I used to hate getting forwards. Especially those that want the receipient to send it to a zillion people in the next 3 seconds or their dog will grow fins and fly.
I like the ones that are the prayer wheels for the military and always forward them on.
One day I was starting to worry about one of the soldiers I talk to because he was supposed to have been back from a mission a week before but I hadn't heard from him. Within about an hour of really starting to freak out (thank you Fox News) I received a forward from him. Then a few days later came an actual email. He was on R&R in Germany. His wife and son had surprised him by flying there to spend his R&R time with him.
He said he apologized for the forward. No apologies necessary, it was a real relief to get it because I knew he was okay and just too busy to write. So now whenever he's busy he will send a forward as a "checking in to let you know I'm okay."
His family and my family have become good friends since he first signed up. And he knew right from the start that we are to be last on his list. After his job and family comes his time and then as long as it doesn't take away from anything else he can email us.
My mom asked me once if I heard from everyone I email. I told her no I don't. Then she wanted to know why I do it if I'm not getting all of my emails back. She didn't know what to say when I told her I do it for them, not for me. I don't expect anything at all in return for sending them emails and pics of home.
So she decided to get my husband in on her little *I'm right, you're wrong and I'm going to prove it* argument. My husband told her he thought it was cool that we could share in their deployments and just look at all of the pics they've sent. He sat down with her and showed her everyone and told her where they were from and their general area where they are deployed. The more he told her the more upset she got because she really hates to lose an argument. In her eyes I'm still 9 years old and need to constantly be told what to do and think.

While growing up I heard all the negative things that were being said about our Nam vets and I didn't like it. My dad served in Nam and I know NO ONE can understand what they went through unless they were there.

My mom's family was against war and never sent him anything. The only mail he received was from his mom. Except for the divorce papers my mom's lawyer sent him. After all these years I still can't understand how someone can put their political beliefs over a family member.

I guess in a way I am putting my beliefs (though not political) over my family. I joined Soldiers' Angels in April 2004 so I could tell our military thank you. Since that time I've adopted, written and emailed countless military personnel in Korea, Italy, Germany, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Guantanimo, where ever they may be serving. I am still in contact with many who have since come home safe to their families.

My mom tried her best to discourage me. She even went as far as telling me there is a commander who orders them to email or write back. I may not know much about the military but I do know the commanders have more important things to do than monitor their troops' emails.

I for one am very very proud of all of our military heroes. