Thank you for the warm welcome. I am extremely proud of both my sons. I do not even hold it against my oldest son that he joined the Corps (the first non Army family member, except my Grandfather, but he started in the Army Air Corps.) At least he is in the Infantry so we speak the same lingo, with different accents, kind of like the difference between Tennessee Virginia accents.

If anyone is in direct contact with someone in the forward areas of Afghanistan and they do not have any Koochee dogs, I highly recommend encouraging them to get some. They are the best guardians on the planet and they will absolutley give their lives to defend their "flock." They bond with their flock more than any breed of dog I know of. Anyone interested should do a Google search on Koochee dog, Central Asian Ovcharka or Alabai as they are known in various part of SWA.

Not only will the guys get a Terminator, they will also let the Afghans know they know a little bit about their culture. The pure Koochee is the only dog accepted by the Afghan tribesmen. Everything else is a mongrel to them. It is a great honor to get one of these dogs.

Thanks again for the welcome

Dave

Hi! I'm Banshee.  I'm from New Hampshire.  I don't know anyone in the military but I've always wanted to be able to show support.  I've been looking for a way to find someone to "adopt" and write/send packages to for their tour and I found this site.  I just sent off 4 boxes to 2 different units.  2 to the ones I want to follow through their tour and 2 to Sean Phillips who was listed under the emergency section.  It really bothers me that they are dropping weight because of the long details

I read just about every inch of this site, so I included paper, pens, envelopes, and a SASE in hopes they might have time to write but if not, that's fine.  I just hope I can make someone's day.

Hey! My name is Jenny and I just discovered AnySoldier.com a week or so ago. My boyfriend is deployed to Iraq with the U.S. government and as usual I found myself surfing the internet about deployments and care packages and happened upon this site! I'm HOOKED!

I guess like a lot of people I thought the military supplied all the needs of the soldiers, I don't have anyone in the service, so I'm a little ignorant there. When I started reading the lists of what the soldiers/sailors/marines/coasties wanted and needed I was moved to tears...if they want it, by God I'm sending it! I can't really do the iPod and refrigerator shipments, but I can send baby wipes and gum and candy :) I've got 2 shipments ready to go out on Monday. :)

I was in NY for 9/11 and I remember the feeling of helplessness being overwhelming. As one soldier put it in his update, so many people want to help, they just don't know how. I know how I can help now and some wounds are being healed. Thanks Horn Family and AS!

 *A little about me* I'm a New Yorker turned Southerner, living in SC and really loving it. I am a 27-year-old acupuncturist and I'm in the process of working my way towards medical school. I'd like to be a more natural/holistic minded physician. :) It's gonna take some work, but I know I can do it. I also work in Emergency Medical Services which I love. My guy is behind me 110% as I am him. My BF is in Southern Iraq and has a few more months left in his deployment. They can't go fast enough!!

 Keep up the good work folks! Our guys and gals need to know we are out there, praying for them, supporting them and sending them as much beef jerky as they can eat :)

Jenny/IamKeiserSoze

Welcome to all you new recruits. You have come to the right place to support our troops. You will find many helpful ideas. Don't forget to drop by the chat room and say Hi.

You are in the right place.

door

Hello and welcome to all the new supporters........

 As Door just said........you have come to the right place to support our troops.     I don't post alot like I used to (due to going back to work.....and that's a GOOD thing).....but my advice to all newbies.......is read, read, read and read some more......also........DON'T be afraid to ask questions......at one time we were all new.......and there are still times we all need advice.    There are lots of people that want to help on this site.......and a great website it is (Thanks Marty and crew!!!)

My suggestion to some of you who are creative.....or want to try to be creative.........is we have special projects going on all the time.    Right now we are organizing a card swap and some quilts.   Look for the info under "Special Projects" (towards the bottom part of the forum page).    And if the budget is tight (and we all understand that).......remember a letter is VERY IMPORTANT.    It give them something to connect to, hold onto, pass around and re-read.    A package is great.....gives them some things to eat, read or use........but a letter can be kept in a pocket.....and be inspiration.    Whatever you do......if it is truly from the HEART......will be important to the troops.

Love peace and blessings .........Anne Marie

Hi everyone!  My name is Sheila and I'm a 55 year-old single mom from New Jersey with a 14 year-old son and a 17 year-old daughter.

I work as an administrative assistant to the Port Authority Police Dept. here in N.J.  Our dept. lost 37 officers on 9/11, so I am truly grateful to each and every one of our servicemen and women who are making the sacrifice to be where they are.

My kids and I are in the process of packing up a box to send to Afghanastan, and when school begins again in September we will be approaching my children's schools about making AnySoldier.com a special project to collect things to send.

I'm really glad I found this site.  :)

Sheila and family, Hello and Welcome.

Look around and read up and if we can be of assistance feel free to ask.

Thanks for supporting our troops, door

Hi,

My name is Karen.  I am married, with 2 young kids.  I am a firefighter/paramedic in the midwest in a suburb of Chicago. What a great site!  This place has been the most amazing experience already.  It is hard to believe how important letters can be, but now I understand.  My mission has become letters and items hot off the sewing machine.  I have heard pillow cases are poplular, as are cool ties.  Along with other items requested, I can do this!!

I have been sewing items for a while for another group that sends hand made items to troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.  While this is something I enjoy, I never felt as if it was enough.  I did have the honor of meeting a couple of marines who recieved a couple of those cool ties...that was the most amazing experience...

