Does your family support the United States armed forces? Do you have a magnetic “ribbon” on the back of your vehicle expressing your gratitude for the service of these brave men and women who are deployed? Ever thought of what actions you can take to really BE supportive?
Consider a typical service member who has a spouse and kids. When the service member (SM) receives orders to move cross-state, cross-country or "cross-the-pond, in most non-deployment situations the family moves too. The SM reports to a new office, where he remains among military “family”-although he or she hasn"t met these members yet. The spouse and kids, however, are often out in the civilian community-your community, feeling a little lost and often invisible. If you haven't moved in awhile, you have established your friendships and routines, and are busy with your life. So are all your neighbors. And your classmates. And your teammates. Probably neither you nor they are looking for the new faces after your church or synagogue services are over. These may be the family members of the SMs your bumper sticker says you support. They are feeling awkward and would be grateful to be acknowledged and welcomed.
Can you imagine being the 14 year-old son or daughter of a soldier (sailor, airman or Marine), who has already lived in nine different homes, including two continents outside the United States? This kid has been new in the classroom (yours?), in the neighborhood (maybe yours?), on sports team(s), and in his place of worship so many times he can't stand it. The thought of his first day of freshman year in a high school in a city he just moved to a few weeks ago fills him with dread.
You boast “We support our troops” on your vehicle, but have you knocked on the door of your new neighbor to invite her over for a cup of coffee? Have you taught your kids to seek out the new kid at school and try to engage him or her in a conversation? Urged your kids to introduce this newbie to his or her group of friends? Encouraged your kids to be mindful of getting to know their new short-stop, guard, or tight-end?
Service members don't live in a vacuum. They often come with family attached who are making some of the same sacrifices as the service member in terms of loss of friends, stability, routine, familiarity with an area. But the family members aren't being compensated. They are, however, sharing in the disruption caused by their parent's (parents') or spouse's chosen military lifestyle. To welcome “the least of these” is certainly to do a good turn and actively support the U.S. armed forces.
Many civilian citizens of the United States have participated in organized drives to send care packages overseas during the holidays. Tens of thousands in cities like Atlanta have heard and heeded the call to write letters of support to unknown deployed service members. God bless all these beautiful acts of support and charity. But support can definitely be more personal than this and can make such a huge difference in the life of a person or family that YOU can touch and come to know. If you are one of the very many individuals who have proudly displayed some sign of support for the military (perhaps you fly the flag on your front porch?), I urge you to consider how you can find a service person's family member to whom to extend a hand of welcome and friendship. We're not so hard to find, I promise. We just moved in across the street or down the block--maybe in that rental property you wish would be occupied by the mortgage-holder. Military brats are in your kids' schools, and on their playing fields. We're the new members of your church. We might be the new folks at the community swimming pool. Please say hello. Please remind your kids to introduce themselves. God bless you for supporting the military.
