Honor, Duty, eMail

Quote of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:18:00 +0000

When the Declaration of Independence was declared, John Adams wrote this historic letter to his wife:

"I am apt to believe that this day will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore."

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If you've been searching for a way to support our troops easily, you've found it! Participate in one of our many projects or register with eMOM and sign up to eMail/Mail our military one-on-one.

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

(Photo credit: @TwitterBo)

[ Tags: Independence Day, 4th Of July, John Adams, Celebration, Patriotism, Patriotic, America, American, Holidays, Freedom, eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, Patriotism, Any Service Member Mail, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail ]

56 Men Signed the Declaration of Independence

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:02:00 +0000

On July 4th, 1776, fifty-six men signed a document declaring their views and beliefs on how a people should be governed. Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot of what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't just fight the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government! Some of us take these liberties so much for granted...We shouldn't.

So, take a couple of minutes the next time you are enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much too ask for the price they paid.

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Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: July 4th, 1776, 4th Of July, Independence Day, America, Patriotism, Freedom, Declaration of Independence, American Revolution, Carter Braxton, Thomas McKeam, Francis Lewis, Thomas Nelson Jr, John Hart, Norris, Livingston, Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, Middleton, eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Patriotism, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail ]

Create a Tribute to Your Military Hero

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:59:00 +0000

We're pleased to announce our partnership with PlaceAndTime.com. The launch of their Military Chronicle Program extends the good work done by the Washington Post Faces of the Fallen.

The goals of our partnership are twofold:

1. To invite and encourage those who knew these fallen heroes to create a "Place and Time" chronicle of their lives for the world to see so there's an enduring record of how they lived - not just how they died.

2. To encourage the military service members' family, friends and community to create on-going chronicles of loved ones and home town activities in support of these men and women serving their country.

Be sure to stop by and create a chronicle of your own today.

Big thanks to Liz Strauss, of Successful Blog, who faciliated this partnership.

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Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Armed Forces, Patriotism, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Courage eMail, Place And Time, PlaceAndTime.com, Liz Strauss, Successful Blog, Blog World Expo, BWE, Milblogging Conference, Las Vegas, Military Tributes, Military Chronicles, Honoring the Fallen, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail ]

Burn That Flag, Just Ask Permission

noreply@blogger.com (Dayngr) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Burn That Flag, Just Ask Permission
Written by Tom Adkins (7/1/98)

What do we do about people who want to burn the American flag? Those folks who want to stomp all over it, or spit on it to make some sort of "statement." Some say the first Amendment gives us the right to desecrate the American flag. Others want to make it illegal. This is a tough one. What should we do? I can solve this one easily. I believe we should have a simple requirement. Let flag desecration be legal, but you have to have three sponsors who will give you written permission. Those sponsors should be from a panel of experts who might be considered "qualified" to give such permission.

First, you need a signature of a war veteran. How about a Marine who fought at Iwo Jima?

The men who raised that flag over Iwo Jima did so on the bodies of thousands of dead Americans, who gave their lives so a few could raise the flag in defiant claim of that last island in a long, bloody march to defeat the Japanese. What did those Marines think about the flag as they watched their comrades get slaughtered? Every battle with the Japanese was horrific. Each day meant half of everyone you knew would be dead tomorrow. Your own future was a coin flip away from a bloody death in a place your family couldn't pronounce. Or you could ask a Vietnam vet who spent years in a POW prison, tortured in small, filthy cells unfit for a dog. Or Korean War soldiers who rescued half a nation from communism, or the Desert Storm warriors who repulsed a bloody dictator from raping and pillaging an innocent country, to find people from a foreign land kiss our flag as we drove through their streets.

To every American soldier who ever fought for the United States, that flag represented your mother and father, your sister and brother, your friends, neighbors, your fellow countrymen.In fact it stands for your freedom, guaranteed by your nation. Those who fought, fought for that flag.Those who died, died for that flag. I wonder what they would say if someone asked their permission to burn a flag?

Next, you need a signature of an immigrant. Preferably one who left their family behind. Their brothers and sisters languish in their native land, often subject to tyranny, poverty and failure, while America offers freedom and prosperity.

Some have seen friends and family be tortured and murdered by their own government for daring to do many things we take for granted every day.Many give their lives in the struggle just to touch our shores, even as America turns its back and returns them to face persecution once again in their native land. For those who risked everything simply for the chance to become an American, what kind of feelings do they have for the flag when they pledge allegiance to it for the first time? Go to a naturalization ceremony and see for yourself, the tears of pride, the thanks, the love and respect of this nation, as they finally embrace the flag of our nation as their own. Then, walk up and ask one of them if it would be OK to spit on the flag.

Last, you need a signature from someone living in a foreign land who cannot get here. Say, Rwanda. Or maybe Bosnia. Maybe even Haiti. You might have to move fast, as they flee oppressors who attack them with machete's or shoot at them randomly in a marketplace. I'm sure they will never question your sanity as they duck for cover.

The writers of the Declaration of Independence are long gone. I wonder what they thought of the American flag as they drafted that document? They knew such an act would drag the nation into war with England, the greatest power on earth. Did the flag mean anything to them?

They knew failure of independence meant more than just a disappointment. It meant a noose would be snugly stretched around their necks. I wonder how they'd feel if someone asked their permission to toss the flag in a mud puddle?

In the absence of family, the absence of the precious shores of home, in the face of overwhelming odds and often in the face of death itself, the American flag inspires those who believe in the American dream, the American promise, the American vision...

Americans who don't appreciate the flag are usually those who don't appreciate this nation. And those who appreciate this nation appreciate the American flag.

So if you would, before you desecrate the American flag, before you spit on it, before you ignore it or despise it...please ask permission. Not from the constitution. Not from some obscure law. Not from the politicians or the pundits.

Please ask permission from those who founded the nation. Please ask those who defended our shores so that we may be free today. Please ask those who fought to reach our shores so that they may partake in the American dream.

And then, please ask permission from those who died wishing they could, just once... or once again... see, touch or kiss the flag that stands for our nation, the United States of America... the greatest nation on earth.

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Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: Burn That Flag, Tom Adkins, eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, eMail The Military, eMailing Our Military, Mail Our Military, Mailing Our Military, Mailing The Military, Military Care Packages, Military eMail, Military Pen Pals, Armed Forces, Army, Soldiers, Navy, Sailors, Air Force, Airmen, Marine Corps, Marines, Coast Guard, Coasties, National Guard, Guardsmen, Patriotism, Any Service Member Mail, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail ]

Welcome to July

noreply@blogger.com (Dayngr) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:59:00 +0000

Welcome to July eMOM friends, family and fellow troop supporters!

We hope you're having a wonderful summer and we're so glad you're here with us supporting our troops. We've got plenty for you to do this summer to keep you busy and having fun while giving a little something back to those who serve.

June was great but July is going to be even better as we bring you great stories, discounts and deals, patriotic projects and tons more.

We're encouraging everyone who's getting together with family and friends over the 4th of July weekend to make your celebration a service event as well. Have your friends and family bring postcards, cards and/or letters of support for our troops. We'll include them in our outgoing care packages and some may even be shared on our site. You can even set up a table at your party or event as a card making or letter writing station! Don't forget to take photos. We'd love to see and share them with our military.

If you haven't subscribed to our blog yet, take a minute to do that now. We don't want you to miss a thing. Please check out the categories on our sidebar. We've got something for everyone like care package ideas, messages from our military, collaborations, military news, etc.

Here's what you'll want to know about in July:

eMOM's Discounts, Deals and Freebies (Have your company's discounted product or service added for our military families)
Join the eMOM Team
Get Scrappin' for our Troops
Postcards for our Troops
10% off on all Patriot Packs and Care Packages - Your purchase helps support our troops
Operation Laugh - Your purchase helps support our troops
Happy Ending for Veteran Whose Flag was Torched
More coming soon... stay tuned

Once a month we'll be featuring a blog post on PTSD in the hopes we can help. Look for the first post on or around July 15th.

If you've got a topic that's military related and you'd like to be a guest blogger or even have a monthly feature, let us know. We'd especially like to see more military parents and spouses participating so their voices can be heard.

Be safe and have a great time this 4th of July. Don't forget why we're celebrating and those that made it possible. It's not called Independence Day for nothing!

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If you've been searching for a way to support our troops easily, you've found it! Participate in one of our many projects or register with eMOM and sign up to eMail/Mail our military one-on-one.

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Armed Forces, Patriotism, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail ]

Action Alert - We Still Need Your Help

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:30:00 +0000

We still need your help! Your vote does make a difference.

More and more military service members are using the internet to stay connected with friends and family back home. Through social media eMOM is able to connect with and support U.S. Troops. By taking a moment to gt involved you can help us win a Social Media Makeover through CommuniCause.com. There are 2 basic ways to help and each counts as a vote.

Winning is nice but it isn't everything. Making it to the top 10 means more people will learn about who we are and what we do. That means more troops to support! So, please continue to spread the word everyday - even if you've already voted.

2 Ways to Vote Countless Ways to Help

I mentioned above there were two specific ways to vote. However, there are countless ways to help. Here are a few ideas:

Get your friends in the military community involved
Grab the banner and add it to your blog
Blog it and ask your readers to do the same
eMail your friends and family and ask them to vote
Tweet, tweet and retweet so your followers can help too
Share the link via Facebook
Write a Facebook Note about it
Share the info in your Facebook status
Add it to your Facebook profile
Send a MySpace bulletin to your friend asking them to vote
Add an auto-signature to your email asking folks to vote and help us win
Use the social bookmarking tools at the bottom of this post to help promote it - that helps too

Having a presence in social media helps us reach and support more troops. We've seen incredible results since we began using social media and know this makeover could help in amazing ways.

We can't do what we do without great folks like you. Your help makes all the difference. We're all in this together, supporting the troops. Thank you!

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Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, Patriotism, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail, CommuniCause, eMail Our Military Social Media Makeover, eMail Our Military and New Media, eMail Our Military and Social Media ]

Musician Joe Colledge Offers Troops Free Music

noreply@blogger.com (Dayngr) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Just in time for Independence Day, Singer/Songwriter Joe Colledge Partners with eMail Our Military to Offer Troops a Free Download of His Single “American Dream”.

eMail our Military and Joe Colledge are partnering to offer active duty service members “American Dream” free, along with a heartfelt letter of thanks and appreciation.

Though the song is available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, and most major digital distributors through BFM Digital, LLC. Military service members can now receive it for free and are encouraged to do so through eMail Our Military.

Using their military email address service members can contact Joe Colledge to receive access to the free download of “American Dream” or if they prefer they can request a copy of the single to be emailed to them as an MP3.

“We felt Joe’s song was a great way to honor our heroes and celebrate Independence Day and we’re pleased to partner with him to get his music to our troops.” said Trish Forant, Founder and President of eMail our Military.

The song “American Dream”, inspired by the events of 9/11, pays tribute to America's resolve after the tragedy. The track was licensed by Navy Videos and featured as the theme song on their products and merchandise.

Podcasters are encouraged to make this song a part of their 4th of July podcasts as American Dream is listed on the podsafe music network. Podcasters may also use the eMail Our Military troop support promo in their Independence Day shows to help spread the word about reaching out to military service members.

“I wanted to show my appreciation to our military service members and I felt that eMail Our Military was doing a great thing so I was happy to be a part of it. It is my hope that the song inspires our troops and reminds them that we support them and wish them well.” stated music artist Joe Colledge.

Joe Colledge is in the studio currently recording his third album, on which “American Dream” will appear. The album is slated for a 2009 release.

About Joe Colledge:
Joe Colledge was recently named New Jersey’s “Best Male Vocalist” by Daily Record Readers and is rapidly becoming one of the most popular original artists with considerable FM, Satellite and Podcast airplay. The secret to his success is a high octane-show and winning set list, which features inspiring original material penned by the talented singer/songwriter. For more information, on Joe Colledge please visit: http://www.joecolledge.com/

About eMail Our Military:
eMail Our Military is a charitable organization that supports U.S. military service members through morale boosting email correspondence, letters and care packages. Troop supporters can take part in a number of support projects ranging from sending eMail to a service member on a one-on-one basis to year round support projects. eMail Our Military was created in 2001 as a response to the DoD's cancellation of the "Any Service Member" and "Operation Dear Abby" mail programs. As a safe alternative, eMOM picked up where these programs left off. For more information on eMail Our Military, please visit http://www.emailourmilitary.com/

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Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

If you're reading this via email or in your feed reader, stop by and add your comments.

[ Tags: Joe Colledge, American Dream, eMail Our Military Collaboration, Independence Day, 4th of July, 9/11 Inspirations, Tribute Songs, Podcasts, Podcasters, Podsafe Music Network, Podcast Promos, Freebies for Military, eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Troop Support, Patriotism, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail ]

Fun Flag Facts For 4th of July

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:25:00 +0000

The 50-star flag of the United States was raised for the first time officially at 12:01 am on July 4, 1960, at Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, MD.

The 50th star had been added for Hawaii; a year earlier the 49th, for Alaska. Before that, no star had been added since 1912, when New Mexico and Arizona were admitted to the Union.

The true history of the Stars and Stripes has become so cluttered by myth and tradition that the facts are difficult, and in some cases impossible, to establish. For example, it is not certain who designed the Stars and Stripes, who made the first such flag, or even whether it ever flew in any sea fight or land battle of the American Revolution.

All agree, however, that the Stars and Stripes originated as the result of a resolution offered by the Marine Committee of the Second Continental Congress at Philadelphia and adopted on June 14, 1777. It read:

Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.

