Gran,

Sorry Gran, this doesn't really have to do with email but I haven't yet figured out how to add a post to a thread without tacking it on to the last post.  It does have to do with hearing back from contacts though.

My first contact sent note which I received about a week after he received our first package. I felt like a  kid on Christmas morning.  So imagine what our mail does for them -- so far from home and family.  Every package we sent his unit, he sent a note back.

Another of my contacts didn't reply until his unit was back in the states.  Not all that long since I found his post near the end of their deployment.  It was not surprising that the note came from their home base since they were mechanics working 12-16 hour days.

I always include:

1.  An upbeat greeting card (Walmart, Target, The Party Store all have reasonbly priced ones) with a note to the contact and usually a short list asking if they can use any of the things on the list depending on their circumstances.  Sometimes men, in or out of the military are reluctant to ask for things especially for themselves.  I'm hoping with a list all they have to do is circle some things,  drop it in the envelope and stick it in the mail.  This way I also have a better idea of what to include in my next package for contacts that don't ask for a lot.

2. A pac of stationery - everyone seems to ask for writing gear

3. Some pens securely wrapped in zip lock bags in case they leak.  Sam's Club sells black ink pens in packs of 20 for a reasonble price - which at the moment escapes me.  I always keep a pack or two in my 'supply closet' (a cardboard box in the corner of my living room).

As to the manner in which contacts inform us of an oversupply of certain items - I've read a few vey humorous posts along the lines of the following -- (not a direct quote) --  we have certainly enjoyed all the checkers and playing cards our supporters have sent us and we are now building a wall with the extra ones. 

Just my 2 cents on the matter for whatever it's worth?!  Or did I just say what it was worth?

ann

 

 

Gran:

One thing that saddens me about putting our email address in my letters is that our cranky, old Windows 98 computer doesn't have any up-to-date software on it for reading many of the replies and videos we are sent, and I hate to bother other people to keep on re-formatting them so that I can enjoy them.  For example, just today we tried to receive an email (for 75 minutes), and it failed, and stopped up our email system, and found out that it was a 16.4 MB video from a contact who had sent messages in many forms that we couldn't read.  That's depressing.

Gran

Have you tried a web-based email program...like Yahoo or Hotmail?  I use Yahoo and I don't seem to have a problem opening big emails. Though it could be the computer too.

 

Gran:

I hate to bother other people

Well, now you know why the soldiers aren't good about telling us what they need.

Ask a young male for help with your computer.  It won't won't be a bother, trust me.

One the always cracks me up is when the update is divided between explaining the living situation and listing things they need... and "we have no females" appears to kind of float between the two.

Ann,

Thank you for mentioning sending the lists that they can just circle.  I have been debating on whether to send one or not.  Like you, I thought it would be easier and faster that way so that when they get low on something we know what needs to be sent.  Again thanks for mentioning that.  

Sister Barbara 

Sister Barbara,

Your welcome.  With one contact, I got a reply in a week using the list.  Not a request..  An aknowledgement  and thank you.

Ann

I've been sending boxes for a few years and only notice that I used to get more responses.  Perhaps that is because now I choose to send the the most remote or ones who explain how busy they are. I know they truly don't have time.

Shortone,

Thanks for the suggestion.  I think once upon a time I entertained that idea, but grandchildren and military packages have kept me braindead lately.

Gran

Well, I send out 4 packages with long letters inside them asking lots of questions. Never got a response from the first one, the second one fell off the page of AnySoldier, the third one responded in 2 weeks by email. He answered all my questions, what a sweet guy, told me he works for the communications section so he basically sits on a computer all day. I wrote him back thanking him for replying the day before and  I got a response back the next day.  The fourth one responded in a week by email, said he passed my box on to a junior soldier and whether the guy respond back or not is up to him, but I already heard from the commanding officer so that's good enough. As one of the contact from a post said, "let's be honest, men suck at sending thank you notes." The one who was in communications wrote 5 sentences and told me its the most he ever written . I think a "We got your box. Thank you" is good enough, but 5 sentences was more than enough so no complains on this end.

