Thread: Don't forget soldiers overseas this holiday

I know some of you probably have done this before, but we still have a huge number of men and women stationed overseas and a lot of them don't receive much in the way of mail or packages. Even though this is the busiest time of year for most of us and those who have families, it would probably really be appreciated if you took a few extra minutes to send a note in a Christmas card to someone in uniform who might otherwise not be getting much mail this holiday season.

I just sent my first package overseas - well, really I just ordered it and had it shipped - an infantry squad had been doing their laundry by hand and I sent a small handcrank laundry machine. I've been putting together some other stuff to send and it really kinda puts me more in the holiday mood.

There's a web site called http://www.anysoldier.com where individual service members serve as volunteers for their group to distribute things and make requests for the men and women serving around them. The soldier posts things that are needed and people can just put packages together and send them along. . .but it isn't really necessary to send anything. Almost everyone would probably like even a short note from home and that only costs a little time and the price of a stamp.

I'm sure some of the military guys in here already know about this organization and might be able to say more about it - but it seems to be a successful operation started by parents of one soldier a couple of years ago and it just has ballooned until thousands and thousands of troops get support directly from citizens here at home.

One of the things they reminded people stopping at the web site is that most soldiers don't like to ask for anything - they are trained to be self-sufficient and it is a source of pride - so many of them just ask for basic things like soap or deodorant, nothing too special. Sometimes just some used CDs or DVDs or some batteries. And again, the biggest thing usually asked for is just some letters from the States - I don't think it matters if they don't know you or I so much as they get to read about things at home.

Most of you know that I'm no big fan of this war - or this bogus wingnut government, but that has nothing to do with supporting our own citizens, whether they be living in tents in Mississippi after Katrina or doing their duty in a combat zone in Iraq or Afghanistan. But it is our job to make sure they are looked after, not only by the government, but by our own actions. . .and until they can come home, we should do what we can to make their situation as comfortable as possible.

And I know I shouldn't be usin' open chat to push this organization or effort, but I'm hopin' Rob doesn't mind. . .

So. . .take a visit to that site and just read some of the posts - you know, in the time we take to post online in one afternoon (er...well, for Foreman...about five minutes...hehehe)...we could make a difference. Ya'll could even write them about ironmagazine.com and when they can access a puter, (like Doug), you can make them join....or maybe turn MinO into a centerfold for their footlockers.

UPDATE: THere are so many boxes of cookies, holiday treats, etc being shipped to our Armed Forces supporting the War on Terror and the War in Iraq that they are now being shipped back to units stationed in the United States. The soldiers out of country are requesting non-perishables like magazines, newspapers, games, books, and pictures of home that will remind them of BEING home.

This is the least we can do. Thanks.