looking for a unit in Afghanistan

[sugarfree]

3timesscoccermom
Please contact me out of HCW
I can do another 25 stockings or more..or I can do at least do 2 bunk houses
imasugarfree@yahoo.com I committed my self to the mountains of Afghanistan MP but I have more to share... but i will need a contact here in the staates to help.. sugarfree

[Agape Love]

What a sweet offer! I volunteer at a USO in the Virginia area that has deploying troops always traveling through. Anyone that has extra soda's, water, snacks, jam, p-nut butter, baby wipes, razors, etc... please consider donating these items. The local USO units are staffed by volunteer's and are donation based. Thanks for your consideration. Trust me, these brave men and women are very appreciative to get a hot dog and a Coke after coming home from being overseas. THANKS!!!!

[meggers]

I didn't post anything that wasn't published in our newspaper multiple times as well as listed online through various military and non military sources, USMCwife. My husband is a point of contact for these groups and has permission to post his address for this very reason. The next time you want to offend both a supporter of our military such as sugarfree, and a military family such as ours how about you do a little research first and ask some questions! You handled this very poorly.

I can understand her surprise in seeing the addy. I couldn't get it deleted quickly enough for my liking & had alerted the mod to pm you, but she hasn't been online to do so. In light of your explanation, however, I can put the address back up if you'd like. Just shoot me a PM to let me know.

We get members that honestly do not realize they aren't private messaging someone & put their email or address on the public board. We delete first & ask questions later.

Now that we have that all settled, let's get back to this lovely topic of helping our military men & women. I don't think anyone meant to offend their fellow service families at all. In fact, I believe the intention was to protect them.

[SgtCoupon]

I'd like to throw my 2 cents in on this.

Please don't post unit addresses and troop movements in public forums.

As a 23 year (and counting) military member, I applaud the efforts to get goodies to the troops in the combat zone. We all really appreciate it. I spent one holiday season in central Iraq and those little goody bags and boxes do make a difference.

I'd like to take a stand on the side of the MC wife and maybe suggest alternate solutions. We classify anything to do with troop movements to and from combat zones (including dates) and unit locations as "critical information" One piece likely won't hurt but it is fairly easy for an adversary to piece together the puzzle. If for example "random badguy" wants to hurt US troops and knows a unit is returning to their Kentucky hometown at a set date time, he can then plot nefarious deeds. By the same token he could send special care packages to units with known addresses.

Is it likely to happen, no. Will it eventually happen, yes.

I suggest you contact your local base Public Information Office or Officer, the base chapel (church), the wives clubs (officer or enlisted) and ask how you can get the supplies you wish to donate to the guys in need. They will probably have a program, or suggest an organization to you that can get the items there. An internet search should turn up some outstanding volunteer organizations also, but if you just can't find anyone, contact the VFW, USO, or AMVETS.

I repeat we really do appreciate all that our friends and neighbors do for us and the gifts they send, just use a modicum of caution and try to send it through a base or organization who has established ties to the military. As an added benefit, these organizations often can divert goodies to the forward operating bases who receive very little where you may only hear about some of the larger locations.

Travel size items, candy, little crossword & sudoku books, playing cards, and snacks all go over very well. The things that always made me tear up a bit though were personal letters and drawings from children.

Bless you for your kind thoughts and try not to be angry at MC wife. She was just doing her duty.

[j3nnal3igh]

I applaud USMCwife for making sure OPSEC was kept, there are many people that dont know or understand it. As a Marine wife myself with a husband deployed right now I am still learning OPSEC and everything that goes with it. SgtCoupon thanks for that explanation Im sure it helped many. Sugarfree if you are still looking for a unit to send xmas things to I would be happy to get you in contact with my FRO! Please let me know and thank you all for you support!