America Supports You: Foundation Offers Thanks to Veterans

America Supports You ^ | Samantha L. Quigley

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2007 – It only takes two simple words to express infinite gratitude and appreciation to the nation’s veterans, past and present, according to The Thank You Foundation’s mission statement.

“We believe that a simple ‘Thank You’ can transcend political and religious differences to let those who have served know that they are appreciated,” said John Guinn, president and founder of the Ohio-based organization.

The Thank You Foundation may offer a verbal “Thank You,” but it works to make that gratitude a bit more tangible, as well.

“Our Thank You Card and Certificate program has really been the staple of everything we do,” Guinn said. “Any time we can present a card, a certificate and a handshake or a hug, we do.”

The Thank You Foundation operates a program called “Tickets for Troops.” Through that program, the group recently presented more than 30 soldiers from Fort Drum, N.Y., with tickets to a Cincinnati Reds baseball game. The servicemembers, who also received thank you cards from the foundation, were in the Cincinnati area to attend a memorial service for a fallen comrade.

The group also has planned an event with a regional restaurant chain to offer children a chance to sign cards thanking troops for their service. The cards, more than 3,000 of them, will be sent to servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan, Guinn said.

“I think both of these events are the essence of what we are about,” he said.

The Thank You Foundation is also one of the America Supports You program’s newest members. America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

Already, the foundation has gained credibility because of its association with America Supports You, Guinn said. While that’s essential, he’s also hoping the benefits don’t stop there. “I’m counting on (membership in America Supports You) to increase exposure and networking opportunities,” he said.

Exposure and opportunity both will help the Thank You Foundation reach its goal of offering a simple expression of gratitude.

“We want the public to remember our heroes more than twice a year,” Guinn said. “We encourage people to stop and say ‘Thank You’ to the World War II veteran one more time (and) to help change the name of the ‘Forgotten War’ and thank those who served in Korea.”

Vietnam veterans, he added, need to hear the words “Thank You” – perhaps for the first time. “And of course our young men and women of today need to know they are appreciated,” he added.

Related Sites:
The Thank You Foundation
America Supports You

[Larsen E. Whipsnade]

It is great to know that todays veterans receive all of the accolades and thank you’s that they deserve! I’m sure I will get ripped to shreds for saying this but for many of us Viet Nam veterans the thank you’s ring hollow.
Many if not most of us came home individually instead of as part of a unit. There were no homecoming parades or marching through our home towns to the flag waving and cheers of our friends and family. If any thought was given to us at all by anyone other than our immediate families it was in the form of the single digit salute or a curse word. Some of the unluckiest were spit on and called baby killer. God only knows what hateful things were done to others. Most Viet vets are unknown to our friends and co-workers. We say nothing about our service because we have spent the last few decades hiding the fact for the simple reason that nothing good ever came of it becoming public knowledge. My ex-wife was angry with me a couple of years ago because I wouldn’t stand up in Church when the pastor called for all veterans to stand up and be honored on a Sunday that happened to fall around veterans day. I have been so used to hiding it that it was 2nd nature. I never gave it a thought that I should stand up. Most Viet vets carry our service in a secret area that only we have access to, usually in some quiet moment or late at night as we lay awake when sleep will not come or worse when sleep does come and takes us back through the years to our youth and the time when we learned about love and hate, life and death, fear and courage.
I’m glad that tis generations veterans will be spared having to deal with their service years this way. But it won’t change things for me and a lot of other vets. It’s been too long and the secrets are hidden too deeeply.

[SandRat]

We,... the wronged,... the falsely accused,... the persecuted,... the shunned for sins we did not commit,.... are the very ones who said; NEVER AGAIN!

We are the ones who are seeing that our little Brothers and Sisters under Arms are not treated as we were. We are expunging the ghosts of those who hated us by protecting and honoring and thanking the the warriors of this generation.

There is still more work to be done from our generation. We must see that the politicians are not allowed to do to this new generation what they did to us. These are our two standing mission statements for our role in this battle. A battle that we must win for this new generation of warriors.

In return,... we get our belated honor from battles past in the smiles, firm handshakes returned, comradely hugs returned to us each time we give thanks to this new generation of warriors.