In order to man our donation table at Sam’s Club, we need YOUR help. If you have a couple hours to spare, we hope that you will consider finding a way to come out and help us.

We appreciate any sacrifice that you can make to help us man the donation table. Remember the sacrifice being made for each of us by our deployed troops and their families.

We need volunteers to work the following shifts:

Saturday 6/1/13

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

2:00 pm  to 4:00 pm

Sunday 6/2/13

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

We are also in need of a couple of drivers with a pick up truck, minivan, or SUV to help deliver the booth supplies to Sam’s on Saturday morning and help with set up between 9:30 – 10:00 AM that morning, as well as someone to help us get the donations from Sam’s Club to our office at Millpond center on Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 4:00 pm.

If you can help, please send Ginny an email to volunteer@military-missions.org or call Barbara at 859-221-9477 as soon as possible.

As always, we are extremely grateful for your support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

Texas Roadhouse is having a fundraising day for Military Missions. We will receive 10% of food sales when you bring in our flyer and make a purchase. The money raised during this fundraiser will be used for postage on care packages to be shipped during our upcoming Operation S.E.N.D.

Our personalized flyer MUST be shown for us to receive 10%.  It can be a paper copy or an image on your cell phone.

Texas Roadhouse is located at 3030 Lakecrest Circle, Lexington, KY.  The fundraiser event is from 4:00 pm until 10:00 pm.

Please right-click on the flyer to print a copy or send to your cell phone.

Invite your friends and family! Thank you for your support!

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MilitaryMissionsInc

We have had an incredible increase in the number of care package requests. Our list of soldiers is growing every day. With the sluggish economy and high gas prices, we are in great need of donations to meet the need. We hope you will download a copy of our care package suggestion list and plan to donate some items to be included in our packages. We are also in need of monetary donations to cover the costs of shipping. You can donate directly from our website.

Even if you can’t participate in this event you can still support our troops by spreading the word and reposting this event on your Facebook page.

CLICK TO REGISTER

DONATION SUGGESTION LIST

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION

CBRE of Lexington recently had a bowling tournament and Military Missions received the money that was raised!  They had a morning and afternoon session in which the employees were teamed up and bowled against one another for the high score, low score, best move, most improved and over all high scoring team.  They will also be coming to the office in a couple months to help assemble care packages for our June mailing.  Thank you CBRE!! 

We want to thank Seton Hall School for collecting items for care packages!

The top 10 collectors got to come to our office and help assemble items for care packages. What a great idea!  Thanks to all who participated!

We want to thank a group from the Bluegrass Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America for volunteering recently!

They brought donated items as well as monetary donations and they helped pack unit bags for the upcoming Easter mailing.

Thank you AACA!!

View more photos of the AACA group on our Facebook page.

OPERATION S.E.N.D. EASTER is here!

OPERATION S.E.N.D EASTER is one of the many projects that Military Missions, Inc undertakes each year in an effort to Send Encouragement to our Nation’s Deployed.  Military Missions Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting our military, our veterans, and their families on a year round basis.

“If someone is serving in the military on our behalf, then we are going to be sure to offer support and encouragement to them no matter what time of the year it happens to be,” says Military Missions Inc founder, Beth Pennington.  “As we celebrate Easter with our families, our troops will not have the opportunity to be with their loved ones.  Instead they will be standing watch over each of us, protecting us from harm and defending our liberties.  Each one is a parent, a sibling, a child, a spouse, a friend, and an American.  Let’s join together and send our troops some encouragement as well as our thanks.”

There are a number of ways in which people can get involved in OPERATION S.E.N.D. EASTER.  Military Missions, Inc. will be accepting donations in the form of care package items, personal cards and letters written to the troops, and monetary donations to cover the postage needed to mail packages overseas.

Schools, churches, organizations, businesses, and individuals from all over the USA participate in OPERATION S.E.N.D. EASTER.  To find out how you can get involved in this endeavor, visit http://www.military-missions.org.

You may contact the organization via email at info@military-missions.org, or by calling 859-221-9477.  Donations can be dropped off or mailed to the office located in the Millpond Shopping Center at 3650 Boston Road, Suite 146, Lexington, Kentucky 40514.

The care package assembly night will be on March 13, 2013, allowing time for the packages to reach the deployed troops for Easter.  If you are interested in attending the care package assembly on Wednesday, March 13, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, please click here to register.

If you know of someone who will be deployed during the Easter holiday this year, they can be added to the care package mailing list at www.military-missions.org/add-a-hero/

You also have to chance to adopt a Hero for Easter. For more details please go to www.military-missions.org/adopt-a-hero/

CARE PACKAGE DONATION SUGGESTION LIST

CARE PACKAGE GUIDELINES

HELP US ENSURE THE PACKAGES REACH THE TROOPS!  CLICK HERE TO MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION.

Military Missions sends care packages to our deployed troops year round. We just recently completed our largest mailing of the year (possibly largest ever) during Operation SEND Christmas. We were thrilled to be able to send a care package to every soldier on our list! However, it depleted much of our stock of necessary items such as baby wipes, eye drops, pocket tissues, etc.

Therefore, we are RE-introducing OPERATION DISPATCH, designated as the 3rd Tuesday of every month. It’s your chance to donate a suggested minimum of $10 each month to help support our troops. For the next couple months, we are going to add in some items that we need donated as well. We need to get items back on the shelves because OPERATION EASTER is just around the corner!

This month we encourage donations of “travel size” SHAMPOO, LOTION and FOOT POWDER. These are VERY important items that get sent in care packages. Can you imagine how beneficial foot powder would be after hiking for miles? Sometimes the troops have to wear the same socks for days because they don’t have the time or means to wash them.

It is very easy to donate items, even if you live out of state, with just a few clicks of your mouse. Items can be ordered online and shipped to our office. Another option is to order from a store that is near us such as Dollar Tree or Walmart. It is normally free to ship items to a store and one of our volunteers will gladly go to the store and pick up your donated items. You don’t even have to leave your comfy couch!

So PLEASE get involved in OPERATION DISPATCH and make a monetary donation today, February 19th or donate some travel size shampoo, lotion, or foot powder anytime.

Feel free to send an email to info@military-missions.org with any questions or if you need help locating a nearby store. Donate via credit card or PayPal by clicking the button below.

We receive many photos from friends and family who are nominating their loved one for Hero of the Day. Active duty military, wounded warriors, fallen heroes, and veterans are all eligible for this honor. We want to honor and thank these Heroes by sharing their photo with as many people as possible.

Over the past years, the photos have been displayed in our office for everyone to see. However, during certain periods, the office doesn’t have much traffic so we needed a way to share the Heroes with more people. Our facebook page has been a great way to share the photos. However, believe it or not, there are a few people that don’t have facebook. So, to share our Heroes with even more people, we now have our digital Hero Wall on our website!

Please take a few minutes to browse the photos at www.military-missions.org/hero-wall-photos. All of these Heroes have sacrificed so much to fight for and protect our freedoms. Military Missions is honored to be able to share them with you.

Allan’s wife submitted him for Hero of the Day and I want to share her letter with you since she described him better than anyone else could.

“Stationed overseas, miles away from home Allan still is able to be a Daddy. Our 11th grader was having issues with her Math and is currently not making great grades. Allan, our hero, stayed up until 0430 his time helping her work on her Math. Two days later our daughter was having a minor surgery done. She had only had one surgery done without him there. She is 19 yrs old but wanted her Daddy. He stayed on Skype with her the whole time from walking into the office until she was safe in the truck with me. These are just two small reasons he is our Hero.

Allan has remained behind in Kuwait while his Company moved to their final location. His Company of soldiers are not soldiers to him, they are his kids. He helps them with marriage issues, money management and all aspects of life.

Allan tries his best to serve his country to his fullest while still being a father. This is just a few simple things that he does as an awesome Father, Soldier, Husband and Hero.”

Please take a minute to visit our facebook page and join us in saying “Thank you, Allan!! We appreciate everything you are doing and all the sacrifices you have made.”

Follow us on Facebook ~ www.facebook.com/MilitaryMissionsInc

That means it’s also time for Operation S.E.N.D. Easter!! More details will be posted as the date nears, but you can mark your calendars for the next care package assembly. It will be Wednesday, March 13th, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. 

Register to attend today by emailing Ginny at volunteer@military-missions.org and stay tuned for more announcements!! 

Meet Richard, Military Missions Hero of the Day!

Richard is 22 years old and signed up to join the Marines while he was still in high school. Upon graduating in 2008, he went to Boot Camp in California. He was then transferred to Camp LeJeune, NC and is now stationed on the USS Iwo Jima. He has been deployed since March 2012.

Richard gets a lot of support from his family at home which includes his parents, 5 sisters, and 3 brothers. He also has a 5 yr old nephew that adores him! His family wants to let him know “We miss him and love him dearly! We can’t wait until he gets to come home!”

Please take a minute to visit our facebook page and join us in saying “Thank you, Richard! We appreciate everything you do!”

Follow us on Facebook ~ www.facebook.com/MilitaryMissionsInc

Military Missions sends care packages to our deployed troops year round. We just recently completed our largest mailing of the year (possibly largest ever) during Operation SEND Christmas. We were thrilled to be able to send a care package to every soldier on our list! However, it depleted much of our stock of necessary items such as baby wipes, eye drops, pocket tissues, etc.

Therefore, we are RE-introducing OPERATION DISPATCH. In the past, this has been designated as the 3rd Tuesday of every month. It’s your chance to donate a suggested minimum of $10 each month to help support our troops. For the next 3 months, we are going to add in a couple items that we need donated as well. We need to get items back on the shelves because OPERATION EASTER is just around the corner!

SO.. with that being said… this month we encourage donations of BABY WIPES and EYE DROPS. These are two very important items that get sent in care packages. Many deployed units are in the field for days, weeks, or even months without the opportunity to shower. You can see why baby wipes are so important. Eye drops are also a very necessary item.

It is very easy to donate items, even if you live out of state, with just a few clicks of your mouse.  Items can be ordered online and shipped to our office. Another option is to order from a store that is near us such as Dollar Tree or Walmart. It is normally free to ship items to a store and one of our volunteers will gladly go to the store and pick up your donated items. You don’t even have to leave your comfy couch!

So PLEASE get involved in OPERATION DISPATCH and make a monetary donation on Tuesday, January 15th or donate some baby wipes or eye drops anytime.

Feel free to send an email to info@military-missions.org with any questions or if you need help locating a nearby store.

Military Missions, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Public Charity and any donations made are tax deductible. 

Shane decided to join the military to protect our country and to help keep family, friends and loved ones safe. He has served our country for 16 years now. Shane is a Platoon Sergeant and is a master gunner. He is currently with 1-38 Infantry Bayonet Company (Rock of the Marne).

During his off time, Shane loves to ride his quad on the Sand dunes in Oregon and he is a huge DUCKS fan. Shane has a huge heart and would give you the shirt off his back. His wife wants to tell him “I miss you Shane! Come home soon baby! I love you!”

Please take a minute to visit our facebook page and join us in saying “Thank you, Shane, for your service! We appreciate everything you have done for our country!”

Once again, Operation SEND Christmas was a success! All the care packages have been shipped and we have received a few thank you’s already. It is so heart warming to read the notes. It is very clear that receiving a care package makes their day a little better!

A total of 2,880 packages were shipped during Operation SEND Christmas. That brings the total number of boxes shipped during 2012 to approximately 6,000!

During the past year, boxes have been sent to troops deployed in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Africa, South Korea, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Kosovo, England and also to many ships that are positioned in the Middle East.

We want to thank anyone and everyone who was involved in any way. None of this would be possible without YOU!

Boxes upon boxes of donations poured in from all across the United States. A total of 264 Heroes were adopted as you shopped for and paid to ship their care package. Many people volunteered at the office during care package assemblies as well as day to day activities.

While our list of deployed Heroes continues to grow, so does our passion and determination to assure that every single one of them receives a care package.

Thank you for partnering with Military Missions, Inc. to support and encourage those that ensure freedoms known only to Americans.  

This was the first year for our Adopt a Hero program which was launched during Operation S.E.N.D. Christmas.  We had no idea how it would turn out… but it was worth a try.  The final results are in, and thanks to AMAZING people like yourself, it was a huge success! Way beyond our expectations.

