Sarah:

I hate to sound like a flake, but maybe I need to just face facts and accept it... but I believe that some other power may be guiding us, from the contacts we "choose" to the things we might decide to put inside a package, or the words we write in a letter. 

Here's one:  my husband asked me to go to Home Depot for some lawn patch.  While there I thought I might as well wander around and see if anything looked useful.  I happened upon some cord weatherstrip that needs no accessories to apply it whatsoever and "something" clicked in my head that this would be a good thing to get.  The next time I read the new postings under "Where to send" what do I find but a contact who says they have leaky roofs??!  I swear, if I had read that posting before buying the weatherstripping, I would have skipped it because I would have had no clue what to get them to help out with that nor where to even look for it in the store.  /cue Twilight Zone music

I read this thread earlier and wasn't going to respond to it because I am so new to this, but when I got up to let my dog out I thought about how I chose her when I got her from the Animal Shelter.  I had looked around a bit, I was looking for a small dog and just couldn't find the dog that was quite right for me.  Then one day I visited it the shelter and there she was. I knew the minute I saw her she was THE dog I had been looking for.  After having her home for a few months it became evident that she had some fear/aggression issues had someone else adopted her they may have never had the patience and persistence to make her an acceptable family pet. I still can't trust her with strangers but she is our dog and we are her people. I don't know how I knew Penny was the perfect dog for me, but she is. 

I had one name jump out at me on the list.  It is the same name I have been trying to get the address for that I had problems with that I mentioned in another thread.  I don't know why, but I HAD to have that address. I still don't know why, and I may never know why.

I let the dog out and sat back down and to begin browsing for the next address I want to request.  I had a few criteria in mind. I wanted someone that was a chaplain or clergy (for a personal reason), Navy preferably because that was the branch my husband served in and very importantly someone that needs things I already have on hand because I am low on cash.

The very 1st name I clicked on met all of my criteria.

Tonight I went to my 9 year olds baseball game. The general rule is that a boy never sits the bench more than 2 innings in a game.  For some reason he was sitting on the bench for a 3rd inning and wasn't happy about it at all. It was a mistake, he was supposed to be in the field.  Right after the inning started I noticed him doing that tell tale dance in the dugout and knew he needed to go to the bathroom and BAD.  It's a really embarrassing thing to have your mom come over and ask you if you need to pee but I could see he was desperate so I went and told him to go.  He raced off as fast as he could go.  When he came back I told him that things happen for a reason. If they hadn't benched him accidentally he would have been out there at 2nd doing the potty dance. He agreed and was no longer upset about being benched (I also told him next time not to drink 2 bottles of gatorade).

The powers that be sometimes know what we need before we do.

Hi Everyone!
I love reading everyone’s reply to this post!  When I first saw the post I didn’t reply because I don’t choose my contacts. It’s been said now by several others that we only think we pick them.  They choose us when they post.  I have too many examples of this repeatedly happening to me and now to others as well.  For any “Doubting Thomases” out there please read yesterday’s beautiful post by SPC Adrienn J. Falk (May 25) about the Divine intervention she experienced from anysoldier.com.  
May the Force be with you!
betc

P.S. Hi Phillis, you‘re very welcome

P.SS. When I finally decided to post this, I opened the thread only to see TopazMary had already added the same! Thank You All for being here (whether you are posting or lurking)!  It's the first time I've ever joined an online forum. Before this I had only posted one comment ever to a friend's blog and only when asked to add it and anonymously at that (since I had already told him in person my comment.)

I've only been doing this a few months but I seem to be choosing contacts by

1.  Location  Iraq, Afghanistan, & less obvious places like Serbia, At Sea, Djobouti

2.  Home state support

3.  Those that don't get at lot of support from home

4.  Low address request count

5.  Simple request  -- when they ask for so little -- you want to send them the moon

6.  As others have said - I think they pick us by their posts.

 

ann

Hi,

When I first started picking contacts three years ago, I just chose the most recent contacts making sure they weren't all in the same FOB.I also had a very hard time coming to the reality that I cannot support them all, which I am so glad to see I wasn't the only one with those feelings.  Most of them have came home and some have returned for a second and third deployment. When they go back, they email me to let me know as they all have my email address. Others, have left my name and address or email with someone from the  troops coming in when they leave. Alot of times they will contact me through email or snail mail also. When I choose the contacts now which is around two per month if I can. I usually go to the ones that are requested the least amount of times.

