Recently several items have appeared in the I-T telling the community what Marines in this area are doing to "take care of their own" and commending Steve Page, president of Infineon Raceway for advocating adding a check-off box to income tax returns to help fund veterans' health care.

These are commendable efforts, and I applaud them. But in case any of your readers would like to be of immediate assistance to military members and their families, please publish these addresses. We can send contributions now that will be so important to easing the strain on the wounded and their families. Who among us would not want to help a young spouse, upon getting the dreaded message that her or his family member has been gravely wounded?

The United Services Organization (USO) assists with arranging child care here at home and air transportation so that the spouse can go to be at the bedside of the injured loved one -and so much more. USO is no longer just coffee and doughnuts in a fixed canteen - today the USO has specially modified SUVs roaming those desert battlegrounds offering soldiers the opportunity to e-mail their families back home. They also hand out free phone cards so that soldiers can call home. Send donations to USO World Headquarters, P.O. Box 96860, Washington, DC 20077-7677. "Comfort houses" on the grounds of major military medical centers provide an inexpensive place for families to stay near their hospitalized service members. Did you know there is one at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield and a new one at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto? Visit www.fisherhouse.org to donate.

Paralyzed Veterans of America has been assisting service members with spinal cord injuries for many years. Go to www.supportveterans.org or send your donation to Paralyzed Veterans of America, 7 Mill Brook Road, Wilton, NH 03086.

Disabled American Veterans assist in many ways. I often see their vans bringing disabled vets to David Grant Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base for their doctor appointments and treatments. Their address is P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, Ohio 45250-0301. Army Emergency Relief assists both active duty soldiers and their families. Unfortunately, our junior enlisted soldiers are so poorly paid that their families often qualify for food stamps.

Their budgets have no room for emergencies. AER is there to help. Donations may be sent to DLIFLC & POM, IMSW-POM-MWA-AER, Attn: Cliff Thornburg, Presidio of Monterey, CA 93944-5000.

Why is this cause so near to my heart? I was an "Army wife" for 28 years, and my husband, who may look like the picture of health, is actually 100 percent disabled because of the effects of Agent Orange sprayed on our troops as well as on the population of Vietnam, their fields, forests and streams. So many of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are so very young - just kids away from home for the first time. But they are the "cream of the crop" and deserve all the support we can give them.

Military doctors, nurses and corpsmen are practicing cutting edge medicine under the most difficult conditions imagineable. Many more of the gravely wounded are surviving to come home, but to a future of pain, disfigurement, and despair. They will need our help for a long time. It's not about politics - it's about our kids. Please help if you can.

Thank you!

Please log in to comment:

*Member ID:
*Password:
	Forgot Your Password?

Not registered yet? Sign up here! (registration is free)

Note: All fields are required

Personal Information

First Name:

Last Name:

Address:

City:

State:

ZIP code:

Phone:

Email: (this will serve as your username)

Desired password:

Re-type password: