With Memorial Day almost upon us, we thought it would be a good idea to highlight some of the many great groups groups that help our men and women in uniform. Note: we have compiled a more complete list on our site here.
The United Service Organization
These are the people that help keep up the morale of our warfighters. Whether they are greeting military travelers at airports, promoting military events at home or sending a piece of home to deployed soldiers, the USO has been there every step of the way. You can help the USO by volunteering or by donating funds to support their mission. Lastly, an easy way to express your support is by sponsoring a care package. For just $25 you can send about $75 worth of need items along with a personal note of support.
The Wounded Warrior Project
The WWP is dedicated to making sure our service men and women are not forgotten and have grown to be come an advocate for those injured from their service to our country. You too can get involved by becoming a Wounded Warrior advocate. Help a service person find a job by coaching them on their resume. Volunteer at an event. Or donate money and help sponsor many of the direct programs that benefit wounded warriors. The greatest casualty is being forgotten. Help the WWP to make sure that doesn't happen.
eMail our Military
When the Depart of Defense canceled the popular Any Service member postal program, many average Americans lost a way to connect and support their deployed service personnel. The eMOM or (eMail our Military) group was started as a way to fill that gap. There are many simple things you can do and they don't take a lot of effort or money. Check out their site to see how you can help.
Veterans Airlift Command
Wounded troops from our recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan sometimes require extensive travel in order to reach their family or medical facilities for care. The VAC sprang into action as a grass roots effort to utilize a special group of people: Private plane owners and their fleet of aircraft. These passionate Americans have since formed a network that pairs a wounded warrior with a pilot or aircraft owner to help them meet their needs. If you are an aircraft owner or pilot, consider adding yourself to the network or donate funds to help defer the cost of fuel and other expenses. Click here and help be the wind beneath the Veterans Airlift Command.
Dog Tags for Kids
Nothing warms your heart more than the smiling face of a youngster. All to often though, the children of a deployed service member have a burden they aren't ready for. This organization grew from the need to keep the connection between families, even if they were miles apart. Now you too can support a deployed soldier with children by sponsoring a simple set of engraved dog tags. Click here to get behind this worthy cause.