroad during the Vietnam War, I did not refuse the orders that I was given during that time period which then contributed to the unnecessary deaths of innocent Vietnamese people. He then magnanimously told me that I should have then been thrown in jail if I had followed through on my intentions. Apparently this employee seemed to think that because his son is in Iraq, it then entitles him to a sense of moral superiority over those who dare to disagree with his nationalistic fervor.

As you correctly point out, these people say this meaningless phrase without ever examining the content of its meaning. As is the case with so many superpatriots, when they hear the word patriotism, their brains just seem to automatically shut down.

The troops, the national guard, veterans and patriotic americans are also sick of the empty rhetoric coming from an insane descendant of an elite treasonous family who is destroying America.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_family

We have all had ENOUGH of elite families and bankers who are destroying America, what our WWII veterans fought for, Geneva Convention treaties. America has had enough. Including fake religious groups who endorse torture..

And What exactly did insane religious broadcaster Pat Robertson mean on Jan 2 07, when he predicted that an attack on the United States would result in "mass killing" late in 2007.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8MDEM380&show_article=1

Congress should act soon...
Bring the troops and the national guard back to the United States so they can take into custody and court marshall all of the criminals and traitors to America... starting with George W Bush, Dick Cheney, Limbaugh, Pat Robertson, PNAC advisors, Corrupt Judges, Money laundering bankers and GOP Arkansas Chairman Milligan

court-martial

It would be nice if our Armed Forces served to protect our Country from potential invaders and adversaries instead of being the worlds policemen or worse tools of big business and people in government who insist on being the big swinging dick of the planet.

When I hear the phrase, "Thank you for your husband's service", I cringe. Of course, one of my biggest pet peeves is when someone says, "Thank you for fighting for my freedom here at home." That has to be the worst one. When all of our freedoms are flying out the window at record speed and we are embroiled in a war of aggression, that is the last thing me or my husband want to hear. If you want freedom, fight to save the constitution, and if you want to help the troops, speak out against the disgusting policy of "preemptive war".

It's nice to hear the opinions of fellow veterans here on the board. I'm of similar opinion on the subject as well. I do have a slightly different take on it though. In my mind, when one of these chicken hawk types thanks me for my service I think they are doing it for the exact same reason that they "pray" for other people affected by hardship such as Darfur or Katrina. By praying or thanking us they can tell themselves that they have done something without having to expend any effort. It's all a matter of ingrained guilt.

It goes something like this...

Are survivors of a hurricane, tornado or other natural disaster having a tough time? I'll pray for you. BAM! My conscience is now clear and I never had to leave the comfort of my air conditioned living room and big screen television always tuned to Faux Noise or CBN. Boy, it sure feels nice to be able to do something for people I don't even know without having to go to any effort. Talk about the best of both worlds. Hmm...is that a body floating down the river? Sure hope he doesn't go to hell.

You served or are serving in the military? Hey, thanks for doing that man! You're fighting the enemy over there so we don't have to fight them over here. BAM! I feel so much better letting that veteran know that he has my support. The cool thing about it is that I never had to serve in the military myself. I mean, if I died in combat, who would pray for all those people that need me so much? If I died, then I wouldn't be able to sport my little yellow ribbon magnet on my car now would I? Gee, what's with that soldier's facial tic? You'd think he was traumatized by something.

Folks, it's real simple. Most of us didn't join the military to serve with honor and protect mom and apple pie. We needed a job and the military was hiring. We aren't here to protect your constitutional rights. That's your fucking job to do! Our oath is to support and defend the constitution which means we are here to defend a set of basic laws. If your rights are protected by us as a result then that's just a perk for you.

Yeah, chickenhawks make me just a tad bitter.

Hey Tyree ..how many lifers were alcoholics when you were in....you know the ones...the ones that would wake up with a bottle of Jim Beam next to them and take a hit off of it......

Che's Lounge @ 19:

The sad, sadistic legacy of the USMC lives on:

http://www.classic-tv.com/shows/images/gomer.jpg

Ricky Bones @ 2:

I am a veteran and I HATE when people hear that I was in Kuwait in 91 and Somalia in 93 and they reflexively respond with, "Thanks for your service" It makes me nuts because of the circumstances of my joining the military, which is like so many others when I joined (a job with benefits and college money) and the premise of the comabt zones I served in.

