Attention Military FReepers and their Families

11.24.02 | Semper911

[Semper911]

Hello kind FReepers,

I am hoping you can help me. I am a middle school teacher, and I have finally convinced my fellow staff members (dems, you know), to agree to the following school project:

Our students are going to write letters to active duty military personnel to thank them for their service to our country. (This little idea was, of course, inspired by FR.)

So here's what I need: Actual, accurate mailing addresses for overseas or domestic service members so that we can send our letters directly to the troops. The kids also want to make up baskets of treats for them, and they are going to have a little fundraiser to pay for the postage.

It is amazing that when I floated this idea to the teachers and administration (dems, you know), there was mostly grumbling, but when the kids heard about it, it took off. Now there is no turning back, and I am tasked with getting the accurate names and addresses.

I have written to the PR dept at Central Command-MacDill, and I hope they have some info for me. But I know there are FReepers who can help too. Maybe you know the mailing address of a sailor on a ship patrolling the Persian Gulf, or for some Marines in Kuwait. Individual soldier or sailor names are ideal, but even the address of a command will work if they have a PR officer.

My school has 750 students, and we are hoping to have each of them write a personal letter to a soldier or sailor (if they wish to). I know we can make a difference for our troops as things start to heat up in the Middle East.

Thanks, and please ping anyone you feel could help with this project.

Semper911
US Coast Guard
'84-'88

p.s. If you can believe it, the kids don't want to send e-mail. They want to send REAL mail!

[Semper911]

Admin Mods: I know this isn't exactly Front Page News, but can you please leave it there for a day or two? I know there are people here who can help.

[cmsgop]

Great Work! BUMP

[Mark]

Red Cross and USO can help- the mail gets heavy around the holidays.

[kayak]

PING

[Bahbah]

I don't have any information for you but I want to tell you what a great idea this is, and thanks.

[USNA74]

I would contact the Office of the Chief of Information in the Department of the Navy -- known as CHINFO -- and explain what you're trying to do. There may be some sensitivities with regard to specific addresses of actual servicemembers, but they'll be able to tell you what limits there are and what options you have. When I get into work tomorrow I'll get you the phone number of the office.

[Gunrunner2]

I recommend you contact either the Secretary of the Air Force, Public Affairs office (call the Pentagon operator and ask for "SAF/PA"), or contact CENTCOM Public Affairs at in Tampa, FL.

Good luck.

[lilylangtree]

When the war began in Afghanistan, there were several websites (maybe Jim Robinson can direct you) listed on FR where people who wanted to write letters to soldiers could sign up. I know I wrote to one until he got tired of writing. Also, if you write to the Chicago Tribune (formerly Ann Landers column), somebody could hook you up with military addresses with an FPO or an APO address. The children could address the letter to "Any Soldier."

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Semper911; 2Jedismom; All "So here's what I need: Actual, accurate mailing addresses for overseas commands so that we can send our letters directly to the troops.
The kids also want to make up little baskets of treats for them, and they are going to have a little fundraiser to pay for the postage."

Here you go!
Recently 2Jedismom was looking for the same thing.
I e-mailed a Marine contact who then put the Chaplin in touch with 2Jedismom
for her childrens group to send their packages etc to.

Any Marine
24th MEU, Det A
Unit 74056
FPO AE 09502-4056

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[Semper911]

The children could address the letter to "Any Soldier."

Interestingly, that program was stopped because of the anthrax situation. Freeper Dubya posted an article about it for me on the canteen thread. Apparently, all mail has to be addresses to someone, but we could just send them to the commander or the PR officer if we know the mailing address of the command.

[Semper911]

Excellent leads. I will make some calls tomorrow. Thank you.

[Cindy]

LINKS OF INTEREST:

MILITARY MAIL/Friends of Our Troops

FREE REPUBLIC.com: USO CANTEEN

[PAR35]

It sounds like you want to bypass the safeguards built in to the system last year to protect service men and women from the anthrax threat. Have not yet located any information as to whether the restrictions put in place last year have been lifted:

From a military web site:

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil/SoundOFF/archives/SO2002/Mar07/html/03-07News-Letters.htm

Robert's team was determined to follow precautions to make sure the letters from ordinary Americans got to their intended destination. "We take a very labor intensive, hands-on approach," Roberts explained. "Letters are gathered by volunteers at service organizations and schools throughout the world, then sent to our office where every single letter is opened, sorted, read and judged. No letter is sent directly to troops in the field. They are sent to MWR (morale, welfare and recreation) contacts we have all over the world to deliver.

From another military site:

http://ww2.pstripes.osd.mil/01/oct01/ed102401b.html


SAN DIEGO — The U.S. military must find a way to keep troop morale high, even if letters to the front are not allowed, many Americans are saying.

The Defense Department announced last week it would temporarily suspend its “Any Servicemember” mailing programs — a year-round campaign to send cards and letters to unidentified troops overseas.

The decision also affects Operation Dear Abby, an annual holiday letter-writing operation, in which the syndicated columnist encourages her 95 million daily readers to write to the overseas troops.

The U.S. Military Postal Service Agency halted the programs, citing security concerns, following the Sept. 11 terror attacks and the anthrax scare plaguing the nation.

[Pee_Oui]

Thank you, went there and "did it"

Sent email and will do so again in the near future.

DL

[Thinkin' Gal]

Post 911, imagine if servicemembers started receiving mail [addressed specifically to them] from unknown senders. A school return address to boot. Think Daschle anthrax letter. It's a nice idea but really needs to be coordinated with/approved by, say, the CO of a specific base, command or unit. Example, look up the website for an overseas base, e.g. Ramstein, Rhein Main, Naples, etc. Find an appropriate contact email, and drop them a note, "Dear ___, My name is Semper911, and I am a teacher at school x in Anytown, USA..." Then explain your plans and ask how you could carry it out properly. Good luck.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Or I should have put chaplain's office. Whichever works, the important point is to make sure somebody on the receiving end is aware of the source of the letters, and approves. That's just good sense in the climate of hyper-security. It would be ashame to have kids write letters that won't get to their destinations, because the letters look "strange".

[lizma]

I'm doing this at my kid's school for this month's community service. (Staff and parents think it's great and I'm in the People's Republic of Maryland!)

Because of the anthrax, the rules have gotten very strict. I've been working with the USO. We're sending post cards, collecting donations for care packages that will be sent overseas and collecting sundries for the USO lounge near us.

At some USO locations, they offer "packing parties" where the kids can pack the boxes with USO purchases to be sent overseas.

Another option is to see if someone on staff or one of the students has relative or friend deployed. Packages can still be sent to individual service men. If you need a list of what to send freepmail me. I've been collecting suggestions I've found on FR for the past year.

[deadlywithapen]

What you are doing is wonderful when I was in saudi arabia in 91, I recieved some "any Marine letters" and they were a big boost when I was far from home.

[Jen]

Ping!

Do y'all know anyone deployed who would like to receive mail and goodies from middle schoolers?