Letters of Hope Team

FROM CAROLYN BARNETT OF MILITARY SPACE:

I would like to encourage you all to become members of our Letters of Hope Team. All you have to do is commit to writing one letter each week to one of our deployed soldiers, 

You must be a member of the Message Boards located at http://www.military-space.org/forum/index.php?referrerid=13.  Once you have registered with the message boards you must take the following steps:

All you have to do is click here: http://www.military-space.org/forum/...editusergroups and join the team you want to join.

Then, you will need to go to: http://www.military-space.org/forum/...?do=form&fid=1   fill out the required information for the  team leader to contact you. At that point,  the  Team leader will email, or private message you letting you know the status of your Team application, and remember:

1. I am an American. I know that the men and women in our Armed Forces are prepared to give their lives to defend my country, my way of life and the blessings of liberty throughout the world. I am committed to their perpetual recognition, appreciation an
2. IAs they have sworn to defend me and protect our country, so will I pledge to support them in every way that I can, and to avoid any action that would increase their risk. I will further do my part to ensure that they are never sent into harm’s way
3. For our military veterans, I pledge unfailing recognition and appreciation for their contributions to our national defense and our welfare. I will not forget my nation’s responsibility to provide for their continued well-being, and meaningful compensation
4. I will never forget that our service men and women are fighting for my freedom and are dedicated to the principles which make our country free. I will share the responsibility for preserving that freedom with those who proudly wear the uniform of the United States Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Marine.

If you have any questions please email Carolyn@military-space.org .

I found a great discount for those of us dealing with snow! While you're there, check out the other great discounts on Military Spouse Magazine's website.

SnowCare for Troops 

Project EverGreen has partnered with The BOSS Snowplow to connect military families with snow and ice management professionals and volunteers to provide free snow and ice removal services.  It’s called the SnowCare for Troops program. 

http://www.milspouse.com/military-discounts.aspx#

Book Swapping Website

I just discovered a great website. It is called PaperBack Swap. You just list the books you are willing to trade and post the books you want. When someone requests your book, you simply mail it to them. In return, you receive credits toward books which other members then mail to you. The only cost is the postage, but that is reciprocated when someone mails a book to you.

This looks like a great way for those stationed overseas to get current titles on their wish list which you can also create on the site. I posted a copy of the book I wrote. In fact, that's how I discovered this site. My book was listed on someone's wish list. Isn't that great?

If you join, go through this site so I receive book credits. And make sure to post here and let me know you joined. This sounds like a great solution to my pile of books. It's like a global version of my local used book store without the drive.

Enjoy!
 Swap Books for Free - PaperBackSwap.com

Holiday Cards for Troops

Holiday Mail for Heroes Program Overview

It’s that time of year again! The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes have teamed up for the fourth annual Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

From now until December 10th you are invited to send holiday cards to our American service members, their families, and veterans all over the world. Anyone can send a card and you can send as many as you would like! Please send all cards to

Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD
20791-5456

The deadline for this year is December 10th. Unfortunately, if your cards are not postmarked by December 10th they cannot be delivered. After Pitney Bowes collects and screens the mail received in the PO Box, Red Cross workers deliver holiday greetings to service men and women in their communities. Check out how our uniformed men and women and their families expressed their gratitude for the Holiday Mail program when it delivered cards to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Read more and see a great video HERE.

Please share... repost, email... let's get this done!!

DoD 9/11 Special Pay deadline looming

Service members, veterans, and beneficiaries of servicemembers whose service was involuntarily extended under Stop Loss between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2009 are eligible for RSLSP.  

Visit this link for more information and to apply: http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2010/0710_stoploss/

DEADLINE October 21, 2010.

Please share with everyone you know who may be eligible.

ANOTHER DISCOUNT: Hawks Cay Resort

OK. I have always been up for a good discount, but I'm finding THE BEST military discounts while I plan my Disney trip. How about $99 per night! This is for Hawks Cay Resort down in the Florida Keys. And it's not just open to military, but all service providers (fire and rescue, police, medical personnel). the offer is only good between August 23rd and November 30th, and when I looked up available dates, they were booked until September. More info from their site below. If you go, enjoy!

Heroes Welcome

Hawks Cay Resort is pleased to bring back the, now annual, Heroes Welcome. Our way of saying thank you to the military, fire and rescue, police and medical personnel that have dedicated their lives to preserving the safety of others. Visit Hawks Cay between Aug. 23 and Nov. 30, 2010 and take advantage of heroes room rates starting at $99 per night!

http://experience.hawkscay.com/heroes-welcome

Disney discount discovered!

The Swan and Dolphin gave me an EXCELLENT military discounted rate! $159 for a resort view (parking lot) and $184 for a preferred view (the parks and surrounding area). The funny thing is that when I called ITT to clarify a discrepancy in dates for the park ticket promo, she said she had never heard of the hotel discount at the Swan and Dolphin. As she was researching something for me, she called the Disney agent and THEY had not heard of it. I found out about it at Mousesavers and then got it when I called the Swan and Dolphin. Seeking to maximize our savings on dining (they don't accept the Dining Plan at the S&D), I called again to ask about their military discounts on dining at their hotels. They offer a whopping 50% on all food and beverages (excluding alcohol) with the exception of the Signature Restaurants (Shula's, etc.).

All I'm saying is for the love of mike, ASK! Ask for discounts and don't be ashamed to do it. Our spouses, or we, serve and should take advantage of any military discount provided.

Lenore Skenazy is ba-ack with a hairbrained idea to keep our kids UN-safe

In April 2008 I wrote that Lenore Skenazy thought it was a good idea to drop her kid off in Manhattan with $20, a subway map and a bunch of quarters to call home (no cell phone, btw, when payphones are basically non-existent these days) http://writingmilitarymom.blogspot.com/2008/04/find-your-way-home-at-nine.html. Now she wants parents to drop their kids off at a city park and leave them alone so they can get to know each other.

I don't even have words this time.

I found a great 20% Disney World deal. FYI, I am not being compensated in any way for promoting this discount. I just LOVE Disney and want everyone to share the magic. Enjoy!

http://www.downtowndisneyhotels.com/Promotions/

Military Spouse Appreciation Day is tomorrow!

May 8th, 2010

is

Military Spouse Appreciation Day!

Show a milspouse how much you appreciate his or her service to those who serve. I am always touched when someone thanks ME for serving my country by supporting my husband. It takes so little and means so much.

Presidential Proclamation--Military Spouse Appreciation Day