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Over the years I have read stories on FR about reports of muslim males buying huge numbers of pre-paid cell phones, often triggering calls to law enforcement. While I don't generally discount reports from local media outlets (remember the OU bombing?), it seems crazy that this would be going on with nary a peep from other sources. Here is my odd story about this. ~3 months ago I was in New Orleans, and purchased a prepaid cell phone at a story on Royal street almost at canal (quarter-side). The store proprietors were obviously muslim, don't know if pak. or arab....

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2007 – The American public has sent more than 201,000 prepaid phone cards to servicemembers through the Army and Air Force Exchange Service’s "Help Our Troops Call Home" program. "Making sure our deployed troops are in a position to hear voices from home is critical to morale," AAFES Chief of Contingency Operations Army Lt. Col. Steven Dean said. "By working together, the American public and AAFES, through "Help Our Troops Call Home," have provided nearly $5 million in calls home since the program began in April 2004." As a military command with a retail mission, Army...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Army News Service, May 4, 2006) – This Mothers’ Day, deployed troops at select locations in Iraq will be able to call home free, courtesy of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. For 24 hours May 14, the VFW will foot the bill for all voice over IP (VoIP) phone calls from 191 phone and Internet cafes throughout Iraq. The connection time, according to Operation Uplink manager Linda Ferguson, will allow servicemembers in isolated locations throughout Iraq to connect to U.S. phone numbers via Internet telephony service. Ferguson said the VFW-sponsored Free Call Day is an extension of...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27, 2005 – Deployed troops are getting a helping hand ringing in the New Year without breaking the bank. Employees of the Defense Department's Contracting Center of Excellence office have been collecting donations for the "Cell Phones for Soldiers" program - a grassroots member of DoD's "America Supports You" program -- as part of a holiday community outreach effort, said Charito Glorioso, chief of the CCE's Customer Education and Support Division. "Cell Phones for Soldiers was selected because it didn't compete with (the Combined Federal Campaign) and is in line with our ultimate mission to directly support the...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2005 – At Camp Fallujah, Iraq, today, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld passed a box to the camp's sergeant major. The sergeant major then distributed the contents - handfuls of pre-paid calling cards -- to Marines serving there. Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas Lutz, Cpl. Byron Smith and Cpl.Justin Glass hold up phone cards they had just received following a town hall meeting with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, Dec. 23. The Wal-Mart Corporation sent more than $125,000 worth of pre-paid telephone calling cards along with the secretary. Senior noncommissioned officers have distributed them...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2005 – At Camp Fallujah, Iraq, today, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld passed a box to the camp's sergeant major. The sergeant major then distributed the contents - handfuls of pre-paid calling cards -- to Marines serving there. "The timing on this is great," said Lance Cpl. Nicholas Lutz, a mechanic with the 8th Marines. "It was going to be a short call home for Christmas, but with this it'll be a much better visit with my family." Other Marines cheered when they saw what the sergeant major was handing out, a DoD official traveling with Rumsfeld...

I've been surfing around here on FR and the web and I'm still confused. I need to get some phone cards to my brother-in-law who is stationed in Fujairah (UAE). I saw where I could buy them from AFEES but they only mentioned Iraq and Afghanistan. I also saw where some cards are a rip off for the troops (AT&T). There are plenty of places to donate money so that some organization can send phone cards to troops. But how do I find some to buy directly and to send directly to my BIL?

FYI: Conservative KC Metro Talk Radio DJ Jerry Agar has announced his invitation by the US Military to travel to Iraq. Jerry's goal is to have a briefcase full of at least 500 phone cards for the troops so he can hand them out as he meets 'em. As background, Jerry hails from Canukistan, but he's one of our loyal Allies from the North who "gets it" and supports our President, the mission, and has recently exposed regional City corruption and dopey Liberal policies in local schools. Freepers within signal range, especially Operation Iraqi Freedom Vets, are invited to tune...

I have, for about two years, not had a long distance carrier for my phone.