You see my Dad was in Vietnam.  I was born while he was there.  The years following his service were...quiet.  He was not encouraged to talk about it and pretended it did not happen.  The culture at the time was not open to supporting soldiers.  The sacrifices and what he did for his country was mostly forgotten. 

In fact, while my family has no career military members, we do have our service men.  My great uncle was one of Merrill's marauders in WWII.  My husband's uncle flew helicopters in Vietnam. My nephew was in the Navy for 4 years on an aircraft carrier.  My husband's cousin married a guy who did 2 tour in Iraq.  I work with a few marines, some Vietnam era, some Desert Storm era. 

I hope my generation is different.  I am hoping our soldiers know we have not forgotten them.  I am hoping through our letters, notes and care packages that they understand we appreciate everything they are doing for us.

Frankly, once I started sending letters, it became second nature.  It was like talking to a friend.  Even if the guys can't write back, I keep writing.  I e-mail.  I want to send packages, but some of the outposts have some issues regarding mail, so I will ask more experienced folks about that.  My kids draw pictures and write notes too.  They help me pick out items to send and are now helping me pack boxes.  This kids have added the soldiers to the prayers before dinner(it was very sweet actually). 

I have to admit, I became addicted quickly.  I check for updates regularly and watch the forums.  I am glad to have found this site!

Hi and welcome!! This will become an addiction in no time! I noticed that you sew and such. You might want to check out the Special Projects section and check out the Quilting Bee! We are always looking for more members!  We also have a card swap project going on, under Special Projects that you might want to look into.  

Have fun!

Heidi

hope this is okay, didn't find an area to post a new introduction, so I did a reply to Heidi.

 My name is Janette and I live in Ohio.  I am going to a event in my home area, for readers and authors to meet. They set up a group at yahoo, and there I learned of this site.  There are many there who either are connected with the  military, retired or have a member of their family in the military.  We all share, whether we have someone in the service or not, a desire to help our soldiers, to provide something for them. 

My connection is a family that has a history of serving our country.  Beginning with serving on both sides of the Civil War, one a Captain in the Calvery of the south, another who was part of a group of riders who spied for the North (truthful, really!).  My grandfather was in WWI, don't know which branch or what he did;  my father was in the 101st airborne during WWII and was at all the major battles; Normandy, Battle of the Buldge, others.  He parachuted in and landed on the wrong side of the river and had to fight his way back.  Very few of his company made it back alive.  He has told the family all kinds of stories; of a French family that hid him and a couple of other men from the Germans; of when he and some others tried to buy food and other items and it was turned away due to them being soldiers; even the bank refused to take their money.  They took a tank and well . . .  He was also part of a group at one of the concentration camps, that saw the horrors of what happened to the Jews (he cries when he talks of that).  My brother also served, was in Vietnam, Bosina and other places, he was EOD and so traveled a lot, was even at the White House.  My son tried to join, but due to a health problem was denied.  My neice was in the Air Force for a term, and my nephew is in the Army, an MP and is on his fourth time overseas, two in Afganistan and once in Iraq.  He is back in Afganistan again.   My son-in-law is in the Army, making a career of it.  As you can see, we proudly serve our country, especially in war times.  

I am buying items to send over to the soldiers.  I have read lots of the requests and am going to make up various boxes, sending them over when I have some ready.  My nephew gets lots from the family and I send extra for him to pass out to guys who don't get anything, but my hubby and I want to do more. 

 Janette

Hi Janette, You did it right! Glad to have you onboard as a supporter. A big thank you to all your family members for their service and to you for your committment.

Diane

Hi y'all,

It has been some time since I posted.  A big welcome to all who have joined and all who support Any Soldier.

Yes, it is addictive, but a better addiction cannot be found!

 Enjoy and NEVER hesitate to ask a question.  There are tons and tons of folks out here who will be glad to give you the answers... some we learned from other AS Junkies and some we learned from trial and error! FUN FUN FUN!

 God bless our military and the AS folks who are making all this support possible.

Take care,

Anna in Baltimore, MD

Greetings, everyone!

I've sent about 18 boxes and haunt this site constantly, so it seems like I should stop and say howdy!  

 My name is Karen, too.  I live in Colorado and Oregon depending on what time of the year it is.  Married, two grown kids. 

I'm a retired flight attendant.  I spent years hauling soldiers around and wishing I could do more than move them up to the front row and say thanks.  So when I found this place it was perfect!  The things I put in my boxes have changed so much from the first one and the last, just because of what I've been able to read here.   The bed in the guest room is just covered with 'soldier stuff' and I can't walk down any aisle of any store without wondering what would be great in a box.  I've gotten notes from 3 of the contacts I've used and it's always such an inspiration... last time I heard from someone I took 4 boxes to the post office the next day!  ::laughs::  It's such a relief to be able to do something... anything!

Karen 

Hi, My name is Kathy Matte, I am from Mass., live about 40 miles north of Boston. I have one son, and one daugher. My daughter is currently in the Navy at her first assignment. I read all these anysoldier posts and have already become a junkie, I am at the store all the time to add to my stuff. Hardest part is who to send it to...they all need so much more than I can send. I dont limit my search to only Navy, I will send to anyone who needs supplies. I have 3 boxes ready to go, and have only requested one address so far for my newest shipment. I hope that when my daughter is deployed I can send lots to her and she can pass it around and share it, which she does now on base in the US. Its such a little amount of things when there is so much needed. You people are great, I hope I can continue to support our troops and do it as well as you do.