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Libraries use Skype to keep military families connected

Published today by the Tuscaloosa News:

Military personnel fighting overseas face more than struggles on the battlefield. Being away from family and loved ones can be one of their most difficult battles. In previous wars, soldiers could only hope to hear from family at home via letters. But in today’s technology world, soldiers can blog, e-mail friends and call their families.

To help make communication easier for the families of soldiers overseas, the Tuscaloosa Public Library is participating in Connecting Families, a project that connects Alabama military families with their loved ones serving overseas or across the nation. Three new Apple Macintosh computers, loaded with Skype software, have been installed in the library to allow military families to communicate visually and verbally with family members in the U.S. armed forces, said Vince Bellofatto, the library’s public relations coordinator.

‘I hope it’s a way to comfort military families and people overseas,’ he said. ‘Families can visually see their loved ones and see changes in them if they’ve been away for six or eight months. A parent overseas can see changes in a child if they have grown taller or their hair has grown out.’

Skype is free downloadable software that allows users to make calls around the world via the Internet. Skype members can call other Skype users for free, as well as get discounted rates for calls to international land lines and mobile phones.

The Connecting Families program, a partnership between the Alabama Public Library Service and Gov. Bob Riley’s Alabama Broadband Initiative, will be in 100 libraries across the state. Alabama so far is the only state providing the service, which is funded by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

‘We’re not only for our troops but also for the families who serve by their side, even though thousands of miles often separate them,’ Gov. Bob Riley said in a press release. ‘Like our soldiers, the families sacrifice so much. Anytime we have an opportunity to help our brave troops and their families back home, we must take it.’

On Monday, Tuscaloosa set up two of the Connecting Families computers at its main branch and one at the Brown branch in the Bobby Miller Center. Skype service is available to all library patrons, but only military families are allowed to reserve time by appointment and their calls will take precedence over public use of the Skype-loaded computers. Bellofatto said he has talked with colleagues around the state and the program so far has been hit or miss.

‘I hope the word gets out so military families utilize it,’ Bellofatto said. ‘We hope we’re a site where people know about it and use it.’

Heroes come in many shapes

This was posted to one of my favorite sites this morning, I Has a Hotdog (funny pictures of dogs). It serves as a gentle reminder that heroes do indeed come in many shapes:

Kids love ink pens

This morning I received an email from Caren Vink at Soldiers’ Angels HQ:

It seems that the kids in Afghanistan and Iraq want nothing more than a ink pen. A pen to a child in Afghanistan and Iraq is like a scholarship to these children. They desperately want to learn but,
without a pen, they simply won’t.

Will you help a child with their dream of owning their very first ink pen? Trust me, freedom to write is a very big deal. Anyone interested in helping these poor children would be simply wonderful.

The pens don’t have to be new but still in good condition. Clean out your junk drawer, everyone has extra pens. Ask your local businesses, banks, stores, if they would donate pens. Dollar Stores are a great place to find great deals on pens.

When our men and women in uniform give a child a pen or other school supplies, they are helping these countries by befriending the younger generation who in years to come will view the military as friends. Hopefully when they get older they will help us help their country.

If you can add, some spiral notebooks or pads of paper would be nice to toss in the package, too.

Thank you very much!

Caren Vink

If you would like to help out, please send supplies to our SA Warehouse at this address:

Soldiers’ Angels
112 Greenhill Road
Ramseur, NC 27316

Disney’s vacation aid to soldiers, vets, and families

Featured today in the Tuscaloosa News:

U.S. military personnel are being welcomed to Disney’s U.S. theme parks. Complimentary, multi-day admission tickets are available for troops and additional offers for family members and friends.

Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” will allow our troops to create wonderful, magical memories with their family and friends. And Shades of Green, a resort hotel on Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., is open exclusively to servicemembers, retirees, defense civilians, and their families. It is a safe haven for military families whether they’re reintegrating after an overseas deployment, having one last “family fling” before mom or dad deploys, or simply getting away for a weekend.

Shades of Green is an Armed Forces Recreation Center hotel run by the Army’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command based in Alexandria, Va. The command’s mission is to provide soldiers and their families with the same quality of life they are sworn to protect. Rates are set on a sliding scale, based on rank, and with no shareholders to answer to or profits to be made, the rates are kept remarkably low. Its manager, Brian Japak, is a retired soldier, and his son has survived two roadside-bomb attacks while serving in Iraq.

Read the full article here.

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A personal note:

I have always loved Disney’s theme parks and services. My husband and I honeymooned there last year with our daughter and it was truly magical. In fact, we had such a wonderful time that we went back again this year for our anniversary.

This is just one more reason for me to love Disney!

Communication program launched for military families

Per Fox6 news:

Alabama launched a new effort to help military families communicate with deployed family members overseas on Tuesday. A new program called ‘Connecting Families’ was used on Tuesday morning for the first time in Wetumpka.

The program will allow military families to use a computer and a webcam at public libraries to connect by videoconferencing to their loved one overseas. The Birmingham Public Library is one of more than 100 statewide that will offer the computer and webcam for use in the Connecting Families program.

Click here to view the video for this story.

