Give thanks more than once a year

Veterans Day is a time to acknowledge the brave men and women who risk it all to keep us safe. However, we believe that relegating thanks for one day is simply not enough. We should show our support for veterans whenever we can, anyway we can ¬– with a few exceptions in mind.

We at The Advocate revere our veterans with the utmost respect and gratitude. And if you are a veteran reading this, we sincerely thank you. We realize that many of you might have served because you didn’t have a lot of options or just needed the money, but that doesn’t diminish the amount of courage it took to join, not even a little bit. You are nothing short of extraordinary and deserve a few more days in the year dedicated to your self-sacrifice.

There are some very basic ways we can show appreciation to the brave women and men who give up their personal freedom and safety for our country. The most obvious thing to do is simply thank them for their service. Not just a half-assed “thanks” that slips out of your mouth, but a sincere appreciation for what they’ve done. You would be amazed at what a simple thank you would mean to them. And if that’s too cheesy, just showing an interest in what they have done or what it was like in the areas they have served can mean a lot, as well.

It also shows respect to your volunteer soldiers if you stay current on what’s going on with the world, and where they have been, or could be, stationed.

Something else quite simple would be to buy an item at Sears. The retailer voluntarily pays the difference in salaries (and maintains medical and bonus programs) for employees who are military reservists and get called into active duty. So, let’s all buy a little something extra there.

However, if you really want to show your appreciation, there are plenty of ways that require modest extra effort, but really make a difference. Go to a soup kitchen or some other form of charity, and donate a few hours of your time. You might be serving a veteran in need. Helping out at your local Salvation Army is always a safe bet. And, in Gresham, there are the Zarapheth Pantry & Kitchen and The Metro Church of Christ that have food pantries. They could always use a helping hand or a few donations.

Speaking of donating, send a soldier a little care package. There are tons of websites to pair you up with a soldier who you can send care packages and letters to. One of the best-known and reputable websites is anysoldier.com that was started in 2003. This is for people who want to send a soldier something on a continual basis. A thank you during their service can mean a great deal more then telling them after the fact. It lets them know they are not forgotten.

And, to spitball off what you should do, here are a few things you should not.

This might sound crazy, but consider not thanking a veteran on Veterans Day (just roll with us). A veteran at the college told us that it’s like celebrating a Hallmark holiday: It’s almost like ticking something off your holiday checklist. It can come off as rather fake to a veteran that you decided to thank them on the one day of the year dedicated to thanking them. It’s not “bad,” but seems rather phony.

If you have any political issues with soldiers or war, just keep it to yourself. And for the love of God, if you meet a veteran, don’t ask if they’ve killed someone. We understand how much more interesting that might make a person, but it’s exactly something veterans wear as a badge of honor. Just… don’t.

There are plenty of veterans at Mt. Hood, and they come in all shapes and sizes. (A few of them share their amazing stories in this issue of The Advocate.) So, whenever you meet one, don’t wait until Veterans Day to show your appreciation.Let’s all make sure we support our men and women who have served, or are serving,

more often – and with more meaning – than just once a year.

Students in a writing 122 veteran cohort class answering questions from the advocate.