FReeper Canteen ~ Get Out The Military Vote! April Thread! ~ April 29, 2004

MoJo2001, Kathy in Alaska and FRiends of the Canteen

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday...
Thank the Veterans who served in
The United States Armed Forces.

Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom?
Support The United States Armed Forces Today!

 

STATE LINKS Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware D.C. Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming American Samoa Puerto Rico Guam   SERVICE VOTING WEB SITES U.S. Army U.S. Navy U. S. Air Force U.S. Marine Corps U.S. Coast Guard What County Do You Live In? County Laws and Guidelines Click here! Info obtained from fvap.gov	Welcome to the Canteen Sports Corner! As you can see, we have taken a break from sports for today. If you still can't live without your sports, please look on the bottom left hand side of the thread. The sports links will be provided as usual. We will be running a "GET OUT THE MILITARY VOTE" thread once a month until September.   Today we have decided to do a thread on getting the vote out for our military heroes and their families. While many of you have already taken care of this issue, there are still quite a few that have not. With that in mind, we decided to help you out. The FReeper Canteen does steer clear of politics as much as possible. We believe that you should be able to visit the Canteen to get away from all the dramas in your life. We include politics as one of them. However, we believe strongly that as you are defending America so bravely around the world and at home; it is important that your voice be heard for the upcoming Presidential election. We will try to keep everyone informed about any changes that may occur throughout this process. Links will be provided around this thread with the locations of where you can register. If you are able to get to a computer, you will have no problems doing this. If you have loved ones that can help you with this process, we hope to make this as easy as possible for them. As always, if you have any questions please email us at canteenusa@canteenusa.com . Or please put the questions on the thread for possible answers or help. You fight so bravely and valiantly on our behalf. It is the least any of us can expect that your votes are counted and not disregarded because of politics. The way around this is to get the information on absentee ballots as soon as possible. Don't wait to do it. If you have a few minutes on the computer after "visiting" with loved ones, it should be a simple step. If you have any problems, please email us at the above email. We will try to help as much as we can. Thank you. By the way, we are kicking off our own Presidential campaign today. Check below for further information. If you want a man for all people, then you won't want to miss this!     What if I am in the military? Military personnel may apply for voter registration and/or request absentee ballots with a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) which may be obtained from the Unit Voting Officer. If the FPCA is not available, phone, send a written request to the Supervisor of Elections Office, or use the on-line request form. Spouses and dependents are considered to be of the same category of absentee voter as military members and generally should follow the same rules. Click on the logo for more information!   Do you know who represents you in Congress? If you don't have any idea who represents you, please click below. U.S. Senate U.S. Congress Things To Remember: 1. Most officials on the state elections boards are very helpful and will not hesitate to provide as much information as they can. 2. They are not allowed to persuade you to vote for any specific political party. They are there to provide a service to you, not to promote campaigns or political parties. 3. Many States allow you to register to vote when you renew or register for a driver's license. You can find out more information here from the DMV. 4. You must be a US citizen to vote in any election. It is illegal and prosecutable by law if you are caught voting as a non-citizen. 5. Many states require that you have a picture identification when you vote. So? Keep that in mind when you go to the polls to vote. 6. If you are stationed overseas, please click on the "Service Voting Web Sites" on the left hand side. Your commands should have someone on staff to help with any voting issues that may arise. If not, please visit your "home of record" (your home address when you entered the military) to find the information. 7. Postage is important. As soon as you receive your ballot, please vote and then mail it back as soon as possible. Don't wait too long or your ballot may not count. Every vote matters. 8. If you are a dependant, you can help alleviate any registration problems by calling, emailing, or mailing the service member's home of record. Most of the time they will mail out the voting registration information and you will have to send it back to them as quickly as possible. 9. There are deadlines for having absentee ballot registrations filed or returned. Check to make sure that you have plenty of time to file and return your ballot. 10. Your voice. Your vote. Stand Up and Be Counted!
2004 CAMPAIGN

~ BURKA MAN ~ The Man Of The People!!!     A Vote For Tomkow Is A Vote For: Chaos Insanity More Chaos More Insanity Beer Beer More Beer More Insanity Did we forget anything?

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

We will be running a "GET OUT THE MILITARY VOTE"
thread once a month until September

Click on the pic and I'll guide you
to the start of today's thread



FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT
Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.
CLICK HERE TO FIND LATEST THREAD.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[Soaring Feather]

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Operation FR Canteen

An Opportunity to Help Our Wounded Servicemen and Women

Freepers, We have been sent an email from someone stationed in Iraq regarding an urgent need by our wounded servicemen/women. For security reasons, the whole email can NOT be posted here. Read on, please.


Today I went to visit the military hospital here in the Green Zone. Yesterday my boss (a Marine) had gone to visit some of the Marines brought here from the Fallujah fighting. When he asked one of the wounded Marines if there was anything he could get for him, the Marine requested a razor so he could shave and be within standards again before he was discharged from the hospital. My boss also found that the hospital basically was lacking phones for the patients to be able to call home and talk with their loved ones. I think they only had one that the chaplain carried with him and let the patients use when visiting them. We were able to scrounge up a few razors and got a couple of our cell phones signed over to the ward. I took the items back today along with some candy folks gave me and spent some time talking with the patients.

