Mike D's Army Mom

As some of you know, I have a LOT going on here. I'm an Army Mom, which I'd not change for the world. I'm also the Vice President of the Tampa Bay chapter of Blue Star Mothers of America and I two very active competitive gymnasts at home still. I also homeschool. I run my own design/development studio and I have a small farm. I'm sure I've forgotten something here, but it's obviously not all that important right now.

A New Year, A New Set of Goals...

My name is SFC G and I am currently serving in Afghanistan.This past Friday I was MEDEVACed to the Hospital. While in transport my uniform was cut off me to allow the Doctors and everyone to do what they do best. Once I woke up in my hospital bed a Nurse handed me a bag from your Organization. At first I just thought that this was just the normal toothbrush, shampoo, and other personal hygiene items. I have never been so happy to be wrong in my life. I cannot tell you how happy I was to open a bag and find clothes that I could put on and feel human again. The weirdest thing was not getting the clothes, but rather the feeling of being at home again. Over here everything smells “Army.” You can ask any veteran and they will tell you that the military has a certain smell that comes with it. This bag for a few minutes helped me forget about the pain and everything else going on over here and made me feel like I was back home with my wife and kids. I had never heard of your group before this and I am in the process of informing my entire family about what you all do. Words cannot express my thanks to all the wonderful people you have working and volunteering to help all of us over here. It is because of all the people like everyone in your organization that allows us to do what we do. Once again thank you for your support and Merry Christmas to all of you!

With the utmost thanks and gratitude!

SFC G

To find out more how you can help, please visit www.soldiersangels.org

First Response Backpacks

Soldiers’ Angels proudly announces the opening if its first Angel-operated warehouse, staffed by four recent veterans and Angel volunteers. The warehouse consolidates and streamlines SA’s extensive packing, shipping and screen-printing activities in support of the troops, reducing the organization’s overhead expenses and providing an employment opportunity for veterans.

“It’s a better bang for benefactors’ bucks,” explains Soldiers’ Angels Operations Manager Toby Nunn, who oversaw development of the warehouse. Located across the street from Brooke Army Medical center in San Antonio, Texas—a city with the highest concentration of wounded and other active duty soldiers in the United States—the 10,000-square-foot facility reduces shipping costs for SA by its proximity to one of the largest targets of SA’s troop support efforts.

In addition to the reduction in overhead, the cost of paying for the warehouse staff itself fits the mission of Soldiers’ Angels by supporting veterans . “Staffing it with recent veterans helps provide a soft-landing for their transition to civilian life,” Nunn explains. “It surrounds them with like-minded people as they learn the corporate world.” This is especially helpful for those who may be struggling, Nunn says with enthusiasm. “You can’t say, ‘You don’t get it.’ Because you’re looking at a bunch of people who do.”

Another benefit of the location is its easy access for families with patients at BAMC who drop by for the relaxation of being among people who understand. Family members and mobile patients often find enjoyment in pitching in. “Right now we have a couple of families and even a Ft. Hood shooting victim helping out with the Holiday care packages,” says Nunn. “We’ve been shipping out about one semi per day.”

Next door to the warehouse is 3,000 square feet of exhibit space that will be used for military-themed book signings, video/movie screenings, SA leadership meetings, and more. Part of the exhibit space will house a permanent installation of the Tribute to Heroes and Angels museum, and the facility will also support a program of music therapy and music lessons for wounded veterans.

Soldiers' Angels co-founder Jeff Bader says the entire facility is more than a base of operations. “It will be a home--a home for our volunteers and supporters, our active duty and retired military friends, and most importantly a home away from home for our returning and wounded troops and their families.”

Vets run Soldiers' Angels Warehouse

Through Soldiers' Angels, patriotic Americans can do their Holiday shopping or planning and support the troops at the same time!

The easiest way to do this is shop online at all your favorite stores. If you stop by GoodShop and Shop to Earn before you start, you can visit all your favorite online stores, purchase anything you want at the usual great prices, and a portion of what you spend will be donated to Soldiers' Angels--at no extra cost to you! On GoodShop, be sure you select Soldiers' Angels as the charity you are "GoodShopping for."

Another great way to do your Holiday gift giving while supporting the troops is to make an honorary donation to Soldiers' Angels in honor of friends or family. Simply follow the directions and you can receive a beautiful commemorative certificate to present as a gift.

Two great companies--SunNight Solar and Bake Me a Wish--have teamed up with Soldiers' Angels to allow customers to double-up their purchases in a "Buy One, Give One" format. Through the SunNight Solar BOGO program, customers can buy a solar-powered flashlight for themselves or as a gift and have another flashlight sent to a soldier in Afghanistan and Iraq. Bake Me a Wish donates a percentage of each cake purchase toward sending a deployed soldier a birthday cake through Operation Birthday Cake.

There are also a number of companies who donate a percentage of their sales to Soldiers' Angels. Check out the SA Discounts page for more information. Items for sale include great gift ideas such as clothes, books, gourmet food, jewelry and music (look closely at each company listed--some merely offer discounts, while others donate a percentage of sales).


