USO Canteen FReeper Style....Monday Mail Call.......June 24,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

Our troops need our support and encouragement. They are away from home, some for the first time, and usually lonely or discouraged. It is important for us to reach out and help them in the same way we would want someone to reach out to our loved ones if and when they are in the same position.

They answered their call and we are answering theirs offering them the USO Canteen FReeper Style each day and thanking them for serving.

This is IN Coming Mail from some of those serving now.

We at the USO Canteen FReeper Style, a running thread at Free Republic, are proud to support our Military. The mail comes in from contacting some of our Military Bases, Marine Corps Leagues , and friends and family of those serving now. Also from responses at the wonderful P.O.Box that 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub has made so easily available to each of us here at Free Republic.

They are writing to those that frequent the FReeper USO Canteen to thank you for your support.

ALL the mail posted on Monday Mail Call is Recent Mail from the prior week.

Snow Bunny,
Thank you and all the Canteeners for what you do. I don’t have much time online and after I write to my wife, well I head over to the Canteen . My interests have a lot to do with what Free Republic is about, so when I am reading the Canteen it is nice to have that person MeeknMing give me things to link to fast. I can go to them and get back to reading the Canteen . Please thank this person for me. My letter is not as good as so many I read but my gratitude is just as much.

You all are doing an awesome thing and I wish everyone in America would feel as all of you do.

Thanks again !!!

Bruce V.
US Army

Dear Snow Bunny,
I am writing to you to thank you and everyone at the Free Republic USO Canteen.

You understand I cannot tell you where I am or where we are going as you said in your last email to me. I did what you suggested and made sure I checked out the Monday Mail Call you have to see how you do it .Great idea and this way I can write to everyone there.

What you all are doing may sometimes not seem important or that anyone would notice. I am here to tell you that it IS important to so many of us. And that you all are making guys like me so happy and so proud to be an American.

Thank you for every picture, every word, every prayer, every joke and every pin up doll. You are Americas GREAT morale boosters.

God bless each of you!
Ron K.
USArmy

Snow Bunny,
Where have I landed! Tears, laughter till my side hurts, things that grip my heart, and a joy I can feel that would make any man enlist knowing people like all of you are cheering him on.

One big Texas thank you!

Texas is big but not even Texas is as big as all of your hearts. Just calm that COB1 fella down when he reads this. We are kind of proud of our Texas ya know. LOL

Snow Bunny you can use this letter for your Monday Mail Call. And tell those pretty gals there , we love your little fun dolls. I haven’t seen legs on a girl for months so it feels darn good to see some . And that Tomkow6 is a wild man, keep an eye on that one. He had my side splitting more then once.

My favorite day at the Canteen is FReeper Friday. It’s sort of a part of my life now to read about others that have served and how their lives have turned out. I have sent the web site address home to a few of my nephews to show them how serving in the military has made a difference in lives.

Your thread on A.Murphy that you and SpookBrat did was very motivating too. Thank you for the time you both put into it.

That SpookBrat cracks me up! There is something in her delivery, how she expresses herself that is so natural. Pure Cute!

I think the Marines might be interested in that Volcano that MistyCA has. What a gal she is and what spirit. And AFVetGal , sure wish I had met some like here in my life.

Thanks too for showing pictures of us serving. I know my sister back home has been reading the Canteen every day for months now. I keep telling her to join in and she said she is seriously thinking about it. She works full time and has three kids and a husband.

Those pictures ( graphics ) that Victoria Delsoul posts and so many of you. Man they really are the best I have ever seen.

4The Flag, you meet the beast over there and we are after the beast here. We won’t let either kind get us down and thanks for your support.

Jim Robinson , I want to thank you for Free Republic. Thank you also for having the USO Freeper Canteen, You are the perfect man to do this, a Navy veteran, you have been there like we are. You know how important it is for some fun and to know others support our efforts. Thank you!

So Snow Bunny, guess I have talked to you long enough in this. Your emails to my buddy here really meant a lot to him. He was having a tuff time but you bunnied right in and said what he needed to hear.

God bless all of you messengers of Patriotism.
Wayne B.
USMC

Snow Bunny,
Hi , guess you are surprised to hear from me. You will be happy to know I take after my Dad. LOL
He and mom were going to write to you and tell you, but I wanted to surprise you. They have been Freepers since you wrote to them to check out Free Republic after you joined up. Then when 911 happened I knew what I had to do more then ever. I joined the week after and Dad cried. He still remembers his welcome or NON welcome home from Vietnam.

