Re: Adopt A Soldier, or something like that...

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwared from: Ted Arthur <arcturous () hotmail com>

Mr. Knowles and allcon,

I just wanted to take a second to thank you for bringing this to
everyones attention. There have been three very specific times in my
military career I have either seen this working beautifully, or in
desperate need.

In basic training at Great Lakes Ill. many young sailors were adopted
by the local community for one night on Xmas eve. This is actually
quite staggering when you think of how many sailors are spread between
the Recruit training center and the Technical training center across
the street. And while I wasn't adopted that Xmas eve (gave it up to my
rackmate who was in much greater need of it than myself) I know that
this little intervention helped many young men and women going through
a very new experience.

If there are any subscribers in the Chicago/Great Lakes area, my hat
is off to you. I was AMAZED how many of my shipmates got a chance to
go home with someone that day.

While stationed overseas the local military contingent took care of
each other rather well, but at times it could seem almost like society
as a whole were unaware of their sons and daughters out there doing
the jobs that needed to be done.

It's at this point that one realizes that it's not the action that
makes a man long for home, but rather the day to day work and
monotonous routine that hammers away at his spirit. To this ailment a
simple letter, package or call can make a young service members head
swim with the pride he feels at working to protect a society that
would do this for him.

Finally, one can never forget the boys and girls deployed. Granted, it
is particularly being a soldier, airman or marine in foreign
countries, but none have it as bad service members on ships or forward
deployed. No other service is asked to pack everything they have into
a tiny locker, say goodbye to their family and go to sea on a rusty
bucket for 6 months or more, each year. Not to mention what a navy
wife has to suffer through.

While deployed in the gulf in early '99 there were two things that
made each day worth struggling through:

1) The ensuing port call 5 weeks away and,
2) Letters from home.

Nothing parallels the feeling of hearing you have mail waiting for you
and nothing hurts more than the last line of whatever letter you have,
realizing no number of pages would have been long enough to keep you
happy, but for that one moment, it was all perfect.

I realize I may wax poetic here and sprinkle drama more than CNN on a
slow news day, but I can't stress enough how important this is to your
fighting men and women. If you have done this before, thank you. If
you've thought about, please try it, you will make such a difference.
If you've never done it, just ask the next veteran you see how
important this can be to someone away from home (OUTCONUS).

Thanks for your time and happy holidays to all.

Ted Arthur
Naval Security Group Activity Pensacola
United States Navy



  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: William Knowles=20
  To: InfoSec News=20
  Sent: Monday, December 17, 2001 2:24 AM
  Subject: [ISN] Adopt A Soldier, or something like that...


  Sometime ago with the holidays around the corner, some of you were
  curious on ways to adopt a serviceman or woman serving either here or
  overseas. From what I understood the Department of Defense stopped
  forwarding parcels and mail from anonymous parties about the time of
  the Anthrax attacks to the U.S. Government.

  I did however keep my ears and eyes open and I think I might have
  something that you all might be interested in, from the website...

  http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/

  Send a special holiday message to our men and women in the military
  defending American freedom worldwide.

  Since 1967, when Sgt. Billy Thompson wrote Abigail Van Buren and
  mentioned that a wonderful Christmas present to our armed forces would
  be "just a letter from home," American citizens have been sending
  holiday wishes to servicemen and women stationed overseas every
  holiday season. Dubbed "Operation Dear Abby," the program has brought
  holiday joy to hundreds of thousands of U.S. military personnel
  deployed away from home.

  Concerns about mail delivery have prompted the military to suspend
  this year's letter-writing campaign. However, the United States
  Department of the Navy's LifeLines2000 Services Network in association
  with SPAWAR SCC-NCR is providing this private and secure online
  resource that will allow you to send a Sailor, Marine, Soldier, Airman
  or Coast Guardsman a holiday greeting.


  Thank you, & God Bless America!

  William Knowles
  wk () c4i org



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