Help our troops talk to their families this holiday season (or anytime, for that matter)! Donate to the USO Operation Phone Home. They take the donations and buy phone cards to give to the service men and women who are far away from their families.
I spent 9 years in the Air Force. I've spent the holidays alone in a dorm room, too broke to afford to call home (especially at $2 a minute!). I wish they had this program back then! I can say from personal experience that the USO (United Service Organizations) helps the troops. When I was 18 years old traveling alone into a foreign country, they were there to give a guiding hand in the right direction. No matter where I was traveling, their offices in the airports gave me a place I could fall asleep without worrying about my luggage being stolen.
I see almost every car on the road these days with a "Support Our Troops" yellow ribbon. That's great! But Talk is cheap. Show them that you appreciate what their doing by giving them a little piece of home.
I just donated $50. I challenge you to give what you can. If that's $5 or $500, anything helps.
Also, I'd like to send a special Thank You to another group of people who SHOW their support to the troops. The Maine Troop Greeters at the Bangor International Airport. They meet EVERY plane of troops that comes through BIA. It doesn't matter if they are heading to training, to war or coming home. They are there to show their support and to say Thank You for all that the troops do for us. My Mother and Step-Father are a couple of the greeters there. My friend Julie and I have joined them while in Maine on vacation. They started doing this during the FIRST Gulf War and they continue on today. My hats off to all of them.
The USO office at BIA offers free cell phone use to the troops passing through so they can call home.
Of course, I’d also like to thank the Troops. They arrive in Bangor after a long trip (I KNOW what those trips are like) and still smile, shake hands, give hugs, sign autographs and show general kindness to all who greet them.
Thank you for the heads up about the military guys. I never would have thought about it since I have never been connected in any way with military stuff. (Though my 18 yr old son is considering joing the reserves here in Canada...not sure how I feel bout that one but not my decision so...). And thanks for posting that very touching pic! A pic is worth a 1000 words, eh?
Hello, Michelle sent me
Hello, Michele sent me. Nice idea!! I've also heard of people who sending phone cards to Walter Reed Hospital for recovering troops to use to talk with family.