Some days, I can’t help but think about Chely Wright’s song “Bumper of My S.U.V.” I don’t believe I have anything more to say about that song than has already been said–from the fact that it’s a far leap from someone flipping you off as you drive around town (especially in this town, where people drive so bad you have to keep your flipping finger working for your own sanity) to flipping you off because you have a Marines sticker on your bumper to the belief that there is anyone who would just drive around flipping people who “support the troops” off.
But I was thinking about that song again last night as I was thinking about all the people driving around with “Support the Troops” yellow ribbon magnets and wondering–does any portion of the sale of those magnets and stickers actually go towards supporting the troops?
I mean, is it just a symbolic supporting of the troops or does it mean you’ve put some money down?
I ask this not to rip on those folks. I just think that most Americans assume that, between their tax money and their bumpersticker buying and Congress stepping in, our troops are now well-taken care of and we’re all just now arguing about whether we support the wars they’re fighting.
So, when I read this over at Bridgett’s last night, I feel like I don’t really know how to respond to it. I feel kind of sick to my stomach and angry.
Because he’s in the Kentucky Guard and isn’t regular Army, they won’t pay for either his flight or his dental work. Now he can’t chew anything. He smokes a lot of cigarettes. I suggested in my letter that he be sure to tell the Taliban that he’s not regular Army when they are trying to blow his ass up. What a crock of shit to be halfway around the world, freezing cold, undersupplied and put in harm’s way by a government that won’t even keep you in fighting shape.
Did you know this? That folks in the Guard, who should be home, oh, I don’t know, GUARDING US and stacking sandbags and delivering relief where it’s needed, aren’t considered regular Army for the purposes of getting the medical care they need?
I had no idea.
And, America, I must ask you: What the Fuck?
Everyone, every family accepts that when their loved one enters the armed services, he or she might die for our country. But, when we make that deal, I think the assumption is that they will be killed in combat, shot or blown up or whatever by our enemies. Not raped and murdered by their fellow Americans but called a suicide. And not left in the mountains of Afghanistan to starve or freeze to death because you won’t get them the things they need.
These folks are coming home.
I sometimes think we forget that, because we’ve been at war for so long and we’ve fought that war with the same few people going back there over and over and over again so that we can avoid thinking about how actually unpopular this war is because NO ONE would ever support a draft in order to fight it with the numbers actually needed. Holy fuck. Where was that sentence going?
Oh, yeah, my point–I don’t think we actually believe these guys are coming home. So, it doesn’t really matter what happens to them overseas because out of sight=out of mind.
No matter how bad they’re treated, no one will care.
Well, we need to care. Because these folks are coming home and they will live with and among us.
And we owe them. We owe them now to take care of them properly and we owe them when they get home to make sure they have the services they need.
Talk about a national debt. This is a national debt of the soul and like all soul stuff, it gets paid, like it or not, eventually. We need to do right while we have the opportunity.
Filed under: America how can I write a holy litany in your silly moo
Talk about a national debt. This is a national debt of the soul and like all soul stuff, it gets paid, like it or not, eventually. We need to do right while we have the opportunity.
Nicely said. chickens/roost.
All the bills are coming due.
I admit that it is extremely expensive to fly soldiers to Germany by way of Iraq out of Afghanistan. Maybe the plan is, instead, to bring a dentist to him. He didn’t know when his mother talked to him last.
I forgot to mention that my cousin Chris has been stop-lossed yet again. Third tour in Iraq, kids. He gets a two-week break stateside between each tour — just long enough to knock up his wife and play with the new baby from last visit — and then back he goes. We act like don’t think these guys are coming home because all too often, they aren’t.
Did you know this? That folks in the Guard, who should be home, oh, I don’t know, GUARDING US and stacking sandbags and delivering relief where it’s needed, aren’t considered regular Army for the purposes of getting the medical care they need?
I had no idea.
And, America, I must ask you: What the Fuck?
There’s two kinds of status for National Guard folks, Title 10 (when the guard is federalized) and Title 32 (when they’re on active duty for the state). The real problem is that none of the rules and regulations really don’t contemplate the current set of circumstances, where the Guard is supplementing the regular Army in a time of war for extended periods of time.
I know that’s not anything approaching a justification, but that’s why it is this way. There are all kinds of issues with funding relating to the state versus federal status and which government will cover which expense. The bottom line is that Guard units are generally not as well funded or equipped because they’re relying on the state to finance them and not the DOD. (Also, they don’t have as many opportunities for advanced training for the same reason. What Guard commander really contemplates the need for mountain warfare training as part of their domestic duties?)
It’s pretty much breathtaking how both Guard and Reservists aren’t fully assimilated into the regular Army. Especially since we’ve been fighting this war for more than five years. You’d think at least some of the processes would be streamlined. Not typically.
> does it mean you’ve put some money down?
I saw a little ribbon magnet that said the following, “I support the guy in China who makes these magnets.”
No, buying a magnet doesn’t imply that kind of support for our troops, aside from the fact that every taxpayer provides that kind of support. This is more the touchy-feely, doesn’t-cost-anything-extra, kind of support. All the intoxicating sense of superiority, with none of the costly hangover.
To add insult to injury, if the Guardsman’s employer chooses they can put that employee on leave while serving and not continue to extend benefits to that employee’s family while on leave.
So if Dad is called up and he supplied the primary medical coverage for the family then there is the potential that they lose all of their benefits for that time. This is because the employee is not contributing their part of the benefits cost at work. It is at the employers discretion to either cover this cost at their total expense or to build up the benefits cost to be repaid when the employee returns from service.
While we are all good Americans and support all who serve, in tough times the budget bottom line sometimes wins. The Guardsman is guaranteed their job when they return, but like you said, how much have they changed by their experience and how can they just pick right back up after everything. It’s not the same.
I think it’s meant as personal branding, actually. Like the band stickers, sports team stickers, college stickers, fish or FSM magnets, political candidate stickers, and other assorted things people attach to their cars. Read my stickers and see who I am!
This is more the touchy-feely, doesn’t-cost-anything-extra, kind of support. All the intoxicating sense of superiority, with none of the costly hangover.
Now this isn’t entirely true. It depends on where you get the magnets from. If you buy it at Walmart it probably isn’t going to the troops. But I’ve been several places where organizations are selling them on behalf of the troops and explicitly telling people that they give the money to military support organizations. Haven’t seen any lately, and I can’t remember the details, but I know it does happen.
Also, how does the ’support the troops’ magnet indicate some sense of superiority? I also wonder how many people think it actually does result in some financial contribution.
Your sense of superiority over people whose magnets give them a sense of superiority is a breath of fresh air.
My favorite yellow ribbon magnet says, “I support the troops more than you.”