A total of 264 Heroes were adopted! 

The map above provides a visual of how many states were involved.

The yellow states had 1 adoption each. (So if you adopted and live in a yellow state, you can say you put your state on the map!) The pink states had between 2 and 5 adoptions each. Green states had between 6 and 10 adoptions each. Blue states had between 11 and 15 each. And Kentucky had over 15… (maybe I should have made Ky blue instead of red… hmmm) … Anyways…

A big THANK YOU goes out to everyone who helped make this a SUCCESS. Please note that this map only reflects the Hero adoptions and does not include the many donations that poured in from all over the US. We want to send a huge THANK YOU to anyone and everyone who donated in any way to help make sure each soldier on our list received a Christmas care package! 

 (If you adopted a Hero, please tag yourself on our facebook map)

Today is a date that will never come around again… 12-12-12. Six months from now, if someone were to ask what you did on 12-12-12, you probably couldn’t remember what you did.

Here is your chance to answer “I made a difference in the life of an American Hero!”

Our true Heroes are the men and women who are protecting our freedoms by serving in the US military. They make many sacrifices EVERYDAY for us. One major sacrifice is being away from their loved ones while they are deployed overseas. Thousands of miles from home, with no comforts of everyday living like you and I have.

You can make a $12 donation today, 12-12-12, and know that you have made a difference. Military Missions, Inc. works year round to send care packages to our deployed troops. We are a 100% volunteer operated, IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donation is tax deductible.

You may say “What would my one donation of $12.00 do?? How could that make a difference?” …  Well, let me show you.

Your donation of $12 will purchase any one of the following groups of items:

*12 packages of baby wipes*

*8 pairs of socks*

*13 Chap Sticks*

*24 decks of cards*

*12 puzzle books*

*15 cans of tuna*

*12 cans of chicken*

*25 cans of Vienna sausage*

*32 packages of Pop-Tarts*

*48 granola bars*

*24 bags of hard candy*

*48 pkgs of chewing gum*

*12 boxes of drink mix*

*Shipping of care pkg*

You may think $12 doesn’t go very far when you’re shopping, but to a deployed service member, the items above mean more than you can imagine.

Please consider donating $12 to help support our deployed troops during the next 12 months.

www.military-missions.org/donate

THANK YOU!

We want to say THANK YOU to Cub Scout Pack 279 from Lexington!

The Scouts and their parents came into the office a couple weeks ago and assembled some care packages so they would be ready for shipping!

We always appreciate our Scout groups. Thank you, Pack #279!!

We would like to send out a big THANK YOU to this awesome group from Lord’s Legacy’s Day Program.

Their Day Program is for adults with various disabilities who are interested in continuing their education and independent life skills.

The individuals pictured created star wreaths and collected donations for our Christmas care packages going overseas. They did a GREAT job!!

THANK YOU!!

We want to send out a big THANK YOU to Cub Scout Pack #242 in Newport News, Virginia!!

* * *

They have been donating to Military Missions for several years now.

This year they adopted a Hero and make cards for his care package. They also donated a box full of care package items they collected and made more cards to be placed in other care packages.

We really appreciate everything they have done!

* * *

Visit our facebook page to view more photos of the Scouts.

Read more about Cub Scout Pack #242.

Dear Military Missions,

Thank you so much for accepting our request. He is truly my hero. He is really struggling right now and his spirits are really down with the Christmas holiday right around the corner and money being so tight. I am worried about him not getting any packages while we adjust back home to our new budget.  I am thankful for your help! I submitted a recent pic of my sailor and hope you can use it! Thank you so very much!

Hello! My brother just recently deployed to Afghanistan and won’t be home until NOV 2012. I would love it if you could add him to your mailing list. He is in the Army and it’s hard for us to get stuff shipped to him (money) so please, anything will help him get thru this.

Dear Military Missions, I came across your website.  This is the second year in a row that I will be deployed throughout the holidays.  I greatly appreciate everything you are doing.  I hope you don’t mind that I signed myself up.

Dear Military Missions, 

I have names of four Marines that our Family Readiness Office has given me. They are not getting any mail from family members so if it would be ok, can I send in their info so they can receive care packages? Thank you.

Dear Military Missions,

Thanks for replying back with an email. We have 42 Marines in the platoon.  We really appreciate all the stuff you guys are doing for the troops. I told Marines about the care packages and they were super excited about it. We’ve been here for only a couple of weeks now but are really short on food so this would definitely be a morale booster!!  Some Marines never receive any packages or mail. We haven’t received any mail yet in the platoon because we just got here, but I’ve seen multiple occasions where Marines didn’t receive anything just simply because they didn’t have any family members back home. Once again thank you so much and hope to hear from you soon. We are working on taking a platoon picture and we would be glad to send you guys back some pictures and letters. Thank you and have a good day!

Click here to find out how you can make a donation.

For those who have a loved one serving, there will be an empty seat at the table. There will be a missing smile and a void that no one can replace while their loved one is deployed.

For many families, the smile and presence of their hero will be only a memory because their loved one gave their life so that we can continue to live in a free nation and celebrate this annual holiday.

As we pause to give thanks for all of our blessings, let’s set an extra place at our tables this year in honor of those who serve.

Let’s give that place setting the seat of honor at the head of our tables.

Let’s remember that while we are gathered with family and friends, there are many who stand watch over us and our families and ensure that we can continue to celebrate our freedoms and our blessings each year.

We also ask that you consider showing your gratitude by making a donation to ensure that each of the deployed troops on our list can receive a package for Christmas.

Our staff at Military Missions Inc is made up completely of volunteers.  No one gets paid, so every dime of your donation goes to ensure a package gets into the hands of each hero on our list.

You can donate right from our website via Paypal. You can also mail us a check, or you can stop by our office and make a cash donation.

Here are a few of the faces of those who have received our packages.

Thank you for your continued support of our troops through Military Missions Inc. It is our honor to be able to partner with you in this way.

On behalf of Military Missions Inc., we want to thank each one who is currently serving, and all who have worn the uniform in the past.  We also want to thank the families who serve here on the homefront.

We are forever grateful for your service and your sacrifice.

Happy Thanksgiving!

NOV. 29th – CARE PACKAGE ASSEMBLY

6:00 – 7:30 pm

Join us as we assemble boxes for our next care package mailing. We will be meeting at our office in Millpond Center, 3650 Boston Road, Suite 146, Lexington, KY 40514. If you plan to participate please send an email to Ginny at volunteer@military-missions.org or call Barbara at 859-221-9477.

We have had an incredible increase in the number of care package requests. Our list of soldiers is growing every day. With the sluggish economy and high gas prices, we are in great need of donations to meet the need. We hope you will download a copy of our care package suggestion list and plan to donate some items to be included in our packages. We are also in need of monetary donations to cover the costs of shipping. You can donate directly from our website.

Even if you can’t participate in this event you can still support our troops by spreading the word and reposting this event on your Facebook page.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

DONATION SUGGESTION LIST

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION

We want to give a big THANK YOU to Dr Katy Gieselman and the pediatric residency dept at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. They collected these great items for Operation S.E.N.D. Christmas!! We really appreciate it!!

~~

If you or your business would like to donate, please email info@military-missions.org or call 859-221-9477.

~~

As always, we are extremely grateful for your support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

Brian joined the Marines after high school. He has been through 2 deployments and is a Purple Heart recipient. Brian received his Purple Heart on March, 28, 2011 for injuries sustained while deployed in Nawa, Afghanistan. He is currently attached to the wounded warrior battalion, as he looks forward to his future.

Brian has a very proud family supporting him at home and he is his 13 yr old brother’s biggest Hero! He loves the outdoors and hunting and is participating in a wounded warrior hunting trip.

Please take a minute to visit our facebook page and join us in saying Thank you, Brian, for your service! We appreciate everything you have done for our country!

Veterans Day is honoring ALL American veterans, living and dead. It is a chance to say THANK YOU to our living veterans and to show them our appreciation. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day. There are many Veteran Day ceremonies held across the U.S.

Military Missions, Inc, would like to say “THANK YOU” to each and every Veteran and tell them how much their service is appreciated! If you happen to see a Veteran today, take a minute to say those two simple words. You have no idea how much it will mean to them!

One week from today is our BIGGEST care package assembly of the YEAR!! If you have never attended this event, then you don’t know what you’re missing!

We will be packaging HUNDREDS of items, within a couple hours, to send to our deployed troops. It takes many donated items to make this event a success.

Maybe you’re wondering… WHAT CAN I DONATE??  Well, here is a list of suggested items that we are always in need of. (Click here for print version.)

First of all, POSTAGE money is always needed! Even if we have shelves full of stuff to send, we can’t send anything if we have no money to pay the shipping. Many people think we can ship care packages for free… I WISH!! It’s costs an average of $10 per box for postage. Our goal for Operation SEND Christmas is to ship around 3,000 packages… you can do the math! So… with that being said, monetary donations are ALWAYS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!  (Click here to donate.)

Another item at the top of the list is PERSONAL CARE ITEMS. This would include lubricating eye drops, foot powder, baby wipes, chapstick/blistex, lens cleaning wipes, pocket size tissues, hand sanitizer, nasal spray, socks, vaseline, boot insoles, electrical tape. Imagine being deployed, probably in Afghanistan, with only the bare necessities. No bathrooms or showers for weeks or months at a time… Baby wipes are the showers… foot powder helps soothe feet that may have remained in boots for days. Receiving these personal items in a care package could mean the world to someone.

Next on the list, DRINK & SNACK ITEMS. How would you like eating MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat) all day, everyday, for months? How often do you get the urge to run to McDonalds or Taco Bell? I’m sure you would look forward to receiving items like Slim Jims, beef jerky, cookies, granola bars, pop-tarts, gum, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, etc.

Some other things we send are items to help take their mind off things if possible. Items like a book or magazine to read, some playing cards, a CD or DVD, a Bible, pocket size games, puzzle books, nerf balls, or hacky sacks. We also include at least 10 hand written cards or letters in each care package. We’ve been told MANY times that these cards and letters mean the most to them. Someone telling them they are appreciated and cared about. Sometimes we send pictures drawn by young kids. Those always put a smile on someone’s face when they open their box.

So as you can see, there is meaning and love behind every single item that goes into a care package. I guess that’s why it’s called a “CARE” package!

So I hope you will be able to join us for OPSEND at the National Guard Armory on Airport Rd on Nov. 5th. (Be sure to register.) If you haven’t adopted a Hero yet, you can do that while you’re there. You can do a video shout out to the troops and thank them for everything they do. You will be AMAZED at how good you will feel afterwards!

If you have questions, email info@military-missions.org or call 859-221-9477.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!

MAKE A DONATION ~ MAKE A DIFFERENCE

ADOPT-A-HERO

REGISTER FOR OPSEND

DONATION SUGGESTION LIST

These much needed items will be used at OPERATION S.E.N.D. CHRISTMAS on November 5, 2012, at Kentucky National Guard Armory.  THANK YOU THRIVENT!!

(Pictured-left to right:  Paul Davidson, Robert Lawson, Glenn Schmuck, LuAnn Schmuck)

Don’t miss Military Missions Annual Community Care Package Assembly!

Monday, November 5, 2012

6:00 to 8:00 PM

Kentucky National Guard Armory

4301 Airport Rd., Lexington, KY

For more info about attending the event, please contact Linda at info@military-missions.org or call Barbara at 859-221-9477.

OPERATION S.E.N.D. CHRISTMAS is just one of the projects that MILITARY MISSIONS INC undertakes each year, and it is definitely one of the biggest! Military Missions, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting our military and their families, as well as our veterans. The organization sends care packages out on a year round basis, but efforts for Christmas increase tenfold.

On Christmas Day, our troops will not be gathered around the tree at home with family and friends. Instead, they will be standing watch over each of us, protecting us from harm and defending our liberties. Each one is a parent, a sibling, a child, a spouse, a friend, and an American. We need to send them encouragement as well as our thanks.

Several events around the community are planned during the months of October, November, and December each year. Military Missions Inc typically holds a community wide care package assembly which is open to the general public. The event takes place in early November at the Kentucky National Guard Armory in Lexington, Kentucky.

