The United States armed forces cannot recieve cards to “any serviceman” this year due to fears of terrorism. Instead, the Pentagon has set up a secure email system that allows anyone to send a message to “any serviceman.” Just pick the branch of the service, type your message and click send.
The story behind the “to any serviceman” cards:
Since 1967, when Sgt. Billy Thompson wrote Abigail Van Buren and mentioned that a wonderful Christmas present to our armed forces would be “just a letter from home,” American citizens have been sending holiday wishes to servicemen and women stationed overseas every holiday season. Dubbed “Operation Dear Abby,” the program has brought holiday joy to hundreds of thousands of U.S. military personnel deployed away from home.
To access the site, visit http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/
To our Servicemen and Serviceladies.
Thank you for everything you are doing for your country. I know you hear a few people back here in the States making noise about not going to war. And they are using the freedom to protest that they have. The very freedom you are over there keeping safe. Sorry that the people that show their dislike with what you are over there to do, gets so much press. The papers and News seem to enjoy printing and showing, the ones that are not for what you are doing, instead of the ones standing behind our President. Please know that there are many more American’s that stand behind you and your fellow servicemen and ladies. You may even feel unsure if we should be there or not, but your doing your job. And doing it very well. I and most Americans are very proud of you and what you are doing for us. And very thankful for all you are giving up, just for us. Keep up the good work and keep the faith in America and its people. We do love you. You are there so my grandchild won’t have to some day. I keep you service people in my daily payers. God Bless You All.
May God bless everone who has put themselves in harms way so that others may live in freedom.
Know that you are being prayed for here at home, my church has added all of you to our prayer chain and we pray together daily for your safe return and that you may complete your tasks over there.
We pray that your time away from home is short and that you return to your loved ones soon. May God stand behind us in this battle.
Love from home.
I am interested in sending letters to our troops. How can I get an address?
Angie– Because of security reasons, the military is suggesting that all contact be through email or through donations by a recognized group. As it stands (3/24/03), you cannot send a letter to service personnel.
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I teach Kindergarten and our class would like to make and send a thank-you book to our troops. We need an address.
Can you help us?
I don’t know the answer to this question. There must be a way to get your book sent overseas, but I think you are probably going to need to donate the book (unwrapped/unpackaged) to a group that is authorized to ship packages to servicemen in the theatre of operations. The USO care packages immediately come to mind (weblink), especially from school children.
The only direct advice I can find says that mail to service members has to go to a specific soldier (versus the “Any Service Member” programs of years ago).
Here’s the info from the Marines’ site: http://www.usmc-mccs.org/news/deploy/supporttroops.asp
I would like to e-mail my support message to the troops in the gulf. I also have a family memeber serving in the Air Force is there a e-mail for them that I can post a supporting message? Thank you
Melissa – You can definitely post a message to any branch of the military via the AnyServiceMember link above (link). You can select the branch and a service member stationed overseas will receive it shortly.
HEY, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR ALL YOU ARE DOING. I AM A 28 YR OLD FEMALE FOR INDIANA AND WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!! AGE RACE ARE UNIMPRTANT.
JODIE
The rules for Saddam Hussain JADAM Bombing the Pot Poker.
By WFCoyote
WARNING! These rules are untested.
WARNING! These rules are untested with the presence of alcohol.
WARNING! Mormons and other religous groups do not approve of gambling.
> You should play game with two or more decks put together, no jokers in the deck please.
You will need Icons for the personalities in the game. Five icons four sure for the special personality
> This game is like stud poker two cards are dealt face up in front of all players. These face up cards unplayable by that player.
If a player raises (must raise not call) in the game then he may use any one of the two cards face up on his player to his left. Five cards are kept in hand and may all be exchanged once after at least one round of raise’s, for cards off the top of the deck.
1. Everyone assumes a personality other than their own. The personalites are President Bush, Tony Blair, The CIA Operative, Baghdad Bob Information Minister of the Baath Party, and The Government of France. The icons need to represent each of the personalities and each personality has special poker powers.
The only rules for the personality icons are following:
A. The personalty icons rotate every hand, nobody can be the same personality twice in a row excluding Colition Soldiers.
B. It can be simple rotation or winner picks next personality and then icons rotate.
C. You can ignore your icon and play normally, well The Government of France always plays two hands, their special poker power.
