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Defense Department Mail Policy

To bolster force protection, the general public is urged not to send unsolicited mail, care packages or donations to service members forward deployed unless you are a family member, loved one or personal friend. On Oct. 30, 2002, the Department of Defense (DoD) suspended the "Operation Dear Abby" and "Any Servicemember" mail programs due to force protection concerns. Although these programs provide an excellent means of support to friends and loved ones stationed overseas, they also provide an avenue to introduce hazardous substances or materials into the mail system from unknown sources. Unsolicited mail, packages and donations from organizations and individuals also compete for limited airlift space used to transport supplies, war-fighting materiel and mail from family and loved ones.

 

 

Send "Thank You" Cards In Support of Our Troops - Go to www.LetsSayThanks.com and you can pick out a thank you card. The Xerox Corporation will print it and send it to a service member that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. How great it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one! Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a minute.  You pick the card, pick the copy, or write your own. Whether you are for or against the war, our men and women over there need to know we are behind them!

 

Operation One Family endeavors to help families of the fallen cope with their loss, stabilize their present situation and secure their future. The mission is to help provide life skills, education and continuing support for the families of our fallen military heroes. The goal of Operation One Family is to create a national model that will be used by Rotary Clubs across America to provide ongoing support for these families in their own communities.

 

MilitaryConnection.com is a portal of all types of military resources and information connecting candidates from the military community with outstanding government and civilian employment opportunities, and assisting numerous military non-profits at www.militaryconnection.com.

 

TAPS (The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) is a national non-profit Veterans Service Organization providing peer based emotional support services to all those who have lost a loved one serving in the Armed Forces at www.taps.org.

 

Homefront America is a 100% volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting our troops and their families with meaningful assistance in times of need at www.homefrontamerica.org.

 

Soldiers Angels is a national network of hundreds of thousands of volunteers dedicated to providing hands-on comfort to the members of the military and their families at www.soldiersangels.org.

 

ThanksUSA is a non-partisan, charitable effort to mobilize Americans of all ages to “thank” the men and women of the United States Armed Forces by providing college, technical and vocational school scholarships for their children and spouses at www.thanksusa.org.

 

Online Program Sends Care Packages to Troops, Families - Just in time for the holidays, Operation Homefront has launched "eCarePackage," an online service that allows caring citizens to send care packages to deployed troops and their families. Operation Homefront is part of CinCHouse.com, a community for military wives, and is a team member of America Supports You, a Department of Defense program connecting U.S. citizens with members of the military. Service members and families can register on www.ecarepackage.org, which protects their identity and location, and visitors can "adopt" them based on common interests. Then visitors select individual items to create a customized care package for their chosen service member or family and include a personal message.

 

Something cool that Xerox is doing ... If you go to this web site, www.letssaythanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one! It is FREE and it only takes a second.

 

Military Phone Card Donation Program Goes Public - The Department of Defense permits any American help troops in contingency operations call home. The Defense Department has authorized the Armed Services Exchanges to sell prepaid calling cards to any individual or organization that wishes to purchase cards for troops who are deployed.  The “Help Our Troops Call Home” program is designed to help servicemembers call home from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. For those wishing to donate a prepaid calling card to a military member may log on to any of the three Armed Services Exchange web sites:  the Army and Air Force Exchange Service at www.aafes.com, the Navy Exchange Service Command at www.navy-nex.com, and the Marine Corps Exchange at www.usmc-mccs.org. Click the “Help Our Troops Call Home” link.  From there, a prepaid calling card may be purchased for an individual at his or her deployed address or to “any service member” deployed or hospitalized.  The Armed Services Exchanges will distribute cards donated to “any service member” through the American Red Cross, Air Force Aid Society and the Fisher House Foundation

 

Any Soldier at www.anysoldier.com - Want to send a care package to Any Soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan, but have no idea of what to send, who to send it to, or how to send it? Try out this web site.

 

Americans Embrace "Gift of Groceries" Program for Military Families - Commissary "Gift of Groceries" supports military families at home. The program allows anyone to purchase gift certificates to give to military families and friends; only authorized shoppers can redeem them at commissaries worldwide. Military charities such as Fisher House Foundation, USO and Air Force Aid Society accept donated grocery certificates for military families in need, and civilian organizations that want to help military families can get involved, too. The "Gift of Groceries" is available by calling toll free (U.S. only) 1-877-770-4438 and at www.commissaries.com.

 

AT&T Supports Enduring Freedom Troops, Families  - AT&T is helping deployed servicemembers connect with loved ones back home by building additional telephone calling centers for troops deployed to places like Kuwait in the Middle East. The company provides "call-home" phones for servicemembers at 170 overseas locations and aboard more than 200 Navy vessels. The company also provides discounted prepaid phone cards to service members that are sold in military exchange stores on land and sea. For more information, see www.usa.att.com/military/

 

 

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USAWOA Online 2/18/2010