There are a number of ways that people can get involved in OPERATION S.E.N.D. CHRISTMAS. Military Missions, Inc. accepts donations in the form of care package items, personal cards and letters written to the troops, and monetary donations to cover postage which will be about $20,000 for boxes mailed out in December alone. Christmas care packages are typically mailed during the first week in December in order to reach our troops by Christmas Day.

Schools, churches, organizations, businesses, and individuals from all over the USA participate in OPERATION S.E.ND. CHRISTMAS. To find out more about how you can get involved, spend some time on our website. You may contact the organization via email at info@military-missions.org or by calling 859-221-9477, or you can drop by the office located in Millpond Shopping Center at 3650 Boston Road, Suite 146, in Lexington. Kentucky.

To find out more about Military Missions Inc., you can visit our website at www.military-missions.org.

 HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE?

PLEASE REGISTER IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE EVENT!

* * *

A care package suggestion list can be found on our website at

http://www.military-missions.org/care-packages/

* * *

* * *

YOU

can make a difference in the life of an American hero!

HELP DECORATE OUR TREE BY ADOPTING A HERO

We are starting with a bare tree. Each time a Hero is adopted, an ornament will be placed on the tree.

YOU get to provide a little Christmas cheer for a deployed Hero of your choice by shopping for and assembling their care package!

* * *

How do you adopt a Hero?

First, choose a name from our Hero listing. These names are just a handful picked for our website. The list will be updated as names are removed and others are added.

~~

If you live in the Central Ky. area, you will shop for the suggested items and bring those items to our office or to Operation S.E.N.D. Christmas at the National Guard Armory on November 5th where you will assemble your Hero’s care package. Remember to bring $10 to cover the shipping charge on the package.

A card will be placed in your care package stating “This care package was made especially for you by:” where you will sign your name. You will be sending a touch of home to your chosen Hero who is serving in harm’s way on our behalf. What better way to let them know they are not forgotten during the holiday season!

~~

If you do not live in the Central Ky. area, you can still participate by shipping the items to our office or by donating a total of  $30. This will cover the cost of the items and the postage for the care package. We will do the shopping and packing for you. The special card will also be placed in the box stating it’s from you and your family.

Please remember all the troops, defending our freedom, who are deployed and away from their families during the holidays.

Visit our adoption page today and ADOPT A HERO! You’ll be so glad you did!

So how can you get involved? There are several things you can do to show your support for our troops. You can donate TIME, donate ITEMS, or donate MONEY. Our troops and their families sacrifice so much to serve and protect our country, so please give a little in return.

DONATE YOUR TIME – We need volunteers to work shifts at the table. Shoppers interested in donating will be given a map with locations of items needed for care packages. They can purchase items while doing their regular shopping and donate them as they leave the store. We will be there Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. We especially need workers for Sunday morning. If you can help, please email Ginny at volunteer@military-missions.org or call Barbara at 859-221-9477 as soon as possible.

DONATE ITEMS – Check out our donation suggestion list and shop for items on your next shopping trip. They can be dropped off at our office in Millpond Shopping Center at 3650 Boston Rd, Suite 146, Lexington KY 40514 during office business hours.

DONATE MONEY – It approximately $10.00 in postage for each care package mailed. We want to be able to send a package to every deployed military person on our list. This will not be possible without your tax-deductible donations. There are hundreds of names on our list and it is growing every day. You can make a donation online 24 hours a day – 7 days a week.

As always, we are extremely grateful for your support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

Gold Star Mother’s Day is observed in the United States on the last Sunday of September each year. It is a day for people to recognize and honor those who have lost a son or daughter while serving the United States Armed Forces.

We need some volunteers to help man our donation table. If you have a couple hours to spare, we hope that you will consider finding a way to come out and help us.

We appreciate any sacrifice that you can make to help us man the donation table. Remember the sacrifice being made for each of us by our deployed troops and their families.

We need volunteers to work the following shifts:

Saturday 10/13/12

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

2:00 pm  to 4:00 pm

 Sunday 10/14/12

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

We are also in need of a couple of drivers with a pick up truck, minivan, or SUV to help deliver the booth supplies to Sam’s on Saturday morning and help with set up between 9:30 to 10:00 AM that morning, as well as someone to help us get the donations from Sam’s Club to our office at Millpond center on Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 4:00 pm.

If you can help, please send Ginny an email to volunteer@military-missions.org or call Barbara at 859-221-9477 as soon as possible.

As always, we are extremely grateful for your support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

Robert joined the U.S. Navy in August 1988.  He completed Basic Recruit Training, Hospital Corpsman “A” School, and Fleet Marine Force Service School. Following graduation in April of 1990, he reported for duty at 1st Force Service Support Group, 1st Medical Battalion in Camp Pendleton California. He has since completed various other assignments too numerous to mention.

Robert’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Humanitarian Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal as well numerous unit campaign and service awards. He is qualified to wear the Enlisted Fleet Marine Force Warfare, Enlisted Surface Warfare, Enlisted Aviation Warfare, and Master Training Specialist Designators.

At home, Robert has a wife of 20 years and four beautiful daughters who miss him very much.

Please join me in saying “Thank you for your service Robert!! We appreciate everything you do!”

Please visit our Facebook Hero of the Day album to view more of our Heroes!

A local Scentsy consultant (and Marine sister) has offered her entire commission to Military Missions during our fundraiser thru September 26th.

If you haven’t tried Scentsy flameless warmers yet, you don’t know what you’re missing!!

Check out the Scentsy product line. They have a large selection of warmers and other fragrance products including the Patriot Collection warmers shown above.

Visit our fundraiser page to order and Military Missions will receive 25% of all purchases made by 9-26. This is a great time to purchase some Christmas gifts and help support our deployed troops at the same time! Money raised during this fundraiser will go towards shipping for OPERATION S.E.N.D. CHRISTMAS.

Last December, Military Missions shipped 3,000 care packages in addition to the 2,500 unit bags and boxes sent during the rest of the year. This year our care package list has grown more than ever before. It will cost $25,000 to cover postage costs alone.

It makes perfect sense to buy some perfect scents to help our troops!!

As always, we are extremely grateful for any and all support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

We have been asked to provide desserts again this year and assist with serving lunch to these courageous veterans and their family members.

The ceremony will take place this Friday, September 21, 2012, at the VA Medical Center located at 2250 Leestown Road, Lexington, Kentucky.

We are looking for volunteers to help during the event, as well as volunteers who would be willing to provide a dessert.

EVENT VOLUNTEERS:

The ceremony begins at 10:30.  We have been asked to arrive by 9:30 am.  Your help will be needed until approximately 1:00 pm.   Please send an email to Ginny at volunteer@military-missions.org.  Include your contact information such as cell phone number so we can contact you on the day of the event if there is a need to do so.

If you are also planning to bring a dessert item with you on the day of the event, please indicate this information in your email when you sign up for the event.

DESSERT VOLUNTEERS:

If you can not attend the event, but would like to help by donating a dessert item, please send an email to Ginny at volunteer@military-missions.org.  Let us know which dessert you are planning to donate.

Desserts can be dropped off at our office at Millpond Center, 3650 Boston Rd., Suite 146, Lexington, KY,  on Thursday, September 20, between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM or dropped of directly at the VA Medical Center’s Leestown Road Campus on the morning of the event anytime after 9:00 AM.

SUGGESTIONS:

*Please try to donate items in disposable containers.

*Include a serving utensil for your dessert.

*If containers are not disposable, please mark items with your name.

*Slice items, such as cakes, prior to drop off.

*This event is outside. Please do not bring items which need to remain refrigerated prior to being served.

Thank you for supporting our veterans and honoring our POW’s.

That’s probably the question that is most asked to little kids. You hear answers like a doctor, a fireman, a teacher, and so on.

I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I still don’t think I know…. Other than being a great parent to my kids and an awesome grandparent to my 4 grandkids. Those are the things that make my world complete.

When my daughter was little, she knew she wanted to be a pediatric nurse, even before she could say pediatrician.  I think she may have called it a baby doctor. Now, 20+ years later, what is she?? … A very skilled pediatric nurse. I am very proud of her. Not only for being a great RN but also for knowing at such a young age what she wanted and keeping that goal in sight until it was achieved.

When my son was little, he bounced from one title to another…  but they always involved dressing up in dad’s old work uniforms and playing some sort of military games. As he got a little older, paintball games came into the picture. As a young kid, he could tag out a team of grown-ups in no time. He always strived to be the best at whatever he was doing.  Other kids always seemed to look  up to him and he became the natural leader of the group.

Looking back at this now, I don’t know why it still shocked me when he said “I’m joining the Marine Corps.”      …    It’s VERY clear now… “I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WE WERE RAISING A MARINE!”

Originally published on comfycouchcommnd.com

Have you taken a second to think about the ones who haven’t had such a relaxing weekend? Thousands of troops, who are deployed overseas, have many other things on their mind this weekend.

They are standing on the front lines fighting for us and our continued freedom. They are without the convenience items and luxuries that we are enjoying this weekend.

So, as you are celebrating this weekend, please take a moment to say a prayer for all the ones who can’t be home enjoying the holiday with their families.

Karl has been in the Wisconsin National Guard for 3 years and is currently stationed in Kosovo. He decided to join to pay for his college education and he plans to become a physical therapist.

Karl loves to hunt, fish, play sports, and lift weights. He participated in many different sports during high school and college. Karl is very competitive and was honored as the “Soldier of the Cycle” during his basic training.

At home, Karl has a little brother who really looks up to him and misses him terribly! His family wants to tell him “We are all very proud of you and are anxious for you to come home!”

Everyone at Military Missions, Inc would like to say  “Thank you for your service. We appreciate everything you do!”

Please visit our Facebook Hero of the Day album to view more of our Heroes!

Ignacio enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during his senior year and went to boot camp right after graduating high school. He has been serving for 6 years now and is considering making it a career. He is currently deployed as an EOD Tech.

At home, Ignacio receives much support from his wife who is very proud of him. She wants to tell him “I’m proud of you for all your hard work. We support you in every way possible. You are my heart, my everything, and I’m here if you need me. We love you!!”

Military Missions, Inc would like to let Ignacio know how much we appreciate his service. “Thank you for your service, Ignacio!!”

Please visit our Facebook Hero of the Day album to view more of our Heroes!

We will have a care package assembly in September and then OPSEND Christmas is right around the corner. We will be assembling and packing boxes to send to the many deployed soldiers on our mailing list. The list of soldiers continues to grow daily but with the sluggish economy and high gas prices, the donations are not keeping up with the growing demand.

Many people ask “What can I do to help?”  We can use your help in so many ways!

DONATE MONEY – It costs approximately $11 to mail each care package… that is strictly postage, not including the content cost. Last December, during OPERATION S.E.N.D. CHRISTMAS, Military Missions sent 2,900 care packages to deployed soldiers. In addition, there were 2,500 unit bags and boxes sent during the remainder of the year. You can do the math. This year we will need to raise over $20,000 to pay for shipping the Christmas packages. Monetary donations are ALWAYS needed and very much appreciated. You can make a TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation directly from our website or by mailing a check to our office.

DONATE YOUR TIME – You can help out during the care package assembly. We will meet Sept. 12, 2012 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at our office in Millpond Center, 3650 Boston Rd, Suite 146, Lexington KY 40514. If you plan to participate please send an email to volunteer@military-missions.org or call Barbara at 859-221-9477. Our OPSEND Christmas will be on November 5, 2012.

DONATE ITEMS – Check out our donation suggestion list and shop for items on your next shopping trip. If you are a coupon clipper, sometimes you get items at extremely good deals or as freebies… and you just can’t pass them up.  (I know because I clip coupons!) Therefore, you have a “stash” with some items you’ll never use. Why not donate these items. Wouldn’t you feel better knowing it was being used and appreciated by a deployed soldier who received it in a care package? The care packages contain essential items like eye drops, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, foot powder, and socks. You don’t realize how much these items are appreciated when our troops receive them! The items can be dropped off at our office in Millpond Center during office business hours or during the care package assembly.

Money, volunteers, and items… those are the things we will be needing over the next several months. We need all of these because one doesn’t work well without the others. We hope you will help us make this OPSEND Christmas a success!!

As always, we are extremely grateful for any and all support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

MAKE A DONATION ~ MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

AUG. 25, 2012 at 9am (rain or shine) – Registration at 8:30am  at Beaumont Centre, 1152 Monarch St.

