OPERATION SEASON'S GREETINGS

Self, MoJo2001, Kathy in Alaska,HiJinx | 10-14-04 | Brad's Gramma

[Brad’s Gramma]

 

 

OPERATION SEASON'S GREETINGS BEGINS

In order to bring a "little piece of home" to our Troops overseas, we have joined our resources with ProudPatriots.com to kickoff our campaign.

Below we will explain to you everything you will need to know in order to help us bring some joy and happiness to our Troops.

Thank you to everyone that has already enthusiastically signed up to help. We greatly appreciate everything!

How can I help?

First, anything that you send is greatly appreciated.

Here are some of the items that have been requested:

- Phone cards (International)

- Music CD's, any genre including Christian to Rap music

- Books (Paperback or hardcover) **Please steer clear of political books**

- DVD's (any genre of movies, but no pornography)

- Electronic handheld games (can be found at Walmart, Target, or Kmart) **Make sure to send batteries as well**

- Socks (any size, they will fit someone)

- T-shirts (brown for work) **We thought it would be cool if our Troops received a t-shirt from various States to show that the support is nationwide. Or you can make them at home and send them along!

- Portable MP3 or CD players (Maybe several folks can go in together to do this.) - Portable DVD or regular DVD players **Also a project that a group of people could put together**  

- Any XBox, GameCube, PS2 (Playstation 2) PSOne, DreamCast, Nintendo64, or Gameboy games. (Instead of buying new, you can find many used games locally at game stores. Make sure they aren't scratched, but they are just as good as a new one and cheaper.)

-Crossword puzzlebooks or any kind of brain teaser games.

- Footballs, Nerf footballs, soccer balls, basketballs, or baseball gloves, baseballs, or frisbees

- Christmas decorations

- Hanukkah decorations

***FOOD***

The weather is cooling down and therefore, CHOCOLATE is in order.

Any homemade cookies, candies, fudge, or brownies are greatly appreciated. We would ask that you package it in a tin with no rattling.

Any type of NATURAL Jerky is greatly appreciated as well. NO PORK.

Any type of candy bar, hard candy, or the like is also greatly appreciated.

***IMPORTANT*** Please pack everything in baggies.  

As we get more requests from overseas, we will add to the list.

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW!!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Most people don't realize just how important a little something from home is to our men and women. Especially during the holiday season. It can be the difference between having another lonely day or having a wonderful holiday.

Items will be collected until November 15th, 2004.

If you would like to make a donation, you can do so at The Proud Patriots (please scroll down to the bottom).

If you would like to send a gift card, you may do so either online to proudpatriots@proudpatriots.com or you can send it to the address below. Thank you!

All items can be shipped to the following address:

Proud Patriots 26 Towne Centre Way # 741 Hampton, VA 23666

After the items are received, they will be delivered to NCTAMS LANT DET HRDS where they will be packaged and sent to our various contacts in the region. Most of these items will go to specific units or to one of our designated Chaplains.

The contact people at NCTAMS LANT DET HRDS are IT1 John Young and ITCS Steven Reeves.

What is Proud Patriots?

Proud Patriots.com was started to help bring outside organizations in to provide care packages for our Troops. We began ProudPatriots.com almost 6 months ago. It has been a labor of love and we are finally getting everything in order to help our Troops in any way we can.

You would probably recognize the members of ProudPatriots.com  because they are from our own Canteen. Anyone that is interested in joining our cause, please email us at proudpatriots@proudpatriots.com .

If you would like to print out copies of the letters for your work, business, Church, clubs, or schools, you can do so by clicking on the above logo. Thank you!

If you have any further questions, please FReepmail Kathy In Alaska, Brad's Gramma, HiJinx, or MoJo2001.

[Brad’s Gramma]

That's SO cool!!! Thank you VERY much!!!

(I'll accept trial cookies, btw............) :-)

[Brad’s Gramma]

Oh now you've gone and done it.

I'm going to be talking to Laura (Bush) later. We'll SEE about that invitation.......





Thanks everyone...!!!

[diamond6]

Do you live in Fresno?

[diamond6]

Do you live in Fresno?

[diamond6]

Oops! Man I hate it when that happens.

[Brad’s Gramma]

No!

But all the BETTER for our experiment!! I'm in OC. Bake the cookies. See if they last on your kitchen counter. If you have any left....send 'em south!

HA!!!

[VOA]

"Let's Roll"

Time to get holiday boxes into the pipeline to our guys and gals a LONG way from home...

[diamond6]

I used to live OC!!!!!! We moved from Placentia to Fresno about a year ago. Wow, small world!!!