Purchasing anything from the Angel Store as a holiday gift is also a great option. All "profits" from the sale of jewelry, clothing, office items and other great products at the Angel store go right back into all the wonderful Soldiers' Angels programs that support the troops.

And don't forget a CamoSock for the servicemember in your life! They come personalized for each service branch, and Soldiers' Angels receives $3 fo each CamoSock sold.

So this year, shop for the troops and check off your Christmas list at the same time!

Shop & Support the Troops

Proud Grandpa of a Deployed Soldier Mug I just made

Seems it is all the rage to have an armed force Soldiers' Angels Valour-IT thermometer widget on a blog or website right now! It is not too late to join in, the fundraiser does not end until November 11th.

1.There are a variety of items up for Valour-IT auction. Go bid on one of them!

2. Go register your blog or website to join one of the 4 teams and get your own thermometer widget.

3. Make a donation - no matter how small. Remember 100% of proceeds go directly to purchase & delivery of technology to our wounded heroes.

4. Tell everyone you know about Project Valour-IT! Create a viral email or put on you Facebook wall.

5. Buy a fabulous gift for yourself or for someone for the holidays from one of the businesses supporting Valour-IT. Or buy register for the opportunity to win a beautiful Christmas quilt.

Though either Army, Air Force, Navy/Coast Guard, or Marines will be declared the winner of the competition and will gain bragging rights until next year, our wounded heroes are the winners! Go Project Valour-IT!

Jump on board Project Valour-IT

Proud Grandma of a Deployed Soldier Mug I just made

If you have leftover Halloween candy, how about sending it to the troops? Not only will deployed heroes enjoy the treats, but often times they pass them out to local children to improve relations.

Our military men and women deployed around the world always enjoy candy in their care packages, and this is the perfect time of year for shipping chocolate--the cooler weather means it's less likely to melt! Patriotic kids and parents can send extra Halloween candy to Soldiers' Angels, who will make sure it brightens the day of a service member far from home (please be sure to send "the good stuff,"--no crushed/melted candy or broken/torn wrappers, etc).

Soldiers' Angels asks all Angels to spread the word and get their community involved in sharing their Halloween candy to give our troops a taste of home.

If you live east of the Mississippi, please ship your Halloween candy to:
Soldiers' Angels
112 Greenhill Road
Ramseur NC 27316
(Dropoff avail. M-F, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)


If you live west of the Mississippi, please ship your Halloween candy to:
Soldiers' Angels
914 Tourmaline Dr
Newbury Park, CA 91320

Leftover Halloween Candy?

I just got this notice from a fellow Blue Star Mom and thought you'd like to know:

On Saturday, Oct. 24, The American Legion and Target Corp. begin replacing personal items U.S. soldiers were forced to destroy in an Oct. 3 attack in the rugged Nuristan province of Afghanistan.

Between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., Legionnaires will go to a Target Store in Colorado Springs and purchase thousands of dollars worth of DVDs, video games, books, magazines and other comfort items for surviving Fort Carson-based Bravo Troop 3-61 Cavalry soldiers who remain in Afghanistan or are recovering from the battle. The Target Store is located at 3810 East Bloomington Street, Colorado Springs.

The items will be transported from the store to American Legion Post 209 at 3613 Jeannine Drive in Colorado Springs for a packing and shipping party. Some family members of the troops are expected to be present.

A fundraising drive on an American Legion blog site, The Burn Pit, netted more than $50,000 in cash donations to help the soldiers replace their personal belongings. Outnumbered and surrounded in a rugged mountain valley, the besieged troops were forced to call in an artillery strike on their own position, escaping Combat Outpost Keating with little more than the clothes on their backs Oct. 3. Eight American troops were killed in the battle.

Upon learning of the COP Keating Relief Fund, Target Corp. matched The American Legion Burn Pit cash contribution with $50,000 worth of merchandise and gift cards. In addition to the purchases made at the store in Colorado Springs, merchandise will be trucked from a Target regional distribution center to Post 209 for packing and preparation.

Similar shopping and packing events are scheduled in Minneapolis, home of Target’s corporate headquarters, on Oct. 27 at 10 a.m.; and Triangle, Va., on Oct. 29 at approximately 10 a.m.

The Target Store involved with the event Tuesday, Oct. 27, is located at 7000 York Ave., Edina, Minn.; merchandise purchased there will be assembled and shipped from Richfield American Legion Post 435, 6501 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis.

The Target Store involved with the event Thursday, Oct. 29, is located at 4310 Fortuna Center Plz., Dumfries, Va.; merchandise purchased there will be assembled and shipped from American Legion Post 28, 17934 Liming Lane, Triangle, Va.

UPDATE FOR: Help COP Keating Survivors!

Here is another hard to find shirt...



Suggestions for other shirts/mugs/bumperstickers are appreciated!! We've already covered a few I wasn't thinking of, like Mother-in-Law and Uncle (thanks to those who have made suggestions already), let's see what else we can come up with!

Custom Boyfriend of a Deployed Soldier Shirt