Afterwards, I talked with the ward personnel and they gave me a list of items they can always use. Our hospital is the largest surgical hospital here in Iraq so most of the patients are evac'd here for their initial care until they can be stabilized and evac'd to Germany or returned to duty (although it is not a big hospital-more like a clinic sized unit).

Of course most of the wounded come in with only what they were wearing in most cases. As such, they don't have things like toothbrushes, etc. A lot of you are always asking if there is anything you can send me. There really isn't anything I need, but these folks could use some things for the wounded. It really is humbling when you think about these young men and women who have been wounded, some of them terribly, and they are really excited about getting a razor or some chocolate candy. So, following is the list of things the ward personnel said they could really use for their patients.

On the hygiene items (toothpaste, shampoo, etc.), they are interested in the travel size products because the wounded are normally only here for a short period of time before they are transferred out to bigger hospitals that have better supplies of these items, or back to their units where they have access to their stuff. If you would like to donate any of these things (or start a drive for these things) just mail them to me. My office will sort the items and make sure they get to the hospital. If you would like to send food items, we'll need individually wrapped or single serving items. And, chocolate is okay if it's mailed soon before it gets too hot (but to tell the truth, we've been known to lick it off the wrapper when we want it bad enough!).

Razors
Shaving Cream
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Dental Floss
Mouthwash
Soap
Shampoo
Feminine Hygiene Products
Underclothes (male and female)-okay this may sound like a strange item, but remember they normally only come in with the stuff they are wearing and normally those are ruined
Slippers/FlipFlop type of things (in large sizes-apparently the things on the local economy are pretty small)
Hospital PJs
Candy
Crackers
Snack Items
Anything else you can think of

Additionally, we like to go out and give our young Marines pulling post duty candy/cookies, so we can always use that type of stuff. We had a great time delivering our Easter candy stash Sunday and we left a lot of Marines grinning from ear to ear.

* * * * * * *
MoJo20001's husband's division is going to be collecting the items and sending them via transport to the hospital in Iraq. IF you feel so inclined, and the need IS urgent...please let one of us know.

We also are coming across names...MANY MANY names of servicemen who need care packages, a letter, sometimes depending upon the branch of service, an email. If you can commit to being faithful with the correspondence, PLEASE let us know about that, too.

MoJo2001............................. Kathy in Alaska........................... Brad's Gramma

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

May 1st Homecoming cyber-parade
to welcome home our troops and Vets

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

To every service man or woman reading this thread.
Thank You for your service to our country.
No matter where you are stationed,
No matter what your job description
Know that we are are proud of each and everyone of you.

To our military readers, we remain steadfast in keeping the Canteen doors open.
The FR Canteen is Free Republics longest running daily thread specifically designed
to provide entertainment and morale support for the military.
The doors have been open since Oct 7 2001,
the day of the start of the war in Afghanistan.
We are indebted to you for your sacrifices for our Freedom.

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT
Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.
CLICK HERE TO FIND LATEST THREAD.

Click on a service emblem to send an online
Thank You to a service man or woman in any branch.

Army	Navy	Marines	Air Force	Coast Guard

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

From the men in the Military and the Canteen

[SevenofNine]

Whoa NY Times reporting in Thursday runs that the US Marines found notes from Falijah Iraq that had Saddam in works if he overthrow have miltant start some crap with our US troops after the war in Fallijah Iraq

[Libertina]

BTTT Beautifully done!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Ms. Poohbear,
Are you here, girl?
Ms.B

[HiJinx]

Poor MoJo, she waits so patiently for her Piper fix, then I wait until she calls it a night to post...

Hey, Grammy, Piper wants to know what you think of her swing!

Auntie Fawnn, please tell your daughter "hello" from me when she calls this morning, ok?

[Brad’s Gramma]

That is ONE NEAT SWING! Far better than the ones our kids had. I remember how scared they got because they'd "flop" around...I LOVE the design.

Now....as to the BEAUTIFUL GIRL in the swing....WOW! That sweetie pie is getting cuter and cuter and CUTER!

Got the shotguns ready, Gramps????

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thanks for the Piper fix Brother!

[Ms.Poohbear]

Ms B
Yes i am
Ms.Poobear

[HiJinx]

Got the shotguns ready, Gramps????

Do I ever!

Mix Italian, Mexican, and English-Mutt, and you get a real looker!!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Actually MoJo2001 deserves the credit!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Well you better stay in practice cuz that cutie's gonna have the boys knocking on her door alright!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

For you....

[Soaring Feather]

The Swing
by Robert Lewis Stevenson
1850-1894

HOW do you like to go up in a swing,  
  Up in the air so blue?  
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing  
  Ever a child can do!  
  
Up in the air and over the wall,
            Till I can see so wide,  
Rivers and trees and cattle and all  
  Over the countryside—  
   Till I look down on the garden green,  
  Down on the roof so brown—   
Up in the air I go flying again,  
  Up in the air and down!