"When they come back, we give back."
It's a saying that five Texas women came up with in support of our troops.
None of them come from military families; they're just moms and businesswomen with an idea... an idea to inspire you with combat boots.
They're being worn by Nolan Ryan, Mack Brown, Gov. Rick Perry, talk show host Glenn Beck and singer Gretchen Wilson.
The Boot Campaign started with the five women who call themselves the Boot Girls.
"We're just five women from Texas, all walks of life," explained Ginger Giles. "We have a pharmaceutical sales rep, an orthodontist, a stay-at-home mom and a photographer."
Each was inspired to do something after reading a soldier's survival tale in the book "Lone Survivor."
"So we thought if we can get people to be photographed in combat boots, it's a great way to say, take a moment out of your day and put yourself in their shoes," Giles said.
Within a week, the ladies were in Austin taking pictures of Gov. Perry, and the idea spread from there.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, the Detroit Red Wings, Kid Kraddick and the team from 106.1 all had their pictures taken wearing combat boots.
"What started out as a fun, 'I need to give back' idea has turned into a life passion for me," Giles said.
The goal of the Boot Girls is to sell $1 million in combat boots, with proceeds going to the USO and the Lone Survivor Fund.
Americans are already getting involved, like one woman who ran the last several miles of a marathon in her combat boots to honor our military.
Or Caren Guillaume. Her friend's son, Pfc. Eddie Woods, died in Afghanistan last month.
"She had just ordered her combat boots," Giles said. "She got the boots two days before she got the news. So to the funeral — in addition to her black dress — she wore the combat boots to honor him."
On that day, Guillaume wrote: "I'm not sure if anyone had any idea why I was wearing them today, but I did. I did it to show my respect and support for our men and women who are fighting for my freedom. Thank you, troops!"
Those powerful words are now backed by a grassroots effort to honor soldiers.
"They're fighting for me; they don't even know me, but they're fighting for me," Giles said.
The combat boots — made in the U.S.A. — are on sale on the BootCampaign.com Web site.
E-mail sslater@wfaa.com
