My contact's name was removed from the anysoldier list and he was moved into Old Contacts.  The reason cited was that his address was "old or expired."  I know he's still there and received a letter from him at this address just recently.  What in the world is going on?  How frustrating!

Amy937:

I know he's still there and received a letter from him at this address just recently.  What in the world is going on?  How frustrating!

Amy, by all means, if you are still in contact with him and know his address is still good, continue to write to him. Sometimes they are unable to get to a computer to update; sometimes they forget; some even don't realize they have to update on a regular basis. I know they get reminders from AS to update, and I'm sure when they first sign up, it is mentioned that they need to keep their profile updated, but you know people don't always read all the fine print. Or even the regular sized print, as far as that goes.

Don't be frustrated...I've had several contacts who have been dropped from the list that I continued to support and write letters to for the duration of their deployment. Most of them let their address drop because they had a small group and got more support than they knew what to do with so instead of "hogging" all the support, they decided to keep the supporters they had and not stay on the active list.

The "Old or expired" tag often just means that contact never updated their profile, not necessarily that the address is no good. If a contact is dropped, and you haven't heard from them in awhile either, then if I were you I'd put them in my "old contacts" rolodex and concentrate on the ones who are still active. If they finally do update and get placed back on the active list, you'll already have their information (unless they have had a change of address, then you'll have to request it again) and can pick up where you left off.

Hugs {{{{{{Amy}}}}}}

Ms Tracy

Amy,

We have had a dozen or more contacts who just became too busy or else had their internet service interrupted for a time at the time they should have updated (every 60 days minimum).  The internet service is so bad in some areas that the contacts must have a family member send updates for them after they call them on the phone.  Some of them are out on long missions, and some of them work long hours and use their time catching up on sleep rather than trying to find a computer when everyone wants to use one.

Keep the hope - we can't control the situations they are in no matter how much we would like to.

Gran

Thanks for the pep talk.  I'm just frustrated because he has written in within the last 60 days and his name was still dropped...  I've sent a couple things since his last letter, so I'll wait and see if I hear back.  They are there until December, so hopefully I'll get to send a couple more things out there before they come home.