About every five minutes or so, one of my Republican friends (most of whom support Big Government Conservative Wars but haven't served themselves) forwards me that stupid email lie about how Starbucks hates the troops, doesn't support the war and won't give coffee to troops because they are a bunch of old commie pinko haters.

Bullshit. Stop sending this propaganda around. That's an urban legend originated by an individual who ought to have known better, being an NCO like me:

• http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/s/starbucks-iraq.htm
• http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_starbucks_marines.htm
• http://www.boycottwatch.org/misc/starbucks2.htm

Starbucks as a corporation does not give coffee to the Marine Corps as they are a government organization. This is not an unusual corporate policy, and if Sgt Wright had investigated the matter as he claims in his initial email, he'd have known that.

Starbucks as a corporation (like most corporations) only donates to non-profits, but their employees are encouraged to donate to the troops themselves. Starbucks passes on all requests for donations from troops on to their employees who often donate their weekly bags of coffee to troops in Iraq. A lot of coffee has been donated to troops in Iraq by Starbucks employees - something Sgt Wright, had he been truthful would have disclosed.

As a fellow Marine Corps Sergeant and Gulf War veteran, I am disgusted and ashamed that Sgt Wright chose to spread this lie far and wide, but did not spend as much time and energy in circulating his retraction. I am further disgusted at Sgt Wright's apparent embrace of socialist self-entitlement as a government employee. Starbucks does not owe Sgt Wright free coffee for putting on a uniform. Starbucks does not owe me free coffee for putting on a uniform.

Sgt Wright has embarrassed the Corps with this b.s. and does not speak for me as a Marine Corps and Gulf War veteran.