Befriend a Soldier
Be a Friend to a GI
After the parades and ceremonies, soldiers are forgotten
A wave and a smile ain't enough
Standing a soldier a beer don't cut it Extend yourself A wave and a nod ain't enough Make the extra effort Get out of the car, cross the street Let him know you care Make it personal Every Soldier has a name Learn the Soldier's name Use it If and When he or she is ready to talk Listen Support without being patronizing Avoid clichés and platitudes They've heard them all before It used to be considered rude to ask a soldier about war experiences (Hemingway - Soldier's Home) It's never rude to Listen Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Just Listen Say as little as possible They dont need advice They've seen it all Don't relate your experiences to theirs They've been there, done that They've left a world of horror And too much reality They want no sympathy They've heard and seen it ALL Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Just Listen |
