CF: "Show Support By Writing To The Troops - But No Packages, Please"

[The Bread Guy]

Just spotted this - Mod Squad, feel free to move if already posted elsewhere....

Show Support By Writing To The Troops - But No Packages, Please
DND news release NR - 09.094, 27 Oct 09
News release link

OTTAWA – As the holiday season approaches, many Canadians will be thinking of the troops deployed overseas. Director General Personnel and Family Support Services (DGPFSS) would like to remind the public that even though the military appreciates any show of support, the collection of gift boxes and packages for shipment overseas is not practical.

“Support for our troops has been tremendous over the years, and this year, Canadians again want to know what they can do to help,” said Jim Peverley, Director of Deployment Support at DGPFSS. “We appreciate that Canadians want to share their time and generosity with our troops, but unfortunately, we do not have the capability to send individual donations overseas.”

As the flights that re-supply CF personnel in places like Afghanistan are filled with priority items such as combat supplies, vehicle parts, equipment and mail from families, there is very limited space for any items that are not critical to the mission, including donations from the public.

One easy way for Canadians to show their support is through e-mail messages on the Canadian Forces website (www.forces.gc.ca), using the “Write to the troops” message board. Also, postcards and letters without enclosures which are addressed to “Any CF member” will be accepted, although similarly addressed care packages will not be.

In addition to care packages from family and friends, each CF member deployed on operations over the holiday period will receive a package through DGPFSS’ Operation Santa Claus. These care packages are made possible through the generous donations of companies from across Canada.

Canada Post will be providing free regular parcel service this year for family and friends of deployed military personnel, from 26 October to 15 January 2010. The “Write to the troops” website has mailing guidelines to assist families and friends in preparing their letters and parcels for delivery to CF personnel overseas.

There are many other ways to show support to CF personnel and their families. To learn more, please visit the Director General Personnel and Family Support Services website at www.supportingourtroops.ca.

 

[SeanNewman]

Here are some things to consider:

1.  Soldiers certainly appreciate support from Canadian civilians;

2.  Everyone understands that mission-essential things like bullets and medical supplies need to make their way onto planes before mail; and

3.  There is no endless supply of planes to ship these things.  There are only so many C130s and C17s to go around, so things must be prioritized.

So knowing the above, the deal as some see it is that as much as a deployed soldier may love getting signs of support from home, they likely enjoy getting things from their own family more.  If school kids write letters to the troops those are great (and often funny, unless they say things like "I hope you don't blow up").

However, if well-meaning civilians clog up the planes with packages, a soldier waiting for a package from home now may have to wait six weeks instead of two weeks, because as mentioned above space is limited. 

So it's not that troops don't love getting suerprise messages from Canadians who support them, it's that it can be done in ways that don't mean they have to wait longer for things they are expecting.

 

[Dissident]

I understand where all of this is coming from.

This said, one of my friends served in the 90s and went on roto 0. When I tell him that we have to tell people to support us less I think he will loose his mind.

How lucky are we that we have to ask people to tone it down.

 

[SeanNewman]

I fully agree with you that we are extremely fortunate to have public support at high levels.

I don't think that it's a matter of having to tell people to tone down their support, but more just telling people that it can be done through e-mail for those on KAF or letters for troops forward deployed.

100 schools can send bundles of letters in the same amount of space that one giant package takes up.

I do agree though that if the message is not told properly it looks as if we are saying we don't want the support, when in fact the real message is please just take up less space on planes that aren't unlimited when doing so.

It's not exactly Canada Post.

 

[mariomike]

I do agree though that if the message is not told properly it looks as if we are saying we don't want the support, when in fact the real message is please just take up less space on planes that aren't unlimited when doing so.

Sometimes it's hard to know what send via Canada Post. I know e-mails are no problem. It reminds me of an anecdote about Babe Ruth on the subject of ( pre-electronic ) fan mail: ""Keep the dough and the pictures of the broads, and throw the rest out," were his reputed instructions.