May is National Military Appreciation Month. According to National Military Appreciation Month’s website, there are 10 ways you can show your support to everyone who is serving or has served in the United States Armed Forces, and they are as follows:
- Display the American flag.
- Engage the media to highlight military and veterans’ events.
- Send a care package through USOCares.
- Encourage elected officials to recognize our military and veterans.
- Veterans should salute other veterans.
- When offering military discounts, include all who serve and have served.
- Like the National Military Appreciation Month’s Facebook page.
- When you see a person in military uniform, thank them and shake their hand.
- May is also American Military history month, encourage schools to include this in their curriculum.
- Hire a veteran.
Now, in the current political climate, a lot of people may disagree with some of the actions of the current and past Commander-In-Chiefs and unfortunately, that sentiment affects their attitudes towards military personnel, their families, and veterans. While everyone is certainly entitled to their opinions and views, it just does not seem fit to take out this aggravation on those who openly choose to give their lives to make sure that we can have that privilege to not only disagree, but voice it (as well as all of the other freedoms we have…for reference, click here.) Sure, you don’t agree with X war, but why does that mean you can’t respect the people who risked their lives so you did not have to? Spoiler alert: there’s not a good answer to this question.
Think about it this way: no matter who is in office, the individuals in the Armed Forces are going to obey orders because that’s what they’re trained to do, it’s their job. There are a lot of jobs that not a lot of people want, and these are the people who are doing that job so that you don’t have to. No matter what way you put it, the reality is that they deserve at least some respect.
After the Vietnam War, amidst multitudes of protestors, there were soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors, etc. coming home and getting spat on and beaten by civilian protestors against the war. In 2016, most veterans who get back from deployment or finish serving their commitments and end up unemployed. That ends up bringing veterans into an endless cycle of debt and homelessness, and not many people seem to do anything about. Living in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area, you encounter a lot of homeless people with signs, asking for whatever change you can spare. Unfortunately, it is really common for the signs they are holding saying “Homeless and hungry veteran…” and it’s truly heartbreaking.
So, while you’re crying your eyes out and studying for your last bit of finals, just think about how it could be worse. You could be deployed overseas right now, away from your families and friends and risking your life day by day, away from the luxuries of civilian life like Netflix, pizza deliveries, and being able to stay up to date with Game of Thrones. You could be a veteran who went through all of that and came home to nothing and no one. Don’t take your freedom for granted.
