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| DOD (Department of Defense) Troop Support Mail Policy & How That Effects "SI Yellow Ribbon"... We've had some expressing concern about the "DOD Troop Support Mail Policy" and how that effects our work. We want to cover that for you, so there are no questions and concerns. Please review the following and if you still have questions feel free to email Amy at mom2callie@onemain.com |
| Recently a Department of Defense Press Release was distributed stressing the troop support mail policy and with some concerned, I want to address the issue.... Please understand our Campaign is to benefit the deployed military and we would never do anything to cause harm nor to cause mail clogs, etc. We have been shipping for nearly three years now without any problems whatsoever. We are very familiar with all DOD mail policies and always follow the guidelines. We are also a featured link on the DOD website and will cover that information below. I will use quotes directly from the DOD press release and hopefully this will explain our cause better to you... "The Department of Defense announced today the continued suspension of the "Any Servicemember" mail program. Accordingly, the general public is urged not to send unsolicited mail, care packages or donations to service members during the holiday season." Since forming our Campaign in March of 2003, we have NEVER used the "Any Servicemember" program. Every package that is sent from our Campaign was REQUESTED and has a particular name and address on the package, we do NOT do "mass mailings" to one address - each package has a different name/address. We have never sent ANY unsolicited mail or care packages. Everything shipped from our headquarters was requested either by the military member theirself, another serving in their unit, their Commander, a family member, etc. "DoD continues to emphasize that names and addresses of military service members must not be distributed....." ".....Unknown mailers could then obtain those addresses and mail harmful items to service members." Our family at "SI Yellow Ribbon" agrees very much with this sentiment that has always been a concern with the DOD. We NEVER give out names & addresses to anyone. Many times we get requests to "adopt" a soldier and we must always explain that ALL names/addresses are completely confidential. The only people that ever see the names and addresses is our family, who handles all paperwork, the packing of boxes, etc. There are programs out there who "distribute" name and address, but we are not one of those programs. As I said before, all addresses are given to us by others requesting help in sending care packages. Many of the military we send to, do not have ANY other mail or care packages coming and have no family or friends that send (or are able to afford to send to them). We are their acting family and without our care packages they would be receiving nothing. We have strict guidelines we follow in packing the care packages and follow all regulations set forth by the military, postal service, etc. "For these reasons, DoD continues to indefinitely suspend general donation programs from unknown mailers." As stated above, we are not "unknown mailers"....we have been contacted for these packages, often times directly from the military member via email, mail or phone requesting help. The military often get discouraged when these press releases get sent out, as they know it hurts Campaigns such as ours as many take the press release out of context or distribute their "own version" of the original. Many deployed military depend on our services for necessities and needs within their unit and are requesting these services directly from us. "Americans, who don't have loved ones deployed overseas, can still show support during the holidays by other means. A list of these programs is available at http://www.defendamerica.mil" If you visit the site listed above and go to the "Support Our Troops" section you will find a link to our website directly from the DOD website. It also gives the links to 2 stories done on us by the "Armed Forces Press Service". We are very proud of our coverage on the DOD website that was done by the American Forces Press Service! I hope this covers all questions and concerns....we don't do "mass mailings" and always stagger our special Holiday packages as not to send through a huge amount at one time. Once again, nothing we send is unsolicited and everything has been requested. We receive many sad pleas for letters and care packages and often send to military who have been deployed for 8 or 10 months and never received the first piece of mail. This is very discouraging and hurts morale and that is why our services are available. Thank you to everyone who continues to support our endeavors and make the stay in foreign land for our brave soldiers a little easier by giving them a little touch of home! |
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