Those are the words I said when my son called me to say he was deploying for a second time. “This is what I signed up for, Mom,” he said.
In my mind, those six months stateside flew by so fast. But I knew he had been training since he came home from the first deployment. It just wasn’t any easier the second time around. It probably was harder for me, his mom.
As with the first deployment, he came out to Oregon for a few days of pre-deployment leave. We went hiking to some beautiful waterfalls flowing out of the Cascades, we visited the Bonneville Dam in the Columbia Gorge, and we rode 4-wheelers and sand rails on the Oregon Sand Dunes. And soon it was time to bring him to the airport again.
But this time – our time together was a bit different. This time his bright blue eyes were clouded, the smiles and laughter few and far between. He’s always been kind of a joker (boy, could I tell you some tales LOL). This time he was quiet at times, walked ahead of us at times, stared off into some distant thoughts. He was detaching himself from family. I am so glad that I had a huge group of Marine Moms who had experienced this. I would have been upset had I not known that they detach – they get ready for fighting in a war. This is not only in a physical way, but emotionally and psychologically as well.
For this deployment, he asked me to write letters only once a week and to send care packages every 2 weeks. When he would call, he would ask for fictional books, big bags of beef jerky, big bags of trail mix, phone cards, magazines, batteries, kind of the same stuff I sent the first time. He told me his “guys” (as he referred to them) loved the beef jerky. He told me he gave away most of his phone cards to those who didn’t receive any and wanted to call home. This made me so sad, I even asked for addresses and names to write letters and send packages to those who didn’t receive anything from home. One time he called and asked me to see if I could track down his prescription for contacts and send him another supply of contacts. It took me a bit, but within 7 days he received his contacts.
Our troops sacrifice so much of themselves for our freedoms. We need to never forget we have troops in many locations. They love a touch of “home”, they love receiving letters and care packages. These simple things tell our courageous troops that we do not forget. Can you help? We have until the end of May for gathering donations. Can you help?
Our goal for Netroots for the TroopsTM 2011 is $100,000.0 (cash or in-kind donations)
NFTT's primary function is the purchasing and assembling of Care Packages at Netroots Nation to be mailed to American Military serving in war zones. However, the needs of our military families and veterans at home are also a NFTT priority. As llbear et al. have shown, far too often veterans and their families end up caught between a need and red tape. As we raise funds this year remember that your donation will be helping on multiple levels. Our deployed sons and daughter will know they have not been forgotten. Military families will know that they are not alone. Veterans at home will receive needed help.
We realize that you would like to donate something tangible to go inside the packages that will be mailed to the troops. Unfortunately, accepting in-kind donations from individuals is not practical in terms of storage and handling of the items. We will only be accepting corporate donations or cash from YOU to purchase items for the care packages this year.
Here’s how YOU can help:
1. Please contact TexDem if you know someone who might be helpful in securing the corporate in-kind donations. Just leave him a message through the dkos message system. To help you think of companies who could donate products, see below for a list of potential items. Put your thinking caps on and let us hear from you. It takes time to get through the corporate processes so we need to hear from you ASAP!
2. We are accepting cash from individuals and -beg- ask that you DONATE HERE to contribute to this worthy cause. Your donation will enable us to purchase the things that we are unable to obtain through corporate donations, and will help to pay the costs of shipping them to our troops.
3. Sign up for a diary! Don’t worry---we’ve made it easy for you. We’ve got a template set up, and all you need to do is add a small introduction. You can tell us why you are donating or share a story of someone you know who has served or is serving. You can post some favorite pootie and woozel photos. Or how about some gardening photos? We love them! Recipes? We're ready to cook. A list of the top ten guitarists of all time? We'll listen. An homage to your favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy writer? (Terry Pratchett is one of mine.) We'll be reading. We want you to have fun while raising money for our troops and their families. Just drop Onomastic/Ono a message through the dkos message system to get the template and on the schedule.
4. Do you know a service member who would like to receive a care package? Email a request to: info@netrootsforthetroops.com before May 31, 2011. Please include all of the following information. Unfortunately we will not be able to process any incomplete requests:
Rank:
Last name:
First name:
APO Address Line 1:
APO Address Line 2:
APO Address Zip:
If you know of a Military Unit that would like to receive care packages please include Unit and contact information by May 15, 2011.
5. Write letters to be included in the packages! If you need some ideas, rbutters wrote an excellent diary with tips on how to write letters to troops and why it’s so important to them.
6. Help us assemble the packages in Minneapolis. It's fun! More information will be forthcoming for those of you who are going to be in Minneapolis and would like to help there.
7. Please consider joining the NFTT FaceBook Group. Invite your FaceBook and non-FaceBook friends.
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The goal for 2011 is 600 Care Packages assembled in Minneapolis, that equates to approximately $100,000.00. Again this was decided upon after seeing we could assemble 300 in 45 minutes in Pittsburgh. Those boxes had a retail value of approximately $210.00. The items we'll be sending will be comparable to what was sent last year. However, that list is subject to modification based on suggestions, request and needs. Btw, check out the NFTT website.
The following list contains some of the things we have included in packages. Please let us know if you know someone who might be helpful in securing these corporate in-kind donations. (Please DO NOT send these items yourself! We have no way to accept them. Instead, your cash donation is the very best way to help make this happen on the ground in Minneapolis.)
- Baby wipes
- Mechanix gloves
- LED flashlights
- Gel shoe insoles
- Goop Cleaning Gel
- Powdered energy drinks
- Gel energy food packets
- DVDs and CDs
- Letters to the soldiers
- More suggestions coming soon
The NFTT diaries are a way for the Daily Kos community to support the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and their families. We send them packages of items they might not otherwise receive through the normal military process but that they find useful. This is a non-political diary. While we understand there are differing views on the wars and the warriors, the site gives plenty of opportunity to express those views elsewhere. Furthermore, we would hope that users do not engage with those that attempt to hijack or otherwise disrupt these diaries.
We appreciate your understanding and support. Thanks!
Netroots For The TroopsTM is a project of Netroots for the Troops, Inc., a Virginia non-profit corporation. Netroots For The TroopsTM raises money for the assembly, mailing and delivery of care packages to American military in war zones, and to provide assistance to military families in the United States. Netroots For The Troops, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.