Congress gave no hint as to the designer of the flag, no instructions as to the arrangement of the stars, and no information on its appropriate uses. Historians have been unable to find the original flag law.

The resolution establishing the flag was not even published until Sept. 2, 1777. Despite repeated requests, Washington did not get the flags until 1783, after the American Revolution was over. And there is no certainty that they were the Stars and Stripes.

Early Flags

Many historians consider the first flag of the U.S. to have been the Grand Union (sometimes called Great Union) flag, although the Continental Congress never officially adopted it. This flag was a modification of the British Meteor flag, which had the red cross of St. George and the white cross of St. Andrew combined in the blue canton. For the Grand Union flag, 6 horizontal stripes were imposed on the red field, dividing it into 13 alternating red and white stripes. On Jan. 1, 1776, when the Continental Army came into formal existence, this flag was unfurled on Prospect Hill, Somerville, MA. Washington wrote that “we hoisted the Union Flag in compliment to the United Colonies.”

One of several flags about which controversy has raged for years is at Easton, PA. Containing the devices of the national flag in reversed order, this flag has been in the public library at Easton for more than 150 years. Some contend that this flag was actually the first Stars and Stripes, first displayed on July 8, 1776. This flag has 13 red and white stripes in the canton, 13 white stars centered in a blue field.

A flag was hastily improvised from garments by the defenders of Fort Schuyler at Rome, NY, Aug. 3-22, 1777. Historians believe it was the Grand Union Flag.

The Sons of Liberty had a flag of 9 red and white stripes, to signify 9 colonies, when they met in New York in 1765 to oppose the Stamp Tax. By 1775, the flag had grown to 13 red and white stripes, with a rattlesnake on it.

At Concord, Apr. 19, 1775, the minutemen from Bedford, MA, are said to have carried a flag having a silver arm with sword on a red field. At Cambridge, MA, the Sons of Liberty used a plain red flag with a green pine tree on it.

In June 1775, Washington went from Philadelphia to Boston to take command of the army, escorted to New York by the Philadelphia Light Horse Troop. It carried a yellow flag that had an elaborate coat of arms—the shield charged with 13 knots, the motto “For These We Strive”—and a canton of 13 blue and silver stripes.

In Feb. 1776, Col. Christopher Gadsden, a member of the Continental Congress, gave the South Carolina Provincial Congress a flag “such as is to be used by the commander-in-chief of the American Navy.” It had a yellow field, with a rattlesnake about to strike and the words “Don't Tread on Me.”

At the Battle of Bennington, Aug. 16, 1777, patriots used a flag of 7 white and 6 red stripes with a blue canton extending down 9 stripes and showing an arch of 11 white stars over the figure 76 and a star in each of the upper corners. The stars are 7-pointed. This flag is preserved in the Historical Museum at Bennington, VT.

At the Battle of Cowpens, Jan. 17, 1781, the 3d Maryland Regiment is said to have carried a flag of 13 red and white stripes, with a blue canton containing 12 stars in a circle around one star.

Who Designed the Flag?

No one knows for certain. Francis Hopkinson, designer of a naval flag, declared he also had designed the flag and in 1781 asked Congress to reimburse him for his services. Congress did not do so. Dumas Malone of Columbia University wrote: “This talented man . . . designed the American flag.”

Who Called the Flag “Old Glory”?

The flag is said to have been named Old Glory by William Driver, a sea captain of Salem, MA. One legend has it that when he raised the flag on his brig, the Charles Doggett, in 1824, he said: “I name thee Old Glory.” But his daughter, who presented the flag to the Smithsonian Institution, said he named it at his 21st birthday celebration on Mar. 17, 1824, when his mother presented the homemade flag to him.

The Betsy Ross Legend. The widely publicized legend that Mrs. Betsy Ross made the first Stars and Stripes in June 1776, at the request of a committee composed of George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross, an uncle, was first made public in 1870, by a grandson of Mrs. Ross. Historians have been unable to find a historical record of such a meeting or committee.

Adding New Stars

The flag of 1777 was used until 1795. Then, on the admission of Vermont and Kentucky to the Union, Congress passed and Pres. Washington signed an act that after May 1, 1795, the flag should have 15 stripes, alternating red and white, and 15 white stars on a blue field.

When new states were admitted, it became evident that the flag would become burdened with stripes. Congress thereupon ordered that after July 4, 1818, the flag should have 13 stripes, symbolizing the 13 original states; that the union have 20 stars, and that whenever a new state was admitted a new star should be added on the July 4 following admission.

No law designates the permanent arrangement of the stars. However, since 1912, when a new state has been admitted, the new design has been announced by executive order. No star is specifically identified with any state.

You're a Grand Old Flag

You're a grand old flag,
You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.
You're the emblem of The land I love.
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev'ry heart beats true
'neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there's never a boast or brag.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

© Lyrics by George M. Cohan

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If you've been searching for a way to support our troops easily, you've found it! Participate in one of our many projects or register with eMOM and sign up to eMail/Mail our military one-on-one.

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, eMail The Military, eMailing Our Military, Mail Our Military, Mailing Our Military, Mailing The Military, Military Care Packages, Military eMail, Military Pen Pals, Armed Forces, Army, Soldiers, Navy, Sailors, Air Force, Airmen, Marine Corps, Marines, Coast Guard, Coasties, National Guard, Guardsmen, Patriotism, Any Service Member Mail, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail Flag Day, You're a Grand Old Flag, George M. Cohan ]

Happy Ending for Veteran Whose Flag Was Torched

noreply@blogger.com (Dayngr) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:51:00 +0000

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcdfw.com/video.

Earlier today we rallied our online community along with the help of @MichelleMalkin, @DeltaWhiskey1, @Military_Mom and so many others when we were tipped off by @BriskUSMC that Dallas Veteran, Ed Jordan had both his Marine Corps and American flags burned outside his home.

The story, which originally ran on NBC5 in Dallas/Ft. Worth made it's way across the internet and spread quickly across twitter. People wanted to take action to help this 70 year old veteran get new flags.

Shellie Ross (@Military_Mom) didn't waste any time. She called a local flag company and ordered two flags for Ed and then contacted NBC5 to let them know. @DeltaWhiskey1 got on the phone as well to a different flag company* to get the job done for Mr. Jordan. The

Behind the scenes here at eMOM we contacted NBC5 reporter Ellen Goldberg who ran the story. Though we didn't hear back from Ms. Goldberg, we were able to find Mr. Jordan and when we spoke with him to tell him about the outpouring of support he'd been receiving across the internet - he was amazed.

Mr. Jordan, who spent three years in the Marines and six years in the Marine Corps Reserves, told us that a fellow veteran, one town over, came to his home and brought him an American flag that flew over Mosul. What an honorable replacement. He plans to display it proudly.

We let Mr. Jordan know that we wanted him to have a back-up plan. @AmericanFlag, The United States Flag Store, (http://www.united-states-flag.com/ has offered to send him replacement flags. He was so happy to know that his beloved Marine Corps flag would be replaced as well.