Before the surge, I heard from about 25% of my contacts which I thought was a good response.  Since the surge, they seem a lot busier and a smaller percentage respond back, maybe 10% probably from lack of time or exhaustion.  It really is ok, I do not expect a response, I just want them to know someone cares. 

I have often, but not always included a self addressed notecard.  One female soldier responded saying she found it just laying on the floor (probably from the box contents being attacked), and since she was from MN she thought she would reply back.

One time I sent a religious protection medal to a Marine not knowing what he did, not knowing if he could wear it, but I thought maybe he could hang it near his sleeping spot.  I found out later, his job was kicking in doors for 6 months looking for bad guys, and he wore the medal every day.  Just getting that response back after he was safe back home was enough to know that I am content sending whatever I think might be needed without hearing back.

Over the last three years, at times the contacts have totally amazed me.  I have received flowers delivered!!! from a group of females, a stone vase, a handmade scarf from Afghanistan, squad patch decals which my sig. other covets.  One group sent a certified flag that was flown if you contributed to their snack fund.  I was happy to comply.  I would not suggest that you expect anything, but you never know what may occur.  I just know when you are alone, sad and don't have much, the smallest thing can connect and make a difference. 

 

What religious protection medal was it that you sent? I have sent a few medal tokens but I would like to send something to a bomb squad soldier I have been emailing regularly. We have become friends.

thanks

momof6

Some of the first couple of contacts I sent packages posted an updated request today. Even though I haven't heard from them directly, it was nice to see them mention getting some packages just recently.  It's weird thinking how all this stuff we send ends up in the middle of Afghanistan, Iraq, or where ever.

Coniston:

It's weird thinking how all this stuff we send ends up in the middle of Afghanistan, Iraq, or where ever.

 

Yes, it is...

One of my favorite soldier pictures I've received is of a contact with my package sitting there open in front of him, and he's holding some of the items in his hands, with a smile on his face. And I had just mailed it like a week before! So strange, but so cool.

I am blessed I get to hear from my contact every other day or so unless case in point that nasty sand storm last week then everything wasnt up and running properly. 

Momof6 I was reading your post maybe someone was talking about the St. Christphers medal, I know a couple of my guys wear them for protection of sorts. Hope this helps!

And yes it is weird how it ends up there I've never been to the middle east so all I can imagine is from the pictures I see which are so limited, however I asked my marine for some more pictures(secretly I am planning something for him) and he is taking his digital camera all around this week taking pictures of the other guys the jet he works on his "can" and all that fun stuff so I am excited to hear from him next! I wish we could post pictures on here...oh well!

I am very pleasantly surprised about how  much I do hear from my contacts. A couple of the bigger units send a form letter when they get a box but sometimes there is a personal reply scribbled at the bottom - just a sentence or two maybe. I mostly get emails - thank you for the box, letter etc. I would say that at least half respond in some way - though I do not really keep track officially.

One young lady does email when when she can just to say hi every once in a while - we seem to be developing a friendship and I kind of hope I can someday meet her. Another guy that I send to regularly also emails regularly and just sent some great pictures, too! (Every time I hear that they are close to finishing the coffee - out goes another box to resupply them - with a few other odd and end goodies too - just because I know that they appreciate it so much!)

There are a couple of contacts that I know have acknowledged the boxes directly on the website by saying Thanks for such and such items - even though they have not had time to actually write - and I think that is just wonderful too! 

One lady (not an anysoldier contact) pulled my letter out of a contact's box and wrote to me a couple of times, which I thought was pretty neat, as I was not expecting that! Especially since I had already gotten a "thank you for the box" email already from the actual contact.

 

I just got some of those anysoldier postcards and put self addressed ones in the three boxes that went out this last week so I will see if any come back to me - just did this out of curiousity to see if they come back or not. My thought being that I would at least know that the box made into some service members hand and did not get pilfered somewhere in the shipping process by a non-service member.

By the way, I talked to a guy I work with who had a penpal that wrote to him in the service 10 years ago. He still corresponds regularly with her - how neat is that!! Nothing romantic or anything like that, they just developed a long distance friendship that has endured!