Care packages for 'ANY SOLDIER'? Forget it!

[babylonsister]

ABC just did a story; the military won't accept just any packages any longer because they are getting too many of them. :wtf: Packages will only be accepted from friends and family and only if addressed to an individual. So all those peeps w/o family can just kiss off. Makes me so mad; it's so unfair!

[mairceridwen]

1. if they are getting too many

what's the problem?

can't you find anyplace else to send a care package? a homeless shelter? a children's hospital?

[babylonsister]

4. No problem. I feel sorry for the folks over there

that don't have family and have looked forward to the kindness of others to make them feel less alone. Simple.

[mairceridwen]

22. I think the adopt-a-soldier

sites are the best anyhway. that way it's more personal for them.

[laylah]

8. That is NOT t he point...

the point IS many of us want to send care packages to our young men and women which are HOSTAGES of this freaking, facist, FUCKED up regime! Of course there are other places the kindnesses could be bestowed upon. Obviously, many want to bestow upon OUR fighting men and women.

Jenn

[Warpy]

19. Gawd knows there are plenty of people in Iraq

who could really use everything in those care packages. Oh, wait, they're not human...

[helnwhls]

2. I was discouraged from baking for the troops as well!

piss me off. The USO lady I reached was very apologetic.

[oldlady]

3. we have plenty of family here on DU

serving...don't let them stop you-- just send it to someone from here & let them share. was it cutting into the contract profits for Bechtel or KBR or something???

[Hello_Kitty]

5. That totally sucks! Why do people just assume everyone

has a big family and is close to them? There are lots of people in the military who come from troubled homes and aren't married. Believe me I know, I was one of them. Guess the folks in that situation better hope their counterparts who get care packages are generous, huh?

[laylah]

6. Maybe if we send bullets

kelvar and steel plated tanks, they'll accept them? :mad:

Jenn

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

7. They're getting too many..... right.

So why are so many soldiers are still asking for stuff?

:eyes:

Sorry, soldier, you don't get any more deoderant. It's just too much trouble to sort through all that mail.

[Bobbie47]

9. check around

in your area to see if any schools are doing packages. My daughter school is we have 8 guys from here over in Iraq and they will share the packages with their troop.

[natrat]

10. total bs cuz alot of these guys are poor

[Zookeeper]

11. Perhaps DUers who know a soldier in Iraq...

could let us help that person in some way?

[babylonsister]

12. Great idea! I'm in.. nt

[UNIXcock]

13. Our church has a similar Christmas effort for the troops and ...

... the program requires specific addresses, not just "to whomever". They claim security purposes. Our family adopted 5 soldiers last year. We are going to try 6 this holiday. I can get names if you care to contribute.

[recovering democrat]

14. Any Soldier Sites

I don't do links well so I will just list a few of these and encourage you to check them out. Anything listed is a non-profit.

Treats For Troops (treatsfortroops.com)- "Foster-A-Soldier" program.

Operation USO Care Packages (usocares.org) - a $25 donation sponsors a care package and personal message to a soldier.

Operation Hero Miles (heromiles.org) - donate your unused frequent flyer miles for military personnel.

One of my favorites - Books for Soldiers (booksforsoldiers.com) - ships books, DVDs and supplies to deployed soldiers and soldiers in VA hospitals, via their volunteer network. They go to individual soldiers based on requests they submit. Check out the site - they also have a "button" to add to your blog to help them spread the word, if you are interested.

Also important this year, remember the wounded here at home. Injured soldiers at Walter Reed need:
Telephone cards of at least 30 minutes; Rolling luggage (small), totes, carry-ons; Individually wrapped snacks; Magazines; Notepads and pens; Playing cards and games; Sweat pants and shirts (all sizes). All items should be addressed to:

ATTN: Barbara Green,
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave, N.W.,
Washington, DC 20307-5001

Donations should be made payable To: American Red Cross.

OR contacts through DU are also a great idea. There are many others, including relief funds for each of the service branches.

All of these are good programs and always need help!

[Zookeeper]

20. Thanks for that info, Recovering Democrat!

And welcome to DU!:hi:

[mairceridwen]

24. ohcrap

I was just at Staples today too. I could have sent Walter Reed a whole poopload of stuff.

[trogdor]

15. No probalo!

Just go to http://www.booksforsoldiers.com. Find a troop who wants what you have to give away. Put it in a box addressed to him (or her), and when you go to the post office, there is a box in the form you have to fill out regarding disposition if the package is undeliverable. You can mark a box for "any soldier."

Sometimes the troops ask for other stuff besides books. Like CD's, DVD's, or various whatnot comfort items. You can even send them messages if you like.

[NuttyFluffers]

16. well, there goes my help.

sorry guys, gov't won't let me help you. guess i'm left to fight the civilian fight for them at home...

ps: thanks guys, i'll try to put those alternatives to good use. sad that i have to circumvent my own nation to be kind to my own people.

[recovering democrat]

17. Soldiers without family and friends

My last post listed various sites that let you arrange to do individual soldier support also. I want to agree with those who post about some soldiers not receiving support from family members and friends. Sometimes, there are family and friends and they just don't care, but many of them just have no close family or friends.

My son joined the Army and at his basic graduation, there were lots of family members for some of the soldiers; for others, nobody. He told us about half of his recruit class didn't even get mail from their families and were just pretty much alone. If you read some of the requests on "Books for Soldiers" they are made by individuals for themselves and for other soldiers by their buddies and commanders when the soldier has no one communicating with them. Last year, we made this a family Christmas project. Being in the military service is rough enough without being alone without any family support.

[Columbia]

18. Tis true

In the fall of 2003, our unit got so many anonymous care packages we didn't know what to do with them. You can only use so many toothbrushes and napkin packs after all.

[GreenPartyVoter]

21. You can "adopt" a servicemember in need. Just go to

http://booksforsoldiers.com/

My church adopted three servicemembers this year and just this week we received a sweet card from one of them, a young lady serving in Iraq. We sent pound upon pound of hard candy and she and her friends will be handing it out to children. :) (We didn't request this of them, they decided to do that on their own.)

[deadparrot]

23. "Too many" care packages?

Then they'd better start actually GIVING them out, because from what I've been hearing, those soldiers are greatly undersupplied.