By Staff
For a wide variety of reasons, many of us do not support our country's war in Iraq.
That doesn't mean we don't respect our soldiers involved in that war.
Proof of that happened first-hand for me on Sunday when I was returning from a business trip. I and others on my flight were honored by the presence of a young man - he looked very, very young to me - who was returning from serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq.
As we taxied to our gate at the South Bend airport, a booming male voice came from the back of the plane. The man announced to us we had a U.S. soldier in our midst who was returning from serving in Iraq and asked other passengers to please stay seated and allow the young man to depart the plane first.
Of course, we all were happy to honor that request.
The young soldier, who was also seated in the back of the plane, received spontaneous applause as he made his way to the exit. As he passed each row, passengers reached out and and gave him a pat on the back or a gentle touch on the arm. Some spoke words of thanks and asked God to bless him.
It was very touching, and I was proud of everyone on that airplane. It made me think, though, about the very different reaction our soldiers who served in Vietnam received when they returned home. What a shame they didn't enjoy the same appreciation, regardless of how we felt about the war.
Shame on us, as a nation, for how we treated them. I know very little about this young soldier. As he passed, other passengers, who had been seated near him and talked to him during the trip, shared tidbits of information.
They told me he had been in Iraq for a number of months and was coming home for only a 10-day visit. They said he told them he hoped to get married while he is home on this visit.
I've thought back to this young man several times since Sunday and wondered about how his visit is going. I've thought about his mother, whether she's here to see and visit with him.
And, if so, imagined what a bittersweet time it must be for her. I'm sure it's wonderful to have him home, to be able to touch him, see that her baby is safe. But how in the world could you put him back on a plane to head again into harm's way?
I thought about this young man returning to his family and the woman he hopes to marry when I read a news story this week about how our service men and women are still being required to purchase their own body armor.
An Associated Press story recently revealed that nearly a year after Congress demanded action, the Pentagon has still not implemented a way to reimburse soldiers for body armor and equipment they purchased to better protect themselves in Iraq.
The story said soldiers and their parents are still spending hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars for armor they say the military won't provide.
A Pentagon official in reaction to the story, told the AP it is in the final stages of putting the program together and that it will be operating soon.
The story reported soldiers are spending money on everything from protective gear, that is higher-quality than government issue, to armor for their Humvees.
Most of the soldiers who are spending money out of their own pockets to buy this equipment are members of the National Guard or Reserve or are noncommissioned officers.
I find the whole thing simply outrageous. Having to reimburse soldiers for body armor? We shouldn't reimburse them for anything. We should provide them with the best money can buy. Our government finds new and exciting ways to spend money every day. Let's spend some on our soldiers.
Better yet, let's find a way to put together an exit plan and bring our young men and women home.