I know that modeling has helped me stay sane during an incredibly trying personal time; I can only imagine the kind of relief it offers our men and women in uniform in some of the hell holes, I mean remote exotic foreign locations, they may currently be serving in. That said, I printed a bunch of the flyers and am dropping them off at our local hobby shops, hoping to inspire others. The owner of one has already told me to bring a box and she will help me fill it up!
I don’t know how many times a year I can afford to do this, but to me, it is little enough in exchange for the sacrifices the members of our armed services are making on our behalf. Thanks again, Finescale.
Andddddddddddd it’s off - we’ll see how long it takes a box to get to Diego Garcia, and what kind of shape it’s in when it gets there. It wasn’t a lot - five kits, paints, brushes and glue - and my local hobby shop owner worked with me to the tune of $150 worth of stuff for $95. [tup] Shipping was quite reasonable at $10, although the guy at the post office had never heard of Diego Garcia before! Maybe next time I can afford to fill a larger box …
Well, I’m a little concerned … it appears the package has dropped into the black hole known as the military mail system. I know that it’ll show up sometime, somewhere …
I read about sending models to our troops and I taked to me kids about it. there 11 and 13. And that next day we went to the hobby shop and got 2 kits. We send them over with letters from the kids and they sent my kids letters back. I can’t tell you how happy my kids and I were, NOT just becouse they sent letters back but to do something, you know what I mean.
As for the letters, there in a frame now in there rooms. And we are trying to get the school into it to.
Bud, good luck with getting the schools involved, this is exactly the right sort of project for kids to get involved in. Not just kits either, acrylic paints, brushes, sanding strips, throw in some magazines, as well. Imagine if every kid in a school brought in one bottle of paint! [:O]
Supporting the troops (no matter your political stripe) is important for their morale, and ours! It’s a great feeling, and having a response from them only makes it better. You tell your kids they done real good!
mfsob, don’t worry, if the army has it, it will get there eventually!
I need some info please. I little time ago my kids and I sent some models over to our Troops and we got the school into it too. But the thing is the names for the people we are to send them too, most of them are no good anymore. I want to know if someone have a eamil address of a club or something over there so I can see if he or she is still over there and were to send some more models and books too.
Something to think about next time you mail a package overseas is including “deliver to company chaplain” in the box for what to do if it’s undeliverable.
Another suggestion to those looking to support units deployed overseas: If you live near an Armory or Reserve base/center,check to see if your local Guard or Reserve unit is deployed. If they are, they will usually have a rear detachment at the armory. Those folks can refer you to who to send packages to such as the unit 1st Sergeant, Sergeant Major, or Chaplin.
Locally we have a few members of the VFW who are modelers.
They take care of everything, from the purchasing to the mailing, and not just models.
Folks could check out the VFW or American Legion, or get something started on their own.
(Enlisting a LHS is a good idea too!)
Remember,we have guys and gals who are stationed EVERYWHERE.
I need some info please. I little time ago my kids and I sent some models over to our Troops and we got the school into it too. But the thing is the names for the people we are to send them too, most of them are no good anymore. I want to know if someone have a eamil address of a club or something over there so I can see if he or she is still over there and were to send some more models and books too.
Sir,
In reply to your request the hobby club in Baghdad is
Baghdad Hobby Club
F-3/KBR
APO AE 09342
The man who runs it is Mr Araujo, his e-mail is steven.araujo@halliburton.com I was stationed there and just returned. This club was a life saver and I appreciated all the support you fellow modelers gave me more than words can say, Thank you all,
Just an update here. I did already try to email Steven Araujo and I never did get anything back from him, BUT I am talking to a Dave Wallace from Fort Tall Afar david.wallacejr@us.army.mil He is in a modeling club but as of right now if is moving to a diffrent camp. He is going to email me with he’s new address. So when I get that we can ship some things off to them. I will post he’s address as soon as I get it.
I’ve gotten our Church Youth group to pitch in and collected a large box for the guys in Baghdad. Perhaps some of you can do similar things with youth groups, scout troops etc. to pitch in with kits and paint and brushes etc.
Hello all, I am getting ready to go to the sandbox in june. I am not sure wheather the cost to ship to an apo in germany is less than iraq, but if it is I would be glad to fill several footlockers with goodies from the states and distribute them downrange. It does not cost us anything to ship from A.P.O. TO A.P.O. Let me know fellas. Josh
Maybe I was just crazy tonight, or maybe the box was bigger this time, or the planets aligned or something.
I went to my local hobby shop and spent an hour filling a box up with kits, paints, brushes, glue and sanding sticks, and when the dust settled the total was $375. I gulped a little and took it up to the counter and went through it with the owner, a great lady who will order just about anything for me and in general is a joy to be around. She asked if I was sending this to the troops overseas and I said, Yes, and I only wish it were more. She smiled, rang up to total, and handed me a credit card charge slip for $200, plus tax. I was very surprised, but also gradeful. Try getting that kind of service from one of these chain stores!
Wow! I had a similar experience with my LHS on a couple of boxes I’ve sent. His kits cost a bit more than the internet stores, but I figure I make it up on the donated kits I buy, since he always gives me either a cost price, or doubles up on the kits.
You should post the name of the owner and store and address so anybody who reads knows where to shop when they’re in your neck of the woods!
I will check with her and see if that is OK; the whole Internet thing kind of scares her, I think!
No problems at all mailing from the Post Office this morning, and it was only $17 for the two boxes, parcel post and space available on the next flight out. I did follow the recommendations on here, though, and decribed the contents on the customs form as “plastic model kits and supplies.” I also wrote “Leave for unit chaplain” in the What to do if the addressee isn’t there box. Fingers crossed that they make it to Baghdad intact!
Heard from Msgt. Erick Gonzalez at the Speicher Model Club - the two boxes arrived, intact, today. Say what you want about the US Post Office, but 10 days from the US to Iraq is impressive to me. He said they just recently had their first model contest and it was “awesome.” A female Army captain won best of show with a Mustang GT.
It wasn’t much I sent but, dang, knowing that it makes a difference it the lives of our men and women in the military …