Stress booklet available for AL vets

Courtesy of Channel 19 in Huntsville:

Alabama troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will now get a booklet to help them deal with post-war stress and readjusting to family life. Gov. Bob Riley unveiled the 63-age Reintegration Action Plan on Thursday. The booklet will be given to all returning troops from Alabama. It includes information to help service members make a successful transition.

A Pentagon task force last year reported that nearly half of all Army National Guard soldiers who served in Iraq or Afghanistan reported psychological problems when they came home. Riley said the new booklet will help troops better understand the readjustment process, and it recommends places to get help.

Link: www.alabamareturningveterans.org

New web resource for wounded troops

Published yesterday in the Tuscaloosa News:

The Department of Defense launched on Tuesday the National Resource Directory, a collaborative effort between the departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs. The directory is a Web-based network of care coordinators, providers and support partners with resources for wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans, their families, families of the fallen and those who support them.

The directory offers more than 10,000 medical and non-medical services and resources to help service members and veterans achieve personal and professional goals along their journey from recovery through rehabilitation to community reintegration.

The directory is expected to be a valuable tool for wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families as they wind their way through the maze of benefits and services available to them in their transition to civilian life. It is organized into six major categories: Benefits and Compensation; Education, Training and Employment; Family and Caregiver Support; Health; Housing and Transportation; and Services and Resources. It also provides helpful checklists, Frequently Asked Questions, and connections to peer support groups.

This looks like a great tool! The link is: www.nationalresourcedirectory.org

BuildASign.com donates banners to troops supporters

Courtesy of Greta of Soldiers’ Angels of Louisiana:

BuildASign.com™ Donates 20,000 Banners to Supporters of US Troops at Home and Abroad

Austin, TX — November 10, 2008

In honor of Veteran’s Day, BuildASign.com™ is re-launching its banner giveaway to help 20,000 more Americans show their support for the US armed forces. With this donation, BuildASign.com™ will provide military families all over the country with personalized banners for their homecoming and holiday celebrations while encouraging businesses to create banners that show their support for our troops.

BuildASign.com™ is also giving away jumbo holiday cards to families whose service members won’t be home in time for the holidays. These families can send personalized jumbo holiday cards to loved ones overseas for less than the cost of shipping a banner. Both free banners and free jumbo cards are available to everyone at www.BuildASign.com/Troops.

“We received such an amazing response from our original banner giveaway in July that we had to find a way to re-launch the campaign. Now, after making some capital improvements to our production process, we’re ready to give away twice as many banners as before. We’re also giving away jumbo holiday cards that families can more easily ship to their loved ones overseas.” — Andy Knopp, Sr. Operations Manager at BuildASign.com™

All products offered at www.BuildASign.com/Troops are 100% customizable. Users can simply choose from one of the 12 designs on the page, personalize their banner or jumbo card using BuildASign.com™’s proprietary online designer, and checkout securely.

Through the landing page, military families and friends can also enjoy heavy discounts on many of BuildASign.com™’s popular holiday gift products like magnetic bumper stickers, custom parking signs and personalized license plates. The offer is limited to one free product per order and does not include the cost of shipping. This donation cannot be combined with any of BuildASign.com™’s other promotional offers and will end when all 20,000 banners have been given away.

About BuildASign.com™ — Austin, Texas-based BuildASign.com™ has reinvented the way people buy signs. Using the company’s proprietary online tools, customers can design, proof, and buy signs, banners, magnets and more in less than five minutes, from anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, at any time, 365 days a year. With BuildASign.com™’s innovative production system, each customer’s unique sign is produced in an efficient, high quality manner and is delivered to the customer’s door in an average of 3-5 days

Tuskegee VA needs your help

I received an urgent message from fellow Bama Angel Bonnie regarding the Tuskegee VA’s needs:

I spoke with a Volunteer officer (Lisa) yesterday regarding her immediate needs. This facility has had a sudden influx of new patients both at the their hospital and nursing home. There has been an increase of homeless vets showing up now as well.

Please send what you can ASAP of the following:

• Full sizes can be used in the nursing home, hotel sizes can be used in hospitals and by the homeless vets. Anything will help as they are having to take $$$ from other programs to purchase basic necessities.

• Body wash
• Toothpaste, Toothbrushes
• Deodorant
• Shampoo
• Body lotion
• Vaseline

Please send what you can, or send gift cards from Walmart to purchase these supplies.

CHECKS/CASH DONATIONS:

Please specify in a letter which account or program you wish your donation to support. Also include a name and complete address for acknowledgment of donation.

Please mail to:
Attn: William H. Petty
Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System
2400 Hospital Road
Tuskegee, AL 36083

PLEASE be sure to note that you are a Soldiers’ Angel. We are developing a relationship with all of these VAs and we WANT them to know that we are here for them and they can count on us!

Thanks Angels!

All the Way Home

Courtesy of Lori with the SA VA Team:

As volunteers honor our returning heroes by taking them fishing deep in the American wilderness, wounded veterans discover that sharing stories around a campfire helps them adjust to life back home.

This inspiring film was shown this July in Congress to help lawmakers understand some of the issues facing our returning soldiers and has been recommended by our country’s leading veterans advocacy groups.

This video is available on DVD through the Soldiers’ Angels Store, and costs $25.00 (this includes shipping).