This story has a happy ending thanks to great folks like you getting involved when one of our own is in need.

If you'd like to send cards to Ed Jordan voicing your support, please send them to:

eMail Our Military
Veteran Project
8004 NW 154 Street, Suite 344
Miami Lakes, FL. 33016

Thanks for all you do!

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Similar call to action story - PFC Levine and the Power of the eMOM Community

*Note: @DeltaWhiskey1 contacted "The Flag Company" in Dallas who allegedly was unwilling to donate a flag or even take donations from citizens to help this veteran out.

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: Ed Jordan, Marine Corps Veteran, Dallas Veteran, United States Flag Store, NBC5, Ellen Goldberg, eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Moral Support, Marine Corps, Marines, Patriotism, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail ]

Join Us Tonight For Military Appreciation Night

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Join us tonight for Military Appreciation Night at the Brea, CA. Improv. and if you bring your cards and letters for our troops, we'll get them to our troops!

Operation Laugh in conjunction with eMail Our Military presents Military Appreciation Night at the Brea Improv.

Headliners include:

Charles Sanchez - Si TV, HBO
Ian Edwards - Comedy Central, Punk'd
Julie McCullough - Playboy Playmate "Funny Bunny"
Dan Smith - 21 overseas tours for the troops! Loco Comedy Jam

Brea Improv is at 120 S Brea Blvd, Brea. CA. 92821 and you can call them at (714) 482-0700

*Tickets are $15 at the door. $10 with any Military I.D.

Please take a moment to visit the Military Appreciation Night event page on FaceBook and let us know if you'll be attending. Even if you can't be there in person, please share this event with your FB friends via your profile!

Blog This

Blogger outreach is an important part of spreading the word and supporting our troops. Please blog this event in your blog and spread the word. You can use the photos and content on your blog or website.

On Twitter:

Connect with comedian Dan Smith at @DanSmith
Connect with eMailOurMilitary at @MailOurMilitary

*A portion of the proceeds from this show will go toward sending Military care packages

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, Military Appreciation Night, Brea Improv, Dan Smith, Operation Laugh, Charles Sanchez, Ian Edwards, Julie McCullogh, Funny Bunny, Comedy Central, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail ]

Honoring the American Flag

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Honoring the American Flag
Condensed from a speech by Leo K. Thorsness, recipient of The Congressional Medal of Honor.

You've probably seen the bumper sticker somewhere along the road. It depicts an American Flag, accompanied by the words "These colors don't run."

I'm always glad to see this, because it reminds me of an incident from my confinement in North Vietnam at the Hao Lo POW Camp, or the "Hanoi Hilton," as it became known.

Then a Major in the U.S. Air Force, I had been captured and imprisoned from 1967-1973. Our treatment had been frequently brutal. After three years, however, the beatings and torture became less frequent.

During the last year, we were allowed outside most days for a couple of minutes to bathe. We showered by drawing water from a concrete tank with a homemade bucket. One day as we all stood by the tank, stripped of our clothes, a young Naval pilot named Mike Christian found the remnants of a handkerchief in a gutter that ran under the prison wall. Mike managed to sneak the grimy rag into our cell and began fashioning it into a flag.

Over time we all loaned him a little soap, and he spent days cleaning the material. We helped by scrounging and stealing bits and pieces of anything he could use. At night, under his mosquito net, Mike worked on the flag. He made red and blue from ground-up roof tiles and tiny amounts of ink and painted the colors onto the cloth with watery rice glue. Using thread from his own blanket and a homemade bamboo needle, he sewed on the stars.

Early in the morning a few days later, when the guards were not alert, he whispered loudly from the back of our cell, "Hey gang, look here." He proudly held up this tattered piece of cloth, waving it as if in a breeze. If you used your imagination, you could tell it was supposed to be an American flag. When he raised that smudgy fabric, we
automatically stood straight and saluted, our chests puffing out, and more than a few eyes had tears.

About once a week the guards would strip us, run us outside and go through our clothing. During one of those shakedowns, they found Mike's flag. We all knew what would happen.

That night they came for him. Night interrogations were always the worst. They opened the cell door and pulled Mike out. We could hear the beginning of the torture before they even had him in the torture cell. They beat him most of the night. About daylight, they pushed what was left of him back through the cell door. He was badly broken; even his voice was gone. Within two weeks, despite the danger, Mike scrounged another piece of cloth and began another flag. The Stars and Stripes, our national symbol, was worth the sacrifice to him.

Now whenever I see the flag, I think of Mike and the morning he first waved that tattered emblem of a nation. It was then, thousands of miles from home in a lonely prison cell, that he showed us what it is to be truly free.

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Patriotism, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail, 4th of July, Independence Day, Leo K. Thorsness, Honoring the Flag ]

Born on the 4th of July

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:39:00 +0000

Did You know?

Much like the song "Yankee Doodle Dandy" these famous folks were born on the 4th of July!

1804 - Nathaniel Hawthorne, American writer (d. 1864)
1816 - Hiram Walker, American grocer and distiller (d. 1899)
1826 - Stephen Foster, American songwriter (d. 1864)
1847 - James Anthony Bailey, American circus impresario (d. 1906)
1872 - Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States (d. 1933)
1881 - Ulysses S. Grant III, American soldier (d. 1968)
1882 - Louis B. Mayer, American film producer (d. 1957)
1883 - Rube Goldberg, American cartoonist (d. 1970)
1895 - Irving Caesar, American lyricist and composer (d. 1996)
1902 - George Murphy, American entertainer (d. 1992)
1905 - Irving Johnson, American adventurer (d. 1991)
1907 - Gordon Griffith, American director (d. 1958)
1907 - Howard Taubman, American music and theater critic (d. 1996)
1910 - Gloria Stuart, American actress
1911 - Mitch Miller, American entertainer
1916 - Iva Toguri D'Aquino, American World War II figure (d. 2006)
1918 - Ann Landers, American advice columnist (d. 2002)
1918 - Abigail Van Buren, American advice columnist
1920 - Norm Drucker, American basketball referee
1920 - Leona Helmsley, American hotel operator and real estate investor (d. 2007)
1924 - Eva Marie Saint, American actress
1927 - Neil Simon, American playwright
1929 - Al Davis, American businessman
1929 - Chuck Tanner, American baseball player
1929 - Bill Tuttle, American baseball player (d. 1998)
1930 - George Steinbrenner, American businessman
1937 - Thomas Nagel, American philosopher
1938 - Bill Withers, American singer and songwriter
1942 - Hal Lanier, American baseball player
1942 - Floyd Little, American football player
1943 - Geraldo Rivera, American reporter
1943 - Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson, American musician (d. 1970)
1943 - Emerson Boozer, American football player
1946 - Tish Howard, American model
1946 - Ron Kovic, American peace activist
1946 - Michael Milken, American financier
1946 - Ed O'Ross, American actor
1947 - Morganna Roberts, American entertainer
1951 - Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, American politician
1954 - Jim Beattie, American baseball player
1960 - Sid Eudy, American professional wrestler
1962 - Pam Shriver, American former tennis player
1963 - Matt Malley, American musician
1964 - Cle Kooiman, American soccer player
1964 - Mark Slaughter, American singer
1965 - Horace Grant, American basketball player
1966 - Lee Reherman, American actor
1967 - Rick Wilkins, American baseball player
1968 - Jack Frost, American musician
1971 - Brendan Donnelly, American baseball player
1974 - La'Roi Glover, American football player
1974 - Vince Spadea, American tennis player
1978 - Becki Newton, American actress
1983 - Ben Jorgensen, American musician
1983 - Andy Mrotek, American musician
1984 - Gina Glocksen, American singer

# # #

If you've been searching for a way to support our troops easily, you've found it! Participate in one of our many projects or register with eMOM and sign up to eMail/Mail our military one-on-one.

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: Independence Day Birthdays, Born on the 4th of July, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Military Support, Messages of Support, Troop Support, Moral Support, eMail The Military, eMailing Our Military, Mail Our Military, Mailing Our Military, Mailing The Military, Military Care Packages, Military eMail, Military Pen Pals, Armed Forces, Army, Soldiers, Navy, Sailors, Air Force, Airmen, Marine Corps, Marines, Coast Guard, Guardsmen, Patriotism, eMOM, eMail Our Military ]

Join the Team, Make a Difference

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:52:00 +0000

Would you like to be Community Relations Leader for eMail Our Military in your community, city, or on base, etc?

We’re looking for dedicated eMail Our Military (eMOM) members to help us spread support for our troops in communities across the country. It fun, easy and free to do!

As a part of Team eMOM™ you can help us manage our online communities, spread the word and help us support our troops from sea to shining sea. You'll also be able to connect with troop supporters just like you, military spouses, Team eMOM™ Community Relations Leaders and our eMOM officers. Here is a little information about Team eMOM™ and some of what you can expect as a part of the team:

Be an eMail Our Military Member
Join us across our social networks to connect with locals in your area
Promote eMail Our Military locally, on base and within your online community
Participate in our projects regularly. (These are basic projects like emailing, etc.)
Create your own Team eMOM Local Blog
Create and use your auto-signature in all emails, letters and web posts.
Have fun!

As a Team eMOM Leader for your area you'd have benefits too:

You'll be an important part of creating ideas for our new campaigns
You'll receive all the promotional materials before other members
You’ll get eMOM behind the scenes access
You'll get a cool title as a part of our eMOM Across America's Team eMOM™

If you think you may be interested in being a part of the eMOM team, please leave a comment here and contact us via our webform at: http://www.emailourmilitary.com/contact.htm

If you're on twitter, send us a shout out at @MailOurMilitary too. We're looking forward to reaching more of our troops this year and showing them outstanding support!

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

If you're reading this via email or in your feed reader, stop by and add your comments.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, Patriotism, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail, eMOM Across America, Team EMOM, Military Spouses, Military Communities, Veterans ]

It's About The Warrior Not The War

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:55:00 +0000

Right now someone like you is in Iraq or Afghanistan - Watching, Protecting, Serving - So you don't have to. Right now, they're there for us - all of us.

Right now, no matter what you think about this war - Good, Bad, Indifferent, Impassioned - it's not about the war, it's about the warrior.

Help us build a homefront that is ready for our wounded soldiers, service members, veterans, families.

This short, yet moving video is a great reminder that freedom isn't free but rather invested in daily by those who serve our country and protect the freedoms we have ALL come to appreciate. What a perfect video, food for thought, as we prepare to celebrate America's independence this week.

Big thanks to @BobWoodruff for reaching out to me to share this with all of you. Please pass this on.

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, Patriotism, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail, Bob Woodruff, Remind.org, TweetToRemind, Freedom, Charitable ]

Action Alert - We Need Your Votes

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:20:00 +0000

You can help eMail Our Military take it to the next level for our troops by taking a moment to help us win a Social Media Makeover through CommuniCause. There are 2 basic ways to help and each counts as a vote.

We need your votes and winning would be nice, but even if we don't win, making it to the top 10 means more people will learn about who we are and what we do. That means more troops to support! So, please continue to spread the word everyday.

2 Ways to Vote Countless Ways to Help

I mentioned above there were two specific ways to vote. However, there are countless ways to help. Here are a few ideas:

Grab the banner and add it to your blog
Write about our cause and ask your readers to vote
eMail your friends and family and ask them to vote
Tweet, tweet and retweet so your followers can help too
Share the link via Facebook
Write a Facebook Note about it
Share the info in your Facebook status
Add it to your Facebook profile
Send a MySpace bulletin to your friend asking them to vote
Add an auto-signature to your email asking folks to vote and help us win
Use the social bookmarking tools at the bottom of this post to help promote it - that helps too

Having a presence in social media helps us reach and support more troops. We've seen incredible results since we began using social media and know this makeover could help in amazing ways.

We can't do what we do without great folks like you. Your help makes all the difference. We're all in this together, supporting the troops. Thank you!

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

Get Scrappin' for our Troops

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:12:00 +0000

Summer is one of the best times to get together with your friends and get crafty. If you love scrapbooking and/or making cards then here are a few ideas on how you can have some fun this summer and support the troops.

Have a create-a-card event! Pick a date, spread the word and make an evening out of it. Pick a theme (4th of July, Summer, Americana), set a goal, invite some of your friends over (maybe give people the option to bring a covered dish) and then have some fun snacking, chatting and creating great cards for our troops.

Stay-at-home moms and dads: Try an event like this during the day with your fellow stay at homers and the kids! Kids love expressing themselves and can get pretty creative with some crayons, markers and stamps. (No glitter please)

Go Red, White and Blue!

Try creating cards using just red, white and blue elements. Stars and stripes are fun too. We've some great looking cards using red, white and blue, foam cutouts and with a little imagination you could create a masterpiece that will be shared with our service members.

Have Fun

The most important part of any project is to have fun. Set a reachable goal. Perhaps each person in your group could make 2 cards or 5. Whatever you decide is fine. Each cards is a treasure and no amount is too big or too small.

Grab a camera and snap some photos of you and your friends while you get scrappin' for our troops. You can send the photos to us to be shared in our projects set and you can also use the photos from your event to create cards and mini-scrapbooks to share with the service members you support.

Summertime or Anytime

This doesn't have to be a summertime project and you don't have to wait for a patriotic holiday to roll around to send us your cards for the troops. At eMail Our Military we accept cards for heroes year-round. Your cards will ship in care packages to our military service members and may also be scanned, saved and shared by email to be enjoyed over and over again.

Make it a Date

Why not make it a date and meet with your group once a month? It's a great excuse to let loose and have some fun all while doing something charitable for our troops. It's also a great way to make new friends!

