The message title is intentionally mysterious. I just wanted to get someone's attention to something. Have you ever used another soldier support system than Any Soldier, admittedly the most efficient and comprehensive one ever devised?

I signed up a few weeks ago (before I got readdicted to the forum) for adoptaplatoon.org. I filled out an online application and a week later heard from a very nice lady who confirmed some information and was available for questions. She told me I would be contacted by email within the month with the name of a soldier. This was 10 days ago. I'm still happy to support this soldier, in addition to the regular letter-writing and occasional packages to AS contacts, but I was curious whether others have had success or disaster stories with other organizations?

 

LOL - would do it in a heartbeat if I knew where I could get the time and energy transplant to do it.

Gran

I personally have not used another support system.  I researched many though, any soldier seemed to be the most simple and personal one for me to use.  I like that I get to choose my contact and I love to read the soldiers posts.  Now that the forum has been added, well lets just say we have been eating alot of soup and sandwiches for dinner.  I am hooked

Hi Cindy...it's funny you mention adoptaplatoon.org because I ALMOST registered with them about 2 months ago when i started doing this. I opted for adoptaussoldier.com since they are in Denver which is 6 hours north of me. I was happy with them until I signed up on their forum. I got assigned a soldier within a week (who I still keep in contact with), but after I registered with their forum, I could never get to ANY of the threads or even read any replies to questions I posted even though other people were answering me. After about 3 weeks, I got extremely frustrated with them and went to seek out another, more helpful site. I can't remember exactly how I found this site, but I am so grateful that I did because everyone here is so great and I've learned so much!!!   :o)

Michelle

I do some volunteering with Boatsie's Boxes.  I gave them a few boxes of stuff last summer and did facepainting for the little kids at a fundraiser.  Their next fundraiser is at the end of this month, and I'm painting faces at that one too. 

It seems like a really neat organization, but it's a lot less individual than AnySoldier -- it's kind of an assembly line sort of thing, where every soldier gets the same thing.  OTOH, I bet she reaches a lot of people that way, so.  It's just a different way of supporting.

I agree. I think this is the best and most personal... You can do as much or as little as you are able, and the support goes right to a soldier...no middle man... The only other thing I would be interested in doing is, Things for the wounded soldiers...maybe that would be a catagory added here someday...I always look for the special request Marty puts out for cards and things like that for the wounded soldier....

I've been very active with www.booksforsoldiers.com as well for several years. The format there is different from here -- you have to submit an application, after which you have open access to the message boards where all of the requests are posted (once there, you can review the requests and then pick ones to respond to). I think both sites are really good -- they each just have different strengths. There are lots of other sites out there, too; you just have to find the one(s) that suit you the best.

One of Marty's recent announcements on here:

"The Any Soldier Forum is for the use of Any Soldier Supporters to improve the efficiency, and enjoyment, of their support.

It is NOT to be used by ANY other organization or individual touting their organization or effort.

The Terms and Conditions of the web site are applicable to the Forums, Blogs, and Chat applications of Any Soldier Inc."

Just an F.Y.I. before this thread goes too far.

Cali, thanks for helping to keep us from straying as we discuss straying.

I have not worked with any similar organization.  However, I am an activist and also very interested in activism per se. (I define "active" as not sitting around on your butt watching American Idol and ignoring the world, or worse, complaining incessantly about whatever without every lifting a finger.)  Most volunteer organizations are a disaster, including some that, from a distance, seem otherwise.  That's mostly smoke and mirrors and a sign of a competent PR person. 

All of these organizations share the same lament...no one will help.

I have talked to a lot of people who volunteer with organizations that I have seen up close and personal, so I know they are really successful.  I ask their volunteers why they are volunteers for the particular organization and whether they have ever volunteered with another organization.  The answer is always the same.   It's not about the mission.  Oh, they like the mission, or they wouldn't do it.  But the answer as to why they do it with this particular organization is always, always, "Because it's easy."  Many of them have their horror stories about other organizations they tried to work with, and ended up throwing up their hands and walking away.

I have concluded that the one and only secret to success for a volunteer organization is that they make it easy for people to contribute to the mission.  Too many organizations have a cause without competence. They not only don't make it easy, all too often, they make it an exercise in frustration.

Cindy,

I just wanted to tell you that I think the name of your thread is very, very funny!  If there were a vote for most creative thread name I'd vote for yours.

As always, I'm blown away by the quality of informed, interesting and funny responses on this forum. And I especially appreciate CaliGirl's gentle reminder. I shouldn't have mentioned the specific organization, I was more interested in generic situations and completelyagree with Free Spirit's synopsis.

THIS is a great thread!!!  I love this.

The intent of my previous message is directed at those who were stealing our data and using it as their own.  Some were actually selling it.  These forums can be a breeding ground for all sorts when not moderated, and I am fully aware of that.  I left this forum unmoderated because I know the Support Junkies will self-moderate and in the end all will be fine.

To be more clear, I have NO problem with you trading notes on what organizations are good or bad, as long as there is no bashing.  Help others find the good organizations, they deserve the help.  Just no soliciting.

There you go again Marty.. reading and not vacationing:)

 

hmm I guess you have seen our other plotting thread about you  :) if not, go search for it lol  [it is a great thing]

anyway, let me say that this is the ONLY organization that was recommended to me by a soldier (now out of service but was in Iraq a lot) and he said it is the #1 to help soldiers :)

 

I have no memory of how I actually came to find AnySoldier... I do know that I felt some resentment when I saw warning posted elsewhere about it not being allowed to send mail addressed to AnySoldier and it seemed that this website had purposely been left out of the roster even though the "contact" system here is totally legit.

 There is another group with a lovely logo and a heavenly name which I did not do much research into simply because I did not like the fact that the group name was focused on the givers in a heroic light (regardless of how our soldiers feel about us- I didn't really feel comfortable with that idea) and I liked the focus of AnySoldier being toward our troops. This is not a criticism of that group or how they work- I don't know anything about it at all...and I am SURE their focus is on the troops as much as any other group-  I just am reporting my gut reaction to the name.

 I'm also a pretty willful and independent person and I like the fact that AnySoldier is a self directed situation where you choose the contact, you choose what to send, how often etc.  It's really quite amazing!

 So no, to answer the original question- I have not strayed. I really like the way this deal is run.

 

Straying?  I don't have time to stray!  The only place I stray is in stores going from one aisle to another trying to find things to send!