This is such a wild thing that happened. He had seen your USO Canteen Freeper Style when it began and as you know has been a lurker at FR since he registered, and now the Canteen. The only thing he ever talked about was politics and how he loved Free Republic. After 911, I joined up right away. Then a month later the Canteen began and I was in training.

Mom called me and told me Dad’s spirits had picked up and felt like his old self. She told me about the Freeper USO Canteen. How Dad had written to you about it and all .

Last month was the first time I was able to check it out. It feels like I have an aunt, YOU, that has gathered together all your friends to celebrate what we are doing. I know you are not my real aunt but it has always felt like you are.

I got some phone cards for my birthday and called home right away. I told them that I was as much a regular lurker at Free Republic and the Freeper USO Canteen as I could get computer time. My Dad started in with did you see that and did you read this? Did you laugh about that and don’t you think those graphics are great. How about those essays from the kids and the Freeper LindaSOG’s. daily “Today in History” that is excellent. We laughed about the Bad Boys and how the two of us have been called that more times then we can count. How Dad was a scrounger in Nam and how he took to SAMWolf’s posts right away.

We were rattling off jokes that Mr_Magoo, HiJinx and Tomkow6 had told. Talked about some of the screen names that we liked, Proud Eagle is a favorite. How DoughtyOne had the emailathon and what it means to all of us to get emails.

Dad sent me the picture you gave him in Vietnam. The meaning of his doing that is more then I can write here. But I know you will understand you always do.

If you want to use this letter for your Monday Mail call it is ok. Just leave off the other details below. Let’s just say I am in a place where we are not going to give up and we mean business.

I would like to thank each one that comes to the Canteen. Thank you for your support, your humor, your sharing that has my eyes wet, your hearts of gold. YOUR PATRIOTISM !

The fire in your guts for America I can feel each time I visit !

This is for you Deadhead, your posts are beautiful. I see your name is Colleen , my sister’s name is Colleen.

Victoria Delsoul , I can tell you take great care to put together just the right things and it means a lot to many of us. Aomagrat, my Dad and I look forward to seeing the ships. What history there is in each one.

I don’t know how long this War will be, but I can tell you that it won’t be any of us that give up. We are determined and well trained and our goals are in sight day and night. We will never give up and I pray none of you give up on us either. Those of you I see there at Free Republic and the Freeper USO Canteen , I know none of you will.

Thank you for being there for me, for my parents and to others serving here that have seen what you are doing.

And yes I did some trading to get some extra computer time to write this.

Kelly H.
USMC

Snow Bunny,
Please thank 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub and everyone there. It is great to see that Post Office being used. My step brother in on another ship and he got one of those emails.He answered it and has been writing back and forth for a couple of months now.

God bless you all.

Rocco G.
US Navy

Thank you Snow Bunny and all Canteeners !

You make my serving even more worth it! The days I can get online a few but when I can I make them count. None of my family has a computer at home. My sister uses one at her school and got permission to send emails to me here. I wrote her the other day about Free Republic and the Freeper USO Canteen. She is studying History and I told her Free Republic is sharp about History and how it is right now in the world.

This is for all of you, thank you and God bless and be with you and your families. Thank you for praying for us we can use it.

Wally C.
US Navy

To you lady Bunny,
THANK YOU !

My Dad has always been a big fan of the Military Bands. So growing up our house was filled with music from these bands.

Thank you AFVetGal and Snow Bunny. I sent that day at the Canteen to my Dad for his early anniversary present. Great gift huh ! I think so to!

So here I am writing to you like we have met in person. I feel like I know all of you and you don’t know me. But you are all there for me everyday and I can see it and feel it. So nice to meet you!!

I saw in an email you shared how names were taken. LOL Great idea, now let me try.

AFVetGal ( Musical Jenny) , HiJinx, The Mayor , Mr_Magoo, 4TheFlag,SAMWolf, SassyMom ( I love redheads) Joe Bower, Johnny Gage, MistyCA( yes great legs ) , Vibrant Victoria Delsoul, ValerieUSA ( beauty you capture in your lens) Kneez ( you ought to just ask that Sassy to marry you and get two computers) LOL, JustAmy ( you sweet thing), DoughtyOne , Radio Astronomer, Larry Johnson ,PoohBah, Proud Eagle and all. Thank you veterans for serving and I will make you proud and keep the good fight.

Calm seas ahead for America !