[netmilsmom]

I'm sorry Lady, I must be thick as a board tonight. What is the address we send phone cards to?

[Brad’s Gramma]

Well get BACK here!!!! Now!

We could bake cookies together!! Brad could be the tester of said cookies!

[GummyIII]

Bookmarking this to save for later...GOOD INFO!! Thanks!

[diamond6]

I need to confirm this with my soldier, but I believe he said the latest we can send stuff is Dec. 6, in order for it to get there in time. I need to reconfirm that date. Anyway, I plan on sending this stuff way earlier than that, like November. I want him to be able to enjoy his tree for as long as possible.

[McLynnan]

I'm going to be talking to Laura (Bush) later. We'll SEE about that invitation.......

Don't mess with Texas!!! Laura won't appreciate your meddling. Seriously, best of luck with this thread, and I think you're terrific to take this on.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Scroll up to that really pretty post that MoJo2001, not I, put together...it's in there somewhere.

It's an address in VA.

You could also follow the link to proudpatriots.com

THANK YOU!!!

[netmilsmom]

Thanks for the ping!

[diamond6]

Do you mind if I mention an organization that really needs help adopting out soldiers? Its called www.operationac.com.
I've been corresponding with the person in charge and she said that there are still many soldiers who don't have anyone. That makes me so sad. Unfortunately, I can't afford to adopt more than one. I guess I could write, but would feel awkward not being able to send them stuff.

[McLynnan]

You are most welcome. Of course, you'll have to humor Brad's Gramma, but it's worth it for the troops ;)

[diamond6]

Some good news for our troops!!!! Pass along.

Congress approves spending bill with 3.5 percent raise for servicemembers (pass on this good news)
Stars and Stripes ^ | October 13, 2004 | Lisa Burgess


Posted on 10/14/2004 6:05:35 PM PDT by Former Military Chick


ARLINGTON, Va. — Democrats and Republicans came together over the weekend to iron out their differences over the National Defense Authorization Bill, resulting in a $445.6 billion piece of legislation that will now go to President Bush for signing.

The bill includes an across- the-board 3.5 percent pay raise for all men and women in uniform.

And worried about servicemembers stretched thin by repeated deployments in Iraq and elsewhere, Congress also boosted the Army’s end strength by 20,000 and the Marine Corps’ by 3,000 by the end of October 2005, the end of the government’s fiscal year.

Other key provisions include:

¶ Making permanent the increased rate for imminent danger pay from $150 to $225 per month.

¶ Making permanent the increased rate for family separation allowance from $100 to $250 per month.

¶ Extending several special pays and bonuses for active-duty members and reservists.

¶ Elimination of out-of-pocket housing expenses.

¶ $10 billion for military construction and housing.

¶ Enhanced Tricare benefits for reservists and family members.

¶ Six months of coverage made permanent for all personnel separating from active duty.

¶ Elimination of Social Security offsets to the Survivor Benefit Plan, a decades-old law that reduces benefits under the military’s Survivor Benefit Plan by one-third for military widows after they attain age 62.

¶ More than $2 billion for force protection measures, including armor, munitions, communications and surveillance programs.

¶ The legislation contains provisions to eliminate procurement obstacles and field commercially available technology as quickly as possible — the goal is no more than 15 days from a combatant commander’s request to the contract award.

¶ An increase of $572 million to produce up-armored Humvees at a rate of 450 per month.

¶ An additional $100 million for Vehicle Add-On Armor Kits.

¶ An additional $40.8 million for night-vision rifle sights.

¶ Authorizes $8.9 million for the Advanced Mine Detector, a lightweight, handheld, ground- penetrating radar.

¶ A provision that will reimburse families who purchased body armor for servicemembers not issued the equipment during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

¶ Authorizes a multiyear procurement of 100 new aerial refueling tankers, replacing an Air Force leasing deal with Boeing that has caused enormous controversy both within the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill.

¶ Requires a Stabilization Strategy on Iraq — President Bush must produce a report on his strategy for stabilizing Iraq, including his strategy for standing up professional Iraqi security forces.

When Bush will sign the document into law has yet to be determined, White House spokeswoman Maria Tamburri said Tuesday.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Laura and I are like *this*. Don't worry. :-)

[VOA]

"I believe he said the latest we can send stuff is Dec. 6, in order for it to get there
in time. I need to reconfirm that date. Anyway, I plan on sending this stuff way
earlier than that, like November"

That Dec. 6 date sounds similar to last year's cutoff.
But last year, I sent my holiday packs to Iraq before Thanksgiving.

Here's a good starting point for folks who are interested:

http://www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/welcome.htm

(at least for Iraq...remember you've got to fill out the customs form!)