How to support the troops...

Hello everyone-

Recently I’ve been asked by a few people different way they can support the troops. Put simply, I feel honored that I would even be asked and will do my best to provide you with any contact information or support I can. The troops certainly deserve it!! In no way am I professing that I am any sort of guru of how to support the troops. Not even close...some people know me enough to know that I’m an online digger, I do a lot of reading and research online and since this past fall/winter my knowledge on the deployment of the 3/25 and supporting the troops has grown quite a bit. And the information above and below is a big chunk of what I’ve found. If anyone has other fantastic sites or info on how the general public can support our troops in a manner that is not listed...please send it to me. I welcome any information, comments, questions...whatever! It’s all for them! I want to say “Thank You” to a few of my friends that I know personally who do a serious amount of great support to the troops (you know who you are!).

There are a zillion different ways to support them. You can do one or many of them!

• You can volunteer time (i.e. The USO always need people for random things)
• donate money
  
• be a pen-pal (write a general letter or ask to adopt-a-soldier/marine for communication)
  
• send a care package or donate items for a care package<>
<><>Get your company involved!

1. <>Donate items to be sent to the troops either by a bigbox at work where they can just drop them in or organize a company purchase to be drop shipped to one of the operations that sends packages to the troops (Operation Gratitude for ex:).
   
2. <>If your company does trade shows often times there are so many tschokes left over that you never know what to do with them. Send them to the troops, if you think they'll enjoy them. Like the stress balls...perfect!
3. Have your company sponsor phone cards. http://www.uso.org/pubs/8_20_2733.cfm

• Set up a box at work or other places of business where items like old cell phones can be dropped off. http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/pages/6/index.htm or http://www.grcrecycling.com/programs/operation-gratitude.cfm
• 
  

The troops will unfortunately be there for a while and will need us just as much as we need them. Any support is great. A little thing here and there can go a long way. Support is needed here at home too... for the families and the troops that have come back from their deployment.

I’ve found quite a few online forums where the families of those deployed just need to talk to someone for comfort and support. Best if it’s someone who’s had a loved one overseas as they can understand at least a little what they might be going through. But sometimes they just need an ear, if you have the time.

3/25 Adopt a Marine:
Send packages to:
Adopt a Marine
c/o Capt Kasparian
3/25 H&S Co
Unit 72110
FPO, AE 09509-2110

Operation Gratitude:
I have to say this is one of the best sites. I’ve come to know the head organizer a little bit. She’s quite a woman. When my sister was lived in L.A. (up until just recently) she volunteered with this group and was amazed as well as in awe with all they do. I highly recommend these people:
http://www.opgratitude.com/

America Supports You:
Another fantastic site full of information. Here is a page within the site
that shows yet more ways to support our troops:
http://www.dod.mil/americasupportsyou/support/help.html
http://www.dod.mil/americasupportsyou/index.html

Motomail:
https://www.motomail.us/

Operation Uplink:
Connecting those who Serve, with those who Care. (Provide phone cards for the troops so they can call home)
http://www.operationuplink.org
CONTACT:
Marlene Johnson
(816) 756-3390 Ext. 248
mjohnson@vfw.org
uplink@vfw.org

USO:
My contact: Sue Swider, Swdsue@cs.com
http://uso.org/pubs/8_13_18.cfm

Operation Homefront:
Helping US Troops by helping families left behind.
http://www.operationhomefront.net/

Operation Support Our Troops:
http://osot.us/

3/25 blog:
http://325navy.blogspot.com/

3/25 website:
http://www.mfr.usmc.mil/4thmardiv/25thMar/3dBn/

Marine parents (info and forums, not just for parents and includes Corpsman
families):
http://www.marineparents.com/
For the forums go here: http://www.usmcparents.com/forum/default_group.asp

Great informational newsletter through Military.com:
This newsletter a fantastic source of information all in one neat lil package. This link will take you to a page where you can sign up for a variety of newsletters through military.com but I get only the main newsletter.
http://www.military.com/LeadForms/dailynwsletter2?ESRC=daily.nl&actionform=3
For the home page click here. http://www.military.com/