Thank you for the Canteen.
Ken U.
US NAVY

Mr. Jim Robinson and Sweet Snow Bunny,
Thank you and all the Freepers/Canteeners/Patriots for your support of what we are doing. My kid sister said her teacher talks about how we should forgive the terrorists , how we made them angry. No friggin way!

We are not going to let anyone win but the U. S. of A . ! Count on it!

With people like all of you behind us and your support and enthusiasm for what we are doing there is nothing stopping us.

God bless you Jim Robinson and Snow Bunny and ALL at the Freeper USO Canteen and the Fresno Freepers that Rally for us. God bless you for your efforts and love of America.

Sincerely,
Paul W.
USAF

To Snow Bunny,
Last month I lost my best friend. I couldn’t go home for the funeral and it tore me up inside. There was a sheet you had sent of the front page of Free Republic and some pages of the Canteen in a package . I got it from my brother back home from the Marine Corps League where he spends a lot of time. You had written a short note about the Founder Jim Robinson and how you respected him. How he was a Navy veteran and how his life had made a difference to so many.
I was feeling pretty bad so decided why not. I checked it out and I bet there is nothing else like what you all have there anywhere else.

Thank you for Free Republic and for the USO Freeper Canteen. You helped me get through a very tuff month.

God bless America ! Thank you for your support system you have !

Joe T.
USAMRY

Hey Lady Bunny,
You and the Canteen ROCK!

Thank you for making a difference in this world. My world is the Navy and you sure make my seas calm when I have had a bad day. I am not complaining, man I love the Navy and may even make it my career. But there are times I just need a break and some hometown feeling. You all offer all of that.

Could you please tell everyone there that when I miss home and my family, I can come to the USO Canteen Freeper Style .Than I feel like I am sitting around at home.

Man that does feel good and all the laughs are great. Maybe you don’t know how much fun you all are, but your personalities are a riot. My Uncle Steve served long ago and he said how he loved the USO. How he would go and have a good time there. I told him about what you are doing only in the cyber world. Then I told him how Free Republic helps people to learn things that are going on too.I just got a letter from him and he said he was very impressed too.

Thank you again for being there for me.

Simon G.
US Navy

This one just came in tonight.

Snow Bunny, Victoria Delsoul, Aquamarine,

I am from New York, and want to thank you for such a great Liberty to New York. You did New York proud !

Right after I write this to you I am sending the whole thing to my parents. They will flip! My mom didn’t want me to enlist. I guess all moms are like that. My Dad is retired Navy and he helped when I enlisted to let mom know we just have to do what we have to do. You know about it because I can tell from your many efforts at the USO Free Republic Canteen.

Thanks for your support for all of us over here and your special touches. They ARE noticed and much appreciated. Needless to say needed as well !

Thank you and ALL of you at Free Republic and the USO Canteen you have there. You may not have realized it but having the word Style in there comes across in many ways. YOU have STYLE and it is a real place to me.

David A.
USAF

Marines eager for a taste of home line up for "mail call" at their fighting holes on the outer perimeter of the remote desert airfield outside Kandahar Afghanistan. These Marines of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) have been in position since securing the area in November as part of Operation Enduring Freedom

Staff Sergeant Ernest Bracey, a military postal clerk from Detachment 2, Pacific Air Forces Air Postal Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan. Inspect incoming mail parcels for proper bar code labels on a conveyor belt here. The postal professionals of Det. 2 work hard to ensure quality service to their customers through economical transportation and highly efficient operations. The detachment processes more than 30 million pounds of mail a year. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Val Gempis)

ABU DABAI, United Arab Emirates (March 4, 2002) -- "Mail call!" Lance Cpl. William N. Townsend, 19, a U.S. Marine sniper from Pulaski, Tenn., sorts through a mountain of mail while the USS Bataan looms in the background during a recent port visit here. Service members from the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group balanced necessary tasks and training during the day with morale-building recreational activities at night.

[Snow Bunny]

Tribute To HEROES

Tribute to Vietnam Veterans....Please click on picture

The great intangible of America's wars beyond logistics, beyond strategy, beyond wonder weapons and Generals, is the spiritual force of its fighting men and women - and that is the force that the USO so serves.

Free Republic....Click for Donations

Thank you from all those that frequent the FReeper Canteen to Jim Robinson, Founder of FRee Republic and Navy Veteran.

