Sending Care Packages to Troops This Holiday Season

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- Family care packages are always a welcome treat for our deployed servicemembers, especially during the holidays when they are away from home defending our freedoms. Thoughts and acts of kindness from others are also appreciated.

- While we, Department of Defense, do not specifically send care packages, we do have various morale and recreation activities for our troops both at home and abroad.

- Citizens desiring to send care packages, cards and letters to deployed servicemembers are encouraged to identify troops through family and friends. Individuals may also partner with some of the America Supports You homefront groups listed at http://www.ourmilitary.mil/help.shtml. They have direct contact with many of the servicemembers and units and can tell you about desired items and shipping frequency.

- Safety and security reasons no longer allow packages to be addressed to “Any Soldier” or to an entire base in general.

- The American Red Cross is sponsoring a national “Holiday Mail for Heroes” campaign to receive and distribute holiday cards to servicemembers, veterans and their families in the United States and abroad. The card campaign includes those working and receiving care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. A special P.O. Box address may be found at http://www.redcross.org/holidaymail. Cards must be postmarked no later than Dec. 7.

- When thinking of support for our servicemembers, do not forget their families or local veterans. You can show support by helping military families in your community and by remembering the hospitalized veterans in local Veterans Affairs medical centers.

- Notes of thanks may also be shared with the troops and posted at http://www.ourmilitary.mil/Message.aspx?SectionID=5

- Read an article about the U.S. Postal Service announcing holiday mailing guidelines at http://www.ourmilitary.mil/Content.aspx?ID=45018017

- For more U.S. Postal Service guidelines, visit http://www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/welcome.htm

- Email other questions to asyhome@osd.mil.
http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=news.newsDtl&did=5297

[IJK3770]

    Was able to obtain a dozen addresses through an article in local newspaper and have been collecting items to pack.  Will be filling boxes and mailing this coming Friday.
Cheerily
IJK

[fabulous fifth]

My Post is working on this project at this time, also.  This should be something ALL VFW Posts are involved in since we were all overseas at one time!