An Epic Return

I spent my Memorial Day planning for the return of my of my best friends named Bill. Bill was in China and has been there since August of last year. He went there as part of a study abroad program and he rather enjoyed it. For his return, my friends and I decided to try and make him feel welcome(d back) so we rented a limo and dressed in suits. We had told him we were going to pick him up originally but then we had his father come and tell him we couldn't come. Long story short, we surprised him with a limo and he was the happiest I have almost ever seen him. However, thinking back on something like this, I noticed how my friend felt very welcomed and everyone was incredibly receptive of his return. With the soldiers returning from Iraq, though, there seems to be less and less of a celebration. Since the war is looked poorly upon by most Americans, the returns of soldiers are not built up, grand spectacles like they had been way in the past. I know American's are proud of our soldiers, but it seems as if we not welcomed them back in the way we once used too. Furthermore, when the soldiers return, often times they feel dejected by society because they cannot return to the peaceful, serene life they once had. We helped my friend smoothly slide back into American life by cramming fast food down his throat, but the transition for many soldiers is rough and jagged and can lead to intense stress and depression. I think we need to take better care of our soldiers when they return, no matter if we are fighting a war that America supports or rejects. These men and women willingly put themselves in harms way to do the biddings of politicians and are heroes in every sense of the word. Every soldier should have a return akin to my friend's because, of all people, they deserve it.