Support our troops

[Chuck Bao]

It's been a while since we had a link to a webpage where we can send stuff to our troops living overseas.

I just got my bonus and I want to send something.

Anyone have a link or a postal address where I can send some stuff? Spek to anyone with suggestions of stuff.

I'm planning on hosting some naval service men and women in a couple of weeks who will be calling in a Laem Chabang port. My contact person is the daughter of my best friend back in the US. She graduated from Annapolis earlier this year and is on her first tour of duty.

They apparently want to see a Bengal Tiger in the Dusit Zoo in Bangkok. I'm taking off work to take them around Bangkok and I've planned a trip to the Grand Palace/Wat Prakeow, the message school at Wat Po, the canal tours and the Royal Barge Museum.

I've told them that it is really a thank you for what they do for all of us.

I'm hoping this works out and I can say a similar thank you in the future.

Anyway, I would like to send something to those in the Middle East. Got any contact information?

[Flagstaffsooner]

Try this link, Chuck. http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/index.aspx

[Okla-homey]

It's been a while since we had a link to a webpage where we can send stuff to our troops living overseas.

I just got my bonus and I want to send something.

Anyone have a link or a postal address where I can send some stuff? Spek to anyone with suggestions of stuff.

I'm planning on hosting some naval service men and women in a couple of weeks who will be calling in a Laem Chabang port. My contact person is the daughter of my best friend back in the US. She graduated from Annapolis earlier this year and is on her first tour of duty.

They apparently want to see a Bengal Tiger in the Dusit Zoo in Bangkok. I'm taking off work to take them around Bangkok and I've planned a trip to the Grand Palace/Wat Prakeow, the message school at Wat Po, the canal tours and the Royal Barge Museum.

I've told them that it is really a thank you for what they do for all of us.

I'm hoping this works out and I can say a similar thank you in the future.

Anyway, I would like to send something to those in the Middle East. Got any contact information?

FWIW, my guys used to love receiving phone cards more than anything.


Best Phone Card for Deployed Troops
About.com

By Donna Miles

Looking to buy a prepaid phone card for a servicemember deployed to Southwest Asia, but confused about which one to buy?

Take comfort in knowing you're not alone. With so many competing companies offering different calling cards, picking the best one can be a tough call.

Just about any calling card will work for servicemembers calling the United States from Southwest Asia, Judd Anstey, public affairs specialist for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, told American Forces Press Service.

The big question, he said, boils down to which card offers the lowest per- minute talking charges.

Thanks to an exclusive contract with AT&T, DoD military exchanges offer a card that provides the lowest per-minute fees for calls placed from AT&T phone centers in Southwest Asia, Anstey said.

The Military Exchange Prepaid Global 550-unit phone card offers lower per- minute rates than other prepaid cards, including AT&T prepaid cards sold by other retailers, Anstey said. "It's the best value out there," he said.

If the card is purchased in the United States, the per-minute fees are 28 cents a minute from Iraq or Afghanistan and 21 cents a minute from Kuwait. If the deployed servicemember buys the card in Southwest Asia, the rates are even lower, Anstey said, 25 cents a minute from Iraq and Afghanistan and 19 cents a minute from Kuwait.

This compares to as much as 40 cents per minute charged by some phone-card companies after converting calling units to actual calling minutes, Anstey said.

Anstey said the cards offer additional features: there's no connection fee for calls placed, cards never expire, and the purchaser has the option of "recharging them" so the recipient doesn't run out of calling minutes.

With the winter holidays just over the horizon, Anstey said interest in buying Military Exchange Prepaid Global 550-unit phone cards is picking up.

Anyone can buy them -- not just those who qualify to shop in military exchanges, he said. This makes them favorites for groups as well as individuals who wish to buy them for troops serving in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

"Anybody can buy them to donate to a specific servicemember or to any servicemember," Anstey said. "They make great gifts."

The cards are available for sale through all military exchanges: the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), the Navy Exchange (NEX), and the Marine Corps Exchange.

For more details about the cards or to buy them, visit the AAFES, NEX or Marine Corps Exchange Web sites or call (800) 527-2345.

