Hello, my name is Pam; I’m from Tallahassee, FL.  I’m new to the forum, but have been visiting this site for over a year and a half.  This is a great site and I think that it is wonderful that we have a way to connect with and support the troops, even if we don’t know them personally.

I’ve been noting the basic information about each contact that I think I might want to request as it is posted on the site in the hopes of sending out care packages.  It is really quite addictive and difficult to narrow down to just a few to support.  To be honest, I had intended to start sending packages from the beginning, but felt intimidated by the customs forms and also didn’t understand until recently that the cost of sending to military addresses was more like domestic mail rather than the same as international mail.  (There’s a big difference between flat-rate priority at $10.95 per box and around $40 to send the same box to Iraq as if it were going to a civilian in that country!)

Anyway, a thought came to me: It would be very helpful if there was some way that we could coordinate our efforts with others who are supporting the same contact/unit.  That way, the things that they have the greatest need for would definitely get to them, and it would hopefully prevent that contact from being sent more of other items than they need.  (You know, when they make a special request, and they actually need only a handful of a particular thing, but if everyone who requests the address responds with that item, they could have too many.  Or, if one wants to send a new-release DVD, we can be sure that someone else didn’t send the same one.J)  In this economy, all of the supporters could benefit from that.  Also, if it is easier for someone to send food items, or personal hygiene – things that are easy to pick up on the trip to the grocery store, then they wouldn’t need to be as concerned about things that someone else might be happy to pick up at the mall or a discount store, like entertainment items or clothes and sheets/towels, etc.

There is another organization that has a way to know who is supporting the same person and for supporters to connect with one another.  You may be aware of KIVA (www.kiva.org) – it is a microfinance organization that allows people to pick an entrepreneur in a poor/developing country and to lend them money in $25 increments.  Each lender sets up a page and your entrepreneurs are listed on your page; when you click on the entrepreneur, the other lenders are listed.  There is also a way to send messages to each other (lenders) through the website.  That sort of feature may be a little complicated to add to the Any Soldier site, but it would be great if we could know who else has requested the same address so we can connect with each other in some way besides the forum or the chat.  Perhaps that could be an opt-in feature for those who don’t mind having their name made known to others.  (I hope I’m not being too presumptuous). 

Well, I can see that this has become a rather long post – I apologize.  I look forward to hearing anyone’s ideas. 

Thanks, Pam.    

PAM,

Have you read through the sections WHO ARE THE CONTACTS, SPECIAL CONTACT REQUESTS, EMERGENCY REQUESTS, and SPECIAL PROJECTS? 

There are many who do coordination of their contacts in these areas now, especially for the ones deemed to be especially urgent needs.  Some people are simply too private to go on a public forum to discuss their business, so those will never do so.  Some seem to feel very uncomfortable telling what they are sending, so don't bother to report here. 

My dream since I started sending from Any Soldier in early 2005 was that we could coordinate every contact's special requests beyond snacks and hygiene items.  I was elated when the Forum started because I thought it was the answer.  We have different agendas and personalities, so it is hard to get everyone on the same page, but we do have our successes.

Gran

Your idea has been briefly discussed on the Forum and I think it is a great one.  I might suggest sending a copy of your post to Marty and the Support team as they would be responsible. With some of the groups I support, other supporters will personally email and we try to coordinate sent items, especially the costlier ones but it become quite complicated to do and a central posting on site would be more efficient and would ensure the troops get what they need and that troops are not forgotten. 

In reading posts we have all learned that some troops with 15-20 requests often are overwhelmed with packages while others with more requests listed remain in need.  The reasons for this are numerous and varied; a central listing of what items were sent when would go a long way to correct. I found I needed to maintain an excel spreadsheet o remind myself of what has been done on behalf of each unit I support.

Gran brings up a valid point about disclosure and this issue can be addressed by including a mechanism that protects identity or at worst those that do not wish to disclose can simply not participate in the listings.

Thank you!!

 If we could do this somehow it would be great, I do vote for an blinded/identity protected method to post though, and I am NOT computer smart enough to even think about how hard Marty and the crew will have to work to get it figured out, if it is possible.

Take care,

Donna

Maybe if there were a spot to be a list of who has requested the soldier then contact between the supporters can be optional, there could be a check added when you request the address asking wether they want to be added to the list or not. If they chose not be to be added to the lsit then a blank could be left in place of name or unknown. Then the ones who are listed can be contacted through the forum to start. Like a reply or the contact button. It can then be picked up from there as they see fit.

Or maybe a new forum thread could be started where people just volunteer that info, as long as they don't give out the address info it may not hurt and then it will all be done by will and not put as much work on the team who has to set up the pages. If there is a special place for this info then there could be a thread for Army, Navy, Marines, etc then sub post inside them with the listing of names. Maybe a post for A-C, B-E,F-H, etc. More sub tabs but could be done a different way or somebody may find a better way to do it. just a suggestion!

Here’s my two cents on the subject. This is not meant to be mean-spirited, but will probably ruffle some feathers, regardless. 

Why complicate (duplicate) things and make them harder than they have to be, especially for those who are not computer-literate?