Here's A Way To Say Thanks To The Troops

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
Washington Post
November 23, 2006
Pg. D4
Federal Diary
By Stephen Barr

Amid the holiday fun of turkey and football, take a little time today to send a thank you to the troops on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's not that difficult.
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service, in a partnership with charitable groups, is sponsoring "Gifts From the Homefront," designed to put gift certificates in the hands of U.S. military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"During the holidays, when you are separated from your family and loved ones, it can get tough," Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Bryan K. Eaton said. "But when the public reaches out like this, it gives you a tangible feeling of support. It makes a big difference."
To send a gift certificate, log on to http:www.aafes.org or call 877-770-4438. The gift certificates come in denominations from $5 to $50 and can be redeemed by service members at the 53 stores operated by the exchange service and at 187 fast-food outlets in Iraq.
The gift certificates may be sent to an individual service member or, if you don't know someone serving in the war zone, to "any service member."
Being able to help a service member, especially a person you don't know, "is a really neat thing," Eaton said in an interview. The exchange turns to its nonprofit partners, who take recommendations from sergeants and commanders, to identify military personnel who can use some financial support or are "having a bad time" and need a morale boost, he said.
Exchange officials acknowledge that care packages containing home-baked goodies are considered the traditional way of showing support for people deployed overseas, but they noted that in the past few years, as concerns over terrorism risks have grown, the military has tried to discourage boxes sent to service members from strangers.
Eaton, who has pulled tours in Spain, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, said he has received care packages that were not what he expected "or did not get to me the way they started out."
He added, "A Mars bar does not make it to Iraq looking like it did when it left the states."
In a trip to Iraq this year, Eaton said, he found that members of the armed forces enjoy being able to redeem gift certificates because the certificates allow them to buy items, such as snacks and music, tailored to their tastes, or buy phone cards for calls to their families back home.
"Any or all support of that nature is appreciated by people who receive it," Eaton said.
Charitable organizations working with the exchanges are the Air Force Aid Society, the American Red Cross, the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, Fisher House Foundation, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Operation Homefront, Operation Interdependence, the Soldier and Family Assistance Center at Fort Sam Houston, and United Service Organizations, known as the USO.
Judd Anstey, spokesman for the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, said orders placed on or before Dec. 1 would ensure that a gift certificate is in the hands of a service member in Iraq or Afghanistan by Dec. 25.
Honors at Defense
Lorena Castro, a Navy project engineer, has been presented with the Defense Department's David O. Cooke Excellence in Public Administration Award.
Castro, in the Navy program executive office for ships, was recognized for developing an acquisition and contracting strategy for the purchase of three research ships for the National Science Foundation, the Pentagon said.
The award is named after the late Doc Cooke, a career federal executive who was known as "the mayor of the Pentagon" because of the key management positions he held.
The Pentagon also has announced winners of this year's Distinguished Civilian Service Award, which recognizes career employees for exceptional contributions to the department.
The winners are: Gus Guissanie, Thomas Harvey, Gail McGinn, Maurice M. Mizrahi, Victor Ferlise, Charles Gallaher, Bhakta Rath and Lawrence Fielding.
 
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