I’ll probably upset more than a few folks here, although my intentions certainly lean in the opposite direction.
Before reading any further, please take the time to digest the fact that I, with one heck of a lot of other people, spent a bit of time in a very bad place. The Republic of South Vietnam the ((at least theoretical)) “GOOD GUYS” half of Viet Nam. In fact, I was a bit more dedicated (slow??), than most of that era’s “Volunteers”……..”RA”….Regular Army…. and went, by request, to that Pearl of the Orient, three times. I knew guys who went six or eight times…all voluntarily.
Was I just “Dumb”….I still haven’t figured that out….at the time it was “Patriotic”…..and by damned that IS what I ARE, and will always be….. Doesn’t mean I agree with everything, (for SURE), that our Government, Military, or even a LOT of civilians think or mandate. I like to think that I know right from wrong, can see the gray areas, and am in fact a Free thinker. But it can give you a headache trying to figure out if we should have committed our boys to that one too……..(and yes several of the Administrations at that time….just plain SUCKED)….. but the rational of our being there can give you a headache….if you bother to do more than try to criticize others that is.
Now to the “POINT”:

Ever seen a stack, (or a bunch of stacks), of Body Bags????
It sure doesn’t make you feel good.
Ever think about ending up in one…..(SOON)??????, or KNEW you were gonna be in one in the morning????
Well the last thing I thought about was being shipped Home !!!!!!!!!
In fact I never really knew ANYONE, who wanted to be shipped Home.
Why bother???
Why not use the space, AND the money to send some of the following????

1. More troops…..BUT….PLEASE let them fight to “”"”"”WIN”"”"” if you send a young man into a COMBAT zone, then you have already made a decision……so let the Men and Women who are proud to wear our uniform, BE proud, and FIGHT TO WIN!!!! You send ‘em, then by GOD “”SUPPORT”" them !!!! And screw those who think “”WAR”" isn’t BAD !! You send them, while you sit on your ass and tie their hands, if it wasn’t for the “tied hands”, the Iraq joke would have been over LONG ago!!!!! We’d have won in Viet Nam…..right or wrong in being there, we’d have lost 1/10 of the Men we lost !!!!!!!!!! If you send ‘em to fight…..give them the means and the freedom to Kick Ass….Clean Up….and “Come Home”!!! ….And then CHEER…..the “surviving” Patriots…..the ONLY people who give YOU Freedom !!!!!!!!!

2. Good chow, (whenever you can). A GOOD steak,cooked in the rear areas of the Field….not just for the “REMF”s, but for ALL….whenever possible (safely). These “grunts” are just as important as the Pilots, who risk their lives every day….(and eat a lot of steak). The “grunt” knows he’s not a Pilot….but his ass is shot at a whole lot more…..and today He VOLUNTEERED to “”"”SERVE”"”.

3. A nice Cold BEER …. for those who care to imbibe….. and as long as you are not in “their” PUBLIC areas…..screw their customs…… those MEN and WOMEN are there to either Protect the LOCALS, or Kick their collective Asses !!!!!!!!!!!!!! The first should appreciate them AND our customs…. Beer included….and for the other side…… well we’re supposed to be Kicking Ass….. not Kissing it…………

4. LOTS MORE……”"GOOD”" Intelligence…… since the Cold War was declared over….(yep we ARE nuts….) While some of us started having a bit of common sense…e.g. the USSR, and China, a batch of our Presidents, and their followers decided we could save a lot of money if we didn’t try to keep an eye on our prospective enemies, and disbanded several of our MOST Effective, and Reliable, Intelligence communities……….So….we get blindsided with 911….. Good thinking huh?? Same reason we didn’t know squat about Afghanistan, or Iraq……. But we sure did “Pork Belly” with the money………

5. LOTS MORE …. New, or at least Reliable, equipment and PARTS!!!! Now our boys are using a LOT of sub-standard equipment….. replacements ???? Just ask your Local National Guard !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are now Rapidly approaching the Fighting Readiness capabilities of the “Girl Scouts”……. Ask a GI how He feels about that???

6. WIN >>> WIN>> WIN>> If you die for a cause, and are buried in a FIELD OF HONOR…. (As in many places in EUROPE)…. It IS as Honorable as being planted in the USA !!!!………….BUT
ONLY IF YOU WIN !!!!!!! Otherwise, your Country has either been defeated at HOME, (as in OCCUPIED), or you have just PISSED your Life away for stupid Politicians, and Chicken S… NUTS who care more about the Bad guy, than you…….. and THEN and only then, can the Bad guys Piss on “YOU” !!!!

7. SO……. Send: LOVE, RESPECT, MEN and WOMEN who FIGHT, EQUIPMENT…..STEAK & BEER… (for when you have the time and safety to enjoy it),……..and more LOVE, and RESPECT !!!!!!!!!!!

Where you are planted means nothing ….. Compared to……….”"”"”"” WHY”"”"”" you are DEAD .

8. I do NOT discount HONOR…… A “Folded piece of cloth…..”"THE”" Folded piece of cloth….. means more to ANY “”GI”" Than Where He or She is “laid to rest”. HONOR Him/Her buy having a “small” group of Uniformed Men and Women, hand deliver that Most Sacred triangular cloth to their Family, in a formal or informal setting, as they wish………….. Remember DAMNIT…… He/She Died for ” OLD GLORY”……for what She Stands for, not some Politician, good or bad, or those not willing to fight for themselves.

9. Those I hold in the HIGHEST Esteem, wear the Uniforms of the Free World….. and Most of all the USA !!!!!!!

10. GOD BLESS our SOLDERS every last one of them………. and may our Fallen Comrades be HONORED by WINNING.…. whatever conflict our Government sent them to…………