How Do We Serve In Wartime

Today, radio talker Hugh Hewitt http://hughhewitt.com, talked about the ambush of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney by an anti-war protester in Iowa.
The questioner, Rachel Griffiths, of a local group, Quad City Progressive Action For The Common Good, asked why had none of Mr. Romney's five sons served in the armed forces and if they had any intention to do so. Now, go to Mr. Hewitt's site for the answer.
What I want to ask is a broader question. How do we, who have never been in the armed forces, support not just those in Iraq and Afghanistan, but throughout the service branches?
I have thought long about this. The main reason I am not in the armed services is that I am too old. But, how else can we serve?
Well, for one, donate to any of the fine groups that help wounded soldiers. If one can not donate money, volunteer time.
Another is to simply write letters to the troops. Many school age children do that as class projects. It is a way that may change the way that they look at the soldiers, sailors, marines, air force personnel.
Still, another way is to pray for those that are near and dear to our hearts and serving in the front lines of the War Against Terror. My church does just that. We say the service personnel's name the first Sunday of the month and at both Wednesday services.
Support those in the entertainment community who are doing their part in taking fellow entertainers to Iraq and Afghanistan. One of those is actor Gary Sinise of Forrest Gump fame and the star of the hit CBS television show, "CSI New York." As important as it is to show the troops that we not only support them, but what they are doing is to support people like Mr. Sinise. Mr. Sinise is very lucky to be a major enough star that he is not blacklisted in Hollywood, a community that elevates usually the most banal in our society.
I often hear from mostly lefties that we who support the war but have not served are "chickenhawks." "Chickenhawks" is a chicken you-know-what way that the left tries to guilt those of us who support the war to their side. It is a bad analogy for if we take what that means, the left basically says that unless one has served, then they are not able to have an opinion or that they should not be for the war. The same people claim to support the troops, yet are on a constant campaign to make them look bad.
Most importantly in serving and supporting the troops and their mission, we must persuade those on the fence as to why success is vital. Believe it or not, there are people that can still be swayed. It is our duty to talk to those people and let them know that our troops are the best in the world and that they want to win and then come home. They do not want to leave their battle in midstream with their tails between their legs. Victory is the way to bring them home.
Serving in wartime without being a warrior in this polarized environment is so important to the morale of those who are in the armed forces. They need to know that the overwhelming majority of the American people are really behind them.
And, that is how I am serving. By writing this blog. By trying to educate people as to the cost of defeat. By exposing the Islamofascist threat that is real, not a slogan. That is service. We all can do our part.