Diana

We try to choose according to

1) the ability we have to send what their requests are

2) the ones who have the least accessability to what they need

3) the units who the contacts say have received no mail

4) a few to people from our state

5) the units who are preparing boxes from the items sent and passing on to more remote areas that are in need

6) a few items we feel that not as many people will have on hand to send in a generic package

Gran

Oops, forgot the main ones we always send to out of each unit deployed:

7) We always send to one or more of each of the hospital contacts and aid stations and medics.

Gran

It's been so long since my first contact that I can't remember how he came to be.  The good news is, we are still in touch.  The better news is, when my son first went to Ft. Hood, he was the first person that greeted Josh.  Had the steaks on the grill and the beer in the cooler.  I thought it was fantastic that Josh got to meet someone that I had supported for a year. 

I got into this a little over 2 months ago.   My only plan was to choose soldiers that I felt that I could support over a long period of time and to choose small units.  

I began reading the posts and kept reading them until something just jumped out at me.   I now send packages to two very different soldiers, for very different reasons.   Both, however, just grabbed me at the heart and made it obvious to me that I had found "my" soldiers.   

I have also sent a package that I consider to be a one shot deal, to a unit that had just found out that their tour would be extended.  I sent them a "luau in a box"...lots of items to encourage stress release and having a plain old good time.   Think water balloons, frisbees and candy among other items of cheer.   I decided on that particular unit because they were based out of Hawaii, my favorite state.   I had just begun to plan a return visit there for later this year and their home base caught my eye.   

All of my packages have gone to small units, fewer than 8 soldiers in each.   It just feels right for me to think that my packages can impact every soldier in the unit somehow.    

 

That shows how each of us think individually and how our hearts are directed in different ways.  More of the time than not, we send to the medium-sized units - more than 12 people, and usually around 20 or so.  My reason for that is that most of the times, I am sending specific requests and not just general categories because those keep me from having to make so many guesses or hits and misses, and sometimes their lists may be items that only a couple of people actually are requesting, so I send a variety of items since I can't know how many others are sending the same ones.  I have noticed that many times the contacts say that they are requesting primarily for the ones in the group that don't receive mail from anyone, so I am guessing that many of them have support from home.

Gran

Folks,

You know that's the same question the guy, a former Marine, at the post office asks me.

For me its the story.  "The one that asks for ANYTHING!!!"  That usually gets my attention first.  I'm not too much to any one branch but I have tried to work with the troops originally stationed here in North Carolina.  Then after that its usually women and kids.  I never really thought of it much but I've been surprised at the number troops that give their stuff directly to local kids.  I was really lucky one time and got the address of a Religious Programmer (RP3) in Camp Fallajah (sp) and sent a ton of stuff her way.  I think she moved on to another post, so now I just surf and "throw darts" as it were.  If there was one ad that really caught my attention was some helicopter pilots that stated they were getting really cold after being in a "patrol" after 10+ hours so I sent them a box of long use thermal packs like you would use hunting.  I never heard if they got them or a reply but I keep hoping.

dw_nc

I always start by going to the newest contacts and I usually go for the ones that are descriptive in their posts.  In all honesty, if the soldier does not tell a little about themselves and their group, I am not as inclined to request the address.  I also tend to go more for the ones that mention that a simple letter would be good since I can't afford to send many packages these days. If it is around a holiday where I might want to send more than one small package, I tend to pick addresses that are FPO/APO AP as those are cheaper for me to send to.  

Free Spirit,

I am so impressed with the soldier's who put their brothers/sisters before themselves.  How many times have we seen them saving their drinks from dinner or things from the care packages for the guys who have it worse than them or who are way out in remote areas?  There is one soldier who would save his food and give it to the Iraqi's because they had nothing at all.  Like you I am inclined to help those who seem to really need the basics.  I know there are people out there with more means that do send the more expensive items, so that makes me feel a little better.  One day, I hope that my budget restraints will loosen and I can send whatever I want to how many I want.

There is more that I want to say, but I could go on forever and I am sure there are people thinking the same things.  We junkies seem to very similar in our thinking.

Vicki