Freedom walk on Sept 11:
http://www.asyfreedomwalk.com/

Injured Marine & Semper Fi Fund:
http://www.semperfifund.org/

Fallen Heroes Fund:
Donate at any Fifth Third bank branch
http://www.wgar.com/pages/fallen_heroes.html?feed=111411&article=312615

Wounded Warrior Project Backpack:
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/pages.php?catid=213

Fisher House, Helping Military Families:
http://www.fisherhouse.org/

Marine Comfort Quilts:
We are Military Families (mostly) joining together to bring some measure of comfort to the families of our military men/women lost in service to their country. http://www.marinecomfortquilts.us/

Quilts for Soldiers:
... showing these brave young men and women how much we appreciate their sacrifice and service with something very American and very tangible: A War-Time Quilt of Valor. This site provides one way to go about catching them in our QOV net of comfort and love and healing. If you want to do more than talk about supporting our troops, I invite you to take up your sewing
implements and help make Quilts of Valor which DO make a difference in the road to recovery for our servicemembers. http://www.quiltsforsoldiers.com/

Casualties sites:
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/2005.05.html
http://icasualties.org/oif/

NOTE FOR CUSTOM SLIPS:
Where it says “Detailed description of contents (1)” you can put...
CERTIFIED TO BE A BONA FIDE GIFT, PERSONAL EFFECTS, OR ITEMS FOR PERSONAL
USE OF MILITARY PERSONNEL AND DEPENDENTS.
There is no need to put value or quantity. Yes, they will still receive it. The P.O. might give you a hard time but this was approved by the USPS through the USO.

Homefront Hugs (Supporting troops, veterans and families):
http://homefronthugs.com/index.html

Adoptaplatoon:
The AdoptaPlatoon Soldier Support Effort™ founded in 1998 is a nonprofit 501C-3 organization managed nationwide by volunteer mothers to ensure that deployed United States Service members in all branches of the military are not forgotten by providing needed mail support and to promote patriotism in our schools and communities. To provide a better deployment quality of life, lift morale, and assist military families, the AAP created projects that meet the need of military requests, established special projects for holidays, and assigns individual morale lifting mail support to service members of all branches of the U.S. military serving their Nation around the world. http://adoptaplatoon.org/new/

Operation A/C (or heater, or adopt-a-soldier to write to):
What we do is send 240V 50hz air conditioners to our troops in Iraq from our supplier in Kuwait. A donation of $203.00 buys a 9,000 BTU AC Unit and it is $30 to have it delivered to Iraq. Our supplier is a SEARS authorized distributor and we have gotten the support of this company from SEARS. We have been at this since June 2003 and we have adapted to the needs of our troops. We send them items they are low on in supply and just are a help to them. Please adopt a soldier or marine serving and help us with our effort. http://www.operationac.com/

Soldiers Angels:
Our angels provide aide and comfort to ALL United States deployed & wounded military heroes. Angels who adopt a hero send a card or letter a week and at least two care packages a month. We have found that this support from home truly helps to " Bring Home Healthy Soldiers " http://www.soldiersangels.org/heroes/adopt_a_soldier.php

Soldier Ride (Bike/Cycle Ride):
100% of our proceeds go to military charities to support all men, women and children of troops themselves and their families.
http://www.soldierride.com/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=107227

Yellow Ribbon Fund:
Welcoming our Injured Service Members into our Community.
Over 500 individuals and companies in the Washington Metropolitan Area joined together to support these injured service members. We offer them an opportunity to use their free time to learn new skills with a local company. We provide hotel rooms, rental cars, and other transportation for their families. Our volunteers are mentors and friends who care.
http://www.yellowribbonfund.com/yellowribbonfund/

Operation Interdependence:
Help keep our military's deployed Armed Forces well trained and on the line by assisting America in supplying, preparing and posting civilian rations® to our heroes overseas through Adopt-a-box!
http://www.oidelivers.org/

Live your best life and help give others and their families a chance to live
theirs.