Get Local

Think outside the box. Try getting your local scrapbooking and craft stores involved. They may allow you to put up flyers promoting your event, donate supplies and they might even like to host it in store. Some scrapbooking stores may even create a special event just for your project! You don't know until you try.

Where to Send

You can send your cards to us at:

eMail Our Military
8004 NW 154 Street, Suite 344
Miami Lakes, FL. 33016

We look forward to seeing your cards and sharing them with our troops.

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Mail Our Military, Mailing Our Military, Mailing The Military, Military Care Packages, Military Pen Pals, Patriotism, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail, South Florida Troop Support, Create-a-Card, Cards for Troops, Cards for Heroes, Military Cards, Scrapping, Scrapbooking, Crafts ]

Happy Birthday Chesty Puller

noreply@blogger.com (Dayngr) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Today is the birthday of the greatest, most decorated Marine in American history: Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller. He was born June 26, 1898.

General Puller’s heroism, esprit de corps, and leadership are legendary and saying that he is an inspiration is an understatement.

Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller (June 26, 1898 – October 11, 1971) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps and is the most decorated Marine in history. Puller is the only United States Marine to receive five Navy Crosses, the United States Navy's second highest decoration after the Medal of Honor. During his career, he fought guerillas in Haiti and Nicaragua, and participated in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II and the Korean War. Puller retired from the Marine Corps in 1955, spending the rest of his life in Virginia.

In Depth

Born in the peaceful village of West Point, Virginia, where his father had a wholesale grocery business, Puller was reared on tales of Confederate glory. His grandfather, Maj. John Puller, a heroic cavalryman, was killed in 1863.

Determined on a military career, Puller completed one year at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in August 1918. VMI may have given him the exaggerated military bearing for which he was nicknamed, but it was during more than four years as a Marine NCO and concurrent lieutenant of the Gendarmerie d’Haiti (1919–23) that Puller developed his distinctive leadership techniques: perfectionism; mission overachievement; and fearless, inspirational conduct under fire. Varied assignments followed his commissioning in 1924, including two tours in Nicaragua, in each of which he was awarded the Navy Cross. His third and fourth Navy Crosses came during World War II at the Battle of Guadalcanal and at Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island; and the fifth in Korea where Puller commanded the 1st Marine Regiment in the assault landing at Inchon, the seizure of Seoul, and the fighting at the Chosin Reservoir.

Fuller was promoted to brigadier general in 1951 and to lieutenant general upon retirement in 1955. During the 1950s, the colorful and outspoken Puller gained attention as a champion of tough, realistic training; a defender of the basic soundness of American youth; and a critic of higher leadership. His legend continued to grow; photographs of his bulldog visage hung in homes and service clubs across the country as a symbol of invincible heroism and fidelity to traditional military standards.

Among Puller’s most famous quips:

“All right, they’re on our left, they’re on our right, they’re in front of us, they’re behind us…they can’t get away this time.”

“Great. Now we can shoot at those bastards from every direction.”
“We’re surrounded. That simplifies our problem of getting to these people and killing them.”
“Remember, you are the 1st Marines! Not all the Communists in Hell can overrun you!”
“Take me to the Brig. I want to see the real Marines.”
“Alright you bastards, try and shoot me!” (to Korean forces)
“Where do you put the bayonet?” (upon seeing a flamethrower for the first time)
“You don’t hurt ‘em if you don’t hit ‘em.”
“Hit hard, hit fast, hit often.”

While exact counts of Puller's total number of decorations vary from source to source, an accepted number of 52 separate, subsequent, and foreign awards is commonplace. The reason for difficulty in assigning an exact total comes from the variety of foreign decorations that each carry different protocols in regard to wear and display.

You can read so much more about Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller at his entry on wikipedia. What an amazing man he was.

Happy Birthday Chesty and Semper Fi!

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Patriotism, Any Service Member Mail, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail, Chesty Puller ]

Postcards for our Troops

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:56:00 +0000

We just received a great big batch of postcards for our troops from a wonderful group of supporters in Kentucky. 106 postcards to be exact!

Sara, who spearheaded the project writes:

Hello,
My name is Sara (last name omitted for privacy) and I'm the chairperson of the Witneses and Mission Team at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Louisvilled, KY. We recently held a Mission Day and on of the projecs we offered was Postcards Across America™.
We hope that you will be able to send the enclosed 106 postcards to service members abroad and we sincerely hope that these tokens of our appreciation will brighten their days.
Thank you for providing this opportunity to share our admiration and gratitude for those who keep our country safe and free.
Sincerely,
Sara F.
St. Paul UMC

Each of these 106 postcards from Kentucky have a handwritten message of support for our troops on them. Many have messages of thanks and appreciation and are truly a joy to read.

These fantastic postcards will be shipping out from our office and going overseas to a group of U.S. Soldiers currently serving in Iraq who we know will greatly appreciate them.

This is a great example of how community groups, churches, schools, etc. can get involved to support our troops in the easiest of ways.

Military service members stationed far from home love to see postcards from across America. You can send your local postcards to our troops to give them a view from home. If you'd like to get involved in having a postcard writing event of your own, here's how:

Postcards Across America™

Write a personal message of support, leave the address area blank and mail your postcard(s) to us in a larger envelope. We’ll ship them to our troops in bulk in our care packages. A little slice of home in every package, created especially for them by you!

Send your cards to us:

eMail Our Military
Postcard Project
8004 NW 154 Street, Suite 344
Miami Lakes, FL. 33016

We have tons more troop support projects on our website and we'll be sharing even more here on our blog. If you have great troop support project ideas, let us know by leaving a comment! We'd love to spotlight your ideas and projects here. If you'd like to join the eMOM team here's how you can do that too!

We've posted these photos along with many others on the eMail Our Military Flickr Photo site at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/emom/ We think you'll enjoy seeing how we support the troops and it will give you some great ideas on how you can get involved too.

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

If you're reading this via email or in your feed reader, stop by and add your comments.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, Mail Our Military, Mailing Our Military, Mailing The Military, Military Care Packages, Army, Soldiers, Patriotism, Any Service Member Mail, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail, Postcard Project, Postcards Across America ]

Military Appreciation Night at the Brea Improv

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:12:00 +0000

Come on out and show your support for our troops on July 1st for Military Appreciation Night at the Brea, CA. Improv.

Operation Laugh in conjunction with eMail Our Military presents Military Appreciation Night at the Brea Improv.

Headliners include:

*Tickets are $15 at the door. $10 with any Military I.D.

Please take a moment to visit the Military Appreciation Night event page on FaceBook and let us know if you'll be attending. Even if you can't be there in person, please share this event with your FB friends via your profile!

On Twitter:

Connect with comedian Dan Smith at @DanSmith
Connect with eMailOurMilitary at @MailOurMilitary

*A portion of the proceeds from this show will go toward sending Military care packages

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

If you're reading this via email or in your feed reader, stop by and add your comments.

