In battle fatigues and civilian garb, drinking donated hot chocolate and listening to "God Bless The U.S.A.," the men of the Penn State University Veterans Organization gathered around a roaring bonfire Saturday night on the lawn of the new Vet's house on South Pugh Street.

Planted high and proud is the house's oversized American flag, flanked by signs urging passers-by to "honk if you support our troops."

Jay Wilcox (junior-political science), the soft-spoken "PR person" of the house, stands behind a built-in bar, stealing a few moments of warmth. Over his left shoulder a "Welcome to the Vet's house" message board is posted, requesting 50-cent donations for beer, and imparting the profundity, "Don't smoke crack -- smoke Iraq."

"It all started when Pete Houston started walking around the front lawn with the flag. . . . We've been going for 28 hours now," said Wilcox, who served six years with the Navy in Norfolk, Va., on the USS Bluefish.

"We know how people feel, we know they support the troops. So we figured we'd have our own quiet vigil right here at home. It's a good thing we don't have that many neighbors," Wilcox said, laughing and nodding toward the fire outside, where his cohorts waved thank-yous to honking cars.

"We took shifts to go through the night. I did 4 to 9 this morning," Wilcox said, adding that half the cars passing the house this weekend honked.

The general mood among the men is subdued and positive, with a firm resolve to continue the vigil indefinitely.

"It's just not a ya-ya deal for us. This is not grandstanding. We are ready to go," said David Janson (senior-English). A former paratrooper who has served in Ft. Bragg, Panama and "a few other places," Janson said he knows what a lack of public support can do to troops' resolve.

"I got drafted in 1970, and having lived through that time period, I understand that we have to support them," Janson said.

Ron Beadenkopf (sophomore-photography) has experienced the trauma of uncertainty firsthand. While he was stationed in Panama, 11 members of his unit tried to commit suicide.

"It's one thing to watch it on TV, it's another thing to be lying in a tent knowing that this could be your last night of sleep," Beadenkopf said.

Many housemembers stress the importance of a united homefront. Brian Dunlap (freshman-business) is concerned about misplaced criticism.

"We're here to support the troops and their families. I don't want any hostility that might be focused on the people in charge to filter down to the average soldier who's just doing what he's told."