Thanks for giving us an opportunity to voice our opinion on the war in Iraq. First, let me say that your organization is great. My friend is currently serving in Iraq, and he had never heard of TakePride. He was thrilled to find out that there is an company like yours out there.
My feelings on the war. First, not enough good news is getting out there to the public. It’s amazing the difference between what one hears through the media and what I hear from my friends who are over there in the thick of things. They are witnessing good things taking place; even my friend who is serving in the most dangerous part of Iraq right now said that he has seen big changes since his last deployment.
More of us need to get involved in supporting the troops. You guys are doing your part, and I’m trying to do mine. I am a high school teacher, and for the past two years, I’ve been involved in a program called AdoptaPlatoon. It gives us the opportunity to support soldiers who are deployed through letters and care packages. My students and I have supported five different soldiers so far, and it’s been very rewarding. I went into the program thinking that we would hopefully be able to be an encouragement to our soldiers and influence my students to remember all that total strangers are sacrificing for them. However, I believe we have received more from trying to support our troops than they possibly have from us. Our soldiers have been more than generous with their time and have had such a positive influence on my students.
What I’m most concerned about is how vets are treated when they return home. From soldiers suffering from PTSD, physical injuries, or the devastating effects that their deployments can have on family relationships, they need our support when they return home more than ever. Many Americans celebrate soldiers when they return home but soon forget that even though many of these soldiers made it home alive they have still paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving up their peace of mind (because of flashbacks, nightmares, etc.). We need to do more to help them adjust or to simply listen when they need someone to talk to. My dad was spat on when he returned from Vietnam, and ever since I heard that I vowed to do my part to show support for our troops.
Please keep up the good work that you are doing and thanks again for allowing your customers to voice their opinions.
-Sarah Rose, Greenville, South Carolina