To our brothers and sisters in the military....

[Justice Hog]

I just want to take a few moments to "thank you" and to let you know you're in my thoughts and prayers this Christmas day.

It's sad that you cannot be home with you family and loved-ones this day; however, please know that the sacrifices you are making right now are so very much appreciated.

You risk your lives each day, you remain away from you family, and you sacrifice to perpetuate the idea of "freedom" so others' lives might improve. I don't think there is anything more noble than that.

Thank you.....and God Bless you.

Take care...and please come home safely.

[skinz74]

From those of us who have been there, are there, or who are going there...we thank you for you kind words. But don't worry too much...There is a fire that burns within us that makes the small and large sacrifices bearable. Knowing that there are loved ones who depend on us and a country that supports us is the fuel that fires our every waking moment. Our fellow soldiers/sailors/airmen/marines are a tight knit group serving as a defunct secondary family. And just the thought of the first day home is enough to get us through another day. So, from the frontlines and the sidelines we say Merry Christmas to you too...

[Jake]

God bless our troops! I am so grateful for what they do for this country and us.

Merry Christmas to everyone overseas!

[Redskin Don]

You are ALWAYS in our thoughts and prayers.

[welch]

"By my works I will show you my faith", as a wise man once said.

There are several practical things that can be down to help our Soldiers (and Marines, airmen, and sailors) deployed to dangerous places -- everyplace in Iraq and Afgahinstan is dangerous -- and returning with physical and emotional woounds.

We can help. Whether we think this occupation is a good idea, or a blunder, the troops are truly heros...and I mean from the plain soldiers up to the senior combat commanders.

There has been a near embargo on packages to the troops, escept for Christams / holiday packages to family. The Army asked that well-meaning civilians stop sending "care packages" to troops until the family packages cleared through the US Postal Service.

The backlog is clearing out, and I will post some good websites that help connect packages to troops.

By the way, the US Post Office is great. A "priority" post to Iraq costs under $5. The USPS gets a lost of criticiszm. Unjustified...they do good things.

*

One action that can help is volunterring at Walter Reed. I don't know anything about how Walter Reed aceepts volunteers, but it is the hospital where badly wounded troops are sent after Lanstuhl (sp?). My son, PFC Dan, life-long Redskin fan (and Hog net member) now living with his wife at her duty station in Killeen, TX -- she is depolyed -- Dan, as I started to say, spent last year at Ft Meade. Several times he escorted Soldiers to Walter Reed for MRI's and such. It was an emotional crusher.

This is second hand, and I don't know military procedure, or even the overall perspective, but Dan suggesed that one good thing would be to meet the busses of badly wounded troops from Andrews as they arrive at Walter Reed. Many troops are hit in road-side bombs ("IED's) and wake up in Landstuhl, from which the most seriously maimed and wounded are transferred to Walter Reed. Some are desperate to talk with anyone; some are quiet and want to be left alone for a bit.

I see that Walter Reed uses volunteers. I know the insight, compasion, and good sense of many Hog Net members. It might a concrete action that could help.

I'll add some websites that will start again as the package glut clears out.