In this issue:

Mail Call | Politics Shouldn't Matter | Still Time for Holiday Support
Holiday Shop | Photo of the Month Winner Jason Colon
Jason's Thank You to His Sponsor | Thanks, Nancy Highduke
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Birthdays | Support These Units and Groups | Still Time to Register Soldiers for the Holidays
Monthly Smiles Club | Gifts In Name | Share TFT with a Friend

Mail Call

Read more Thank You's in the right column»»» 

Politics Shouldn’t Matter

We receive thank you notes and emails from troops to pass along to sponsors every day. You’d think after reading thousands of notes, we’d be used to them. Some are touching, some are funny… sometimes it’s easy to see that Mom never convinced the sender that knowing their way around a keyboard would come in handing some day.

Lately we’re seeing more and more notes that mention that the soldier is grateful and surprised at the support, because the news they receive has them convinced their fellow Americans no longer support them. We can only imagine how much that must hurt every day, much less during the holidays. Check out the first thank you over in the right column for just one example.

We believe most people agree that our troops deserve our support, no matter what someone’s politics. Our men and women in uniform have pledged to do their duty no matter what. And that’s what they’re doing, in Iraq, and Afghanistan and Korea and dozens of other posts around the world.

We hope you’ll find it in your heart to show our troops that despite what they read and watch and hear, they are not forgotten, and Santa Claus has no political agenda.

We wish all of you the happiest of holidays, and thank you all for putting smiles on the faces of so many soldiers far from home.

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Still Time for Holiday Support

TFT’s Holiday Shops are filled with special treats that are sure to bring a holiday smile to a homesick soldier’s face. We have bountiful holiday feasts complete with all the trimmings, right down to melt-in-your mouth pumpkin fudge and freshly baked cookies. There are packages designed to be shared by two, four or even more. Gifts for him and her. Toys and games for grown up girls and boys. And bright red stockings stuffed to overflowing with goodies. Check it out, and share the holiday spirit. Visit the Holiday Shop and you’ll feel just like Santa. If you’re interested in helping to support a group or unit, check out our Unit Review for a list of all the groups who’d really appreciate holiday support. Please don’t delay…there’s no overnight delivery service for the troops!

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Holiday Shop

TFT’s Holiday Shops are filled with special treats that are sure to bring a holiday smile to a homesick soldier’s face. We have bountiful holiday feasts complete with all the trimmings, right down to melt-in-your mouth pumpkin fudge and yummy cookies. There are packages designed to be shared by two, four or even more. Gifts for him and her. Toys and games for grown up girls and boys. And bright red stockings stuffed to overflowing with goodies. Check it out, and catch the holiday spirit. Visit the Holiday Shop. Want to cross “Play Santa to a Soldier” off your holiday list now? Send an email to groupgift@treatsfortroops.com, and put Holiday Cheer in your subject line. You can choose what you’d like to send now, and we’ll send it out and charge your credit card right after Thanksgiving, so your gift should arrive in plenty of time.

Super Stocking with Phone Card $39.95	Holiday Feast $29.95	Jumbo Holiday Feast $49.95
Holiday Feast For Four $159.95	Happy Holidays For Him $34.95	Happy Holidays For Her $34.95

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Photo of the Month Winner Jason Colon

Jason Colon (in the box) and his coworker Armando Muscaritolo are all smiles after receiving a care package stuffed with goodies from New Hampshire supporter Bruce Boyer.

Congratulations to Jason Colon, our last photo of the month winner of the year. Jason was really happy to receive a package big enough to share from big-hearted sponsor Bruce Boyer. Jason is from North Carolina, and serving in the Air Force in Afghanistan. His hobbies include baseball, computer games, cooking, fishing, reading and watching movies. His dream car is a Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4, “loaded.” His hero is his Dad, because he set goals, and “achieved them and then some.” What he misses most from home is his wife and kids – watching his kids grow up, and the normal day to day things most parents take for granted, like watching them play sports or attending a school event. And of course all the special events and holidays. In addition to spending the holidays away from home, Jason will also miss celebrating his birthday December 12 with his family, so Happy Birthday, Jason!

Jason’s Thank You to His Sponsor

Dear Bruce:

Thank you again.
Jason
RE: 51122

To submit a photo for the Photo of the Month Contest, go to photos@treatsfortroops.com.

Thanks, Nancy Highduke

TFT is proud to send a package to Jason in the name of Monthly Smiles Club member Nancy Highduke, who has made many soldiers smile with her ongoing support.

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Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Birthdays

We have 73 soldiers registered with our Foster-A-Soldier Program celebrating their birthday Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We think birthdays and other personal holidays are some of the toughest times to be away from home – so having a birthday around the holidays must be a double bummer for a soldier half a world away. If you’d like to send one of our Christmas birthday boys or girls a wonderful surprise for the holidays, email groupgift@treatsfortroops.com and put Christmas Birthday in your subject line.

Units and Groups Hoping for Holiday Support

Treats for Troops has a number of units and groups who’ve humbly asked for whatever holiday support we can provide. We’d love to make sure they all get a visit from Santa, so instead of profiling a particular unit, here are brief highlights from some of them. If we don’t have a photo, it’s probably because the unit doesn’t have access to the Internet, so please don’t hold that against them. You don’t have to provide enough for the entire group; whatever you’d like to send can be ear-marked for the unit of your choice. Our Group Gift Department is in constant contact with our registered units, and can tell you who most needs Santa to load up the sleigh and do a fly by. To help support a group or unit, email groupgift@treatsfortroops.com and put Holiday Group in the subject line. Let the Group Gift Coordinator know if you’re interested in a particular group, or just want to help.

