Hinesville has yellow ribbons up

HINESVILLE - The yellow ribbons went up on street lamps and utility poles along Main Street as Christmas decorations came down in the southeast Georgia town of Hinesville. <br> <br> The procession of strip-mall marquee signs leading to the front gate of Fort Stewart have been altered to advertise patriotism as well as commerce -- ``God Bless Our Troops/ Six Dollar Burger 3.95.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The military town is showing its support for more than ten thousand soldiers deploying to Kuwait for a possible war with Iraq. But there&#39;s a somber tone to this send-off that doesn&#39;t match the flag-waving fanfare troops saw in 1990 when they left for the Gulf War. <br> <br> Then, local residents toting red, white and blue banners crammed the parade grounds at Fort Stewart -- the Army&#39;s largest post east of the Mississippi -- to cheer departing soldiers. Supporters waved flags from highway overpasses as military convoys passed below. <br> <br> This time, family members have said quiet good-byes without large crowds. Troops have boarded buses and planes quietly without pumped-up shouts. <br> <br> Why the low-key reactions? <br> <br> Soldiers and their families knew in 1990 that they were deploying to war. Now, the thousands of troops President Bush is sending to the Persian Gulf are dealing with the uncertainty of whether or not they&#39;ll be called on to fight.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/1/185457