Holidays are coming up. Links below are ones I know that really support the troops. I was chatting with a woman yesterday who barely does e-mail, knows nothing about blogs or internet. However, over the last few years she has slowly and methodically organized over 1500 people in her quasi-rural area to collect and send care packages and letters to random and/or adopted troops. I particularly like "Operation Gratitude." Fine people.
http://www.militarycombatdefensefund.com
http://www.defendthedefenders.org
http://www.fightingfortyler.com
http://www.patriotdefensefund.com
http://www.semperfifund.org - Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
http://www.sendyoursupport.com - Military Moms sending care packages
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americas...syou/index.aspx
http://www.adoptaplatoon.org
http://www.soldierfund.org
http://soldiersangels.org
http://www.opgratitude.com - Operation Gratitude
http://www.operationac.com - Operation AC Air Conditioners (!!) and Christmas Trees and Care Boxes to the Middle East.
http://www.americansnipers.org/donate.html

Another idea... This one costs very little but could mean so very much.. When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center 6900 Georgia Avenue,NW Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

November 10th is the 232nd birthday of the United States Marine Corp. Mark this birthday with a donation to the charity of your choice.

Veteran's Day is this Sunday, November 11th. Send a card or a small contribution. Let me refer back to an old signature line of mine:

If you can read this, thank a teacher... if you are reading this in English, thank a veteran.

Just got this email:

Good evening,

We’d like your help in promoting a national expression of thanks to our military men and women during the Thanksgiving Day holiday.

Beginning at 6 am EST on Saturday, November 17, and ending at midnight PDT on November 22, Americans can text a message of thanks to 8-9-2-7-9. Within seconds, the sender will receive a reply on his or her cell phone from America Supports You (ASY). The message will come from a member of the armed forces or a family member of someone who is serving, who will express his or her appreciation for the support, both personally and on behalf of others who are serving.

Because all the major mobile wireless providers—AT&T Wireless (Cingular), Verizon, Sprint (Nextel, Qwest), and T-Mobile—will provide access to the ASY text message program, there is no upcharge.

For more information, please go here: http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americas...anks/index.aspx

Members of the military and their families—we now have troops serving in 177 countries—will learn the number of text messages and be able to view many of them.

America Supports You expects this effort to be a unifying moment for the nation, at a time in which families traditionally come together and express gratitude for things large and small that contribute to their lives.

All the best,


Erick Erickson
Editor, RedState.com

As some of you know, my daughter and her family spent all of last week with us. We bought 100 Christmas cards and spent about two hours adding "THANK YOU and may God Bless you" to each one. My seven year old grandson is a very good printer and he signed each one as well. He also addressed about 30 of the mailing envelopes. I just got back from mailing them. The address is:


A Recovering American soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

I know this topic is not one of the 'hot topics' that have been raging on the boards as of late but I wanted some of you... and you'll know who you are... to know how good it will make you feel if you can send out just one card... and maybe, just maybe, send a small $5 contribution to one of the above charities. If you can't decide, 'Operation Gratitude' is my favorite.

After all they've given to you, I hope you can find a moment to give back. It is the right thing to do. Thank you.
V

"I know this topic is not one of the 'hot topics' that have been raging on the boards as of late but I wanted some of you... and you'll know who you are... to know how good it will make you feel if you can send out just one card..."



Why dont you just post the info rather than making a statement like that? As per usual with you, it turns me off. Even though I still support the troops, you dont add any tact to it.

I see nothing wrong with Verwayne's comment there. I don't think he was sending that to one person. He is just stating the truth, there are a lot out there that have not done a lot for the troops. Verwayne has a right to his opinion and he is not blantantly smearing any one person. Why not just ignore it?

I give him the same comments he gives me.

I dont like his comments, I voiced my opinion. I wasnt suggesting they remove it or anything.

It still may be a little harsh given the topic. Your dislike for a member may be overshadowing the goodness of the act that he's trying to accomplish.

No one will tell you who or what to stand for... but people may choose not to listen depending on how to act upon those beliefs. Letting other posts spill over to this one is probably inopropriate given the ideal of the original post. It's a shame, in my opinion.

Big V I have met up with my unit at Fort Bragg, I still don't have my mailing address for theatre, (We get there just after the new year) but I will soon and you get it as soon as I have it. Thanks for your support, a greatful American service member. For those of you that don't know Big V arranged a subsubscript to the Michigan Racing Scene and Marc Times for me. So like his comments or not the guy feels strongly about it and a whole lot of guys like me really really really appreciate it.

Thanks again, Jake

Jake,
It is an honor to be able to help you stay in touch with home town happenings. It is to you and your fellow soldiers that I give thanks to on this day of thanksgiving. Be safe and be true.
V

Jake, do you know where you are going after the 1st?

Big V.. Thanks for this.. i just went and seen my buddy last weekend at Walter Reed.. and his favorite card is the one he got for the USMC B-day wishing him the best from a 9 year old little girl. he should be walking in the near future.. which is a improbable miracle compared to what the corpsman told him in country..

i will be leaving on the 12th of jan for Al Asad Air Station for a nice 9 months in country. 5 months as a Air Traffic Controller. and 4 months as a Grunt.. it will def be a good experince.

Having said that..

Happy Belated b-day to all the Devil Dogs.. sorry i was in san deigo doing buildups for deployment.

Josh, you are most welcome. PM me with your address once you are out of country and I'll make sure you are 'connected' with Michigan racing as well.
V

it will be most appreciated. i hear we have net acess at that base from time to time.. so i may not be totally in the dark.. however the MMT's are what will kill me.. lol.. Thank you fine sir.

Lcpl Janes

Camp Speicher no address as yet, but I do know where now at least.

That in the hills or desert? not framiler with non USMC bases as of yet.. ours are easy, cause there is like 4.. lmao..

perhaps we will meet out there if its in the desert.. i will be in the gigantic target sitting next to the Air field..

it's up near tikrit

I shouldn't be astonished but I am. In the past two days, we've received 17 notes of thanks for the cards we sent out. The good feeling I alluded to earlier has doubled.

How to say "Thank you!"

http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/fullmovie.php

A moving article: http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/04/marine_staff_se.html

the big guy is not here but here is a link he sent me. it isn't too early to start thinking of these guys. http://www.opgratitude.com/news_newspaper.php

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN?

Posted on November 9, 2008 - 14:07 PM
"We only have enough funds to mail 25% of the 70,000 care packages we will assemble this holiday season. That means without your help today, more than 50,000 care packages won't reach our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines in time for the holidays."