Gifts for our service people!

[dmw56]

Thanks for bringing this back to the top.

Anyone interested in sending gifts for Christmas or any other time of the year here are a few sites to look over, choices for all that want to help out via different ways to say thank you.

1. http://www.aafes.com/docs/support.htm

2. Good Information for sending items overseas: Holiday Mailing Guidelines Set
The U.S. Postal Service has set guidelines for mailing holiday mail and packages overseas. Mail and packages for troops that are serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan area should be sent by Dec. 4, 2008. Holiday mail, including packages and cards, going to military bases in other parts of the world should be shipped by Dec. 11. Priority mail flat-rate boxes are the best value when shipping to military members serving at home or anywhere overseas. The largest flat-rate box costs $10.95 to ship to an APO or FPO address. That is a $2 discount, and the boxes are free. Include the mailing address, return address and the contents of the box on a slip of paper with the other contents. For more information, visit the U.S.
Postal Service website.
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123122365
To find more deployment news and
resources, visit The Deployment Center.
http://www.military.com/deployment

3. http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ this has alot of different support channel, view the web page to see what you would like to help with/

4. New Program Helps Severely Injured Sailors. The mission of the Navy Safe Harbor program is to provide personalized support and assistance to severely injured Sailors and their families. Sailors who sustained a severe injury after Sept. 10, 2001, while supporting the Global War on Terrorism, are eligible for the Navy's support program. To enroll, contact the Safe Harbor Program toll-free number at
1-877-746-8563 or e-mail mailto:safeharbor@navy.mil.
http://www.npc.navy.mil/CommandSupport/SafeHarbor/

5. www.Military.Com is an all encompassing site that has a daily blog that is full of information for those that want to say informed of military issues.

6. http://www.patriotguard.org/ Is a motorcycle organization that supports troops when they return either by their own legs or in a flag drapped coffin.

[Grumpyoldman]

SPEED Bump..........

[dmw56]

Bump it up!

It's getting close to that time but anytime is good to think about our service people. Let's never forget them.

Here's a link for phone cards.

To request a phone card on behalf of a service member, visit www.operationuplink.org. To make a donation toward the purchase of cards for distribution, visit www.operationuplink.org/donate.cfm.

[milo1957]

is there a service that hooks you up with a person deployed overseas that you could correspond with and help support! i always send something around the holidays but it would be nice to be sending things to a real person!

[CrankShaft68]

Originally Posted by milo1957

is there a service that hooks you up with a person deployed overseas that you could correspond with and help support! i always send something around the holidays but it would be nice to be sending things to a real person!

Here are a couple of good places to start.

www.uso.org

www.ourmilitary.mil/care_packages.shtml

Also, this is a good way to directly interact with an individual. I used it while I was deployed a couple of years ago. The military member makes a list of books they would like to read and a volunteer that either has the book or is willing to buy it, sends it to that person. Its a good deal all around...

http://www.booksforsoldiers.com/


CS68

[dmw56]

Here's another thing you can do for our service people. Send a Christmas card to someone in the service thanking them for what they do for us back home.


Send your cards to this address:
Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

[Ellwood59]

Hey Don,

Do you know if we can send a box full of (signed) cards to that address? Rather than just one at a time.

BTW Happy Bird-day to you & yours!

[Tommy2tone]

You can also send a card to the troops that was designed by children. Free from Xerox at : www.letssaythanks.com

[Tommy2tone]

Popping this thread back to top. Its important we support those troops especially at this time of year.

[flatt ratt]

i just wanted to add that i have been over twice already and getting ready for a 3rd go around. also my brother will be deployed shortly after me. i know if you call the post or you know the unit that you want to send stuff to, you can link up with their family readiness person and bring in stuff that you want to send to them or you can get an address to send stuff too. on my last deployment, we had a table of stuff that people sent ranging from magazines and movies to personal hygiene stuff. its nice to get things from people and it reminds us that even though a lot of people dont agree with what we are doing, that this is our job and there are still people that support us.

i will also say that supporting the troops overseas is good but dont forget about the soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen that are here at home. i dont want to make us sound greedy but i have had lunch bought for me on numerous occasions while i have been home, and even coming up to us when we are in uniform and thanking us and shaking our hands makes a world of difference. i live 45 minutes away from the base i work at and my wife can tell when someone has thanked me because i have a funny grin on my face and i am happier the rest of the night.