One of the best times I had (besides spending time with my son and family) was the time I spent during Desert Storm as part of the Any Service Member writing "team".
Back then, it was relatively easy...you write a letter, address the envelope to "Any Service Member"...when the letter got to Kuwait or Iraq, someone who didn't get a lot of mail would take the letter and, hopefully, write back!
(I am still close to one of "my soldiers". I consider him one of my closest friends...even though we've only met once and he is now living and working in Dubai).
Now, after 9/11, if you want to write to anyone serving overseas, you have to go through an entire screening process. I'm not complaining because I would NOT want to endanger our guys and gals! They have enough stress to deal with! But, I still feel the need to do what I can and, since I'm way too old to join the military (can't see me marching 10 miles with a 75lb pack on my back...can't even see me marching 10 FEET!!!) I thought I would try to get involved again in a similar group.
About 3 weeks ago, while on Facebook searching pen pal sites (I Love pen pals and writing an old fashioned, snail mail letter), I found Soldiers' Angels. After reading maybe two pages of their website, I immediately signed up. I opted for the $50 lifetime membership. Why? Because, with that $50, a random service member in need will receive a care package, from me, sent from Soldiers' Angels headquarters! (The "fee" also verifies that you are who you say you are).
While there, you can also sign up for other "teams". Eventually, after some time and experience writing to our men and women in the "sandbox", I will be able to write to our wounded warriors back here in the states who also need our love and support.l
I received my first soldier name and address and immediately wrote a letter. Unlike a pen pal website, where you read a small profile of a person's likes and dislikes, writing to this soldier was like writing blind. I know nothing about him at all, with the exception of his age and rank.
How do I know he will enjoy reading my letter? How do I know he will have the time and energy to write back? How do I know that something I wrote may have offended him in some way??
I don't. What I do know is he needs this mail! He needs to know that I back what he is doing 110%! He needs to know that who he is, and what he's doing, is important in every way!
So, I wrote that letter. I told him about myself and my family. I described the town that I live in and what I do for hobbies and work. Basically, I wrote to him with the intention of making a new friend and showing my support. I will write and send cards and packages until I find out he's home, safe and sound.
I will also, through networking, get as many people as I can to sign up and write to our troops overseas. The cool thing about SA is that they have a number posted at the top right hand corner of those in the military who need "adopting". The last time I checked in, it was at 1600+.
1600 does not seem like a huge amount. But, these are men and women in a war zone, under stressful, frightening conditions, who get little to no mail. They may not have a family back home to show their support.
Or, God forbid, they have a family who doesn't agree with the war and refuses to write to them.
You don't have to agree with the why of it. You DO have to support our men and women who fight for our country!
So, if they don't have family, or have a family that doesn't support them, I will become their family!!
There are so many groups out there who are actively helping our military in any way possible. Some are able to put on fund raisers to send care packages. Some individuals go without their favorite weekly items (gourmet coffee, lunch out, etc) and use that money to buy postage because they write to so many people and send so many packages.
Even if all I write to is this one soldier, 44 cents is worth it! 44 cents may bring a little happiness and joy and maybe a laugh or two!!
My dad was in the Army. Ethan was going to be a Marine. I can not imagine him being in the middle of war and not having the support of our family. Maybe this is why I feel so strongly about this new endeavor. Writing to these men and women helps to ease MY pain and grief.
I have to go...have to write another letter to my soldier. My goal is for him to receive one letter and/or card per week!
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