I am not new to the Any Solider website, but I am new to the forums. I started reading this one today, and I thought that it described me perfectly! And I have one to add!

You must be an AS junkie if...you've sprained your ankle and have doctor's orders to stay off of it for a week or more, but you just can't stand the thought of sitting around and not shopping for your soliders!

 I slipped on some ice and sprained my ankle on Sunday. The earliest I am allowed to even try to put pressure on it is this coming Sunday, so I have to wait until then, at the earliest, to go to the grocery store. Ugh! That's torture!

LOL.....are you in a card swap?   Might be something to keep you sane till you can gimp to the store!

Take care,

Donna

you think of the other "junkies" as family and you've never even met them but appreciate their support sooo much.

Cathi

Donna,

 Thanks for being concerned about my sanity! I actually have some letter writing to do and some Valentine's Day stuff that I bought in advance but haven't addressed yet to get ready so I think that will keep me occupied for a little while. Plus, I am shopping online for a few specialty things that I think would be cool for one of my contacts.

 Amy

...you're at the gynecolgist for your annual exam (you ladies know what I am talking about!!!) and in the middle of it, when your doctor mentions her son is looking for a service project for school, you ask her to pass you your purse so you can give her an Any Soldier card and tell her all about helping our Soldiers.

This story was told to me by a fellow AS junkie who shall remain nameless...I laughed so hard when she told me about it in much greater detail than I have recounted it, I just had to add it on this thread!

Lilly,

That was the laugh I needed tonight!

 ... your friends ask, "How are your soldiers?" first thing when they see you, before asking how you're doing

 ... everyone at the post office knows you by name

... you rush to finish any magazine you buy for yourself, so you can then mail it off to a soldier while it's still current

... at the checkout in the grocery store, you tell everyone who'll listen about why you're buying the items you're buying, in hopes that you'll inspire even one more person to become an AS addict.  Every time.

 ... your derm has been "hit up" for sun block and lip protection, your dentist has been cajoled into donating 120 toothbrushes and your GP has promised you 10 bottles of hand sanitizing gel. 

... when you read book reviews, it's always with the "but, would a soldier enjoy it" question in the back of your mind

 ... you want an ipod shuffle for long workouts but just cannot justify spending the money... even though you've bought 8 for soldiers (along with 7 Creative Zen MP3 players ) over the past year

You must be an AnySoldier junkie...when on receiving email from a warrior redeployed home 14 months writes, "do you remember me?...  and your eye shoots directly to his unit's photo (still on the bulletin board) with assurances of your consistant ongoing prayer.

"Still in rehab, and would help if somebody knew me"   - wow -   You know you're AnySoldier junkie when such a message makes one feel honored to resume correspondence.

a_mom_from_SF:

You must be an AnySoldier junkie...when on receiving email from a warrior redeployed home 14 months writes, "do you remember me?...  and your eye shoots directly to his unit's photo (still on the bulletin board) with assurances of your consistant ongoing prayer.

"Still in rehab, and would help if somebody knew me"   - wow -   You know you're AnySoldier junkie when such a message makes one feel honored to resume correspondence.

You must be an Any Soldier junkie if... you just cannot resist eating a candy bar intended for your soldiers and immediately feel SO guilty!

I did it! I confess! I am going to the store tomorrow after work to replace it...

Amy

 I did that just yesterday, so you're not the only one! ;) Got.....to....fill.....that.....box.....to.....the....tippy....top!

I just read all 18 pages of these, because I love them!  It's so nice to know there are so many other box-obsessed people out there!  It's kinda like we've reverted to being infants--you know how at their first Xmas or Birthday, they're more excited about the packaging than what's IN the packaging? ;o)

 I just started in Jan. and am hooked!   Don't know if this belongs in this thread, but I think so because I now want to make sure that everyone is properly looked after...:)    My concern is about the groups that are large, say 100/20, and have only a handful of requests.   Whereas some small groups, say 6/0, have a lot of requests.   I'm just wondering howcome, I guess.  Could it be that the larger groups seem less needy because they tend to have more resources?  And is there anything to be done about it like maybe the chaplain thread.  Or is this a junkie thing and not to worry about it?

 Well, basically, if there is a large group they are usually at a larger base, ie a FOB and not an OP or COP.  They usually do have extra resources that the smaller groups do not.  I know my son was at an OP where there were NO options for obtaining needed supplies.  EVERYTHING had to be flown in by chopper.  Roughing it doesn't really describe it.  When he got home for his mid-tour leave he stunk to high heaven - it was his boots - as he had been unable to get clean socks for a very extended period of time.   We asked if they had hot water and he said that the heating coils kept the water from freezing, just!  Whatever they recieved from home was truely appreciated!  AT the larger FOB's they can actually obtain much of what they need; of course, it is still important to let them know that they are not forgotten while deployed.  Morale is so verrrrrry important on these long deployments away from family and friends!