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Too early to think of troops? Think again!
November 3, 2009 | 3 comments
As we approach Veterans Day, the thoughts of many turn to those who served in our country’s military in previous wars. It is also a time to think about our veterans-in-the-making, the troops currently deployed in the service of our country.
Although it seems too soon to contemplate Christmas, it is almost too late to think about it now, if you plan to send care packages in time for the holidays to U.S. troops serving overseas. According to two local residents with military connections, there are a number of ways to help troops during the holidays.
Blue Star Families
Linda Valdez of the Blue Star Military Families of Wilson County, based in Floresville, encourages area residents to think of the troops throughout the year, but especially now. The local Blue Star chapter has packages prepared to send within the next two weeks, filled with treats and necessities for military personnel.
“If anyone wants to donate money, because postage is so high, Blue Star has an account set up with the Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union,” Valdez said.
Donations should be made payable to Blue Star Military Families of Wilson County. The organization will provide tax receipts on request.
For information or to offer your help or support, call Valdez at 830-534-5061.
AnySoldier
A Marine with local ties, identified as “Maj. Pain, U.S. Marine Corps,” also encourages area residents to help the troops through AnySoldier.com. He has been deployed before and knows what packages from home mean to the troops.
According to the major, it’s the thought that counts with those deployed in the war zones, particularly Afghanistan.
“It’s not just material items you’re sending to troops; no, it’s much more,” he wrote. “During one of my last deployments over Christmas, I had a Marine come from a family whose parents were dead and had no other family members. He had no one. Christmas came around and I had an AnySoldier supporter send us some nice things. I took one and gave it to him. He looked at it, said, ‘Thank you, sir,’ and said, ‘This is the only thing I got for Christmas.’ His entire attitude changed. … He said, ‘Now I know someone outside the Marines actually cares about me.’”
Maj. Pain said the best advice he can give to people who want to send things to military members is to stay within a budget.
“The last thing we want is you to be between a rock and a hard spot, especially now,” he wrote. “Send when you can and send the items that matter the most.”
A list of useful and appreciated items has been provided (see “What to send,” this page).
“I can tell you from receiving all kinds of things, it’s better you know what we really need, instead of sending things that may seem good to have versus need to have,” Pain wrote.
If you don’t have time to put a package together, the major encourages donations to organizations, such as http://www.anysoldier.com.
“They sent my unit 150 electric razors in Iraq,” he said. “Man, that was huge … The guys really enjoyed them and were blown away by the support.”
Follow Maj. Pain at http://www.onemarinesview.com.
What to send
What will make a difference to a Marine, soldier, sailor, or airman this Christmas?
Here’s a list from “Maj. Pain, U.S. Marine Corps,” a Marine with local ties deployed to Afghanistan:
•Wet wipes
•Body soap (“When we do get showers, for all that is holy, use liquid soap!”)
•Lotion (“It’s a harsh environment; give your skin some love.”)
•Neosporin (“Cuts are continuous. You need to treat as soon as you get ’em; lots of nasty germs there.”)
•AA batteries (“1 million uses!”)
•Nail clippers
•Socks
•1-inch small paintbrushes, to brush flour-like dirt off their weapons.
•Coffee and coffee filters. “You can go to any Starbucks, buy the stuff, and they will donate to the cause!” Pain wrote.
•Shaving cream
•Razors, such as Mach 3, and razor blades (not the disposable kind)
•Electric razors (“[These] are the bomb, because you don’t need blades and they can be recharged without batteries and you don’t have to use water when it’s 32 degrees.”)
•Coleman Peak 1 stoves to heat water (“Hello? Coffee?”)
•Adaptors to make British three-pronged plugs into U.S. plugs
•Canned pasta, such as Chef Boyardee (“MREs get old after the first one and are hell on your gut.”)
•“Foam in a can” stuff to plug any water leaks in our makeshift roof
•Hand-warmer things (“Let’s face it, it’s gonna be freezing pretty much all the time.”)
•Hand sanitizer |
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| Your Opinions and Comments |
S. Milovich
Trinity Center, CA
November 12, 2009 12:57pm
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SMCB
La Vernia
November 4, 2009 3:51pm
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A. Wolf
Fort Worth, TX
November 4, 2009 11:55am
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