Last week, I was having sushi with my Tai Chi instructor and notice a guy in uniform eating by himself, so I call the owner's wife over and ask her to add his meal to my bill. My boost is I got to buy a serviceman his meal and thank him for his service. I was actually hoping we could leave before he finished his meal but the instructor was in a chatty mood so he was done before us. He came over and said thanks and I noticed that he is an Air Force Lt Col.

The bummer was that as he was saying thank you, he also said it doesn't happen very often. We should all try and do something, however little, when we see our service men and women, police, fire, etc. At the very least, just a thank you is often very appreciated. Whenever I see someone in a uniform service buying coffee, having lunch, etc, I do try to buy their meal or drink for them. I have had quite a few graciously decline and tell me that just having someone say thank you is enough for them. We also get the kids involved in the collecting and buying of items to ship overseas and my wife knits socks for soldiers. After spending way too much money on expensive shipping, someone told me to just arrange to drop off the stuff on base and it will get delivered. That saves me $50-100 a pop in shipping! So if you send stuff overseas to our troops, hopefully that little information can help you too.

I think an awful lot of veterans are getting dealt with very poorly by their own govt when they have been injured.
I think letters to congressmen and reps supporting better medical care, pensions and retraining bills are a good idea.

A story to illustrate my point.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8475405

Maybe we should be giving the care packages to those who come back and including sterilization for hospital equipment as part of the package.
Honestly, this is the kind of a thing I would expect to be hearing from some third world medical system.
Certainly not from one as expensive as America's or from one serving veterans.

Support for our soldiers has to continue after the battles are fought.

Very nice, Aloha.

I guess I find it hard to understand folks who do not appreciate our armed forces and first responders et al. To me it's very very very simple...


Anyone who helps my family sleep in safety every night has at the very least earned my respect and thanks. Period.

My thoughts exactly MedB.

In my (very limited) experience of wearing a uniform (inactive reserve duty and in school only), the people who treat the wearers of military uniforms the best are those who once wore such uniforms.

I don't live in an area with many who wear a uniform, but when I know someone is, is going to or has recently been in uniform and in eating or drinking where I am, it's on me. It happens rarely but has aleays been a very pleasant experience. Do it once, and you'll want to do it again.

Not too surprising. It's been a long time since we had to fight for our survival. I'm not sure we would make it nowadays. Kinda tough asking the guy you spat on to help you get a thug's boot off your cheek.

I never wore the uniform, but my dad and grandfathers did. I certainly have a lot of respect for those who do. Then again, there are cases where those who wear it don't deserve my respect either, but those are less common.

I've had occassion to buy a round for a few service men here and there. Least I could do.

Random acts of kindness always feel nice. And somewhere along the line, what goes around comes around.

Yup... I'm a big believer in karma!

God bless you, and thank you, Aloha.