Does it ever seem like most people have forgotten about the sacrifices made by our military? Perhaps the loss of so many lives hasn’t gone unnoticed, but most Americans can’t really say that the loss of American troops has been life changing for them personally.

There is one family, however, who has done more than just give our fallen heroes a little bit of thought. The Koshy family of Lexington, Kentucky, has been giving back in a pretty unusual way. Back in 2008, Jonathan Koshy was a sixteen year old high school student living in Lexington, Kentucky, who noticed the lack of attention and concern for our fallen heroes.

Jonathan doesn’t have a family member serving in the military, but he had enough sense to realize that he lives in a free country. He realized that he has rights and privileges because of the many who willingly stand in the gap for each of us on a daily basis.

His parents have obviously done a remarkable job of teaching their children about this great nation’s history and those who have fought to make this American Dream a reality for the rest of us. Jonathan wanted to do something to make a difference and raise awareness in the Lexington community. In his search for a way to bring the sacrifice of our military and their families to our attention, he came across the Run for the Fallen.

What is Run for the Fallen? Beginning on Flag Day, June 14, 2008, a dedicated team of runners ran across America from Fort Irwin, California, to Arlington National Cemetery. Runners traveled one mile for every Soldier, Sailor, Airmen, and Marine killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Runners kept the memories of fallen heroes alive and raised awareness for support organizations that help wounded veterans and family members of those that have been killed. For ten weeks, team members marked each mile with an American flag and sign card in an apolitical reflection of remembrance of each service member. On Sunday, August 24, 2008, the team reached the gates of Arlington National Cemetery and honored all fallen service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. All Americans were encouraged to join the team on August 24, and run one mile to honor those who have fought, and those who have fallen under the American flag. Participants in all 50 states posted combined mileage on Run for the Fallen’s website.

What Jonathan started five years ago is now being run by his younger brother, Joshua, who started organizing the event in 2010. Since then, Joshua has been presented with an honorary membership to the Veteran’s Association of the University of Kentucky for his efforts.

Back in 2008, this event began with only forty people showing up to walk/run. It has grown more and more each year. 2009 brought 200 participants. 2010 brought 300 participants, and 2011 brought almost 500. It is our hope that 2012 will bring even more who will come and walk or run one mile in honor of those who have died so that we can live in a free nation.

You can find out more about the event by visiting their website at http://fallenwarriorky.com/ or by contacting Joshua Koshy at RFTFKY@yahoo.com .  We hope you will join the Koshy family and the Military Missions family at Lexington’s 5th annual Run for the Fallen.

What else are we proud of?  Our troops that are fighting for our continued freedom each and every day. Many people have the misunderstanding that all the troops were brought home a few months ago. The confusion was caused by the news headlines when our troops were pulled out of Iraq in December.  However, the truth is, a war is still being fought and more troops continue to deploy overseas.

So, if you happen to hear someone saying the war is over, please inform them that many of our troops are still in Afghanistan and other countries. They are making sacrifices being away from their loved ones and are risking their life every day for us. Military Missions, Inc. would like to say THANK YOU to all of our military, our veterans, and their families for everything they do. We anxiously await the day when all of the troops are brought home safe and sound!

Dan has been serving his country for 10 years and is currently deployed. He is prior service (JAG Corps) and is now an Army Field Artillery officer. Dan joined the Army because he wanted to serve his country and make a better life for his family. In his spare time, Dan is an avid waterfowl hunter. He has a wife and four wonderful kids at home who want him to know they miss him very much and are so very proud of him.

Military Missions, Inc. would like to say THANK YOU to Dan and his family and let them know how much they are appreciated!

Please visit our Facebook Hero of the Day album to view more of our Heroes!

WHEN:     August 25, 2012 at 9:00am (rain or shine) Registration at 8:30am

WHERE:   Beaumont Centre, 1152 Monarch St, Lexington Ky

WHO:      Event Coordinator, Joshua Koshy

For more info:  RFTFKY@yahoo.com

Run / Walk with us in Lexington on Saturday, August 25th at 9am.  We will be running/walking one mile in honor of any of our fallen service members that gave the ultimate sacrifice in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. The event is non-political. There is no cost to register.

A list of those service members we will be running in honor of will be available at the event or online at FallenWarriorKY.com . We welcome those who would like to run/walk for fallen members from other past conflicts as well.

For more information, contact RFTFKY@yahoo.com

All of us at Military Missions, Inc. want to thank each and every one of you who has put on the US Armed Forces uniform and stood in the gap for our freedom.  You ARE America’s best!!

Photo by Karen Sparks and Beth Pennington

The decoration was then all but forgotten until 1931 when General Douglas MacArthur began working to reinstate the medal. He hoped to achieve this by the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth. The design was updated to display a bust of Washingtonand his coat of arms. On February 22, 1932, Washington’s 200^th birthday, the “Order of the Purple Heart was announced by the US War Department.

Prior to 1997, Purple Hearts could be awarded to civilians serving or affiliated with the armed forces, such as government employees, Red Cross workers, or war correspondents. However, in 1997, Congress passed a law prohibiting Purple Hearts being awarded to civilians. Today it is only awarded to men and women serving in the military. Many things are listed as criteria to determine the eligibility to receive a Purple Heart. It is generally awarded to members who have been killed or wounded in action against an enemy or suffered as a prisoner of war.

The first Purple Heart was awarded on Feb. 22, 1932.  As of 2010, there have been over 1,910,000 Purple Hearts awarded.

Do you know a Purple Heart recipient? We would love you to contact us so we could post an article about them. Send an email to webmaster@military-missions.org with contact information.

I DOUBLE DOG DARE YA!

I’m sure that statement brings a picture to your mind… maybe a day on the playground years ago…. or the flag pole scene from the movie A Christmas Story.  No matter what memories it brings back, you know you can’t back down from the double dog dare, and the only thing more serious is the TRIPLE dog dare!

With that being said, we are starting a Double Dog Dare Challenge for Military Missions, Inc. We need to start raising money for Operation SEND Christmas. We know what you’re thinking. “It’s only August! Why so early?” Our list of deployed service members who need care packages is growing by leaps and bounds, each and every day, but due to the sluggish economy, we are not receiving enough donations to keep up with the demand.

So here’s how the challenge works:

YOU begin by making any size donation to Military Missions, Inc. After your donation is received, we will send you a “certificate of participation”. Then you issue a challenge to your friends to make a donation as well.  It’s that simple! You can challenge your facebook friends, email contacts, relatives, or anyone else who comes to mind. You can make a donation through Paypal on our donation page or by mailing a check to our office at 3650 Boston Rd., Suite 146, Lexington, Ky. 40514.

Last December, Military Missions, Inc. shipped out 3,000 care packages in addition to 2,500 unit bags and boxes. In the month of December alone, it will cost over $30,000 to ship packages to those who are currently on our list. We know our list will grow exponentially over the next four months, which will require even more funding to get OPERATION S.E.N.D. CHRISTMAS out the door.

We don’t ever want to turn someone away because we can’t afford to ship a package, so please accept our challenge and make a tax deductible donation. Any donation is helpful and VERY much appreciated. As always, we are extremely grateful for any and all support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

And remember, you don’t want us to bring out the dreaded TRIPLE dog dare! Donate today!

If you’re not interested in all the details and just want to VOTE and be done, then click here.

If you’re still reading, here’s the scoop….   We are participating in a challenge created by Points of Light and Military Community Blueprint Network. They are looking for innovative solutions for how communities can better meet the needs of service members, veterans, and their families. This description just happens to fit with our mission exactly! We submitted our focus on sending care packages to support deployed service members and it was accepted! You can read more specifics on our challenge page as you’re voting.

The idea that gets the most votes by July 31st will win a prize of $1,000. We could REALLY put that prize money to good use by providing postage on approximately 100 care packages! Wouldn’t that AWESOME!?!   So this is where YOU come in. Click here and log in or register if you aren’t already. Then VOTE for our idea. It’s that simple!  Then PLEASE forward the link to your friends and ask them to VOTE as well. You can only vote once per email address or facebook account.

When emailing our link or sharing on facebook please copy and paste the following:    http://operationcommunityblueprint.maker.good.is/projects/careformilitary

As always, we are extremely grateful for any and all support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc. If you would like to make a monetary donation, please visit our donation page.

Here at Military Missions we are usually focused on the obvious heroes, our people serving in the military. They deserve every bit of support we can give them, and then some. They are very deserving of the items we send in the care packages, whatever they may be… toiletries, snacks, movies, books, socks, drink mixes, hand made cards.

But, think for moment… what is involved in getting those packages out the door??  I can tell you, without a doubt, there are alot of unsung heroes involved. Thousands of items have to be collected or donated. Money has to be raised or donated. Boxes have to be packed. The list of things that happen “behind the scene” goes on and on. 

We are very proud to say that Military Missions, Inc. is 100% volunteer operated. We would like to recognize the unsung heroes that help us continue to support our support of the troops. Do you know someone that volunteers for Military Missions that you’d like to nominate as an Unsung Hero? If so, copy and paste the questions below and email the requested info to Karen at webmaster@military-missions.org . We would also love to share a photo of your nominated Unsung Hero if you have one to attach or share from facebook.

We are looking forward to your nominations!!

PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PERSON YOU ARE NOMINATING

Name of person you are nominating?
 
What they do at Military Missions?
 
How or why they became involved with MM?
 
How long have they been a volunteer for MM?
 
Do you have a special story or statement you would like to share about this person?
 
Your name?

If you would like to make a secure online donation to Military Missions, Inc. please visit our donation page.  If you would prefer to write a check, you can mail your donation to our office at 3650 Boston Rd., Suite 146, Lexington, KY 40514.

As always, we are extremely grateful for any and all support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

Saul Good Restaurant & Pub has joined forces with Military Missions for a July 4th Fundraiser to give every deployed soldier from Kentucky a care package.  On July 4th, Saul Good will offer 1/2 price on ALL food as an incentive to generate donations for Military Missions, Inc.

Military Missions, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing care packages and support for every Kentucky soldier deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. These care packages contain essential items (eye drops, foot powder, socks) and sundries (CD’s, snack food, books). The cost of each package, excluding donated items, exceeds $20. In addition, it will cost approximately $11 to mail each package.

Last December, during OPERATION S.E.N.D. CHRISTMAS, Military Missions sent 2,887 packages to deployed soldiers. In addition, Military Missions sent 2,500 unit bags and boxes the rest of the year. “We believe it’s important to let our soldiers know we have not forgotten them,” said Beth Pennington, founder of Military Missions. “The process of funding annual Christmas care packages must begin now. In unsure economic times, we must start early and dig deeper into our hearts and pockets to show our appreciation for our local military community.”

“We are thrilled to be a part of Military Missions quest to encourage and thank our hometown heroes,” said Rob Perez, owner of Saul Good Restaurant & Pub.

Saul Good Restaurant & Pub is an American pub, which serves a wide variety of chef driven food, including hand tossed pizzas, gourmet burgers, farm fresh salads, and features a chocolate bar. The restaurant will offer 1/2 price on all food items on July 4, 2012 from noon to 8:00 pm. Donations for Military Missions will be accepted.

Saul Good Restaurant & Pub is located at the Plaza at Fayette Mall, 3801 Mall Rd, Lexington, Ky 40503, (859) 273-GOOD (4663) and at Hamburg, 1808 Alysheba Way, Lexington, Ky 40509 (859)317-9200, and can be found on the web at www.saulgoodpub.com .

So plan on stopping by Saul Good on the 4th to enjoy some amazing food, and make a donation to help show support for our amazing troops that are currently fighting for our freedom!  If you can’t make it out to Saul Good you can always make a donation online. Military Missions, Inc. is staffed completely by volunteers so you can be certain that 100% of your donation goes to supporting our troops.

MAKE A DONATION ~ MAKE A DIFFERENCE

As always, we are extremely grateful for any and all support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

There are several things you can do to show your support for our troops. You can donate TIME, donate ITEMS, or donate MONEY. Our troops and their families sacrifice so much to serve and protect our country, so please give a little in return.

DONATE YOUR TIME – You can help out during the care package assembly. We will meet from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at our office in Millpond Center, 3650 Boston Rd, Suite 146, Lexington KY 40514. If you plan to participate please send an email to volunteer@military-missions.org or call Barbara at 859-221-9477.

