OPERATION SOLDIER CARE ENDED MONDAY AUGUST 18.

THE CARE PACKAGES ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE TROOPS! Matching each donation with an equal product gift we were able to send over $6000 in sun care products, after sun products, bath & shower products, and other moisture products for men and women.
I am writing this post today to let people know that there are still American patriots out there. Trish Forant of eMail Our Military is one of the. I met Trish this year on twitter (I am @nancymk and she is @mailourmilitary) My husband is a retired USArmy officer who works full time with me in my business. Since summer is usually a little bit slower for us with vacations and all, we wanted to do something to send some comfort items to the troops. We had already been doing that on a much smaller scale and wanted to do more. Most of our friends and family are safely back in the states at this time. So I agreed to match every care package with another one, increasing the value of each donation ( and eliminating profit or self promotion for me) Trish and I agreed that August 18 would be the latest that we could get these items to the troops in a time when they still needed them the most. We started with a small goal of $550. When we reached that within the first week, I boldly announced that I was prepared to match up to $5000 in care packages for the troops. So a new goal was set!
In the process of promoting this, some incredible things happened. YESTERDAY EMAIL OUR MILITARY WAS NAMED BLOG OF THE DAY!
When I was asked by Phyllis Zimbler Miller (@ZimblerMiller) to do a guest post on her blog about Operation Soldier care, she became involved in our project. She came up with the idea of donating prizes for the top 5 contributors. Phyllis got the ball rolling by generously donating 5 autographed copies of her latest book.
MRS LIETENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL. Trish and I followed with small prizes, but other businesses got excited and started adding value to being one of the top 5 contributors! We now have 15 different prizes worth over $1000 each for the top five contributors.
Thanks to all the patriots who are making a difference with some comfort products in the desert heat.

Operation Soldier Care- FINAL DAYS!

We need your help. The final 5 days of Operation Soldier care with more reasons than ever to jump on board this project! We have over 15 businesses who are contributing incredible prizes for the top 5 contributors.
For an update on this non-profit collaboration with EMail Our Military and myself listen to my utterz-http://www.utterz.com/u/utt/u-NTEyMzQ0MQ
For a compelling true story from a soldier's perspective, visit http://yourmilitary.typepad.com/yourmilitaryblog/

5 Things You Didn't Know About Military Deployments

With just one week to go in Operation Soldier Care, and all the buzz on the internet about it, I thought some quick education on what it is like for the average soldier in Iraq or Afghanastan was in order. My husband Alex is a retired US Army officer so I have first hand information on "a day in the life" of our troops. Here are the top five things that most people don't know-
1. Mail call is the highlight of the day for every soldier in the field.
The importance of that connection at home can not be understated. Sending cards, letters, care packages means more than you will ever know to our heros overseas. (not all soldiers have access to email)
2.The climate is harsh and unpleasant.
The average temperatures in Iraq range from higher than 48 degree C (120 degrees Fahrenheit!) in July and August to below freezing in January. A majority of the rainfall occurs from December through April and is more abundant in the mountainous region and may reach 100 centimeters a year in some places
The summer months are marked by two kinds of wind phenomena: The southern and southeasterly sharqi, a dry, dusty wind with occasional gusts to eighty kilometers and hour, occurs from April to early June and again from late September through November. The shamal, a steady wind from the north and northwest, prevails from mid-June to mid-September. Very dry air which accompanies the shamal permits intensive sun heating of the land surface but also provides some cooling effect. Dust storms accompany these winds and may rise to heights of several thousand meters, causing hazardous flying conditions and closing airports for brief periods of time.
Extremes of temperatures and humidity, coupled with the scarcity of water, will effect both men and equipment. During dry season, clouds of dust caused by vehicle movement will increase detection capabilities in desert regions. Flash flooding in wadis and across roads will hinder traffic ability and supply efforts during the rainy season. Clear, cloudless skies make air superiority a prerequisite to successful offensive operations throughout Iraq. Air operations may be reduced during windy season. The Iraqi climate is similar to that of the extreme southwestern United States with hot, dry summers, cold winters, and a pleasant spring and fall. Roughly 90% of the annual rainfall occurs between November and April, most of it in the winter months from December through March. The remaining six months, particularly the hottest ones of June, July, and August, at approximately 102 degrees F are dry. The influence of the Persian Gulf on the climate of Iraq is very limited. Near the gulf the relative humidity is higher than in other parts of the country.
3. Personal hygene and comfort items are in limited supply and not affordable for many soldiers. Imagine that you are camping in the desert. What would you take with you? Those items that you use every day are not in the backpack of the average soldier overseas.
4.Many soldiers are having back to back deployments. Even reservists are frequently called up for several tours in a row, taking them away from their civilian jobs and families. (although employers are required to keep a position open while a soldier is deployed, career advancement is often jeopardized by time away from the job.
5. Every day is like "Groundhog Day". If you have ever seen that movie where the main charactor keeps waking up to the same day, that is what it is like for many soldiers. The only difference is that each day is one day closer to their trip home.

I teamed up with Email Our Military for the Operation Soldier Care campaign to provide comfort items to our troops. I am matching dollar for dollar each donation to have maximum impact on the number of care packages that we send for the troops. You can make a difference. Either pitch in any dollar amount or order directly on my web page and put Operation Soldier Care in the comments section. Your gift will then be sent directly to the soldiers in the field.