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We had heard about Operation Dear Abby, a program that allowed people to send mail during the winter holidays addressed to "Any Service Member." Alas, we discovered that this program was canceled as of October 2001 due to fears of terrorism through the mail. Military postal officials will no longer accept anonymous letters or packages for service personnel or any items not addressed to a specific person. Luckily, technology has saved the day. Dear Abby, the U.S. Department of Defense, and other organizations have created a web site, OperationDearAbby.net, where you can leave messages of support and encouragement for those in the American military. This
private and secure site passes your message along to a web site that service members can view. For military personnel with limited Internet access, messages are printed and distributed through bulletin boards, daily briefings, and other means. Letters from home are very encouraging to service people and help build morale, especially during the holidays. If you want to do something more than sending an email, the Department of Defense (DoD) recommends showing your support in the following ways: - Visit Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals and nursing homes (use this facilities locator to find VA hospitals near you).
- If you know
any military families with loved ones deployed overseas, offer your support directly to them. You could even ask for their loved one's address to send a care package.
- Donate to military relief societies.
The DoD also reminds us that military personnel often volunteer in their communities when they're not overseas. By volunteering at a local homeless shelter or soup kitchen, you may be taking the place of that service person and helping them indirectly. While you can't send anonymous care packages, if you know a specific solider, sailor, or Marine, you can send him or her a letter or package. The Military Postal Service Agency notes that you must
mail first-class letters and priority mail packages by December 11 for Christmas delivery to APO or FPO addresses. For airmail to other international addresses, the deadline is December 16, with the exception of mail to Africa and Central and South America, which must be posted by December 9. Not sure what to send? This military care packages site has tons of ideas for nonperishable foods and practical items that service personnel will appreciate, as well as gift ideas from spouses and kids. This site also offers handy tips for packing and mailing your gifts.
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