Troops ready to be "adopted" - College gear & music wanted for Christmas!

Over 200 new soldiers names were given to me this week. This is the 716th MP.
Note: Their APO address has 5 digits. If I gave you only 4, please contact me.

Here's something new I'll try!

I just received a list of soldiers along with their interests. You can pick a soldier from the list below! Choose a number still in black. (First come, first serve of course!) I'm looking for year-long "adoptions" but also Christmas gift only volunteers. Let me know which you might be interested in. There are over 100 soldiers available for "adoption". This particular unit has just a few months left.

If any of you want to purchase some of the items listed below, my contact will accept them, wrap them, and deliver them to the designated soldier for Christmas! A variety of college t-shirts would be a great start! Music, movies, magazines, and perfume are also high on the list! Time is running out for Christmas mailings!

1. BMX Biking / UFC / Heavy Metal
2. Games/Billiards(plays Pool)
3. Karaoke, Ohio State Football, XBOX first shooter games
4. Muscle cars, Muscle magazines
5. Punk/ Heavy Metal Music
6. hip hop music
7. NFLCollege Football
8. loves to cook/picture frames or album
9. Nascar
10. (female) perfume/travel magazines
11. football/ picture frames/ phone cards/plays guitar
    
12. (female) pedicure stuff/ magazines/ newlywed
    
13. Golfs
14. football/weightlifting
15. football
16. likes to build things out of scrap/ loves to fish
17. (female) University Kentucky, Sweets, WWE, Country Music
18. music rap/country
19. Football / Basket Ball
20. Gaming magazines, World of Warcraft
21. fishing pole/ anything outdoor
    
22. College Sports, Fishing, Philadelphia Eagles
23. Computer Games
24. tuner car magazines, stock market, real estate
25. (female) Beauty Items, Photography, Sponge Bob
26. WWE/FOOTBALL
27. Anything UT Vols
28. Basketball
29. old movie with Danny kaye in them
30. 4-Wheeling / Off Road
31. Memphis Sports, soul music,
32. mafia movies, cowboy hats, vokswagon magazines
33. football/ California themed items/ Golf
34. weightlifting/ learning English as a Second Language/ anything to do with aviation
35. Motorcycles
36. UFC / Sports
37. Boxing/poker
38. weightlifting/ poker
39. Christian music;
    
40. Anything to do with computers
41. MICHIGAN STATE graduate/ college football fan
42. Ohio state fan
43. Comedies/ perfume/ pajamas
44. Movies (Top Gun)
45. Movies (Top Gun)
46. perfume/pajamas
47. Penn state graduate basketball!
    
48. Perfume/ pajamas (she's about 6'1)
49. Basketball, comedies, from California
50. "Crimson Tide" Alabama gear
51. OHIO STATE college football fan
52. (our chaplain) Kentucky anything, used to be in the Old guard
53. Ohio state / Penn State fan
54. Tennessee fan; likes junk food; (silly- wants santa suit)
55. Tennessee fan; loves to dip tobacco;
    

****As a whole, they would like the show "Man vs. Wild" with Bear Grills so they can watch it since it's not a show they get here.

If you would be interested in sponsoring someone for his or her year-long deployment, send me an email: nancy@auntnancyusa.com

Of course, you can sign up to just help for Christmas too!

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Adopting--A--Soldier

My first goal for this project is to match up civilians with troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mostly we try to get support and cheer to those soldiers, sailors, and Marines, who get little mail, but ALL the troops enjoy knowing we are thinking about them back here. So many troops are feeling forgotten. They are especially amazed when someone they don't even know cares enough to write.

Most people support a soldier for the full length of his or her deployment: 12 to 15 months. Often there is only 4 to 6 months left of their tour when we get the names.

You can request male vs female and a home State. Most of the time I do not have hometowns, but I'll gladly match you when I do.

WHAT IS INVOLVED WITH "ADOPTING": When you agree to "adopt" a soldier for his or her full deployment, it is nice if you can send at least a card every 3 weeks or so. Every-other week would be awesome! You don't have to write a lot, you can use commercial greeting cards. It is nice if in your first letter you tell them a little something about yourself, and even include a photo (just like we would like them to do.) Getting mail frequently is the best thing we can do, besides sending prayers. Receiving your card will often be the best part of their day.

LETTERS: We are not "adopting" to be pen-pals though. Some soldiers will write back (or email) frequently, especially if they have a desk job. Some will not respond for months. Many never do. They are often working in horrible conditions 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are just dog tired! They are fighting a war. Their first letters and correspondence will go to their families. We are doing this to send support and cheer, and to not let them feel forgotten as so many have. I find if we write NOT expecting a response, then it's just a PLUS if we do get one!

DON'T GIVE UP: after two letters/cards as so many people do. Several times I have received a response after multiple cards/packages and 3 or even 4 months. Just when I was about to give up I got the most heart-warming THANK YOU letters! Some have even said things like: "You saved my life. Just when I thought I couldn't take any more, your letters would show up and give me hope." Or, "You'll never ever know how much your support has helped me and the other troops here."

PACKAGES: If you want to send a goody box now and then, that is great. Even a manila envelope with a pack of gum or microwave popcorn is fun. You don't have to spend a big sum of money. Do as little or as much as you want. I would not continue to send a lot of packages if you have not heard back after a few months, just in case they have moved and you did not get notice. Remember to include a self-addressed envelope, and paper, to encourage a quick/easy reply.

If you find you are not getting around to supporting the troop you are responsible for, just let me know, it happens. I can assign another volunteer.

LOST INFO: If you lose your information, I can resend it. THAT happens a lot! :-)


WHO JOINS: We have individuals, families, and groups of school children, Scouts, church and work friends who adopt!

You can visit my website at www.auntnancyusa.com to SUBMIT your email address and get email updates on my projects and the troops.

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Welcome - Supporting the Troops Since 2003

In early 2003, my niece, CPT Sara Mann, and her husband, CPT Nate Mann, were serving in Iraq. Sara wrote home about 3 of her troops in the 18th Military Police Brigade who were not receiving much mail. So I started writing them. My wonderful General Motors co-workers started joining in, Well, quickly my "little" project grew! Turtlehut.com in Troy, Michigan, donated a website, I couldn't have done this without them! www.auntnancyusa.com

Little did I know I'd still be doing this 4 1/2 years later, but each year, with the help of over 1500 volunteers, we have sent cheer and support to the troops.

Today I decided to open this Blog so that I could make quicker updates about the troops, especially the deployments and redeployments.

Here are some pics of CPT Sara Mann, and her husband, Blackhawk helicopter pilot, CPT Nate Mann. Both are now living in Washington DC. [11/27/10: Major Nate Mann is now assigned to the US Embassy in Tunisia, with Sara and their daughter.]