supporting the troops

I get all steamed up when I see one of those yellow ribbon "Support the Troops!" magnets on a car next to a "W" sticker. Really? Support the troops? By supporting the administration that is keeping them in a war where they are being inadequately fed, don't have access to clean water, are poorly paid, and oh yeah, being killed?

I support the troops. I want them to come home.

I know the military life more than most people. I was born on a military base. I have lived in military housing and seen military doctors. And we were poor. Really, seriously poor, living on military pay. GI Bill? I know all about that too. I watched my husband have to come up with his entire tuition and pay for it up front before being reimbursed for it. I have friends who came back from the first Gulf War sick and unable to find jobs.

My husband told me the other day that his boss's son is leaving for Iraq. I got that pit in my stomach and asked what branch of the military he is in. Turns out he's not in the military. He's a contractor. He's getting paid $60,000 to go there for 3 months. Some troops won't be paid that much in 3 years.



People should be ashamed.