Send a Christmas Message to The Troops - Christmas in America Email

Email from Howard Kaloogian of California (Recall Leader - Defend Reagan Leader) | 12/21/2003 | Howard Kaloogian

[Impeach98]

Christmas In America

My fellow Americans,

It’s that most wonderful time of the year.

With the onset of Christmas and Hanukkah, hundreds of millions of Americans will gather with family and friends to celebrate these most Holy days.

As we honor the traditions of the holiday season, it’s important that we take the opportunity to realize just how blessed we are - not only because of the fulfilling spirit we derive from our faith, but because here in America we have a right to exercise our faith without fear of government oppression or mandate.

This freedom is a blessing that is uniquely American. Our forefathers set about to build a nation where our religious liberties would withstand the tests of time and persist through the frailties of human weakness. Our liberty has been maintained by the countless sacrifices of men and women throughout our nation’s 200-year history. And our example shines as bright as the rays from a lighthouse – beaming through the shrouds of darkness that have at times blanketed the oppressed in far off lands.

This year the odds are greater that you will have a loved one serving in one of these distant places. As I write to you today, more than 130,000 American troops remain in Iraq with slightly less than 10,000 serving in Afghanistan. Countless thousands are stationed in other countries around the globe.

The men and women of our armed forces are all volunteers. They have all put their lives in jeopardy so that our nation might enjoy a future of freedom. Their service can be at times a very lonely experience. Their work is often difficult and unpleasant – whether from the irritation of desert sand or from the fear of guerilla attack. As you fight through the crowds at the mall, shake off the fatigue from having written your 50th greeting card or lament the batch of burnt cookies in your oven, stop and think – these inconveniences are nothing compared to what our countrymen overseas are experiencing.

There’s a couple ways we can best pay tribute to those who are serving our country.

The first is simple – simply dedicate a few moments during the next few days to fully appreciate the splendor of your holiday celebrations. Derive as much love, happiness and joy as you can from that which has been made possible by the sacrifices of our brave men and women of the U.S. military. Pay extra close attention to the smile on your child’s face when he or she opens their presents on Christmas morning. Make it a point to take a walk with friends in the winter night and together share the majesty of houses glistening with thousands of lights. Hold your spouse or loved one for an extra moment longer and let them know the depth of the love that you have for them.

Second, share your appreciation for those who afford us the freedom to celebrate this holiday season by telling them in words how grateful we all are. Operation DearAbby.net has been set up so that Americans can say “thank you” and send a special message of appreciation to those men and women defending American freedom worldwide.

Here’s a description from Operation DearAbby.net of how the program works:

In 1967, Sgt. Billy Thompson wrote Abigail Van Buren asking for a Christmas present for our servicemembers -- "Just a letter from home." American citizens have been sending their best wishes to the troops every holiday season since. "Operation Dear Abby," has brought joy to hundreds of thousands of U.S. military personnel deployed away from home around the world.

Concerns about regular mail delivery have prompted the military to suspend the letter-writing campaign...

However, Dear Abby, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of the Navy's LifeLines2000 Services Network in association with SPAWAR SCC (National Capital Region) are providing a private and secure online resource that will allow you to send a Sailor, Marine, Soldier, Airman, or Coast Guardsman a holiday greeting or message of support.

Please, join me in saying “thank you” to the men and women defending our freedom this holiday season. Simply CLICK HERE and you will be taken to the Operation DearAbby.net website to send a message immediately.

It will take the participation of hundreds of thousands of Americans if we are to send a message to each man and woman serving abroad. So please, forward this message on to others and ask them to take part as well. It’s the least we can do to say “thank you.”

My warmest wishes to you and your family for a Merry Christmas and a wondrous holiday season!

Very Sincerely Yours,

Howard Kaloogian
E-Mail: Howard@HowardForSenate.com
Website: www.HowardForSenate.com

[Impeach98]

Email sent out by former Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian (Chairman of the Recall Gray Davis Committee, Chairman of the Defend Reagan Committee and now Republican candidate for U.S. Senate against Barbara Boxer). I think this is great to see Howard helping increase the number of Christmas THANK YOUS the troops will be getting and I posted it to call attention to this program to FReepers who hadn't already participated.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Just did it. That was easy! Merry Christmas.

[Coop]

Just sent a greeting and my gratitude. Only took about two minutes, too. Thanks for posting!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

The USO Canteen Post Office

E-Mail Our Military Links To enter, Click on the Post Office Please stop in the USO Canteen Post Office Daily to E-Mail our Troops. </

Hanukkah 20th - 27th Dec	Christmas 25th Dec	Kwanzaa 26th Dec - 1st Jan

[Coop]

Interest in this thread is quite disappointing.

[America's Resolve]

Hi Mom,

I sent a message to each of the service's in the main posting and I'll pick a name from your list and get something in the mail to them as well. Prolly not a package this late but certainly a card and a letter.

Thanks for the info :)

PS. Yeah, it is pretty depressing the low turn out for this thread :(

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

BTTT. I have a message for all FReepers. Christmas doesn't have anything to do with buying a new dvd player at Best Buy. Do something that makes a difference and send a handful of cards!

[Saundra Duffy]

Go, Kaloogian!!! If he kicked Gray Davis' butt he can kick Boxer's too! Bill Jones made some kind of a sneaky back-room deal with Schwarzenegger which I think is creepy. Jones will not get my support and besides he did some other stuff that pissed me off big time. The California Republican Assembly endorsed Assemblyman Tony Strickland for U.S. Senate but as soon as Tony heard that Bill Jones was in the race, he backed out. I'm not too thrilled with that, either. Sheeeeeeesh already. Go, Kaloogian!!!

Oh, by the way, the CRA will be having an endorsing convention in January for U.S. Senate. I hope Kaloogian shows up to debate. He's got my vote!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I asked the Moderator to remove your post #6
The reason is outlined in this DOD Press Release.
I am sorry, I know you meant no harm.

CLICK HERE for 03/22/03 Department of Defense
Press Release.
TROOP SUPPORT MAIL POLICY STRESSED
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.

[Old Student]

Thanks for posting this. I hope that the troops will get MORE mail after the holidays than they did before and during; they need to know we appreciate them. I've saved my message for after Christmas so the troops wouldn't see it suddenly stop as folks got busy with their lives again. I've recently found out that one of my cousins just returned from Iraq (101st Airborne), and one of my best friends is there as a USAF photographer. Tim was a supply troop when I first met him, back in 1992, while I was in the 1st Mob.