The work a soldier does is very special - and no one is showing what the soldiers of today are actually doing. I recall helping to fix schools, delivering school books, giving medicine and other medical supplies to hospitals...yet only the bad is what is reported. Combat is ugly, but not everything we do in war is bad. The regular soldier on the ground is making an impact at a personal level with the local population each day.

I just want you to see this and be reminded that in some house a man or woman is packing their equipment for deployment; they are leaving their families for an extended period of time.
Have respect for the soldiers you come in contact with, without expressing your feelings of the war. No soldier wants to hear your rant about the war, and then have you thank them for their service.
I often hear, "I hate this war...we shouldn't be there...thank for your service..."
I kindly say thankyou, but in my head I realize that a person just thanked me for a service they don't appreciate. No matter how I feel about the war that I have participated in, I have re-enlisted multiple times, and will be ready to serve.