LostVault

Do most of them have email now? I thought I would write a soldier who maybe doesn't have family write. I looked at three or four web sites with no luck. One obviously had not updated in at least a year and a half because the soldiers were supposed to be released long before. Another, you could just find info on sending money or care packages. Does anyone know anything about this? There are so many web sites for military but they seem focused on romance or other things like care packages.

uh oh. I tried again. I saw an ehow.com article on it and it said to register on a free site, so I did. So they want to know your age, education level, how tall you are, about your looks, size, etc. This isn't one that said anything about romance! AND looks like they share your info!
says something about you are now connected to all tangowire web sites! This is not what I want! I wish web sites had to state how it works on there before you register.

Yes, adoptasolider.com sets you up with a penpal of sorts... they don't really write back. I had 2 and sent a care package and all to them and only recieved 1 letter from one guy. It's more of a one way diary penpal thing.

I tried the adoptsoldier.com
but no chance !

One guy not in Iraq, or Afghanistan but in CA ! And he wasn't even looking for a penpal - he would send "3 word-long emails !" so nope !!
I gave up on that.

Most of the guys rely either on their families, friends back home and mostly on the other soldiers of their unit.

Never found a penpal site that was actually just looking for e-mail friends.

From a guy's perspective...just seeing how generous you gals are with your time, and what kind, thoughtful hearts (many) of you have from the posts in this thread...it just makes me smile.

It bothers me when it sounds like you are not appreciated by the recipients of your generosity and care. Anyway, it's just nice that you do it!

supportasoldier.com doesn't seem to be working...

For those who write soldiers serving overseas, it is appreciated but the fact is, they may just not have the time or energy. The tempo of operations for wherever they are located may just be to high for them to respond. You also need to know, they may not be located on a full on base but living in a tent in the middle of nowhere (FOB -> forward operating base) and have more pressing concerns, like staying alive. Mail is not a priority and will not be delivered if other needs have to be met.

My brother's doing well, after coming back from his 2nd visit to Afghanistan, he switched to the airforce from the infantry and now no longer has to do those kinds of tours. His wife, who is also in the airforce, actually volunteered to go to Afghanistan and will be leaving approx the last week of Feb. She will do 8 weeks in country and then back to Canada for 8 weeks for the next 6-8 months. I personally think the woman is crazy but hey, at least she will be on base and not in the field.

Libbiegirl is exactly right. I email a Sergeant Major and he doesn't get long at all and I guess when he gets to use the internet family are first for him to contact which is understandable, he has a wife and 2 kids I know he appreciates my emails though, and I don't mind that he doesn't write much in reply...just to know he and his platoon is keeping safe is what matters and they like to know they have people other than their families thinking of them.

Hi, I just wanted to add. I am a soldier and a lot of the sights you can sign up for just end up sending the letters or cards to iraq and giveing them out to random people. Its not that we dont appreciate the letters we do its just when the letter i get is addressed to someone else I feel slightly weird to write back. I always wished to have a pen pal while i was there and the few times i did get mail it was 4 months after they wrote. wish i had done it threw email.

I guess it's a whole different ballgame. They have support from other troops and usually from family and friends. They are not bored out of their minds. I don't have money to send to anyone but if you know of someone who would like a letter once a month or emails ( much more frequently!) let me know.

You know, reading these posts reminded me so much of my Air Force days.

I don't know if I saw it on tv or read it here, but somewhere someone said that Mail-Call is the best time of the day for inmates. It was exactly like that when I was in the service. The first letter I ever got as an Airman was one my dad sent while I was in boot camp. I was so glad to get it I felt like crying.

Anyway, I remember one Christmas when I was on an overseas tour. Mom and Dad had sent me a few gifts, but I'd opened them way before Christmas. So when Christmas Eve came, it dawned on me that Christmas would really just be an ordinary day for me. I'd just got to that base a little past Thanksgiving, so I hadn't made any real friends yet. I made sure I went to my mailbox that day, since it would be closed on Christmas.

I expected my box to be empty (it usually was) but there were three envelopes inside. Walking back to my building, I noticed the return addresses were from the states, but not from my state. So when I got to my room, I sat at my desk and opened them. They were from people I didn't even know, and they wanted nothing more than to wish me a happy Christmas. I remember I thought -- upon opening the first envelope -- that I'd never seen a more beautiful Christmas card in all my life.

Another card had one of those letters folks put into their Christmas cards, you know, telling all about their family (just the admirable parts, though, they read more like some bizarre family resume' or something... ) Anyway, I loved reading it, and I just read it over and over. It reminded me of why I was there, who I was representing and defending. It felt awesome that they thought enough of me to allow me into their family's life, and I loved them for that.

The last one was the best. It was part of an elementary school assignment, to write to a soldier overseas without his/her family. This kid... this young boy wrote a letter I'll never forget and I'll never throw away. It was the way he worded things, he was so brutally honest... I sat in that room by myself and just laughed out loud at this masterpiece of a letter. He had this fear that Santa was going to bring socks... he must've gotten a lot of socks in previous years, because he really wasn't up for getting more of them. He'd drawn an American flag in crayon at the bottom, and beside that was: "P.S.: Thank you." I will always, always have that letter and I often wonder how it's writer is getting along in life...

So from experience, I gotta say they SO do appreciate getting mail. And a pen pal would probably be welcomed, particularly for people who are away from their families (or just don't have families.)

Sorry this was so long. Editing is not my strong suit, believe that. And for anyone pen-pal-ing with a soldier, keep doing it, it makes all the difference in the world. Remaining

Your Friend,
TJ

That was a lovely story about the little boy's xmas card, thanks for sharing TJ