Are You a Military Spouse or Veteran?

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:12:00 +0000

Are you a Military Spouse or Veteran? Would you like to be Community Relations Leader for your base or city's online community?

We're not limiting participation to military spouses or veterans so if you're interested, read on. We’re looking for dedicated eMail Our Military (eMOM) members to help us manage our online communities, spread the word and help us support our troops.

Being a part of Team eMOM™ will connect you with other military spouses, Team eMOM™ Community Relations Leaders and our eMOM officers. Here is a little information about Team eMOM™ and some of what you can expect as a part of the team:

Be an eMail Our Military Member
Join us across our social networks to connect with locals in your area
Promote eMail Our Military locally, on base and within your online community
Participate in our projects regularly. (These are basic projects like emailing, etc.)
Create and use your auto-signature in all emails, letters and web posts.
Have fun!

As a Team eMOM Leader for your area you'd have benefits too:

You'll be an important part of creating ideas for our new campaigns
You'll receive all the promotional materials before other members
You’ll get eMOM behind the scenes access
You'll get a cool title as a part of our eMOM Across America's Team eMOM™

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

If you're reading this via email or in your feed reader, stop by and add your comments.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, Patriotism, Miami MilBlogging, South Florida Troop Support Organization, South Florida Military Support Organization, South Florida Blogger, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail, eMOM Across America, Team EMOM, Military Spouses, Military Communities, Veterans ]

Help eMail Our Military Win a Social Media Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:46:00 +0000

As you know, eMail Our Military started as a grassroots effort through social networking back in 2001. Today, eMail Our Military is a leader using social media to support our troops and their families.

Please help eMail Our Military take it to the next level for our troops by taking a moment to help us win a 25K Social Media Makeover through CommuniCause. Just click & vote: http://communicause.com/my-cause/2268

eMail Our Military doesn't have an advertising budget, therefore we reply on word of mouth marketing, new media and social media. In other words, when you spread the word you help us reach more service members, military families and troop supports. That makes you an important part of the eMail Our Military team!

Twitter Users:

Please take a moment to tweet the following message to help eMail Our Military gain more votes: RT to help eMail Our Military win a 25K Social Media Makeover http://ow.ly/4pcs @CommuniCause #Cause2268

Other Social Networks and Tools

If you use Facebook, Digg, MySapce, StumbleUpon or Delicious you can help spread the word by using the CommuniCause site to share our information. Visit the eMail Our Military CommuniCause page at: http://communicause.com/my-cause/2268 and be sure to share it on Facebook, MySpace, etc!

Grab the Badge

Grab the badge above at: http://communicause.com/my-cause/2268 and display it proudly on your blog and website. Be sure to vote.

You can also use the social bookmarking tools at the bottom of our post as well to promote this post - that's always a big help.

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

If you're reading this via email or in your feed reader, stop by and add your comments.

eMail Our Military Update

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Here's what we've got going on for June.

Mobile post sent by eMailOurMilitary using Utterli. Replies. mp3

The Military Community On Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:11:00 +0000

*Update* (June 6) Thanks to the wonderful folks at Floxee.com, who took the time to move our list over to their site and get it up and running for free, we've now got an official place for the eMail Our Military Twitter Military Community List. You can sort and search in alphabetical order and by followers along with tons of other great features that will only improve with time. Be sure you get on the list!

Get Listed:

Leave you comment with your twitter name and which category you should be listed under.

(May 31, 2009) This wonderful list is growing at a rapid rate, which is a good thing! Please check to see if you're on the list and if you're following these great folks on twitter. Help spread the word by sharing this with everyone you know on twitter so we can all continue to connect and support one another. Be sure to bookmark this post so you can check back to see how it grows. Don't forget to follow us too! @MailOurMilitary and @eMOMS .

(April 10th) There are lists for moms and lists for dads but at eMail Our Military (eMOM) we're looking to create the ultimate list of military moms, dads, spouses, service members, etc. for you to follow and connect with on twitter.

If you fall into one of these categories leave a comment with your @name and the category we should list you under and we'll add you! We'll update the list as information comes in and publish it here so we can all connect, share resources and support each other. As our list grows we'll may break the categories down into separate posts for you.

Military Service Members:
@LTCJonBrazelton
@Mosqueda
@GKkrigger
@Deployedteacher
@AjaxthePixie
@Bouhammer
@ChrisShort
@AndersonEriks
@Mikeyman213
@sgtDanger
@BriskUSMC
@BigGun731
@DM_Green
@NAVY_BUILT
@ChaplainAndrews
@rpiperUSMC
@womprat99
@CJGrisham
@WinObs
@PurtyTXRose
@WhoDeeni
@mjzitek
@NavySquid
@AdamWillis
@AdamV81
@AFPAChick
@USTommyMC
@haleylost
@SailorDad

Military Wives:
@Dayngr
@MailOurMilitary
@MarineWfe
@bunnypoo4U
@Jovialjacki
@USMCwife8999
@theArmyWifeLife
@hamf
@tantonik
@rebekahzjones
@MilAve_Leanne
@MilAve_Deborah
@Amandapink09
@FortBlissWives
@ArmySpouse
@ArmyWifeNetwork
@karenroush
@marsies
@NeoconBlonde
@mochaep
@ATColwell
@AFwife08
@MizzJuliax3
@Meadowbax
@MilitaryMama
@GreenEyedKat
@AFinnie
@Jpomeroy
@imheartcore
@threeheartphoto
@AJae
@StarrySkye81
@tsoniki
@TammyMunson
@kpiper
@CMWTR
@SaraHorn
@Avon_Momma
@KissMyGumbo
@KateKashman
@SailorsGrl
@ElizGomez
@Arielanna
@Ceece
@TaraCrooks
@SofterImageGrl
@SoCalHeart
@OrbitalDiamonds
@mrisner
@SubDigitWife
@ChristinaJade
@WilCoComm
@AreWeThere
@crazyadventures
@Shannan79
@GuardWife
@HeartAndHome
@MissingMadiera
@Mariaod
@UndercoverMama
@JenTheArmyWife
@HeatherV72
@ArmyWife88
@ArmyWifeAndMom
@A_Soldiers_Wife
@DeltaWhiskey1
@Riyaan
@AdrianeLohr
@RandomArmyWife
@MyMilitaryLife
@bundle2baby
@kjones122
@LinLori
@donnakaiser2006

Military Husbands:
@RedPorscheKilla
@PreppyDude
@SaintJer

Military Girfriends:
@AjaxthePixie
@whiskey_kitten
@clearforesight
@Meb821
@LtBeyer
@KelseyMW
@Armylovelife

Military Boyfriends:
@JustinSMV

Military Moms:
@Knottienature
@2020nexus
@PattyGale
@mcthornburg
@ArmyMom
@YankeeMom
@SweetSue
@KneeDeep
@Military_Mom
@SoldiersParent
@ArmyWifeAndMom
@bbias2
@BBWilbern
@alfwags
@jjshelton2000
@Pay4This

