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It is not about if we agree with the war in Iraq or if we don't agree with the war, what this is about is that we must support our troops and their families especially during the Holidays when so many families have been separated.
We also must take time to thank those families who have lost a son, a duaghter, a wife or a husband; and those who have lost limbs or their eyesight in this terrible conflict. We all need to participate in this "thank you". The Department of Defense suggests the following:
Donate a calling card to help keep servicemembers in touch with their families at Operation Uplink at http://www.operationuplink.org/
Send a greeting via e-mail through Operation Dear Abby at http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/ or www.OperationDearAbby.net
Sign a virtual thank you card at the Defend America Web site at http://www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html
Make a donation to one of the military relief societies:
Army Emergency Relief at http://www.aerhq.org/
Navy/Marine Relief Society at http://www.nmcrs.org/
Air Force Aid Society at http://www.afas.org/
Coast Guard Mutual Assistance at http://www.cgmahq.org/
Donate to"Operation USO Care Package" at http://www.usometrodc.org/care.html
Support the American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services at http://www.redcross.org/services/afes/0,1082,0_321_,00.html
Volunteer at a VA Hospital to honor veterans who bore the lamp of freedom in past conflicts.
Support families whose loved ones are being treated at military and VA hospitals through a donation to the Fisher House at www.fisherhouse.org.
Reach out to military families in your community, especially those with a loved one overseas.
Please do not flood the military mail system with letters, cards, and gifts. Due to security concerns and transportation constraints, the Department cannot accept items to be mailed to " Any Servicemember ." Some people have tried to avoid this prohibition by sending large numbers of packages to an individual servicemember's address, which however well intentioned, clogs the mail and causes unneccessary delays.
There are other websites and organizations you should check into. Become part of a Homefromt organization. Go to www.americansupportsyou.mil where you can view the hundreds of organizations, inlcluding many right here in Virginia.
What you do, how you thank our men and women.......this is up to you. But.............do something.
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