Hometown Support for Operation Tribute to Freedom is "Extraordinary"

By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 2, 2003 — More than 1,000 hometowns across the nation will join the Defense Department this Fourth of July in recognizing hometown heroes and honoring the men and women who have served in the war on terrorism.

The recognition is part of Operation Tribute to Freedom, and Army Maj. Gen. Anders B. Aadland, executive director for the campaign, says the outpouring of support by the American public for the military has been "extraordinary."

The Tribute to Freedom campaign runs through Veterans Day. Its focus is to salute military personnel returning home from the war on terrorism and to strengthen the relationship between American public and the military, Aadland said.

"It certainly has been a reaffirmation. The momentum of hometowns welcoming returning military service men and women from the war is there," Aadland said. He added his staff had to take advantage of the "tremendous patriotism and a spirit of recognition that exists out there already."

"I'd say it's been extraordinary. We didn't realize the number of hometowns we would be able to get to sign up and say, 'We want to do this' (and) 'We're very concerned about doing what we can to recognize the great service of our military and the global war on terrorism,'" he said.

Although Memorial Day events that kicked off the operation drew lots of support, Aadland believes this year's Fourth of July celebration will be the campaign's biggest show of public support yet.

Events for the July Fourth weekend range from parades and fireworks displays to concerts and sporting events where "they have dedicated time to raise the flag in patriotism and honor our service men and women. It runs the whole gamut and is comprehensive across the whole nation."

"The focus is on the communities, the hometown and returning soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who now can go and spend a little time with their families and be recognized for their service," he said. "Across the nation it's been an outcry of support," he added.

Besides the thrust to thank military personnel for their "bravery, commitment and dedication" in the terror war, Aadland emphasized the campaign's focus on letting the American public know that the global war continues. "It's not over," he said. "Our military men and women continue to serve and should be recognized.

"This effort is a way to establish the spirit that welcomes and recognizes the tremendous service of our troops. This is all about the troops," he said.

Thank you so much for posting this. It's indeed very good news. I heard Bill O'Reilly the other night telling a military official how everyone is upset because our military personnel in Iraq are not receiving their letters and packages on a timely basis. The military gentleman said they are trying hard to correct this. O'Reilly asked why we can't e-mail our guys in Iraq and he was told that because some of them are in remote areas it was impossible, but they are trying to correct that too. I sincerely hope so because I think it's vitally important for them to know of our love, support and prayers. I e-mailed our guys who were on carriers in the Persian Gulf and received many thanks. Then, recently, I received some e-mails from Marines who were on their way home from Iraq and they said this is the first time they had a chance to see such support. The personnel on the carriers printed to the e-mails and hung them around the carriers. One guy told me he was feeling a little down until he boarded the Nimitz and read these e-mails of support from Americans. He was rather astounded and very, very grateful.

Check out the military news links, maxwell: Centcom.mil, Defend America, etc., for updates on the communications and mail situations. The military's been up front with the press from the start of the war. Many units have laptops and access to phones, now. Mail is getting to the troops, but getting it to them is not easy. First, because there was SO much mail from home they couldn't process it and get it to the troops before the troops reached Baghdad. Now, the mail convoys are rather like the Pony Express - except instead of attacks from Indians across wide open spaces - we have regime dead-enders without a future waiting to ambush our troops from behind sand dunes and bushes (we take out FAR more of THEM!).

Every American pundit should have a good idea of the situation on the ground in Iraq by now - the size of the country (~ California), number of Iraqis (over 24 million), Coalition troops (over 146,000), and the nature of the enemy - the small percentage of Iraqis - the regime dead-enders and terrorist wannabes without a future who will continue to attack our convoys until we take them out - and we will.

It's like the wild west over there - with REALLY dishonorable thugs and our guys as Sheriffs and Rangers. The press (and Bill O'Reilly) should be informed. They should be going to the PRIMARY news sources on Iraq - CENTCOM and DoD - daily. Their ignorance - two months after the liberation of Baghdad - is inexcusable. They are entrusted with informing the world. They are failing. OUR troops are doing important, noble and difficult work daily - and doing it damn well. They deserve better from the press!

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