My first attempt at Devious Stamps.

UPDATE: 8/APR/2009

Wow, when I first made this stamp I really did not expect the outpouring of support from the community that I received. I would like to thank each and every one of you for your favorites, opinions, and collections to your journals with this stamp. It really means a lot to me, and I regret that I cannot go back through the over 1,000 favorites and comments and thank or reply, respectively. But know that I am keeping eyes on all of your support and thank all of you for it.

And after three years of the same messed up into, I now present the new one...

Enjoy Freedom? Thank a Soldier.

A line brought into genesis by Thorin of Wicked Jester clothing line, those five words have never rang truer in my heart than in this day and age. I'm truly not sure what other soldiers think of a stamp like this, because if they are anything like me then they do not want thanks for the job that they do.

That's how I honestly feel, this stamp is almost an antithesis to me. I do not want thanks for the job that I have volunteered to do. I do my job proudly. I am a patriot to the core, and I sh*t you not, I would bleed on the flag if it would keep the stripes red.

But this stamp has a deeper meaning than just the overt message. This stamp asks that each and every one of you look deep into the pages of our history and acknowledge the necessity of the Soldier.
From the Roman Phalanx to the British SAS. From "MOΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ" to "Remember The Alamo!", From "Nuts!" to "Let's Roll!" The Spirit, Mindset, Presences and Proficiency of a Warrior fighting for his Nation has been paramount to success of ourselves as a society and as a species.

I don't ask for your opinions on the current war effort.

I ask that you recognize and remember that, even though we may do things that are morally and ethically questionable to you just by being alive and breathing, we are the sheepdogs.
Bad guys looking out for the good guys by killing the worse guys.

And remember that, beyond all else, Soldiers are humans, just like you. We are not superhuman, we do nothing that puts us above you and the professional soldiers will never act above the people they are charged to protect.
We are men among men.

Thanks again for all your support.