DONATE ITEMS – Check out our donation suggestion list and shop for items on your next shopping trip. The care packages contain essential items like eye drops, foot powder, and socks. You don’t realize how much these items are appreciated when our troops receive them! The items can be dropped off at our office in Millpond Center during office business hours or during the care package assembly.

DONATE MONEY – It costs approximately $11 to mail each care package… that is strictly postage, not including the content cost. Last December, during OPERATION S.E.N.D. CHRISTMAS, Military Missions sent 2,887 packages to deployed soldiers. In addition, there was 2,500 unit bags and boxes sent during the remainder of the year. You can do the math. Monetary donations are ALWAYS needed and very much appreciated. You can make a TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation directly from our website.

As always, we are extremely grateful for any and all support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

MAKE A DONATION ~ MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

What is Flag Day? 

Anyone?   …  Anyone?  ….

We celebrate Flag Day on June 14 and it commemorates the adoption of the United States flag in 1777.  

In 1916, it was officially proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson and in 1949 Congress established National Flag Day. However, it is not considered an official federal holiday.

The week of June 14 is National Flag Week and U.S.citizens are urged to proudly fly their American flags that entire week…  if you don’t normally have it displayed. Many groups and organizations have parades or other events during this week to celebrate and honor “Old Glory”.

That’s the history lesson for today! Be sure to display your flag with pride on Flag Day and every other day!

The volunteers helped package up 400+ unit bags and construct 400+ boxes so they would be ready for the Military Missions upcoming care package assembly on June 20th.

We extend a big thank you to each and every person involved! You can visit our Facebook page to view more pictures.

If you are a member of a church or group that would like to get involved, please send an email to volunteer@military-missions.org .  We are always extremely grateful for any support received.

Make a DONATION ~Make a DIFFERENCE.

This weekend, June 9-10, we are having a very important donation drive at Sam’s Club on New Circle Rd in Lexington. This drive is so important because it brings in many of the needed items which enable us to send care packages to our ever growing list of deployed troops.

So how can you get involved? There are several things you can do to show your support for our troops. You can donate TIME, donate ITEMS, or donate MONEY. Our troops and their families sacrifice so much to serve and protect our country, so please give a little in return.

DONATE YOUR TIME — We need volunteers to work shifts at the table. Shoppers interested in donating will be given a map with locations of items needed for care packages. They can purchase items while doing their regular shopping and donate them as they leave the store. We need workers for the following shifts :

Saturday 6/9/12

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

2:00 pm  to 4:00 pm

Sunday 6/10/12

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

We also need a couple drivers with a truck, minivan, or SUV to help with setup around 9:30 am and transport the items back to the office at 4:00 pm.  If you can help, please email Ginny at volunteer@military-missions.org or call Barbara at 859-221-9477 as soon as possible.

DONATE ITEMS — Check out our donation suggestion list and shop for items on your next shopping trip. They can be dropped off at our office in Millpond Shopping Center at 3650 Boston Rd, Suite 146, Lexington KY 40514 during office business hours.

DONATE MONEY — It costs $11.35 in postage for each care package mailed. We want to be able to send a package to every deployed military person on our list. This will not be possible without your tax-deductible donations. There are hundreds of names on our list and it is growing every day. You can make a donation online 24 hours a day - 7 days a week.

As always, we are extremely grateful for your support of our troops through Military Missions, Inc.

As the organization has grown, we have taken on more and more service projects and have gradually become far more involved  than we ever dreamed possible.  In an effort to better serve the thousands of troops who request support, as well as better develop our local community service initiatives, we are restructuring our board of directors to include many gifted individuals who have experience and expertise in nonprofit leadership and will allow us to accomplish far more in the future.

As we move forward, I am stepping down as president of Military Missions, Inc.  I will continue to serve on the board of directors as an advisor with a desire to focus on advocacy for our veteran population.  As the parent of one of our nation’s disabled veterans, I am constantly made aware of new issues and struggles faced by those who have served on behalf of our nation. It is my hope that I can use the additional time I will now have in my schedule, along with my new found awareness of obstacles to veteran care, to bring attention to issues which need to be addressed, and in turn, help to make improvements to services provided to our veterans.

I want to personally thank each and every one of you who has stepped up to support me personally over the years.  You have sacrificially given your blood, sweat, and tears to serve our troops and our veterans and given the credit to this organization.  There is no way that Military Missions, Inc. could have ever become the organization it is today without the help and support of each one of you over the past seven and a half years.  From the bottom of my heart, I will always be grateful for each individual who had a part in making this dream of mine become a reality.

As we step into a new season, we do so with an incredibly gifted team.  I hope you will take a few moments to get to know our new board members whom are listed here.  We are all very excited about the road ahead and the great things that Military Missions, Inc. will continue to accomplish.  We have much planned and hope you will join us as we continue to support our troops, our veterans, and their families.

Blessings,
Beth

I remember a time in my life when I was personally unaffected by the tragedy of war and had basically been brainwashed by our society to think that Memorial Day was simply a holiday marking the beginning of summer, picnics, barbecues, and the promise of bargains to be found by serious shoppers.  That time, however, was long ago.

Now, after ten long years of war, Memorial Day’s meaning has changed for me.  I’ve watched my son go to war.  I’ve watched him mourn the loss of his battle buddies.  I’ve watched my friends bury their sons and husbands.

Now, as I walk alongside those who must continue on, despite the loss of the one who was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, I find it extremely difficult to understand how anyone could combine the word “happy” with Memorial Day, and yet I realize that those who have sacrificed for our freedoms would want us to enjoy this holiday weekend.  If asked, they would want us to honor their lives by enjoying American pastimes and spending time with family and friends.  After all, they fought and died so we could live.

As we head into this holiday weekend, let’s celebrate the freedoms and the blessings we have been given as Americans, but let us not forget who made living this American Dream a reality.  Don’t let this weekend pass without taking the time to honor those who stood in the gap and paid the ultimate price on our behalf.

It’s amazing how attached I’ve become to my cell phone while my son has been deployed. Maybe attached isn’t the right word… obsessed would be more accurate I think. It “must” be within 3 feet of me at all times. I do several pocket checks during the day to reassure me that it’s still there. Panic mode ensues if the phone happens to get out of sight or reach.

If you have received calls from a deployed loved one, you are familiar with how the numbers appear on the caller ID… just six digits. Each time you see those digits on the caller ID, it’s like the world stops for a split second. You stare at it for a moment as if you’ve forgotten how to hit the “answer” button. But you quickly come to your senses and scream to anyone in hearing range… “IT’S HIM!!!” After you answer the call, you are completely unaware of anything going on around you. Whether the call lasts 5 minutes or 45 minutes, the person on the other end of that call has your undivided attention the entire time.

I quickly realized that when these calls came in they were normally from the same number. So I decided I needed to give that number a “special” ringtone. Something that could be heard from about 2 miles away… something that would wake me from a dead sleep… something that would be unmistakable… I chose a ringtone that sounds like something you’d probably hear during a nuclear meltdown. When you hear “THE” ringtone it saves you a few seconds because you can skip the “staring at the phone” part and go straight to the “IT’S HIM!!!” part.

~This article was originally posted at comfy couch command~

In the early years, it’s usually up to dear old Dad to make sure we aren’t forgotten.  It doesn’t take much to make us feel loved.  Any day we can put up our feet and listen to thank you’s is special. The memories of hand-made cards and the burnt toast served by chubby little hands will always be etched in our memories.

As time passes and our children reach the teen years, we are touched to find out that the act of planting those early seeds has blossomed into our children coming up with their own ways to express their love to us on the annual holiday.  The coffee mugs made in pottery class, the marigold ready for planting in the backyard, and the homemade cookies baked just a pinch past perfection are proudly given, and we are touched that these hormonal teens have taken a break from their text messages and Facebook posts to sit down and spend a few minutes to say, “I love you, Mom.”

Through the years, I’ve always been pleasantly surprised by the creativity that has gone into the gifts bestowed upon me for Mother’s Day, but to be honest, I always knew those gifts were coming.  With the Hallmark commercials and the Mother’s Day specials advertised all over town, our children and our husbands would have to be living in a shoebox to miss the fact that Mother’s Day was coming.  I never knew for sure, but I always felt certain that I was going to, at the very least, receive a card or be taken out to lunch.

It goes without saying that my favorite Mother’s Day memory of all time was totally unexpected. It came all the way from the Middle East and it came two days early.  My son, who was deployed to Iraq for the second time, called me to tell me I needed to check my email.  I was fully expecting a wish list of items that he wanted me to send to him in his next care package, but much to my surprise, when I opened my email, I found the most amazing Mother’s Day gift ever!  The moment I saw the photo of my beautiful boy holding the cardboard sign wishing me  “Happy Mother’s Day,” I burst into tears.

There was nothing more beautiful in the entire world than to see that my boy, who was deployed to a war zone, had the forethought to figure out how to make me feel special for Mother’s Day.  I wouldn’t have even expected him to know it was Mother’s Day.  In fact, the year before, during his first deployment, he was outside the wire and had no idea Mother’s Day had come and gone.  I never told him he missed it because he had much more important things on his mind.

Maybe his platoon sergeant ordered him to remember Mother’s Day.  I didn’t know and I didn’t care!  What I did know was that my brave Marine was halfway across the globe and he still loved his mom!  My heart filled with Marine Mom pride and I showed that photo to everyone I knew

It’s been seven years since I received this gift but I guess I’m still able to find a way to show it off.  I think it’s worth sharing because it speaks for the many who are out on the front lines right now and simply not able to say “I love you” this year with a card or a phone call.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the military moms past and present.  You’ve raised children who stepped up to sacrifice and serve their nation so you must have done something right!

Originally published on comfycouchcommand.com.

Military Life… It’s a Family Thing

If you are reading this and you have a family member in the military, then you know the above statement is true. It not only has an effect on their spouse and kids, but also their parents, siblings, grandparents… and other family and friends.

Now, I’m not saying this is a bad thing…  

For example, your family will develop a strong sense of American pride. I have to admit, pretty much everything in my house is red, white, and blue or flag motif. I was a proud American before but more so now.

Your family will also develop a new kind of respect for the troops that protect our country. They give up so much, go through so much, and put their life on the line for us… Let me say that again…     THEY PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE FOR US.          They deserve our respect and our support. Even if we don’t always support the reason behind it, we need to support the people that are doing it.

So I guess what I’m basically saying is that once you have a loved one in the military, your life will forever be changed. Some changes will be good and some not so good, but hopefully the good will outweigh the bad in the end.

As you can see from the picture I used for this article, even the family pet wants to get involved. I found her trying to stow away in a care package. No one family member knows exactly how the other family members are affected… each person has their own way of coping (this blog article is one of mine) … and their own set of things they worry about…   

But I assure you “it’s a family thing”.

~This article was originally posted by author here~

We have had an incredible increase in the number of care package requests. Our list of soldiers is growing every day. With the sluggish economy and high gas prices, we are in great need of donations to meet the need. We hope you will download a copy of our care package suggestion list and plan to donate some items to be included in our packages. We are also in need of monetary donations to cover the costs of shipping. You can donate directly from our website.

Even if you can’t participate in this event you can still support our troops by spreading the word and reposting this event on your Facebook page.

CLICK TO REGISTER

DONATION SUGGESTION LIST

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION

Volunteer Shifts

11:45 am – 2:30 pm

2:30 pm – 5:00 pm

5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

If you are interested in volunteering, contact Ginny at volunteer@military-missions.org or Barbara at 859-221-9477.

IF YOU CAN’T VOLUNTEER, COME ON OUT AND EAT WITH US! HERE ARE THE DETAILS!

On July 4th, Saul Good Restaurant & Pub will offer ½ price on all food as an incentive to generate donations for Military Missions, Inc.

Military Missions, Inc., a Lexington based nonprofit organization, is dedicated to providing care packages for every Kentucky soldier deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. These care packages contain essential items (eye drops, foot powder, socks) and sundries (CD’s, snack food, video games). Shipping costs alone run between $11 and $13 per soldier, per box mailed.

