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Take action to welcome soldiers

Jun-23-2006 » Filed Under: Homefront

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By Michelle Cuthrell

One of the most physically noticeable changes about Fort Wainwright when the Stryker Brigade deployed last August were the signs.

Entering the front gate and traveling down Gaffney Road, drivers couldn't help but notice the hundreds of painted, printed, sewn and signed banners that hung from the gates of the sports field to the train tracks, and almost everywhere in between. They displayed words of support, messages of encouragement and most of all, symbols of love.

Now, those signs are slowly reappearing, but this time, the "we'll miss you" messages have been replaced by the phrase so many of us have been counting down the days to utter: "Welcome home."

As the community welcomes home the brigade advance party this week and prepares for the main body to return in July and August, we as civilians have an awesome opportunity to support and thank our hometown heroes by offering not just yellow ribbons on our cars and American flags on our front porches, but also action.

Here are some ways for to support soldiers returning home. Some obviously are for people who are close to military families, but some are things that even strangers can do to reach out and make a difference:

* Make thank you and welcome home banners, even if you don't personally know any soldiers. Hang them outside your home or office or in the window of your car.

* Attend redeployment ceremonies. It makes a difference at these Fort Wainwright events when soldiers see not just their families, but also community members sitting in the bleachers thanking them for their last 12 months of sacrifice.

Follow the link to read more ideas.


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