Greetings to all,
I trust all had a great Thanksgiving! I hope all of you took a moment to give thanks to our military! Take a moment to think about our military folks on duty around the world, who are not able to be home for the holidays. I can recall hearing "Mail Call" and seeing the joy brought to the faces of young troops as they received a care package or letter from home. "Take a moment this season and send a letter or care package to a a military member this season!" "Tis the season to give to our military Thanks!"
God speed to all, for a safe return!
Concur with all Reb has written. As members of an organization that studies the military, even the military of our past, we should honor those who served before by showing our support to the ones who serve now. Its one thing to put a bumper sticker on your car, its quite another to personally thank them.
My office just sent a Christmas package to one of our people currently in Baghdad (when you read about an American being reporting missing in Iraq, she is one of those who tries to find them). We're a small office - only about 12 people, but half of us have been to Iraq and/or Afganistan (yeah, we're still there, too) and I can tell you from personal experience that the holidays can be trying. You're putting in 14-16 hour days every day, even on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, and the nearest thing to a party is the special chow laid on for the day. Memories of holidays past spent with friends and family intrude. So, we try and send them the occassional care package to help cheer them up a little.
So, if you know of anyone over there (even if its just the son of a relatively unknown neighbor or co-worker), take a few minutes to put together a small care package and send it to them. And, put a card or note inside. I still treasure a small piece of paper I found in a care package - all it said was "Thank You."
And, its never too late to send a care package. Every time we got a care package, it was like waking up to Christmas.
It'll be the best gift you'll ever give all year.
US Scout
GAF, Commanding