Alabamians wishing to support troops overseas through the mail may need to trade in envelopes and stamps for a computer and e-mail address.
Staff Sergeant Richard Ruiz, an information specialist with the United States Department of Defense (DoD), said mail going to service members overseas had to be addressed to a specific person at a specific address.
But “the best and easiest way to send mail to general soldiers is through e-mail,” Ruiz said.
Before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, mail could be sent to a non-specific service member through organizations like Operation Dear Abby. But because of fears of anthrax in mail, general mail operations were suspended, and Operation Dear Abby moved to the Internet.
Now several Internet sites allow visitors to post and read e-mails to the different branches of the military.
Ruiz said the Department of Defense’s Web site, at www.defenselink.mil was the best service.
Under the listings of DoD sites, visitors can click on the Defend America link, and follow a link to e-mail soldiers.
There are also several link to other sites on supporting troops and military news and information.
Visitors to the site need to be aware that due the site’s large number of visitors, the pages may be slow to load.
For those who don’t want to wait, Ruiz also suggested sending e-mails to troops through Operation Dear Abby’s Web site at www.anyservicemember.navy.mil. Operated through a partnership with the DoD, Dear Abby and the Department of the Navy, e-mails to specific branches can be sent as well as read.
Other Web sites not officially sponsored by the military may also promote e-mail services. Ruiz said the address of any official Web site would end with .mil.
The DoD’s Web site also provides guidelines for sending mail to specific soldiers, as well as a link to the military postal service. Ruiz said the public information offices of each branch would be able to give concise guidelines, as some troops are unable to receive certain types of mail.
Postcards can be sent to specific addresses through the Web site www.militarycity.com. Users can choose from a variety of cards, personalize them and then send them. Cards sent to APO/FPO addresses are mailed by the site for free, while cards sent to other addresses can be purchased by credit card then mailed by the site.
The American Red Cross also provides a way for children to write to the troops. The Birmingham chapter has agreed to deliver letters from children that are written to any soldier.
Children’s Sunday School classes who want to participate in this may send letters to: American Red Cross, ATT: Troop Letters, 950 22nd St. N, Suite 750, Birmingham, AL 35203.
Another way to support troops is through ‘prayer mail.’ The site www.presidentialprayerteam.org has a database of soldiers who can be adopted in prayer. By adopting someone, visitors commit to pray every day for that person. The site also accepts submissions of names to be added to the service member list.
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