Military Dads:
@Tojosan
@SemperFratres
@trreed

Military Sons & Daughters
@kokomodianne
@MilitaryChild
@SonOfASoldier
@ChristinaJade
@WilCoComm
@armybrat1959
@McCore

Military Veterans:
@MilBlogging
@CarlinComm
@PaulSwansen
@Andy_Bearden
@EricjCox
@Lisa_Michele
@ThatTallDude
@WiredPig
@Just_A_Grunt
@SemperFratres
@JusBeachin
@MilAve_Col_K
@MarineMajor
@SaintJer
@AJae
@Greenbacker
@Sjvo
@SlipDown
@MarineAG
@JKiss77
@MPushkal
@kr8tr
@doubleduece
@threeheartphoto
@SEAL_Strong
@Tojosan
@RKThunder
@LauraKennedy
@CamBeck
@GannonBeck
@KentBeatty
@Tiggr
@DanPerry
@TroutScout
@DarthDilbert
@MikePratt
@OrbitalDiamonds
@mrisner
@CopTheTruth
@WilCoComm
@Gonendunit
@qascat
@RLScovens
@1USAVET
@AfghanOldBlue
@alfwags
@nanna95

Military Bloggers:
@eMOMS
@MilBlogging
@fieldsteven
@JanesList
@CJGrisham
@Bouhammer
@Blackfive
@KneeDeep
@PublicRelations
@JohnMichaelPix
@MilitaryPundits
@ArmyWifeBlogs
@BillRoggio

Military Support Orgs., Supporters, Veteran Advocates, etc.:
@MailOurMilitary
@eMOMs
@GreatAmericans
@usaa_news
@JohnHancock61
@MichaelDarwin
@YouServed
@Alaunit472
@MilitaryAvenue
@PaulRieckhoff
@ArmyWifeNetwork
@FortBlissWives
@ArmySpouse
@BobWoodruff
@HealMyPTSD
@LindyKyzer
@SoldiersAngels
@AmericanWP
@FifsBizNetwork
@NWNavynews
@CamoCrowd
@ThankHeroes
@AAFES_STYS
@VargasL
@BurstingwPride
@CourageCo
@CamoCrowd
@ThankHeroes
@TweettoRemind
@qascat
@MilitaryVote
@WarriorsLegacy
@PraetorMarching
@HonorAir
@SendTasteofHome
@ArmyNYC
@HeroLegacy
@VAspeechwriter
@SkipInc
@BonitaSmith
@CardsForHeroes
@ChandlersWatch
@DefendersOwn
@InflictAirsoft
@mymilitarylife
@AOS_Louisiana
@militaryhousing
@ArmyStudyGuide

Official Military Twitter Accounts
Department of Air Force: Alan Black, Public Affairs
Public Affairs Department of Air Force: Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, Nev.
@USArmy
@HQAMC
@WarriorForge
@AFPAA
@NDNationalGuard
@AAFES_STYS
@BurstingwPride
@FortHoodFMWR
@180thFW
@618_TACC
@621CRW_PA
@AFNeurope
@AFResRecruiting
@AirForceLive
@AirForceNews
@AMC_PA
@ArmyImcom
@ArmyTeamC4ISR
@ArmyROTC
@NavyNews
@FlyNavy
@US7thFleet
Joint Staff Department of Defense
Maxine Teller, Public Affairs, Department of Defense
Mark Drapeau, Research Fellow, National Defense University
Army & Air Force Exchange Service
U.S. Joint Forces Command
U.S. European Command (via Ed Buclatin, Captain, US Navy, Director of Public Affairs)
U.S. Pacific Command
U.S. Southern Command
U.S. Central Command
Air Force Public Affairs Agency
USAF Band
US Army
US Navy
US Pacific Fleet
Naval Air Forces
Naval Surface Forces
US 7th Fleet
Navy Personnel Command
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Public Affairs
National Naval Aviation Museum
Hampton Roads Naval Museum
Navy Office of Information New York
Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division: HJ Armstrong, Public Affairs
Naval War College
Navy Exchange
Submarine Group 2
Navy Experimental Diving Unit
USS Constitution
USS Nimitz
USS Bonhomme Richard

For a complete list of Government and related twitter accounts, please check out the GovTwit Directory. Also, don't forget to add yourself to the ever-growing list on MilBlogging.com

If you've been searching for a way to support our troops easily, now you can. Participate in one of our many projects or register with eMOM and sign up to correspond with service members one-on-one.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, Military Support, Troop Support, Supporting Our Troops, Messages of Support, Moral Support, Armed Forces, Army, Soldiers, Navy, Sailors, Air Force, Airmen, Marine Corps, Marines, Coast Guard, Coasties, National Guard, Guardsmen, Patriotism, eMail Our Military Blog, Honor Duty eMail, Military Spouses on Twitter, Military Moms on Twitter, Military Wives, Military Dads, Military Community on Twitter ]

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary or follow the blog feed at: @eMOMs. If you're reading this via email or in your feed reader, stop by and add your comments.

Today is #MilitaryMon

noreply@blogger.com (eMOM) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:03:00 +0000

Today is Military Monday so be sure to use the hashtag #MilitaryMon for all your military related tweets.

Mobile post sent by eMailOurMilitary using Utterli. Replies. mp3

Commemorate D-Day's 65th Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Dayngr) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:40:00 +0000

(View of an LCT with American troops and equipment loaded aboard awaiting the signal for the assault against the continent. England. Undated - June 1944 )

Today marks the 65th anniversary of D-Day. We'd like to take a look back and remember those who served so bravely, those who fought and died and those who returned home to tell their stories.

Today, on the 65th anniversary of the invasion at Normandy please reflect, remember and pay tribute by visiting the United States European Command's D-Day website. The website has past and present D-Day news, photos, links, stories and events and is on our opinion THE best place for information and commemoration this D-Day. (follow them on twitter at @US_EUCOM and use hashtag #DDay65 for all D-Day related tweets today)

You can also learn more about D-Day from wikipedia.

Additionally, in honor of our troops, today is "Take a Military Person to Lunch Day" so grab someone you know who served or is serving and take them out to lunch, or order lunch for your local military recruiters.

# # #

Connect with eMail Our Military (eMOM) on twitter at: @MailOurMilitary, follow our blog feed at: @eMOMs or connect with us through one of the services below.

If you're reading this via email or in your feed reader, stop by and add your comments.

[ Tags: eMOM, eMailOurMilitary, South Florida Military Support Organization , South Florida Blogger , eMail Our Military Blog , Honor Duty eMail , D-Day , Normandy , WWII , The Battle of Midway , USS Yorktown , Chester W. Nimitz, Operation Overlord, 1944, EUCOM, United States European Command, D-Day Facts, D-Day, History, D-Day Photos ]