SwiftVets.com

[Arty Guy]

Maybe this belongs under another topic, but I decided to put this here.

My oldest son is a civilian employee of one of the major contractors involved in reconstruction projects in Iraq. He lives and works in the Green Zone in Baghdad, and there is a military hospital there. He and a co worker have taken to visiting the injured soldiers there once a week and my son has made a request.

Being a patient in any hospital is an extremely boring existence, and my son has discovered that these guys are short on reading material. He has advised that if people will send him old copies, or current copies for that matter, of magazines of interest to young American males, he will give them to the GIs. He specifically mentioned Sports Illustrated and Playboy. (Everybody reads Playboy for the articles of course.) You may think of others such as Field and Stream, Popular Mechancis, or who knows what else.

No pornography please.

Please send these items to:

Charles Christian Isely
Berger - URS JV
PCO, US Embassy
APO AE 09348

[GDixon]

How about paper backs? I have a few boxes I can send out this week if they would be acceptable.

Greg

[Me#1You#10]

Arty Guy...

That's great of your son and his bud to do that and I hope he's doing well over there. I'm sure it's a cause for anxiety among all the families and friends of all our brave fellow-citizens, both military and civilian, who are doing the dangerous and necessary business of defending and rebuilding that country. Your son is in my thoughts and prayers.

As to the books aspect...I was thinking. As you're talking considerable bulk in getting mags and books over there, what about PDA's with digitized publications?

I know books are available...no idea about magazines. Perhaps one or more PDA manufacturers might be interested in some good PR by donating some PDA's and an electronic library to our guys and gals over there?

Just my .02

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

Thanks for the good idea, me-you!

I forgot to answer this earlier - books would be terrific - but since it's going to an FPO or APO, don't bother by using anything more than Media Mail. (Books, CD's, etc.)

Media Mail costs MUCH less than Priority or Parcel Post and in many, many eBay auctions of books, I've almost always had Media Mail pieces arrive in 2-8 days!

Once those boxes make it into the military postal system, that Priority packaging isn't going to do a single thing to move it any faster than any other box on the pier. Honest.

I just found this out and I'm switching to Parcel Post for all the packages going to Iraq or Afghanistan in the future. Costs a lot less, gets there at exactly the same time. The only difference will be the transit time between your post office and the APO/FPO facility at the dock in NYC.
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[Arty Guy]

My son specifically mentioned magazines and said nothiing about books. However, if you want to send some paperback books, why not? While the idea of making PDAs available is appealing, let's keep it simple. He does have a job to do and his normal work week is 60 hours.

My son may be changing employers within the Green Zone, so if the address changes I will post that information.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

Heya, Arty Guy, if you can email him and get clarification, we'll send whatever he wants.

I know that units in Iraq and Afghanistan want all kinds of reading materials - magazines, books, even newspapers. And CD's - I've made hundreds of CD's for CD and mp3 players.

But, maybe they've got a well-stocked library at the medical facilities and magazines are really the biggest need at that particular place.

Let us know if you are in touch with him any time soon. I plan to get back to my own little "Operation Care Package" as soon as I catch my breath after this election.
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[Arty Guy]

Good for you Navy. I have not heard from him for several days, so I will write him as you suggested.