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    A Little Christmas Cheer for the Troops


    By amanda zaluckyj, Section News
    Posted on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 10:25:50 AM EST

    It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Michigan! Snow is falling, lights are going up, and the mall is playing holiday tunes. For most of us, this time of year is all about traditions and celebrations.

    For many Michigan families, however, they are also dealing with the fact that a loved one is serving overseas in Iraq.

    The sacrifice of the men and women in the armed forces, along with their family's sacrifice, cannot be understated. This is especially true during this special time of year.

    Since the mainstream media tries (and usually succeeds!) in painting a grim picture of the war in Iraq, I decided that this week I would dedicate my piece to the troops and the successes they're having in Iraq.

    For starters, the troops surge in Iraq has worked! Fighting around that country has dropped dramatically.  It hasn't been this low since January of 2006 (remember? Back in the days we were still hoping for a new governor here in Michigan!) when the country almost fell into a civil war.

    This comes alongside a pact between United States security forces and Sunni Muslims to help patrol the northern borders of the country and keep insurgents out. Finally, the Sunni minority and former Saddam supporters are working with us to secure the country.

    I recently spoke to a marine from Michigan that just got back from Iraq. He said that not only is the violence down, but social services are getting better as well. Electricity is being hooked up, the streets are getting cleaned up, and people's quality of living is rising.

    Violence is down. Deaths are down. Agreements are being enacted. Progress is being made.

    You probably won't see this stuff on TV. You probably won't hear the mainstream media talking about. And if they do, expect that they'll have a negative spin to put on it.

    But we know that the US troops are over there working hard and getting the job done. They remember why we're over there and trying to accomplish our goals.

    Maybe one day, the media will focus on this as much as they focus on the bad. We at least owe them that, especially this time of year.

    < Tuesday in the Sphere, December 4 | Democrats behaving badly again?! Nah, they're all saints! >
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    A Little Christmas Cheer for the Troops | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)
    Christmas Cards for our wounded troops. (none / 0) (#1)
    by PMOTVRWC on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 10:51:19 PM EST
    A friend sent this to me tonight and I wanted to pass it along......

    RE: Christmas Cards

    When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to
    this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of
    how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so
    much would get.

    A Great Idea!!!

    When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please
    include the following:
    A Recovering American Soldier
    c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
    6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
    Washington,D.C. 20307-5001


    Not to be a jerk, but... (none / 0) (#2)
    by detroithuh on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 12:28:36 AM EST
    I'm originally from Michigan, but I'm in graduate school now in a state that's not Michigan; I'm going to start teaching at this particular university next year. At least once a week on campus, I see a young man or woman missing a limb.

    Would I really be supporting our troops if I dedicated one of my lessons next year to one of these mangled soldiers? My guess is no. These guys and girls are bringing their backpacks to classes on the backs of their wheelchairs. No one should ever have to do that. I suspect they have greater concerns than if I dedicate some miniscule portion of my own personal existence -- like a lesson, or a blog post -- to them.  

    And though I hope that someone dedicating one to them on a blog about Michigan politics makes their holidays a lot brighter (amid RPG and IED attacks, small arms fire, months or years away from home, seeing their friends shredded or killed, or witnessing the birth of their child via web cam instead of being at the hospital) I strongly doubt it will do anything substantial.

    There are still troops in Afghanistan, as well, mind you, not to mention others stationed at bases all around the globe. They deserve similar acknowledgement.

    I like reading this web site, in part, because it doesn't typically focus on the war; I can go to other web sites for similar fluff and BS about how well or how poorly the war is going these days.

    Also, if I had to wait almost five years for electricity and clean streets, I would be pretty pissed. And, of course, the "mainstream media" wasn't talking about the "good things" happening in Iraq because, in the grand scope of the equation, there was nothing good happening.


    Nicely said, detroithuh... (none / 0) (#3)
    by djtyg on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 05:08:16 AM EST
    It's a little condescending to be told that a piece of war propaganda is Christmas cheer for the troops.  Try doing something for them.

    Hey PMOTVRWC (none / 0) (#4)
    by djtyg on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 05:54:26 AM EST
    Tell them when they're done doing that to send some care packeges to the troops on anysoldier.com.

    You better tell them, because they won't if I do.

    Thank You (none / 0) (#6)
    by StillHere on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 04:39:35 PM EST
    Amanda for posting this. I get so sick of hearing only the bad in the media and none of the good. For those who are interested in sending things to the troops, here is a link for items that can and cannot be sent.  

    http://michiganmilitarymoms.org/data/PackagingInfo.pdf

    When in doubt...send a phone card and let our men and women talk to their families. Just watch what the international rates and fees are on the card (they could end up getting a lot less time than the card says).

    Please don't forget our wounded when making a donation.

    http://www.operationquietcomfort.com/

    You cannot send a card to vets at Walter Reed (none / 0) (#9)
    by PMOTVRWC on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 01:42:57 PM EST
    I found this, I hope it helps.......

    Everyone should know Walter Reed is not taking Christmas Cards or any packages for "any" soldier. They won't be recieved by the wounded soldiers there unless you address a soldier directly! I brought it up at a waiting spouses meeting on Tuesday because everyone asks me how to sponsor soldiers or donate to them. They don't have the resources to screen everything so they will just throw it away :( to send Christmas cards to service vets, at Walter Reid Hospital, in Washington...Click on the email address, below, and you'll see why. I was only just informed about this. It seems such a shame, that we have to be so afraid to do these things, but "you can't fight city hall" !!!!...and no sense in wasting cards and postage, when they're only going to thrown them away... http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/Lists/WRNews/DispForm.aspx?Id=24&
    There is another great places you can make a difference in soldiers lives - go to
    www.soldiersangels.com
    http://www.anysoldier.com/
    http://adoptaussoldier.org/
    A group that does soldier adoptions. Reagan Roundup it was started my a military mom, her son was aboard the SS Reagan, that's where the name comes from. http://www.reaganroundup.org/
    I got this in an email today.
    UPDATE 11/05/07
    Over at Michelle Malkin is another way to send a card:

    I called Walter Reed to find out the best way to send a bunch of cards to soldiers, and was directed to the Red Cross office at Walter Reed. The gentleman I spoke to said to bundle multiple cards in one big manilla envelope and send them to the Red Cross office and they will distribute them. He was a nice man who is a wounded soldier himself.

    The address I was given is:

    Red Cross
    Walter Reed Army Medical Center
    6900 Georgia Avenue NW
    Heaton Pavillion
    3EO5
    Washington, DC 20307

    The man said they can also use stamps, gloves and stocking caps at the Red Cross office there.

    Also:

    Call and get a soldier's name to send a card. The number is (202)782-3501.
    UPDATE 11/11/07

    Snopes related link to Walter Reed Christmas Card List
    http://www.snopes.com/politics/christmas/soldiercards.asp

    http://www.militarymoms.net/sot.html

    a href="http://www.operationshoebox.com/">

    Operation Uplink free Phone Cards for Soldiers. Please make a donation.

    http://www.operationuplink.org/index.cfm

    A Little Christmas Cheer for the Troops | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)
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