I posted a letter some months back that I sent to 205 soldiers serving overseas in Afganistan and Iraq.  Of those letters I sent through an organization called Packages from Home.com I received back almost a dozen responces from service men and women who are currently deployed in both Afganistan and Iraq. I will not give out their names here but I would like to quote one of those letter that best represents each and every one of them. I will edit nothing out and add no additions except those thing that might give away his location or identity. Every one of these letters was in the same vain as this one...

"Dec. 18

Dear Average Americans,

Thank you for your words of encouragement. Your note was posted in our phone room and I happened to come across your note and it impressed me to want to write you. You are definately not average Americas. You are special Americans that help us out with your words of encouragement.

I am with a medical detachment supporting a medical company. I am the military dentist here in Camp (name with held to protect soldier aminity). I work on soldiers teeth (both American and Iraqi National Guard). You would be suprised how many dental emergencies we treat on a daily basis. My home is in (city with held) PA, and I left my dental practice and family of 4 boys ranging from 7-15. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my fellow soldiers and feel priviledged to be a part of this great military. The Iraqi peole we treat are grateful for our presence here and don't want us to leave until things settle down. we are making improvements little by little - it takes time and that's what the media never really portrays - they only show the negative but there is so much being done here.

Thank you again for your support. the soldiers need to continue to hear it from our folks back home.

(address with held) Iraq, Apo, AE. (zip with held)"

Many of you will try to call me a liar, that's fine. I am not. These guys are asking us to support their efforts. They need to here from you. Don't take the media's word for what's going on, they tel you what they want you to hear. These guys are on the ground, doing the job. They were not pressed for anything. I never asked for a one of them to write back. In fact the Thank You I wrote them if word for word what I posted here months ago. They got in touch with me for a reason, they wanted to thank me, and that tells me they need and want us to support them. For each and every one of these fine men and women who have contacted me, I will do my part to support them and defend them all that I can. One woman said she had a 13 year old daughter she left to fight in this war. I have two 16 year old daughters, it breaks my heart (many of you will find that astonding, that I have a heart) that she had to go, but the words of pride in her letter and the words of pride in each and every one of the letters tells me what I am doing is right.

These brave men and women know what they are doing is right. They also know that what they are doing is protecting each and every one of you and your freedom.

Stop bashing our troops. They are the only thing standing between you and the enemy. What these men and women are doing is so much braver than what are doing here, don't ever forget that. When they come home, you better thank them, and thank all the others who came before them. They are the best of what America has to offer, and they do for you.

The original posting was on November 2, 2005.

Average American.