Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, September 11^th; what do these dates mean to you? For most they have become manufactured holidays; just as Valentine’s Day brings candy and flowers and the day following holds empty boxes and dead petals, these are now similarly handled. The war is out of sight and out of mind for most and that is where it remains.

I am as guilty of this as anyone and until recently I admit that these dates were of no great significance to me. It is understandable; we are so far removed from the war, how can we be expected to continually consider it? We are far too anxious to make these excuses. It is much easier to ignore than to recognize the fact that there are Americans currently at war, risking their lives to serve our country. Our personal views on this war are insignificant; Republican or Democrat, we are Americans. These soldiers may not all fully support the war, but they serve nonetheless, and for this we should be thankful. Be thankful, appreciate it even if you do not understand it. It is a small task but an important one, respect the sacrifice of others; of neighbors, of strangers, of Americans.
There is a small local group that is trying to do its part to honor these soldiers. Dr. Lynn Houston, English professor at Chico State, and her “American Literature of the War” class have started a project communicating with and addressing the needs of deployed soldiers. The project began as a correspondence between students and soldiers; a way to communicate appreciation and to better understand what these soldiers are experiencing.

“I started thinking about the misunderstandings resulting from lack of communication between military personnel engaged in this war and the rest of us civilians who don’t really understand what they are going through. I think some of the most tragic moments in the history of literature are when people fail to communicate. My own father had been drafted in Vietnam and only recently, when putting together this course, did I discover that he had stories about that war that he has never told any one in our family. It made me sad to think that there will now be a whole generation of young men and women who have undergone multiple deployments and who probably feel that they can’t talk about their experiences to civilians because we wouldn’t understand” states Dr. Houston.

The project has now expanded. Through their correspondence the students became aware of simple necessities that the soldiers were forced to go without; things that we take for granted back home. They are now working on collecting donations in order to fulfill these soldiers’ needs. It is a small gesture but it is an indication to these soldiers that they are thought of and that they are respected. The class asks for assistance in donations but this is not a guilt trip, this is not a requirement, this should not be viewed as a burden. This should be viewed as a small sacrifice in return for these soldier’s large one.

For more information on the project and how you can get involved visit: http://myweb.csuchico.edu/~lmhouston/adoptasoldier.html Or e-mail: dpdais@hotmail.com

This article was submitted by Team Grid Guest Writer Doug Dais.

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