Sending email to the troops

The Stars and Stripes, a newspaper for military personnel, accepts emails of 50 words or less that will be printed in a bulletin board format on a first-come, first-run basis. Send email greetings to messages@estripes.com.

The Dear Abby Website offers the most common venue for sending general email messages of support to military. http://www.operationdearabby.com

Contact troops via Red Cross

The American Red Cross offers three programs for connecting with service personnel. The local Red Cross website is: http://www.santaclaravalley.redcross.org.

Military Connect: Americans can purchase prepaid calling cards for overseas servicemen and women in $15, $25 or $50 increments. The card enables family members to leave voice messages for their loved ones by using a toll-free number. Voice messages can then be retrieved by the serviceperson using a touch tone telephone or via email. The card can be purchased and sent to specific soldier or be purchased and donated to anyone in the military. Cards can be purchased by using a credit card at http://www.militaryconnect.org or by calling a Toll-Free Number: 1-888-682-7020

Quality of Life Boxes: The Red Cross assists in sending these care packages to U.S. military members. The packages cannot be sent to a particular soldier because of the war, but are shipped where they are most needed. Anyone can participate in this program by gathering up such items as individually wrapped pieces of hard candy and Bubble Gum, (chocolate bars and candies only during cold weather), microwave popcorn, peanuts, pretzels and other snack foods, sweetened drink mixes—Kool aid and the like—toiletry items such as shaving cream, razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and shower soap/gel, sun screen, wrap-around sun glasses and assorted batteries.he Red Cross will take care of getting the packages to the soldiers, but there is a shipping fee. For a large box the fee could be as high as $40. But this is considered a donation.

Emergency Communication Service: In case of a family emergency, such as the death or serious illness of a family member, the birth of a child, the Red Cross sends messages quickly, anywhere in the world, including ships at sea, embassies and isolated military units.

Active duty service members stationed in the United States, and their immediate family, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and retirees can request emergency services through our local Red Cross chapter by calling: (408) 577-1000 and asking for the military caseworker or by emailing to hopkinsonp@usa.redcross.org.


Send care packages through the USO

United Service Organizations offers care packages. Americans can pay for a $25 care package of personal items. The package—and a personal message from the donor—will be delivered to unspecified service members overseas. Checks may be made out to "Operation USO Care Package" and sent to:

USO-Operation USO Care Package
c/o Pentagon Federal Credit Union
P.O.Box 19221
Alexander, Va. 22320-9998

More details given on the Internet at: http://www.usometrodc.org/care.html.