The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan has created a discussion about the role of the American military. Volunteers with a Lexington-based organization don’t think it’s changed the importance of saying thank you to servicemen and women.
For years, Military Missions has sent care packages year-round to deployed military personnel. Retired Air Force Colonel Mark Rowland said the distribution of packages has dropped by at least 50% during the pandemic. He noted it’s due to soldiers’ movement, fewer volunteers, and additional health measures. Rowland says bringing troops home from Afghanistan doesn’t lessen the need to honor soldiers. “2500 people leaving Afghanistan is a drop in the bucket to the number of service members that we have deployed all over the world, that still need that touch of home, that still need that support,” said Rowland.
The Air Force veteran said one of the biggest ongoing needs is the name and address for a care package destination.
Rowland suggested the best way to honor the 13 soldiers who died during the suicide explosion at the Afghanistan, airport is to donate time or money to one of the many support organizations interacting with families of the fallen soldiers.