“We believe it’s important to let our soldiers know we have not forgotten them,” said Beth Pennington, founder of Military Missions. “The process of funding our care package division is a year round effort. While our list of requests for care packages has quadrupled in the past two months, we have seen a significant decline in donations. In these unsure economic times, we must dig deeper into our hearts and pockets to show our appreciation for our military.”

“We are thrilled to be a part of Military Missions quest to encourage and thank our hometown heroes,” said Rob Perez, owner of Saul Good Restaurant & Pub.

Saul Good Restaurant & Pub is an American pub, which serves a wide variety of chef driven food, including hand tossed pizzas, gourmet burgers, farm fresh salads and features a chocolate bar. The restaurant will offer ½ price on all food items on July 4, 2012, from noon to 8:00 pm. Donations for Military Missions will be accepted.

Saul Good Restaurant & Pub is located at the Plaza at Fayette Mall, 3801 Mall Rd, Lexington, Kentucky 40503, (859) 273-GOOD (4663) and at Hamburg, 1808 Alysheba Way, Lexington, Kentucky 40509, (859) 317-9200, and can be found on the web at www.saulgoodpub.com.

When you see someone wearing the uniform, take a moment to thank them for their service.  Be on the lookout for our veterans. You can usually spot them. They are usually wearing a hat or a tee shirt that let’s you know they served.

A simple thank you only takes a second.  If you want to do more, you can always make a tax deductible donation here at Military Missions Inc.  We need your help to send care packages to thousands of deployed troops on our care package list.  We will gratefully accept your items to be included in our packages and we would love to have you join us as a volunteer.

We all live in a free nation, safe from harm, because someone stood in the gap for each of us.  Let’s thank those who make living the American Dream a reality.

We received a message of thanks along with some photos from one of the units who received our packages which we now pass along to you, our faithful supporters! This is for each of you who faithfully support our troops through Military Missions Inc.

Thanks for the care packages that we received. It’s nice not only to get stuff that we can use, but even more to know that we have support. Every Armed Forces Member should have advocates like you in their corner. Keep trudging on, you have a lot of people behind you. Thanks for being our voice!

To see OPSEND Assembly photos click here.  To LIKE us on Facebook and keep up with our updates and photos, click here.

You can find out more information about the ceremonies at each location by visiting www.amnews.com and www.richmondregister.com . You can read more about the Wall That Heals at www.vvmf.org/twth .

This a great chance to honor our Veterans while this replica memorial is in the area.

WEBMASTER: We are looking for someone to keep our website updated when current information needs to be posted.  This would require an hour or two of your time each week.

SOCIAL MEDIA REP: We are looking for someone who has an hour or two, 3-4 days a week to keep our Facebook and Twitter accounts active and help us to keep a presence in online communities.  This individual needs to have a good understanding of the use of social media.  The chairman will potentially be supervising a team of volunteers who will help with this need.

NEWSLETTER EDITOR: We are looking for someone who is willing to write our monthly newsletter. This is an online task that is produced via the Vertical Response website. The newsletter keeps our volunteers and supporters informed about what is going on at Military Missions.  This would take a few hours each month.

WRITER: We are looking for someone who is willing to write an article featuring events and other important issues that need to be posted on our website. If you are interested in writing for us, we could use your help a few hours each month.

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD REP:  We are looking for someone who is willing to post our events onto online calendars and bulletin boards.  This position requires just a few hours each month.

If you are interested in volunteering for any of these positions, please contact Beth Pennington at beth@military-missions.org.

Thank you for your support of our troops, our veterans, and their families through Military Missions Inc.

This month, Reboot-Refresh is taking a “field trip”.  We have found out that the documentary, Hell and Back Again, will be coming to Lexington, Kentucky, for one night only. Since the documentary is being presented at the same time we normally meet, we have decided to attend the showing of Hell and Back Again, and then meet afterwards to discuss the film.

We hope you will join us. Here are the details:

The movie is 90 minutes. It is being shown at LexArts, 161 N. Mill Street, Lexington, 40507.  It is free and open to the public. It is being presented by KET as part of the ITVS nationwide Community Cinema program.  We will meet in front of LexArts at 6:00 pm, Thursday, April 19.

Here is some information about our Invisible Wounds Care Group, Reboot-Refresh.   We meet on the third Thursday of each month.  We meet at Southland Christian Church, in Room B133.

Our focus is to support one another and learn to help one another through life after combat.  Many of us are playing a role of primary support for someone who has served in combat at some point in their past.

If you know your loved one is dealing with PTSD or a mild TBI, this group is for you.  If your loved one doesn’t have a diagnosis, but you know life is simply not the same anymore since their return from war, this group is for you.  Statistically, at least 20% of returning troops will have PTSD.  Realistically, everyone who serves will come back changed.

PTSD carries a stigma that we don’t speak of outside our homes. The symptomatic behaviors are often nothing to brag about and we prefer to keep problems to ourselves, hoping and praying that the situation will resolve itself in time. Thousands of veterans return home from war finding themselves unable to fit back into society. These men and women now face a battle on the homefront which can result in broken relationships, substance abuse, mental illness, homelessness, and suicide.

Even if your loved one is seeking treatment, there is much that we, as caregivers, need to learn so that we can help our loved one work towards health and healing.  Often times, our emotional reaction to what is happening will make the situation far worse.  You may even find that you are exhibiting symptoms of Secondary Traumatic Stress and you probably feel overwhelmed and at a loss as to how to get any help for yourself.

We are not experts, but we are survivors.  The purpose of this care group is to provide a safe atmosphere in which participants can share their hearts and their struggles. We have all experienced the spiritual, mental, and emotional battles that come with supporting and loving a combat veteran living with war’s invisible wounds.

We welcome anyone who has already walked this path in supporting a combat veteran.  You can show us some of the lessons and techniques you have learned and teach us to be a better support for our own combat veteran.

If you are a veteran who is willing to share your perspective about living with PTSD, we would welcome your participation and suggestions for helping family members learn to be a better support for their combat veteran.

If you are the parent, spouse, family member, or close friend to one of our nation’s veterans suffering with PTSD and TBI, we hope you will join us on the first and third Thursday nights of each month.  The group will meet monthly, on the third Thursday evening of the month from 6:30 – 8:00 pm.  Childcare is provided.  We will be meeting at Southland Christian Church, Room B133, located at 5001 Harrodsburg Rd., Nicholasville, KY For driving directions, click here.  For a building map, click here.

If you have any questions, please contact Beth at beth@military-missions.org.

When men and women return from combat, family members step up to care for them.  With ten years of war, thousands are returning home with Post Traumatic Stress.  When PTSD is brought into the home, the family is going to be directly affected.  Many family members find themselves experiencing their own symptoms of what is known as Secondary PTSD.

Dr. Rolando Diaz  joins VOW Talk Radio on Tuesday, April 10, at 7:00 pm (EDT) to answer your questions about Secondary PTSD.  Dr. Diaz, a Give an Hour provider, and clinical psychologist with an independent practice in Arlington, Virginia, joins our show on the second Tuesday of each month to answer your questions about surviving life after combat.

Dr. Diaz will be clarifying the distinction between true PTSD, secondary experiences that are tied to the trauma that the service member experienced (e.g., a wife having nightmares of her husband’s accident), and the experiences that result from living with someone with PTSD.  All of these get labeled the same way but represent very different circumstances and need different treatment approaches.

Listen live by clicking here or calling the show at 424-258-9240. Don’t forget to join our live chat during the show.

Signs and symptoms that may indicate Secondary PTSD

• The survivor may lose interest in family or intimate activities and may become emotionally isolated or detached.  Family members may feel hurt, alienated, frustrated and discouraged.
• The survivor may exhibit behaviors that indicate he is irritable, tense, anxious, worried, distractible, startled, enraged, controlling, overprotective, and demanding. Family members may feel like they live in a war zone, often reacting in anger, or purposely distancing themselves from the trauma survivor.
• Even if the trauma occurred decades ago, the survivor may act feel as if the trauma is still happening.  Family members may also feel as if their secondary trauma is still happening.  As time passes, the family may begin to avoid activities with others, and become isolated from friends outside the family.  They may feel that no one outside the family could possibly understand their situation.
• The trauma survivor often feels there is no future for which to look forward. Family members may find it very difficult to have a cooperative discussion with the survivor about important plans and decisions for the future.
• The survivor may have difficulty listening and concentrating. He may become easily distracted, tense, or anxious. He may become hyper vigilant, displaying angry and overly suspicious behavior toward family members. The trauma survivor may become fearful about problems becoming terrible catastrophes. As well, the family may find it difficult to discuss personal or family problems because the survivor may become controlling, demanding, overprotective, and anxious.
• Family members may become over involved with the lives of healthy family members due to need for positive emotional feedback, or they may ignore the healthy members of the family giving all of their attention to the trauma survivor.
• Family members may find their sleep disrupted by the survivor’s sleep problems (reluctance to sleep at night, restlessness, severe nightmares or episodes of violent sleepwalking).  Family members also often find themselves having terrifying nightmares, leading to a fear of going to sleep, or difficulty getting a restful night’s sleep.
• Ordinary activities, such as shopping, driving or attending a movie may trigger traumatic memories and flashbacks throwing one into “survival mode” suddenly and without explanation.  The survivor may shut down emotionally, or leave abruptly leaving family members feeling stranded, helpless, and worried.
• Trauma survivors with PTSD often struggle with intense anger or rage and often have difficulty coping with the impulse to lash out verbally or physically. Family members can easily feel frightened and betrayed by the survivor, despite feeling love and concern for their loved one.
• Family members are also frequently exposed to emotional, financial, and domestic problems. Survivors experiencing PTSD may seek relief and escape with alcohol or other drugs.  Addictive behaviors such as gambling and eating disorders are common.  Addictions offer false hope to the survivor by seeming to help for a short time.  Soon these addictions increase the fear, anxiety, tension, anger and emotional numbness which go hand in hand with PTSD.
• When suicide is a danger, family members face the unavoidable strains of worry, guilt, grief, fear, and anger.

Travis Martin joins VOW Talk Radio on Tuesday, March 27, to share about how he is working with veterans to give them an outlet to translate their entirely foreign experiences into a language that others can understand. He will introduce us to The Journal of Military Experience and tell us about an upcoming opportunity for veterans to get involved in a three day workshop, the Military Experience and Arts Symposium being held in July.

Travis served two tours of duty in Iraq as a sergeant in the 51st Transportation Company. He holds an MA in English from Eastern Kentucky University, where he founded The Journal of Military Experience. Travis is a McNair Scholar, a Madonna Marsden Writing Award recipient, and was awarded the National Phi Kappa Phi Literacy Grant. His work as a veterans’ advocate and community leader was recognized by the Kentucky state legislature in 2011. Currently, he teaches and is a PhD student at the University of Kentucky. His research interests include trauma, autobiography, and war memoirs from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In spring 2012, Travis has forthcoming publications in War, Literature, and the Arts, The Kentucky Philological Review, and Writing on the Edge.

The Journal of Military Experience’s (JME) first volume was released in April 2011. Travis worked with student veterans at Eastern Kentucky University to compile prose, poetry, and artwork. Funds from the JME go directly toward EKU’s Operation Veteran Success” in the form of two scholarships.

The JME earned the prestigious “Program of the Year” award from Student Veterans of America in 2011. In addition, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi awarded Travis and the JME one of 14 literacy grants throughout the nation to help fund volume 2. Volume 2, set to be released in July as part of a “Military Experience and the Arts” symposium, boasts a talented and credentialed editorial staff as well as the works and research of veterans and scholars from all over the world. To learn earn more listen to VOW Talk Radio or visit militaryexperience.org.

First published at voiceofwarriors.com

We have a great show coming up tonight. Boone Cutler  and Shawn Gourley  will be joining VOW Talk Radio us. The warfighter mindset will be our focus as we discuss the role that education plays in the law enforcement community.  We are referring, of course, to education about Post Traumatic Stress experienced by our combat veterans.

Boone and Shawn will be sharing about their upcoming participation at the Western States Hostage Negotiation Association’s conference  in June.

Warfighter Boone Cutler is an author and Veteran’s Rights leader who has become the first nationally recognized on-air personality who is also a Warfighter from the current war. ‘Tipping Point with Boone Cutler’ airs Saturday mornings on Fox News Radio.

