The U.S. military is considered to be the most powerful military on the entire planet. In its military services, the United States has 2.2 million people helping to protect our nation.
As an American citizen, you might be wondering how you can help soldiers who are deployed and simply show your support for the U.S. military. There are countless different ways that you can support the troops, ranging from displaying supportive bumper stickers to volunteering with the USO.
Supporting the troops can also be as little as saying thank you when you encounter an active service member. The gestures you make don’t necessarily have to be grand in order to make a big impact.
Let’s take a look at five different ways that you can show your support for our military.
1. Say Thank You
One of the simplest ways that you can show your support to the troops is to thank military personnel for their service when you see them. A study found that many military service members and spouses felt that the community of civilians around them had a limited appreciation and understanding for the sacrifices that they make. This can have a negative impact on morale and even operational readiness as it can leave military members feeling isolated.
It is very easy to thank a service member for their service. Similarly, it is simple to acknowledge the challenges that a military spouse faces. This can have a very real impact on the military community in your area.
When you say thank you, it helps to build a bridge between civilians and the military. This is how you can let the military members in your community know that you recognize and value the work that they do on our country’s behalf.
2. Show Your Support With Pins
One way that you can support the troops every day is with military pins. This is a subtle way to show your support no matter where you are or who you’re talking to. If wearing a lapel pin to support the military is right up your alley, be sure to check out these US Navy lapel pins.
3. Send a Care Package
Another very tangible way that you can let service members know that you support them is to send care packages to troops. When you send care packages, it lets them know that their family, friends, and the American people as a whole are thinking of them.
Sending military care packages isn’t super straightforward, so it’s worth looking into the process before you start putting something together. One of the ways that you can send a care package to soldiers that are already deployed is my making a donation to the USO. This money then goes to support the operations of the organization, one of which is to send care packages.
You can also send a care package through the USO Wishbook. This way, you can select a symbolic gift out of a catalog that will then be sent to service members. There were more than 170,000 of these care packages delivered by the USO in 2019 all around the world.
4. Volunteer
If you want to show your support for the troops, one way you can do so is to volunteer. You can volunteer with the USO in order to help facilitate events and programs at USO locations. You can either do this in person or virtually.
This type of work can be quite challenging. However, it can also be extremely rewarding. This is an opportunity to connect with the larger military community and also help to make sure that their needs are met when it comes to necessary resources.
5. Support Military Spouses During Deployment
Deployments are difficult for the entirety of a military family. Both service members and their spouses are making tremendous sacrifices in order to serve the country. Military spouses have to handle the responsibilities of their household all on their own while also being separated from the person that they love.
It can be particularly difficult for military families that have children. For months at a time, military spouses might find themselves serving as a single parent while their spouse is deployed.
If you are hoping to find a way to show your support for the troops, consider helping military families and spouses that are still home. Maybe you could reach out to a military spouse and offer to pick up groceries or cook their family dinner while their spouse is deployed.
You can even choose to just reach out and ask how they are doing. The gestures you make don’t have to be grand. In fact, sometimes the smallest signs of support in this type of way can be incredibly meaningful.
A Few More Ideas on How to Show Your Support
These are only a handful of ways you can support the troops in the U.S. For example, voting is actually a way to show that you support our military because you are exercising a freedom that the military protects. You can also work to support organizations or policymakers that fight for veterans’ rights.
You could also choose to memorialize a veteran through a park, organization, or city. This might mean purchasing a commemorative paving stone or brick in honor of a U.S. military veteran.
Did you find this article about how to show your support interesting? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more informative and interesting articles!
