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 November 12, 2004
11/11/04 - 10:15 pm Video & Link Available
Contacting Troops With AnySoldier.com
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News 36 Video
Here is the story:
AnySoldier.com

Many Central Texans have wondered how to reach active duty troops overseas or maybe brighten their days a bit.

Afghanistan and Iraq are just two of the places where American service men and women are putting the lives on the line daily.

"A lot of American believe that what you have here is what you'll have there, and it's nothing like that, you're going to a third world country," Staff Sgt. Patricia Cano with the 449th PSB said.

That's why these soldiers say a relatively new Web site, AnySoldier.com, is so important to those serving overseas.

"I know corresponding with my parents, there were a lot of people in my hometown that were wanting to get all kinds of information. What can we do? How do we go about doing it? Things of that nature," Staff Sgt.Robert Hughes with the 136th RTI said.

Those are exactly the kinds of questions that are answered at AnySoldier.com. You're shown how to send mail to soldiers.

"It's the biggest part of your day, getting mail. When you don't get mail, you're down for the whole day," Cano said.

"Just like getting stuff from people back home it made you feel closer to being home," Staff Sgt. Carlos Harris with the 449th PSB said.

AnySoldier.com also shows you how to communicate with service men and women who get little to no mail.

"I didn't get mail at first, and it's depressing because everybody's getting something, cookies, care packages, everything and you're not getting anything so you're like what's going on?" Sgt. Irasemi Rodriguez with the 136th RTI said.

Because it's an interactive Web site, members of the military are able to e-mail any soldier and list their specific needs or the needs of the Afghans or Iraqi villagers they've befriended.

"It's like Christmas. You're opening a package, and you have no idea what they sent you, but they sent you something because they care," Cano said.

"It's a morale booster. Especially when somebody is sending you something, and you don't even know this person, and they're saying thanks for your help, we appreciate what you're doing out there," Rodriguez said.

Staff Sergeant Cano says while she was in Iraq, she received a coffee pot from AnySolder.com. She said it made her day especially knowing it came from someone she had never met.

A soldier's father created AnySoldier.com in August 2003. It was after his son noticed many in his brigade, working in Iraq, were not receiving mail or care packages from home.

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