Shawn is the author of The War at Home: One Family’s Fight Against PTSD.   In her book, Shawn and her husband, Justin, share their personal experiences living life with Post Traumatic Stress. Best known for starting Military with PTSD on Facebook, Shawn leads a unique community of veterans and their family members who offer support to one another. Shawn joins the VOW team on the third Tuesday of each month to discuss issues relevant to families facing life after combat.

We are so grateful for Moroshea’s service to our nation, and we are thankful for his wife and children who serve here on the homefront.  Please keep this dear family and their brave sailor in your thoughts and prayers.

OPERATION S.E.N.D EASTER is one of the many projects that Military Missions, Inc undertakes each year in an effort to Send Encouragement to our Nation’s Deployed.  Military Missions Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting our military, our veterans, and their families on a year round basis.

“If someone is serving in the military on our behalf, then we are going to be sure to offer support and encouragement to them no matter what time of the year it happens to be,” says Military Missions Inc founder, Beth Pennington.  “As we celebrate Easter with our families, our troops will not have the opportunity to be with their loved ones.  Instead they will be standing watch over each of us, protecting us from harm and defending our liberties.  Each one is a parent, a sibling, a child, a spouse, a friend, and an American.  Let’s join together and send our troops some encouragement as well as our thanks.”

There are a number of ways in which people can get involved in OPERATION S.E.N.D. EASTER.  Military Missions, Inc. will be accepting donations in the form of care package items, personal cards and letters written to the troops, and monetary donations to cover the postage needed to mail packages overseas.

Schools, churches, organizations, businesses, and individuals from all over the USA participate in OPERATION S.E.N.D. EASTER.  To find out how you can get involved in this endeavor, visit http://www.military-missions.org.

You may contact the organization via email at info@military-missions.org, or by calling 859-221-9477.  Donations can be dropped off or mailed to the office located in the Millpond Shopping Center at 3650 Boston Road, Suite 146, Lexington, Kentucky 40514.

The donation drive will run through March 16, 2012.  Packing assemblies will take place during the week of March 12-16. 2012, allowing time for the packages to reach the deployed troops for Easter.  If you are interested in attending the care package assembly on Wednesday, March 14, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, please click here to register.

If you know of someone who will be deployed during the Easter holiday this year, they can be added to the care package mailing list at www.military-missions.org/add-a-hero/

CARE PACKAGE DONATION SUGGESTION LIST

CARE PACKAGE GUIDELINES

HELP US ENSURE THE PACKAGES REACH THE TROOPS!  CLICK HERE TO MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION.

Knowing that each of these brave men is putting themselves in harm’s way for all of us back here at home should remind us that we should never take our freedom for granted.   Not only are they, themselves, making a sacrifice, but they each have family and friends who are anxiously awaiting their return here on the homefront.

Please keep these brave Marines, their unit, and their families, in your thoughts and prayers.

Angel shares the following with us. “Charles has been in the Navy now since November 2008, and even though he is sacrificing so much, and leaving so much behind to fulfill his duty, I don’t think he would have it any other way. In just a few short months his step-daughter, his son, and I will be anxiously waiting on the pier to welcome him home.”

All of us at Military Missions Inc are proud to honor Charles and his family today.  We are so grateful that we have families willing to make sacrifices so that we can all continue to live in a free nation.  Please keep Charles, his family, and his unit in your thoughts and prayers.

Take a moment to think about life from the perspective of a small child who misses her mommy, or a middle school boy who really needs his dad. If you are a parent, try to picture the world with one of your children deployed to a war zone. It matters not that the child is an adult. He is still your child.  What is it like knowing your sibling is in harm’s way? How long is a year when you are the only parent in the home and you are living with the fear that your spouse might never return?

Everybody who has a relationship with someone serving in our nation’s military is making a sacrifice for me and for you.  You can serve by supporting the military families in your little corner of the world.  Find a local organization which supports our military families and get involved today.  If you are in the Central Kentucky area, you can get started today with us at Military Missions Inc.  We support and encourage our troops, our veterans, and their families 365 days a year.

As soon as Jake graduated from high school, he entered into military service.  After working diligently through his training, he was deployed to South Korea.  Jake loves being a soldier in the United States Army. His parents are so proud of the commitment Jake has made to serve our nation.

All of us at Military Missions are honored to include Jake on our care package list and we are committed to keeping Jake and his family in our prayers.  Thank you, Jake, for your dedication to serve and protect!

In addition to working as part of our volunteer office staff, Linda Cummins has taken on two enormous jobs.  She coordinates our donation drop boxes set up at locations around the state of Kentucky, which is a huge job in itself.  She also takes care of most of our correspondence for the items that are donated for our care packages.  She makes sure that hundreds of letters of thanks are sent out each year.

Besides all just mentioned, if you know Linda, you know that she is constantly recruiting people to get involved with Military Missions Inc.  She is one of our biggest cheerleaders, and because we rely on word of mouth advertising, her enthusiasm, her smile, and her willingness to get out there and share about our organization is greatly appreciated.

Linda is one of the many civilians within our organization who wants our troops and veterans to know that they are greatly appreciated.  We are so glad that Linda loves serving her country in this capacity and that she gives her time to Military Missions Inc.  Without people like Linda, we couldn’t do what we do for our heroes.

From all of us at Military Missions Inc. we thank you Linda for your faithful support!

Last fall, we had a donation drive going on at Sam’s Club.  It’s actually a lot of work to set up one of these drives.  It takes a lot planning, a lot of set up, lots of manpower, and it can be exhausting.  Not only is it tiring, but it is not for the faint of heart as 90% of the people who pass the table try to avoid making eye contact because they don’t want to make a donation.  You have to be able to take the rejection which is why most people shy aware from this volunteer job.

One of our volunteers, Judy Blackburn, didn’t care about all of the difficulties.  Her son serves in the US Army and she knows how important it is to support our troops.  Even though she works two jobs and has only one day off each week, she offered to set up a booth at each of the Walmart stores in Lexington last October.  Every Sunday during the month, on her only day off, Judy got up early, recruited volunteers to help her, and set up and ran the donation booth all day long.

When Judy first came to me with the idea, I told her she was crazy! I let her know I appreciated her enthusiasm, but I really thought it was too much for one person to take on.  I know, firsthand, how easy it looks, but how hard it is to pull it off.  Judy already helps out with so much at Miltary Missions Inc and I couldn’t imagine her giving her only day off to such a taxing job.

Judy insisted she did not mind, in fact, she said it was the least she could do for our troops.  She said she was fortunate to have found something she can do for our troops because they do so very much for us. She knows that our troops work long and strenuous hours without complaining.  She stated that if this was a way to give back for what they give us daily, she would do all that she could to support and honor them.

Through her efforts, we were able to collect many items which were included in our Christmas care package mailing to 3000 troops.  In order to accomplish these great tasks, we rely on amazing volunteers such as Judy.  All of us at Military Missions are blessed to work alongside her and are so grateful she found us.

Judy is just one of our many volunteers who enjoy the opportunities our organization brings to the community.  If you are one who appreciates and loves your country and those who sacrifice so that we can live with freedom, we hope you will join us. Come meet Judy and many others like her who get joy out of giving back to our heroes and their families.

Thank you, Matthew, for your willingness to stand in the gap and protect us. You, your family, and your unit will be in our thoughts and prayers as you continue your service.

The 3000 names on our Christmas list are now the names on our list for 2012, and it is our hope that we can continue to send packages to these heroes throughout their deployments in the coming year.  We continue to receive new requests every day so your support throughout the year is crucial to allow us to continue our mission to encourage and support our troops and their families.

We need YOUR help!  Any gift you give on or before December 31 is tax-deductible for 2011. By visiting our website you can make a  donation via Google Checkout or PayPal, and bless the socks off a deployed hero and support our veterans and military families here on the homefront.  If you prefer to donate via check, you can mail your check to our office, postmarked by December 31, and your donation will be credited for the 2011 year.

Once again, we thank you for your support and look forward to partnering with you again in 2012.

“First let me thank you for all your hard work.  It is such a beautiful thing what you are doing for our troops.  The love of my life is currently deployed in Afghanistan and I requested a package be sent to him.  They are all so deserving of these great opportunities.  Trevor is my hero among the many other men and women deployed and away from their families.  It is the hardest thing to have to go through for them, and their loved ones left behind.

Trevor’s positivity and humor are contagious.  He is truly inspiring.  He brings out the best in people and somehow manages to make the best out of every situation.  He is so loved and missed.  He has been stationed in Afghanistan since September 2011 and we are hoping for a safe return in the spring of 2012.  

Currently he is an ammo troop but with his goal and determination to become a special operator in no time I’m positive his career field will change.  He has such a passion to fight for this country.  I am so very proud of him. 

Words cannot express the debt of gratitude we owe to those who have worn our country’s uniform in the past and those who wear it today. Volunteering to make the ultimate sacrifice…putting yourself in danger, being apart from your loved ones, defending our nations freedom!!! You are my hero Trevor!!! I appreciate you everyday!!”

All of us at Military Missions are so thankful for Trevor’s service and for his wife’s service here on the homefront.  It is obvious that Nicole is an incredible support for her husband which likely makes it easier for Trevor to do his job well.

For many families, the smile and presence of their hero will be only a memory because their loved one gave their life so that we can continue to live in a free nation and celebrate Christmas every year.

As we pause to give thanks for all of our blessings, and celebrate the reason for this season, let’s set an extra place at our tables this year in honor of those who serve. Let’s give that place setting the seat of honor at the head of our tables. Let’s remember that while we are gathered with family and friends, there are many who stand watch over us and our families and ensure that we can continue to celebrate our freedoms and our blessings each year.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Military Missions Inc.

William also provides counseling to soldiers and family members dealing with marital struggles, depression, loneliness, bereavement as well as providing reintegration training for soldiers and their families.

We are so grateful for William’s service.  I can only imagine how difficult it must be to serve the soldiers and their families as they struggle with the difficulties brought on because they have chosen to serve our nation.

Thank you, William, for your willingness to walk a difficult path for your nation.  We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.

It didn’t take Ginny long to do more than just show up at our events.  If you have ever volunteered for one of our events or activities, there is a good chance you have already met Ginny, at least through an email exchange.

Ginny takes care of all the emails that come into our volunteer email account which can be very time consuming. We get all sorts of inquiries from all over the country. People are always looking for a way to support our troops and they can come up with some very interesting ways to do it.  Ginny helps those who are inquiring to channel their ideas into something which Military Missions can use to support our troops and our veterans.

In addition to answering our emails, Ginny volunteers at our office every week and she coordinates our annual Sporting Clays fundraising event.  She does a lot more, but if you want to know everything, you will just have to come into the office and meet her one day. Ginny is a great asset to our Military Missions family and we are so blessed to have her giving her time to our organization.

All of us at Military Missions are so grateful for Miriya’s sacrifice and service.  We thank her, and her family, for giving on behalf of each American.  Please keep this brave soldier and her family in your thoughts and prayers, especially during the holiday season.

Larry reminds me of the energizer bunny.  He is never still and I’ve never seen him do anything slowly.  He can get more done that ten hardworking people and he’s dedicated to supporting our troops.

If you have ever received a care package from Military Missions, there is a good chance Larry had something to do with the box.  He either built it, packed it, or taped it shut. He helps our office manager, Joanne, keep everything in order and he helps to make sure everything is stocked.  He coordinates our trips to the post office, which is no easy feat.

In addition to serving on our board, Larry takes 90% of the photos you see on our website so he is often the one missing from the group pictures but now and then one of us can catch him for a photo if we move fast or stand in his way.

Larry is great at recruiting friends to come in and help out and he is often joined by his wife, Jo, who seems to be in the office just about every day herself.  We are so blessed to have Larry and Jo Neuzel as a part of our Military Missions family.

We have many volunteers who come and go.  Many volunteer once. Others volunteer for a season or two.  Still others have been coming around for years, but few have been willing to take on the leadership role and the responsibility that Joanne has gradually and willingly taken on over the past couple of years.

Joanne is what most of us would call a blessing from Heaven.  She retired from a full time job several years ago, and continues to be involved in volunteer service in other organizations besides Military Missions Inc.  She and her husband, Tom, both give much to our organization as well as several others.  If they aren’t giving to an organization, they are helping a friend or family member.

