Christmas deadline quickly approaches for shipping packages to troops overseas

I saw this today in The Birmingham News:

Sheila Benson didn’t waste time getting holiday packages ready for troops serving in Afghanistan, because she knows there isn’t time to waste.

Benson, chief executive officer of Employment Screening Services, which provides companies with information about prospective employees, last week had employees stuff Christmas stockings for 80 soldiers serving alongside her son, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Loring Shaffer Jones IV.

The stockings contain candy, soap, beef jerky, lip balm and letters of support from fourth-graders in teacher Dana Pate’s class at Oak Mountain Intermediate School.

Benson said she originally planned to send care packages to the few soldiers her son said likely would have no presents at Christmas.

“The more I talked to him and found out how many were unsure they’d get anything, we decided to adopt the whole battalion,” Benson said.

Benson said she hopes the public knows there is scant time to get mail packages for troops in time for the holidays.

Although Christmas is still 48 days away, the U.S. Postal Service recommends holiday care packages for soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan be mailed by Friday. They should be shipped no later than Dec. 4 in order to arrive by Christmas.

“Time is running out,” Benson said.

When shipping holiday packages to soldiers serving anywhere overseas, the rule of thumb is the earlier the better, postal officials said.

“You never know what may happen in terms of winter storms or transportation issues,” said spokesman Dave Lewin. “And, the earlier you mail, the service you receive will be more economical.”

In the article’s comments section, Kelly Graber added:

Here are some great websites to help get you started. Please help support our troops!

http://www.adoptaussoldier.org
http://www.soldiersangels.org
http://www.USO.org
http://www.booksforsoldiers.com
http://www.redcross.org/services/afes/0,1082,0_321_,00.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_5609689_use-mail-program-soldiers-troops.html

Thank you, Kelly, and all the ladies involved for all that you do!

PostSecret’s “Soldiers’ Secrets” video

This was posted in the weekly edition of PostSecret this weekend: