For over five years, I have been sending care packages, cards, and letters to America's Warriors serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Qatar, Kuwait, Bosnia, Djibouti, and other "hot spots" around the world supporting the Global War on Terror. There are many of our young men and women in service who, for one reason or another, do not get much mail; there are even some who don't get any mail at all.  I can't help them all, but I do my best to help as many as I can.

Try to imagine being halfway around the world in a hostile place, feeling like there's not anyone back home who cares what happens to you. Mail comes once every week or two, even less frequently if you are in a very active area of operations. Every time mail comes, you wait hopefully for your name to be called - a postcard, a letter, maybe a package full of hygiene gear that you can't get at your remote post, or some snacks you can put in a pocket while on patrol or guard duty - the last piece of mail is distributed, and there you are, empty-handed, watching your battle buddies reading the letters and opening the care packages somebody back home put together with love and care. I don't know about y'all, but that is a scenario I just can't imagine - and I do all I can to help keep that from happening, as well as to raise the morale of those who either don't have a good support system or whose families have all they can do to take care of things at home while their loved one is deployed.

In today's economy, it is difficult at times to provide the items our Warriors need or want. Postage is high; often times I will find myself with "stuff" to send, but no postage available to send it. I request help from friends and co-workers but get more "promises" than actual help. In September of 2009, I came up with an idea that is working pretty well to raise funds, which I call "Help Raise Dough for the Troops." I bake bread all the time - who doesn't like homemade bread? So I put out a flier at work, and my daughter-in-law put one up at the school where she teaches, that lets people know that for a $5 donation, they can get a loaf of fresh-baked bread or two dozen dinner rolls. I've been able to send out more packages since I started that effort. In fact, in a couple of months time, with around $75 worth of ingredients, I raised over $600 and managed to send 17 Christmas-specific care packages and 4 general care packages to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. I only wish I had thought of it sooner!  I hope word of mouth will expand my "donor base." I got a call during Christmas break from someone who had eaten some of my dinner rolls at a cousin's house on Thanksgiving who wanted to order some for New Year's Eve; how about that? So far, so good.

It is my hope that I can drum up some interest in helping to support the troops, which is what this web page is all about. It isn't enough to just slap a magnet on the back of your car that says "Support The Troops." America's Warriors can't see your car from the battlefield. They need tangible proof that America is behind them; a simple letter, a card that says "Thank you for all you do on our behalf," a box of items that somebody went to the effort and expense of putting together, just for them. Items as simple as powdered drink mixes to put in their bottled water (which is warm more often than not), gum, hard candies that are individually wrapped, trail mix, granola bars - anything can brighten the day of our Warriors and give them the morale boost they need to continue to do their job. I have sent flannel sheet sets, fleece throws, soft toilet tissue, boxer briefs in various sizes, socks, board games, beanie babies, batteries, paper, pens, envelopes...there is no end of things our troops appreciate getting from back home. Things we take for granted every day can make any day seem like Christmas to our Heroes!

A lot of people assume that Uncle Sam provides EVERYTHING the troops need while they are deployed. However, this is not the case at all. When it comes to hygiene gear, it is up to the troops to purchase their own. Their choices are limited, especially if they are in a remote location that doesn't have access to a PX/BX (think "convenience store") and even if they are at one of the larger FOB's with access to a PX/BX, a lot of times their work schedules keep them from being able to make it to the "store" during operating hours. There are no 24-hour Sprawl-Marts where these guys and gals are! The most popular items are generally sold out as soon as the shelves are stocked, leaving our Heroes empty-handed. Thus, some of our Warriors depend on their families and supporters for the things they need to stay clean and smell good. That's where we come in, "we" being anybody who is willing to pick up the slack and let our troops know they are appreciated and have not been forgotten.

There is a side benefit to supporting our troops, one that I hadn't even considered when I first started sending cards, letters, and care packages - you might find yourself with a new friend. A majority of the time, I never hear back from the Warrior I have sent something to; I send on faith that it's actually getting to where it's needed. And that's okay - our Heroes are busy with the task at hand (and staying alive), and when they're not busy, they're using their down time to get in touch with their loved ones or trying to relax and unwind, or sleeping. However, there are those who do find the time to write a letter, or send an e-mail, or if I'm really lucky, chat on Yahoo IM. If I happen to check the mail and there's a "Free Mail" envelope mixed in among the usual bills and junk mail, it's just like finding a pearl in an oyster. Every letter, card, or e-mail from our Troops goes into a sheet protector, and is placed in a 3-ring binder, of which I have 6 filled and am working on the 7th. A handful of my adopted Troops have kept in touch when they return home, and I have several who I am supporting through yet another deployment. They're my "kids in the sandbox," and I love 'em all - even the ones I've never heard back from.

I appreciate you taking the time to explore my website ~ read and comment on the blog, sign the guest book, add a comment or ask a question on the comment page. I also hope you will consider helping support our troops (Navigate to Paypal via the link below to make a secure donation to help provide care packages for our men and women in uniform overseas). Click the link below for page 2, and the link at the bottom of each successive page to get an idea what it is that drives me to continue supporting our Warriors.