Besides the fact that Joanne serves on our board, and makes sure our office is staffed with volunteers with a job to do, she always has a huge smile on her face and she makes everyone who walks through our door feel welcome, special, and important.  She knows the troops on our list by name and she looks out for each and every one of them as she goes about the planning she does each month.

I couldn’t begin to count the hours that Joanne gives each week, but I think it’s safe to say that we would have to pay her overtime if we were in the business of paying people by the hour.  Anyone who has come into our office has seen Joanne in action, but what we see in the office is just the tip of the iceberg.  She spends lots of time answering emails and phone calls outside of office hours.  She comes in on evenings and weekends when there is a task to be done, and she spends a lot of time planning for events and activities.  Did I mention that she often accommodates the schedules of many who can’t come in during our office hours to participate?

Joanne recruits her husband for all sorts of jobs that need to be done around the office, and I guess he caught the fever too because this is the second year that he has handcrafted over a hundred games to be included in our care packages.  This couple obviously never stops doing for others.

The time given by Joanne can only be matched by the heart and humility with which she gives.  She makes sure that everything in the office is in order and ready to go, and that we have the manpower and the donations to get every task completed. She goes beyond the call of duty to make sure that the boxes are special for our troops and she creates some amazing gift bags which are given to our Veterans each month.

If we had more people like Joanne and Tom Blanck, who were willing to give so much of themselves for others, this world would be a much happier place.  We are so blessed to count Joanne and  Tom as members of our Military Missions family.

Most of what we do would be described as tedious, but everyone who helps has a smile on their face and enjoys the purpose for their seemingly mundane task. Some of our volunteers can come in and work in the office. Others can’t work their schedules around our office hours so they will do what they can from home.

Have you ever written out a few hundred customs forms?  It’s not a fun task, but somebody’s got to do it.  Unless you are the one addressing these forms, no one really gives much thought to the work involved in getting them ready.  For those of us who have done it, what comes to mind first is the reminder of the writer’s cramp we get and the constant wonder about why we even need to fill the forms out since the boxes probably don’t go through Customs anyway.  There is certainly no spotlight for those who sit down and fill out all those little boxes on the forms, but it must be done and our volunteers are happy to have an opportunity to give back to our troops.

What makes a stack of customs forms personal?  For me it’s the fact that the wife of a sailor wants to help, but she is physically unable to come in and work at our office so she takes the forms home and writes them out, one by one.  She wants to be a part of the Military Missions family and say thank you to those who serve.

It’s about the sister of the deployed Marine who sits down at night to write addresses on 200 forms despite the fact that she is already volunteering in the office two days a week and trying to go to school full time. She is giving back, and she is also finding a positive way to survive deployment until her brother is safely home from war.

It’s about the name being written on that customs form.  That name belongs to an American hero.  It belongs to someone who is willing to stand in the gap so you and I can be free.  It belongs to someone who is a child, a spouse, a sibling, a parent, a friend, and a neighbor to countless people back home.

Each one who comes in the door of Military Missions Inc. has a story and a reason they want to give back to our troops and veterans. We all go through the motions of what appears to be a multitude of tedious tasks, but we all know that we are making a difference in the life of someone who needs to know we appreciate what he or she is doing.

We wish there was a way to package up the sentiments and share them with everyone involved.   Because we can’t do that we invite you to check out our blog and our photo albums where we will try to capture the heart and soul behind the snack bars, the foot powder and the customs forms.

To see a few of the faces of those who are giving back, click here.

“My hero is my husband, Daniel. He is currently serving in Afghanistan as a Chaplin’s assistant for the 1-72nd Infantry Brigade, Blackhawks! He is the most honest and caring person I know. He is a magnificent father to our son, who just turned 3 years old and our daughter who is about to turn 2 years old. He makes everyone around him feel safe and appreciated.  Daniel is a family man because that is what’s most important to him and he never hesitates to spend time with us. I am very proud of my soldier and I will stand behind him forever. He is my hero.”

All of us at Military Missions are so grateful for Daniel’s sacrifice and willingness to serve. Please keep Daniel and his family, as well as the entire 1-72nd Infantry Brigade in your prayers.

“Lynn is the Staff Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (SNCOIC) of a training academy that trains and teaches members of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). By training these Afghan military and police officers and teaching them skills, his unit is assisting in improving the lives of the Afghan people, and their overall security. His work is also an essential element to help bring our troops back home for good.”

We are so grateful for the service and sacrifice of Lynn and his family.  We are blessed to live in a nation where we have many freedoms. It is because of these families that we continue to live in the greatest nation on earth. Thank you Lynn! You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Our Military Kids awards grants to pay for participation in sports, fine arts, camps, tutoring programs, and a variety of other opportunities to nurture and sustain children while a parent is deployed or recovering from injury.

There are many psychological benefits to having a child enrolled in an activity. For wounded warriors, the family’s daily life almost always revolves around the injury and recovery process.  Grants provided by Our Military Kids allow children to be involved in something that is all about them.  Activities allow children to focus on a positive experience at a time when they may be dealing with a lot of negativity or an inability to understand why a parent has returned with injuries.

In the case of Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Post Traumatic Stress, the soldier may look the same, but act very differently.  Allowing a child an opportunity to focus on something positive, interesting, and just for them, is a great way to keep the child healthy through the challenging times the family will face during recovery.

If you or your loved one are serving in the National Guard or any branch of the Military Reserve, you are likely living a fair distance from a military base.  Because the family programs typically offered on a military base are not something in which you can take advantage, Our Military Kids can give you the opportunity to let your children live out their dreams too, by taking classes or being part of a team.

Find out how to apply for a grant, what types of activities are eligible, and what type of impact these grants have on the children who receive them. Click here to listen! The show airs at 8:00 pm on Monday, November 28. Listen live or download the show and listen after it airs.

When we first started sending boxes out for Christmas in 2006, we sent out about 50 boxes to soldiers deployed during the Christmas holiday.

In 2007, we sent out 170 individual flat rate boxes and over 750 quart sized ziploc bags filled with treats to our deployed Kentucky National Guard soldiers.  I remember thinking that we had finally arrived at our destination and we were really accomplishing something big.  After all, I started this whole thing in my dining room.  I was just a Marine Mom sending boxes to her son and his buddies.  I had no intentions of running a nonprofit organization, but as I heard of soldiers and Marines who were not receiving mail, I couldn’t bear the idea of knowing that someone was serving on my behalf and he wasn’t getting any encouragement from home.

In 2008, Military Missions sent out boxes on a monthly basis, and in December we sent out 1000 boxes to deployed troops from all branches of the service.

In 2009 and 2010, we send boxes out monthly, and had the privilege and honor of reaching 2000 troops with a package each Christmas.

As word has spread, and many more come to know about our organization, 2011 is proving to be our biggest year. As of today, we now have 3,920 troops on our list.  Many of these heroes are added by other troops who work side by side with them and realize they are not getting any mail.

This is a ginormous number and we want to do our best to send each and every one of these heroes something for Christmas, but there is simply no way we can do it without a lot more people stepping up to make this possible.

We must raise at least $20,000 in the next three weeks to pay for the shipping costs to send our boxes.  If you are considering making a donation for Christmas, we hope you will consider making your donation to Military Missions Inc.  We are operated completely by volunteers and not one of us gets paid.  Every dime you donate will be used to send a package to our deployed troops.  We are an IRS approved 501c3 public charity so your donation is tax deductible.

Thank you for your consideration and support.  Let’s work together to make sure that each one on our list receives a package from Military Missions on December 25, 2011.

]]> http://www.military-missions.org/2011/11/25/a-ginormous-christmas-list/feed/ 0 http://www.military-missions.org/2011/11/23/meet-todays-hero-kyle/ http://www.military-missions.org/2011/11/23/meet-todays-hero-kyle/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:25:38 +0000 Beth http://www.military-missions.org/?p=2380 Meet today’s hero, Kyle. He is currently serving in Afghanistan with the United States Army. He is greatly missed by his family who shared the following with us.

“Your friends and family are so proud of you for your service. We love and miss you and look forward to your return.”

His family also shared that Kyle is a huge Kentucky Wildcat fan and he keeps up with the games no matter where he is serving. For those of us here in the Bluegrass, we join Kyle in saying, Go Big Blue!

We are so grateful for Kyle’s service. His willingness to sacrifice time with family to serve on our behalf allows us to continue to live with many freedoms, including the privilege of cheering for our favorite sports teams! The next time you watch a ball game, think about those who are serving so you can do that. Thanks Kyle!

]]> http://www.military-missions.org/2011/11/23/meet-todays-hero-kyle/feed/ 0 http://www.military-missions.org/2011/11/22/reminders-of-home-for-our-deployed-troops/ http://www.military-missions.org/2011/11/22/reminders-of-home-for-our-deployed-troops/#comments Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:07:51 +0000 Beth http://www.military-missions.org/?p=2366 It can’t be said any better than this…..

FOB Salerno, like the other outposts in Afghanistan, is a very long way from home.  Want to lift the  morale and spirits of our troops?  We could use your help!

]]> http://www.military-missions.org/2011/11/22/reminders-of-home-for-our-deployed-troops/feed/ 0 http://www.military-missions.org/2011/11/21/so-whats-in-the-care-package/ http://www.military-missions.org/2011/11/21/so-whats-in-the-care-package/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:05:29 +0000 Beth http://www.military-missions.org/?p=2351 A lot of people want to know what to send to our deployed troops in a care package. I don’t think there is one answer to that question.  For one thing, everyone has different tastes.  But let’s put that aside and think about it from the soldier’s perspective.

One of the first things I’ll point out is simply the fact that they aren’t all guys!  There are many women who have stepped up to serve our nation.  They want and need many of the same items we would send our male soldiers, but let’s not forget that we could throw a few other thing in their box that would be appreciated.

Back when I first started sending boxes to my son, he spent most of his first deployment living outside the wire, where his truck was his home.  Back then, he wanted baby wipes as showers were a rare occurrence, happening only when his platoon returned to base in between missions.  Other requests included batteries, snacks, and hot sauce to cover up the taste of the MRE’s on which they survived.  Paperback books were a popular item, too.  My son actually decided he liked to read during his first deployment.  When you are stuck in the middle of a desert for 7 months, what else is there to do in between missions?

During the second deployment, the Marines in his unit were living in trailers on base.  They were outside the wire all day, but they did report back to base at the end of each shift.  Showering was actually a daily option, so baby wipes weren’t as desired as they had been the first time around.  Now that they had access to electricity, he and his buddies requested dvd’s and watched movies during down time.

A remote area was the place my son called home during the third deployment.  The Marines found themselves eating one kind of meat over and over, day in and day out.   This time they wanted hot sauce, barbecue sauce, and any other kind of sauce I could find. Homemade chocolate chip cookies were also a very big hit, in fact, the favorite item sent during deployment number three. The weirdest thing I ever heard him say was, “Hey, Mom, could you stop sending so much junk food?  We just want healthy stuff.”

Over the past seven years, Military Missions has supported troops in many countries, with Iraq and Afghanistan being the most common areas to receive our packages.  It really depends on where our troops are stationed as to what they need.  There are countless places to be deployed.  Some have access to microwaves.  Others do not.  Some eat surf and turf every Sunday.  Others eat MRE’s during their entire deployment.  Some will cook Ramen noodles on the hood of their truck because they can actually do that in the desert heat.  Others trudge through 2 feet of snow up and down the side of a mountain just to get their deliveries because the roads are impassible.

So what should be sent?  Just ask any soldier or Marine.  There are a few answers that we hear quite often such as socks and powdered drink mix, but the most common answer by far is simply, “We like anything!”  It’s really the thought that counts.

I’m sure it is greatly appreciated when they receive items on their wish list, but unless your box is filled with items completely inappropriate for the soldier’s situation, he is going to be grateful you remembered he was fighting for our freedoms. The items in your box will be used and enjoyed, but the idea that you cared enough to take a few moments to send a package and write a note of encouragement is what will stick in the hearts and minds of our troops.

So what are you waiting for?  Get that box out and fill it up with goodies.  Need some ideas? Click here to see our list of care package suggestions.

Don’t have time to shop? You can help us send the boxes we are currently packing. We can’t send the boxes without the funds to pay for shipping.  Click here to help us today!

]]> http://www.military-missions.org/2011/11/21/so-whats-in-the-care-package/feed/ 0