D. Try not to play this game without all the personalitys in play, but if two President Bush, and The Government of France, next would be Baghdad Bob, next add The CIA Operative and then Tony Blair.
E. If more than five play they become Colition Soldiers during that hand.
> President Bush’s special poker power: Can fold any one hand of the Government of France, (note The Government of France play two hands each turn, but only presents one at the call.)
> Tony Blair special poker power: gets three cards from the bottom of the deck can use them or store them for another turn. Even if the player is not Tony Blair on the next hand he has these cards to play, but can only have three cards if they become Tony Blair again with three cards face down in front of them they cannot get three more, use them or loose them. Yes he can use these cards to improve his hand, but must use them after he gets to exchange his cards; he decides wether to use them or save them till next hand.
> The CIA Operative special poker power: After everyone has gotten the opportunity to exchange cards in their hand for new ones, he may go to any one player excluding himself and randomly take a card from his current hand, (no don’t show him your cards) and switch it with one of his face up cards to play. The randomly slected card is then placed face up in front of the player.
> Baghdad Bob Information Minister of the Baath Party special poker power: He can fold leave his cards face up on the table when it is his turn to exchange card in his hand, this is a part of his special power. If his hand is the worst loosing hand at the end of that game amongth those called, he gets the pot. Other players dont forget this he has to play the best hand his cards can be and if he raises dont forget the two cards to his left that are face up. And JADAM is still a JADAM.
> The Government of France special poker power: They get to play two hands at once, no sleeves for that person’s shirt. They are not suppose to switch cards between the hands but may do so once after drawing new cards for both hands, if called on this cheat they say, “Veto” and can continue if they dont say veto, they fold both hands. Note the Bush special power he can cancel any one of his hands taking The Government of France to the unfair position of only one hand in the game. Bush cannot do this before he gets the opportunity to exchange cards, nor before he gets to say Veto and transfer cards between the two hands. And when called France may only play one of his two hands. They must state which hand they will use for the call, and Bush may then cancel that hand forcing them to play the other.France then plays the remaining hand left to him.
> A Colition Soldiers special poker power: “Yes Sir”, if the pot is raised instead of matching the amount or calling therefore matching they can say Yes Sir, put one of the smallest domination chip in and continue to play and they cannot call if they say, “Yes Sir”. They may fold or play normally ofcourse.
2. JADAM Bombing the Pot, that is Jack, Ace, Dame (queen), Ace, Man (King), or The Hussain Hand, always folds the players hand when played (and can be played anytime) and takes all chips from the pot but the starting anti of the round so JADAM always blows up and folds, such as it is…
3. Enjoy
4. Varients, Here it goes,
> Improved President Bush Powers: He gets three Sevens taken from the deck and given to him face up in front of him can play these at any time, and they dont go away they move to the next President Bush.
> Improved Tony Blair Powers: He gets to call a Tea Time, and re deal his whole hand including the to face up cards that are unplayable, but not the three cards face down and if he played the three extra cards they are not dealt again at Tea Time.
> Improved The CIA Operative: they get their power on everybody except themselves.
> Improved Baghdad Bob Powers: ? how do you improve loosing?
> Improved The Government of France powers: Humantairian Concerns they can have a hand dealt to them face down, President Bush cannot cancel that hand and they can play that on call instead of their other two hands. Infact nobody can mess with that face down hand. It is all theirs such as the draw gives them.
Navy Varient: Replace Colition Soldier with Colition Sailor and say, “Ay Captian”.
Air Force Varient: Replace Cia Operative with Spy Satellite like The CIA Operative gets to change a card in someones hand by pulling from the deck and randomly pulling from that players hand. Substituting the card one from someones hand substiting the drawn card in his hand.
Replace Colition Soldier with the name Airman. “Yes Sir”, will still be the same.
Special Forces Varient: They replace the Cia Operative, and can call themselves, SEAL’s, DELTA FORCE, ect. Instead of taking there cards they exchange from the deck they take it from the face up cards in front of all the playes simply exchanging card for card. They may exchange thier cards for any of the face up cards leaving what they don’t want in their place.
My cousin is in the army. He will soon be in Afghanistan. I would like to know how I can reach by email an army service person. I see email contact lists for the navy and marines.
Beth – You can send to any branch of the military using the Link above. Just click “SEND A MESSAGE” and select the service branch. You can send an email to Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, or Coast Guard personnel. If you can’t find the “send message” link, click here.