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

Please read.....Important announcement.....thank you so much.
On behalf of TF Rakkasan and myself let me thank you for your letter, your kind thoughts and most important you support. Your desire to send care packages to the soldiers of TF Rakkasan is wonderful in itself. We are lucky here because we have had the support of you great Americans every since we got here. As for the packages we will be deploying home soon after 7 months and I am afraid your packages would get lost in the system somewhere, but please know your letter and thoughts are more important to us than a package and for that we can't thank you enough!

Sincerely,
R. Herman
TASK FORCE RAKKASAN
SGM R A Herman
TF Rakkasan
HHC 3Bde
APO AE 09355

The receptionist at SAMWolf’s office has a Marine friend of hers that could use some morale building.
He's at Camp LeJeune right now waiting for a training deployment to a ship.
He's 29 has 2 daughters under age 3 and is missing his family.
SAMWolf told her he would pass the Marines’ name and address onto the Canteen.

His current snail mail address is:
Cpl Berger, Charles W.
II MEF MARFOR UNITAS
RECON DET
Bldg 10, Wing 3
PSC 20164
Camp LeJeune, NC 28542-0164
His email is:
charlesberger@hotmail.com

The USS George Washington carrier battle group left NAS Norfolk today for their 6 month .The USS George Washington has about 7,500 sailors and Marines with the carrier and its battle group left to head overseas and likely into combat. The Navy will not disclose the ships's destination.
Prayers for ALL our Troops

The USS McCampbell will be commissioned in August.
USS McCampbell (DDG 85)
FPO AP 96672-1275

[JohnHuang2]

Morning, friend =^)

[Snow Bunny]

Hi my dear friend, so good to see you. Thank you so much for all you do.

(((((((((( hug ))))))))))

[JohnHuang2]

[JohnHuang2]

You're welcome -- and a BIG THANKS to YOU, TOO!

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin' All! I have a special Ann Landers link I'll put up when I get back from Bally's!

[RadioAstronomer]

Good morning! :-)

[RadioAstronomer]

Morning to you too! :-)

[JohnHuang2]

.

[JohnHuang2]

Morningbackatya =^)

[JohnHuang2]

Morning, MnM =^)

[larryjohnson]

Good mornin. When the T-storms got to the Maine coast last nite I shut down, but that was the latest I've been in the USO. The country awards kept me up too.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Good morning, Snow Bunny. Monday Mail Call - the FR USO Canteen day that tugs at my heart more than any other!

These letters from some of our finest and best are so good.

Guess I needed a good cry because these letters sure are bringing the tears.

Hugs, prayers, and thanks going out to all those serving America today in our military - especially to those whose letters you posted:

To Kelly H, to Wayne B, to Ron K, to Bruce V, to Rocco G, to Wally C, to Ken U, to Paul W, to Joe T, to Simon G, to David A - Thank you all for taking the time to write to Snow Bunny and the FR USO Canteen.

Your letters mean more than you can know.

And, Kelly H - this one comment deserves to be up in lights and imprinted on every American's heart:

"I don’t know how long this War will be, but I can tell you that it won’t be any of us that give up. We are determined and well trained and our goals are in sight day and night. We will never give up and I pray none of you give up on us either!"

God bless and keep you - all of you and bring you home safe. America is in good hands thanks to your service and sacrifice!

[freedom9]

Good Morning Snow Bunny!
Thanks for adding me to your list.
Its good to read something that isn't all bad news when I get up.
People can and do make a difference if they care and take the time.

[tomkow6]

Good morning EVERYBODY! AND a special GOOD MOENING to all our service people out there! Thank you, & God bless you! I was reading thru the emails that were sent to & posted by Snow Bunny on this thread, & one especially hit a nerve, the one from Kelly H. USMC, the part of the NON welcome home that my brothers & sisters experienced when they returned from VietNam. I personally NEVER want that to happen AGAIN! You men & women serving our country in the Armed Forces will always be remembered & welcomed by me, & (I'm sure), by the rest of us here at thre Canteen!

If our jokes can bring a smile to your faces, that's great! If you get a chuckle out of my antic’s with my "Burka" wardrobe & the Gurlz here at the Canteen, that's even better!

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

[Pippin]

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY!!!

hope everyone has a great day to day. To our troops. May God bless you! Thank you for your service and for your sacrifice to this great nation.

Snow, as always, the e-mails brought both tears and hope to me.

God bless the Canteen and Freerepublic

God bless the regulars and lurkers

God bless our military both active and veteran

God bless President Bush

GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!

LET'S ROLL Y'ALL!!!

[JohnHuang2]

MORNING =^)