Soldiers have many opportunities available to them as members of our armed forces.  The most overlooked of these opportunities are groups and individuals who want to brighten the days of those who are deployed in support of the global war on terror.  We have chosen some of our favorite Web sites and listed them for easy reference.  Some of the sites allow you to create and send items to your soldier for free while you provide others with a name and address and wait to see what shows up.  All of the organizations listed below are a way for any American to show his or her gratitude for the daily sacrifices made by the members of the armed forces. 

http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html — Send your solider a free printed, personalized postcard.

http://www.magazines.com/help/subs4soldiers — Choose up to three magazines to receive for one year at no cost during deployment.

http://www.operationuplink.org/request.cfm — Free phone cards sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.  This program has been around since 2003 and is a favorite.

http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/requestCards.html — Free phone cards provided by Cell Phones for Soldiers.

http://www.operationshoebox.com — Free shoebox care package.

http://www.treatthetroops.org/ — Free Cookies from The Cookie Lady, a program that’s been around since 1990.

http://www.opgratitude.com — Operation Gratitude provides free care packages.

http://www.booksforsoldiers.com — Soldiers receive free books, DVDs, and CDs.

http://www.operationhomelink.org/ — Free computers for those left behind. Participants must be a junior enlisted family member of a deployed troop.

http://www.ourmilitary.mil/help.shtml — Government site that lists 500 programs that send free items to deployed troops or those left behind.

It would be impossible to list every program that is out there for troops.  There are foundations and organizations that want to help soldiers and their families before, during, and after deployments.  The programs listed are some of our favorites and ones with which I have personal experience participating.