Some ways to support our troops!

[BudLiteQueen]

I wanted to open a thread for anyone to share some of the ways they try to support the troops, besides their own. I know a few people have asked me about how I became a pen pal and where to get started so I'm going to share some of the information from the organization I go through.

Everyone, please feel free to add to this thread with anything you may know, or use.

I used Adopt A Platoon and have been very successful with it. Here's a little background and information from their latest newsletter.

In the late summer of 1998, Ida Hagg's son Chauncey wrote from the Balkans saying, "Mom, I'm deployed with a platoon of 40 soldiers and every day we stand at mail call and every day, 9 of my fellow battle buddies never receive mail. Will you send them a care package just like you send me?".... With those words, AdoptaPlatoon was born. In the early spring of 1999, Joyce Lisiewski wrote to Ida saying, "My son Brett is deployed serving in harm's way and my worry is beyond words...PUT ME TO WORK IDA!...Let's serve together you and I and let's make sure that our sons and our Nation's sons and daughters know that the mothers of our great Nation have not forgotten them." As the years passed, Ida, Joyce, Fran, Karen, Norma, Cheryl, Elaine and hundreds of other mothers have joined hands and hearts to remember our young Heroes as they serve on our behalf and all this time Chauncey and Brett never met. Their mothers Ida and Joyce worked to make AdoptaPlatoon what it is today serving thousands of Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors and yet, Ida's and Joyce's sons never shook hands or gave each other a hug or met eye to eye. Chauncey and Brett never met until late 2010... For every mother who has a son who is deployed and for every mother who shops and puts together care packages for lonely Soldiers serving far from home, please meet our sons...The sons who made AdoptaPlatoon a National organization. Ida Hagg and Joyce Lisiewski proudly present our sons....

And here's how to get involved:

AMERICANS ARE NEEDED FOR PLATOON SUPPORT FOR 2011

Please spread the word that the 2010 holidays have come and gone and we've entered a new year but our Troops remain deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and they still need their Nation standing behind them.

OUR TROOPS NEED YOU!

Our most urgent call for help is for Platoon Support! ...We need support for our deployed Troops by sending a loving care package to a platoon of Army Soldiers or Marines and for MARRIED/FAMILY SUPPORTERS! Americans can send support to platoons either as an on-going basis or by sharing a platoon with other supporters, or by sending a one-time or occasional care package. One box of goodies to a platoon of Troops can be shared among a platoon of Soldiers or Marines and make no mistake....
Your kindness makes a huge difference in their lives as they serve on our behalf.

Please sign up today at info@adoptaplatoon.org
and let our American Service Men and Women know that YOU STAND BEHIND THEM!

What does Platoon Support entail?

Supporting a group of Troops could be as small as 20 or as large as 50.

Sending a monthly care package for a platoon to share with each other or sending a one-time care package for a platoon to share with each other.

Who can participate? Individuals, Families, Groups, Companies, Schools, etc., can support a Platoon.

We also have married Service Members asking for support.

As you know, AAP's policy is not to link single supporters to married Service Members. We are in great need of married individuals / families, or older singles (over 50) to support deployed married Service Members. Our deployed married Service Members also need our Nation's support so please, if your family can reach out and embrace a married Soldier or Marine, write to info@adoptaplatoon.org and let us know that you will "step up to the plate" and add one more member to your family! Let us know that you can send a minimum of one (1) care package per month and that you will pledge to stand behind your married Service Member deployed in harm's way! As a current supporter, if you can pen-pal or adopt another married Service Member, and you fit the criteria, please contact us right away! You can have up to 4 total Service Members at a time.


We always need SINGLE ADOPTERS!
Although we currently have enough single pen pals to meet the need for Troop support, AAP has many single Service Members waiting to be ADOPTED meaning weekly letters AND a minimum pledge of one (1) monthly care packages. Please let us know if you are able to ADOPT another Single Service Member.
You can have up to 4 total Service Members at a time.

Remember what is needed to participate in AdoptaPlatoon!

Please send an e-mail with your name, address, marital status, age, and last name of your currently assigned Soldier, and what kind of additional support you think you can do. We will work with you. But remember the info we ask for is needed so please be sure to include it in your reply so we don’t have to write back to you again. If you are a current supporter whose assigned Service Member has deployed home, please sign up to embrace another Service Member! Your support is so appreciated by our Nation's men and women who serve on our behalf. Let do our part America! While our Troops serve overseas in dangerous conditions, let us here at home make sure that we are SUPPORTING THEM!

Send your information to info@adoptaplatoon.org and put the following in the subject line: CURRENT SUPPORTER if you are currently supporting a Soldier/Platoon, or put REPEAT SUPPORTER if you are an AAP Approved Supporter but are not currently supporting a Soldier/Platoon at this time. Please do not submit a new application if you are an Approved AAP Supporter. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!

WE MUST CONTINUE PUTTING SMILES ON THE FACES OF OUR TROOPS

BELOW is a quick update on ways to support our Troops:
Pen-pal (weekly correspondence) or Adopt (weekly correspondence AND monthly care packages) with an individual Service Member;
Adopt a group or Platoon of Troops (you let us know how many you can support);
Send a one-time care package to a group or Platoon of Service Members (you let us know how many you can support);
Participate in one of our annual campaigns with Arline Grant, our campaign director. Right now we are running our Valentine Campaign and Game Day Campaign, but will be getting ready for our Spring Campaigns shortly.
Another way to help is to spread AdoptaPlatoon’s mission letting everyone in your community know that our Troops need us and they do not deserve to be forgotten! We are in an urgent situation with newly deployed Troops and platoons arriving in dangerous areas in Afghanistan and Iraq and they are signing up quickly to be supported. They are just asking to receive mail from back home – their America – our America -- They are asking to be remembered and saying, "Please don't forget us! We're here and we need mail from home!" ...

Thanks for reading guys!

[SSGgf]

Last year, my co-workers (teachers & staff) adopted my brother's unit and send packages three times during the school year. This year, no one has any family or former students currently deployed. I'm going to share this info w/my crew! HOW EXCITING!!!!!! I love this, love this, LOVE THIS! THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!!!!!!!

[BudLiteQueen]

Last year, my co-workers (teachers & staff) adopted my brother's unit and send packages three times during the school year. This year, no one has any family or former students currently deployed. I'm going to share this info w/my crew! HOW EXCITING!!!!!! I love this, love this, LOVE THIS! THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!!!!!!!

No problem. I've done it many times and I've gotten to know some great people from it. I honestly encourage everyone to try it once because it's an amazing experience.

In fact, I've been e-mailing with my current pen pal back and forth every day. We always have tons to talk about.