It has become an obligatory response with no sentiment or understanding why they are thanking someone.

My unit was in Somalia too...86th Evac, Ft. Campbell. It also irritates me when people thank me for my service. This seems to always come from people who would never consider going into the service. And like you, I didn't go in because I was a super patriot; I went in because I had kids to raise and couldn't find a job.

Raf,

You're learning what those of us who went before you learned: The government is long on promises, but the politicians - invariably the conservatives - will do everything they can to make sure that the government comes up short on delivery.

#44-When Freedom Fails Says

"When Fascism comes to this country, it will come wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross." Good quote and it certainly seems to be where the United States appears to be headed but that line is actually attributed to the writer Sinclair Lewis not the politician Upton Sinclair. Ironically, Sinclair Lewis does mention Upton Sinclair in his prescient novel It Can't Happen Here whose main theme revolves around the United States becoming a fascist country in the 1930s.

Thank you for this. I have come to the point that I am offended whenever I hear this. I've been out for over 30 years and when somebody discovers that I served (and usually because they didn't) they feel "compelled" to say that for some reason (Guilt maybe?) And let's stop putting signs on our houses and bumberstickers on our cars saying "Support the Troops". you are not supporting anybody by wearing jingoistic garbage. Go find some homeless vets and feed them! Send some Care Packages to the troops in the field! But don't mouth platitudes and do nothing. That's not what we were all about. Do something or shut up!!!!!

I did a stint at balboa, also recall the Mojave area like Irwin and 6 palms had a type of mycosis endemic to the soil... I'd have to look up my notes to talk intelligently about it.

Anyway, Whenever anybody gives me the "thank you for your service" I usually respond with "it's either that or go to Jail" to put another spin on it..

As for Spud,
respectfully dude, I don't think you've personally known anybody who picked up the uniform.

I state this based on my interpretation of your comments that seem to be stereotypical caricatures of the type of people in the service. I can assure you it's a rainbow out here, and I can also assure you that all those contractors are not just hiring "Former SF".

True,we got some wackos, "true believers" in neoconism and the republican media machine, but part of that problem was caused by the inability of the Military media complex like AFN to provide access to a cogent alternative message that did not use the same hate mongering tactics. The Internet is where we made the turn around, now its taking it to the street in a positive engaging message, and then there are folks like me still engaged in the service intelligently influencing the situation.

The other day, I had visited a "Support the troops" web site that had nothing but vitriol for democratic leaders, Muslims, and anybody that questioned Israel.

I contemplated why somebody would put that kind of stuff out there with that message.

Did they think this was the kind of thoughtful stuff we needed to hear?

Were they looking for accomplishment and acceptance to validate their existence in an otherwise lonely and unfulfilled life?

Do they really believe that silence is an assent to what they are doing for "The troops"

would hearing a service member say "No thank you, I do not want that kind of support" make a difference in their behavior? I doubt it, for these are that same kind of folks that wore purple heart band aids during election campaigns, and elected a "War time President" who didn't successfully complete his tour of service.

But the consequence of not trying means no resolution, and nobody get anywhere...

Just MHO spud, I could be wrong..

Ricky Bones @ 2:

I am a veteran and I HATE when people hear that I was in Kuwait in 91 and Somalia in 93 and they reflexively respond with, "Thanks for your service" It makes me nuts because of the circumstances of my joining the military, which is like so many others when I joined (a job with benefits and college money) and the premise of the comabt zones I served in.

It has become an obligatory response with no sentiment or understanding why they are thanking someone.

If you were defending your home, you deserve more then just thanks.

But like you said, many join the military for the benefits and college money. They might claim they are doing it to defend their country, that does not change a thing, yet sadly is a beloved defence.

And you were not defending your home. Anything that means attacking another country should be thoroughly question. Often it has been done to remove a thug that was placed there by the same people who are sending you off to war and for the same reasons.