Army & Air Force Exchange Service Enlists Charitable Partners to Bring the Holiday Season to Troops who Need a Taste of Home

Blackanthem.com, DALLAS, Texas, December 05, 2005 13:16

Just in time for the holidays, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) is working to get phone cards and gift certificates into the hands of deployed troops as quickly as possible through the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, Operation Homefront and Operation Interdependence®.

"It’s the perfect time of year to welcome these partners to AAFES’ troop support efforts because millions of Americans are looking for ways to help during the holidays," said AAFES’ Chief of Corporate Communications Lt. Col. Debra Pressley. "This is not only the most difficult time to be deployed, it is also the most important time of year to let troops and their families know we are thinking of them."

The Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes focuses on the needs of wounded and hospitalized troops. Through the Coalition, "Gifts from the Homefront" and "Help Our Troops Call Home" phone cards will be distributed in Coalition programs that provide emergency financial support to wounded heroes and their families in need.

Operation Homefront strives to care for families left behind when troops deploy. Exchange gift certificates and phone cards distributed through Operation Homefront will provide much-needed support to military families while loved ones are abroad. "We are so pleased to be added to AAFES listing of elite nonprofits serving our military," said Operation Homefront’s Executive Vice President Amy Palmer. "We hope to continue to help military families all over the world and I believe this will make it a little easier to accomplish."

A Civilian-to-Military Delivery System® that provides a means for Americans to demonstrate their support for our deployed military, Operation Interdependence® takes American support directly to troops serving in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Military Exchange Global Prepaid phone cards and PX/BX gift certificates purchased through www.aafes.org will be included in care packages dubbed "Civilian Rations®" (C-rats®), which are delivered to the troops monthly without negatively impacting the military delivery system.

AAFES troop support programs are simple: Anyone can make a direct impact on troop morale with a "Help Our Troops Call Home" phone card by logging on to www.aafes.org or calling 800-527-2345. "Gift from the Homefront" gift certificates are also available at www.aafes.org or toll free at 877-770-4438. From there, purchasers may send the Military Exchange Global Prepaid phone card or Exchange gift certificate to individual Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors or Marines (designated by the purchaser) or to "any service member" by choosing to have their gift distributed through the American Red Cross, Air Force Aid Society, Fisher House, USO, Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, Operation Homefront or Operation Interdependence®.

Lightweight and flexible, troops use "Gifts from the Homefront" gift certificates just like cash. Some of the top-selling items at AAFES BX/PX locations in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom include CDs and DVDs, energy drinks, snacks and phone cards.

The 550-unit Military Exchange Global Prepaid phone cards purchased through AAFES’ "Help Our Troops Call Home" program provide more than three hours of talk time (183 minutes) from Iraq and Afghanistan. "Troops tell us they miss being able to communicate with family and friends," said Lt. Col. Pressley. "This is why providing troops with phone cards is one of the best gifts the American public could give this holiday season."

All totaled, the charities currently participating in AAFES’ "Gifts from the Homefront" and "Help Our Troops Call Home" efforts (American Red Cross, Air Force Aid Society, USO and Fisher House) have distributed nearly 15,000 phone cards and more than 17,000 gift certificates to military personnel participating in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) is a joint command of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, and is directed by a Board of Directors who is responsible to the Secretaries of the Army and the Air Force through the Service Chiefs of Staff. AAFES has the dual mission of providing authorized patrons with articles of merchandise and services and of generating non-appropriated fund earnings as a supplemental source of funding for military Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs. To find out more about AAFES' history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our Web site at http://www.aafes.com/pa/default.asp.

Source :  The Army & Air Force Exchange Service