[Chuck Bao]

Thanks flag and homey. I'm trying to figure out this phone cards thing because that is pretty cool and useful.

I'd sponsor 100 cards at $10 apiece.

If someone would like to join in and like do the logistics thingy, we could say it was from SF. i'd be down for that.

[Okla-homey]

Thanks flag and homey. I'm trying to figure out this phone cards thing because that is pretty cool and useful.

I'd sponsor 100 cards at $10 apiece.

If someone would like to join in and like do the logistics thingy, we could say it was from SF. i'd be down for that.

Its really easy to do. You can do eet! Just go here:

https://thor.aafes.com/scs/default.aspx

I recommend the "Red Cross Distribution" option. Those fine folks put them in the hands of the troopies and troopettes with the greatest need. Especially for the wounded and at times when there are crises back home and the guy or gal really needs to spend some quality and unhurried time on the phone to help sort things out.

Its wonderful of you to consider doing this Chuck. I wouldn't worry too much about sharing credit for it with others. I also believe you will receive a disproportionate amount of good karma in return, although I don't mean to imply that's why you're doing it. You're doing it because you are a grateful American. And you'll be giving a great gift: access to loved ones. That's more precious than all the granola bars and beef jerky on the planet to a deployed soldier, sailor, airman or Marine.

[Chuck Bao]

That's like the best website ever, homey.

Your words brought tears to my eyes.

Naw, I'm in it for the karma.

Seriously, that is like easy and useful. I still would do a Soonerfans thing if anyone wants to put in something.

Come on, some of you want to, I know. Like $10 dollars and give a US serviceman or woman a chance to call home. And, we can make Homey the point man.

I mean how cool would that be - free call home cards from Soonerfans for our troops.

[olevetonahill]

Good On ya Chuck
If you Know a soldier send em Booze and Pron . I garedamntee they can trade it for ANYTHING they Might need :D

[Chuck Bao]

I will not venture there. I mean they probably already got women's gymnastics/beach volleyball/Nebraska rasslin'.

How 'bout olevet juice. Probably it can't be sent to a muslim country, but they'd far better off drinking the stuff.

God bless Olevet.

[Okla-homey]

Good On ya Chuck
If you Know a soldier send em Booze and Pron . I garedamntee they can trade it for ANYTHING they Might need :D

neither of which are permitted for shipment to troops in SW Asia per USCENTCOM CG general order. Mustn't offend the locals don't you know.

[StoopTroup]

We offend them everytime we send a hummer over there. ;)

[Flagstaffsooner]

Good On ya Chuck
If you Know a soldier send em Booze and Pron . I garedamntee they can trade it for ANYTHING they Might need :DAs OV crawls though the jungles of Nam, send him pron and booze, maybe he will send you back some Thai stick.;)

[olevetonahill]

neither of which are permitted for shipment to troops in SW Asia per USCENTCOM CG general order. Mustn't offend the locals don't you know.

Thats why they Can trade it for anything they want :D
Dont fer a second think that Booze and pron aint sent there daily :pop:

[Flagstaffsooner]

Vet, he's an offiicer. He dont know whats goin on.;)

[Okla-homey]

Vet, he's an offiicer. He dont know whats goin on.;)


You know those big plastic bottles of old-skool brown Listerine at the Wal-marts? Well, a certain military wife got quite adept at dumping out that nasty stuff and filling it up with scotch (which looks identical), thereupon lovingly tucking it into a "care" package to be sent to a certain serviceperson deployed to Asscrackistan. Just saying.

[BigRedJed]

Unique New York. Unique New York. Mmm... ...I love scotch... ...I love scotch. Scotchy scotch scotch. Here it goes down. Down into my belly. Mmm, mmm, mmm.

[GEN4AU]

neither of which are permitted for shipment to troops in SW Asia per USCENTCOM CG general order. Mustn't offend the locals don't you know.

You've got to be creative. I have 2 good friends in Iraq right now, and every month they get a care package filled with socks. Miniature bottles seem to fit nicely into rolled up socks.

Haven't figured out how to smuggle in the pron yet.