My best friend in my high school years was somebody from another school I met in varsity wrestling competition. Manny Miller, Manfred, actually, which he hated. We were about as tight as two straight guys of that era could be. We spent hours riding around in his battered '48 Mercury, sometimes with our girlfriends, but usually just the two of us. Manny was a year older than I, but we graduated the same year, 1964.
I was lucky to have a scholarship and enrolled in college. He joined the Army. Like more than two-thirds of those who would eventually fight in that war, he was a volunteer, not a draftee. I got a letter from him every three weeks or so. He had joined up for the training and the economic out, and he wasn't especially eager to go to Vietnam. But in late summer of 1965, that's where he was ordered. He arrived on October 7. Less than two weeks later, 11 days short of his 20th birthday, he was killed by a blast of shrapnel delivered by a mortar round. His mom phoned me a few days after she heard the news.
It wasn't his death that turned me against the war. By then I had already been in a dozen protests, and there would be hundreds more. It was, however, my memory of him that led me to work in a local organization dedicated to help returning veterans. Though we all opposed the war, no distinction was made between helping those who were gung-ho hippie haters and others who had come home with a deep-seated opposition to the war they had fought. In those days, post-traumatic stress disorder had neither a name nor official recognition as a condition. No particular concern was raised about veterans who couldn't find jobs or had an addiction or wound up, as many did, homeless.
We did what our little group could to find counseling and jobs. It wasn't easy. We learned early on, before the word gained cachet, that chickenhawk patriots talked a good game, but when it came to hiring a veteran with a few problems, they could come up with more excuses than a politician caught with a bogus military record. Then - as throughout American history, with a few exceptions - veterans, as well as active-duty servicemembers, have often gotten the diss from their government and too many of their fellow countrymen. They make great backdrops for parades, but don't upset the mood by discussing Agent Orange, Gulf War Syndrome or body and vehicle armor that doesn't do its job. In light of all that, "thank you for your service" just doesn't cut it.
Again, this year, Netroots For The Troops seeks to make a tangible thank-you in our small way to the troops who are still serving, before they become veterans. Our mission is two-fold: shipment of CARE packages to U.S. soldiers and Marines serving in hostile regions of Iraq and Afghanistan for the duration of their deployment, and on-going financial assistance for veterans and their families upon their return to the States.
Our goal for 2010 is $100,000 (cash or in-kind donations). So far, we've raised $22,631.32, 23 percent of our goal. So there is a long way to go.
NFFT is a project of Netroots Arts and Education Initiative (NAEI), a 501(c)3 organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
There are many ways you can help that don't require opening your wallet, which I'll present below. But, right up front, let me try to interest you in a cash donation if you can afford it. For every person who contributes $10, I will match that amount up to $300. In other words, I'm hoping to get 30 people to contribute $$ right now. There are several different teams and individuals who are participating in this effort here. So make your own choice about where to put your $10 (or more). But I'll be putting my money into the kitty at Common Sense Mainer's NFFT page. It would be great if you did, too.
Just to be absolutely clear: If you contribute $50 - and if you can, I hope you will - I will still only match that at the $10 level. The goal is obviously to raise a lot of dough, but getting as many participants as possible is important, too.
Here’s other ways you can help:
• Please contact TexDem or VeloVixen if you know someone who might be helpful in securing the corporate, in-kind donations. To help you think of companies that could donate products, see below* for a list of potential items. It takes time to get throught he corporate processes, so we need to hear from you ASAP!
• The cash from individuals – donate here – will enable us to buy the things we are unable to obtain through corporate donations and help pay the costs of shipping them to our troops.
• $10 donors to Patric Juliett's team receive an ebook of Tales from the Larder.
• At the NFTT 2010 Personal/Team Fundraising Pages, you can set create a Personal NFTT 2010 Fundraising Page. This gives you a means to approach your friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers and colleagues to donate to NFTT via your page. We're asking you to sign up to personally raise $1000.00. If you were a small donor last year but wanted to do more, this is a way for you to increase your donation via your contacts.
• Sign up for a diary! Our goal is to post two diaries per day until NN10, which doesn't start until July 21. That’s a lot of diaries! 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 telling us why you are donating, sharing a story of someone you know who has served or is serving, or any other thing you want to share that might help motivate others to donate. Please contact jlms qkw if you are interested in posting a diary.
• Do you know a service member who would like to receive a care package? Email your request to: info@netrootsforthetroops.com before June 25, 2010.
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:
• Help us assemble the packages in Vegas. It's fun! More information will be forthcoming for those of you who are going to be in Vegas and would like to help there.
• Please consider joining the NFTT FaceBook Group. Invite your FaceBook and non-FaceBook friends.
* The following list contains some of the things we would like to include in the 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 Vegas.) * 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 * Sand scarves & cool ties.
We realize that you may want 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. Instead, we will only be accepting corporate donations or cash from you to purchase items for the care packages this year.
We are accepting hand-written or typed letters. See Lusty's diary for details. Mail hand-written letters to Lusty, email typed letters to jlms qkw, at jlms_qkwATxmissionDOTcom
Books for Soldiers
Soldiers love to receive books, but due once again to the logistics of collecting and storing them prior to NN10, books will not be included in the packages that NFTT will put together this year. Other organizations are more specialized in the collection and distribution of books to Iraq and Afghanistan . If you are interested in sending books, please consider checking out the Books For Soldiers website. It is run by DKos's very own StormBear and is a great resource for giving.
Since March 1, 2010, monthly donations are no longer being deducted. Please consider donating the difference here.