Combat Support ER Team Six registered nurses and 19 medics who work in the ER for the Army’s 14th Combat Support Hospital	Army Field Support Brigade The Army’s 402 is the single face for acquisition, logistics and tech support. They have 200 military support personnel working at 23 bases across Iraq. Brigade headquarters and two Battalions are in Anaconda. We also have a 15 person section that’s part of this Brigade.
10th Mountain Cyber-Soldiers The Army has a 15-person unit of the 10th Mountain Division that works long days and nights keeping all the computers in Baghdad up and running.	Marine Wing Communications Squad Bravo Company Squadron 59 is home to 160 Marines who keep everything from computers to radios and satellites running. This company is deployed out of California.
Military Transition Team The Sandmen are an 11-man Military Transition Team stationed in Baghdad charged with training Iraqi battalions so the Iraqi army is better prepared to defend their country.	Marine Air Traffic Control The 24 Marines of the Headquarters Detachment are responsible for providing the Air Traffic Control Detachment with administrative, operational and logistical support.
Aircraft Maintenance Unit The KC-10 Aircraft Maintenance unit is part of the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Their 90 person unit has troops from nearly every state. They typically work 14 or 15 hours a day to keep our aircraft in fighting shape.	Marine Wing Unit 50 Marines in Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38.
Army Super Shoppers Their contact person says they’re “The Wal-Mart of the Army. Whatever soldiers need, we get it for them.” This 659th Maintenance Company is under the 18th Airborne Corps, and has 25 soldiers from all over the country.	Quartermaster Company 120 soldiers provide food, maintenance, supplies and support. Their various sections are responsible for making sure everyone has everything they need to see their mission through.
Army Chaplain Assistant Chaplain Mike Swintek provides much needed support for the 2500 soldiers in his brigade. We try to send him packages for 25 – 50 people at a time, and he sees that those most in need receive them.	Medic Team 20 medics that take care of the unit that provides gun truck escort for convoys taking supplies to troops throughout Iraq.
Signal Battalion 100 members of this Army Signal Battalion are hoping they won’t have to send up smoke signals for Santa and his crew.	Guantanamo Bay 130 soldiers serving in the Army at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, would love to receive holiday wishes from home…and maybe some snow. We can’t help with the white stuff, but with your help they’ll know they’re not forgotten.
Minnesota Combat Team This 30-person team is part of a unit of 100 men and women deployed from the Minnesota National Guard.	101 Airborne Bravo Company The 90 hard-working men and women of Bravo Company, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion are the only Military Intelligence Company on the East side of Baghdad. They’re from the 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, the same Regiment featured in the mini-series Band of Brothers.
Military Police Battalion The Headquarters Detachment of the 525th Military Police Battalion has 105 soldiers serving in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, who’d really love to know they’re not forgotten.

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Many Units and Groups Need Support

Our Group Gift Department is in personal contact with group representatives, and can help you select a group that could really use support. Groups available range in size from as few as six people to as large as five hundred. If you’d like to designate a package to go to one of these groups, send an e-mail to unitsupport@treatsfortroops.com and put Unit or Group Support in your subject line.

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Still Time to Register Soldiers for the Holidays

There’s still time to register with our Foster-A-Soldier Program, and be eligible to receive packages and messages of support from caring individuals, groups and organizations. Soldiers who register will also receive their own personal TFT ID they can share with family and friends, to make it quick and easy for them to go shopping in our TFT Gift Shops. Soldiers can register themselves online, or be registered by anyone who has their correct military address. Although it’s not required, we encourage troops to complete the personal profile, so sponsors have a better idea of the kinds of treats that will bring the biggest smiles. Registration is fast, easy and free. To register, visit our Military Registration Center.

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Monthly Smiles Club

If you’d like to give yourself a holiday gift that will make you feel good all year long, why not join the TFT Monthly Smiles Club? Just give us criteria for selecting soldiers and your budget and we’ll do the rest – monthly, quarterly, or on any schedule you want. Then you’ll be sure no matter how busy you get, you’re keeping those smiles coming. If you’d like to know more about the Monthly Smiles Club, send an e-mail to groupgift@treatsfortroops.com, and put Monthly Smiles Club in your subject line.

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Gifts in Name

If you’d like to send a holiday package in the name of someone else, just let us know. Whether you want to send one package to honor a friend or loved one or dozens or even hundreds on behalf of your employees, customers or clients, if you provide us with the information, we’ll provide you with a nice, hand-signed letter you can send out announcing your gift in name.

If you're interested in sending a Gift in Name, email groupgift@treatsfortroops.com and put Gifts in Name in your subject line.

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Share TFT with a Friend

The more soldiers that register, the more we need to reach out to individuals, groups and organizations who’d like to show their support. If you know an individual, company or organization who’d like to support our troops, would you please pass this newsletter along, or copy this link and e-mail it: http://www.treatsfortroops.com

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© 2006 Treats For Troops^TM  |  Visit our Web site: www.TreatsForTroops.com

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