Prepaid cards GIs use to call home yield a fraction of advertised time FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq -- There are many things soldiers assigned to this dusty outpost near Tikrit could complain about. Long hours. Bad food. And jobs that can be deadly. But ask what bothers them most, and the answer might surprise you. "The phone cards are a rip-off, I don't know how else to say it," said Spc. Stephen Wade, 25, of Los Angeles, a member of the New Jersey National Guard's 50th Main Support Battalion stationed at the base. "I get the feeling someone is...

Troops in Iraq say caught in phone cards Prepaid cards GIs use to call home yield a fraction of advertised time FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq -- There are many things soldiers assigned to this dusty outpost near Tikrit could complain about. Long hours. Bad food. And jobs that can be deadly. But ask what bothers them most, and the answer might surprise you. "The phone cards are a rip-off, I don't know how else to say it," said Spc. Stephen Wade, 25, of Los Angeles, a member of the New Jersey National Guard's 50th Main Support Battalion stationed at...

I hope this message finds you and your loved ones enjoying the holidays. I have been thinking a lot about what our johnkerry.com community can do to mark the end of what has been an extraordinary year...

There have been a few threads lately regarding people's effort to support the troops during this holiday season. Unfortunately, they have been a little quiet. Accordingly, I would like to isssue a Christmas challenge to my fellow FReepers: I will match the next $500 in donations to USO Operation Phone Home. A link is provided above. If you have been thinking about donating, but have not as of yet, now is the time to double your money! Help those people defending our country. They will greatly appreciate it.

Help Our Troops Call Home Military Exchange Prepaid Calling Cards The Department of Defense Military Exchanges have been authorized to sell the following prepaid calling cards to individuals and organizations who wish to purchase these cards for our troops serving overseas in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Americans looking for a way to support their troops in Iraq and Afghanistan this holiday season might want to consider the USO's Operation Phone Home, a program to give pre-paid phone cards to those serving in forward-deployed locations. The program, started in March of 2003, has distributed more than 80,000 phone cards so far. The USO plans to distribute many more over the holiday season to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and to those recuperating from injuries in the U.S. and abroad. According to the USO, the phone cards are by far the most popular item requested by deployed troops....

Americans looking for a way to support their troops in Iraq and Afghanistan this hol iday season might want to consider the USO's Operation Phone Home, a program to give pre-paid phone cards to those serving in forward-deployed locations. [snip]According to the USO, the phone cards are by far the most popular item requested by deployed troops. Donations can be made online at https://www.uso.org/donate/default.cfm or over the phone by calling 1-800-876-7469. Or, send a check, made out to the USO and with O.P.H. written on the memo line, to: USO World Headquarters, PO Box 96860, Washington, D.C. 20090-6860.

This may be posted elsewhere, if so forgive me. I received this from a friend who is a Marine veteran and a member of a local American Legion Marine Detachment. He asked that I pass on this information to the good people of Free Republic. "The Number 1 request at Walter Reed hospital is phone cards. The government doesn't pay for long distance phone charges and these guys, many of them amputees, are rationing their calls home. Many will be there throughout the holidays. Remember that most are from financially burdened families. Support the troops." Send phone cards of any...

Support Our Troops During the Holiday Season Support our troops during the holiday season by helping them keep in touch with home. Purchase a phone card that can be used for 33 minutes of calling time from Iraq to the United States. Each card will be distributed to a service man or woman fighting for freedom in the Middle East. Cards cost $15.00, and all of the proceeds (after the cost of the card) will be donated to the USO of Metropolitan New York. CALL: 1-877-522-7000 Today

HELP OUR TROOPS PHONE HOME By Michelle Malkin   ·   November 12, 2004 02:16 PM A reader named Marc informs me that "right now the most needed item[s] by our troops are phone cards." Those who would like to give a prepaid calling card to a member of our armed forces can do so online by going to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, the Navy Exchange Service Command, or the Marine Corps Exchange. More information here.

ewlyweds Tony Clayton and Jeana Johnson-Clayton had a simple request. Instead of the usual wedding gifts, they wanted long-distance calling cards. Not for themselves -- but for the GI's in Iraq. The couple married last month in Port Angeles, Wash., and got their wish. They have nearly 60 calling cards and more are still arriving. It's a personal issue with them. The new bride's son is a Marine who will soon be deployed to war zone. The Claytons said they'll be sending all the cards overseas -- so the troops will be able to phone home for the holidays. For...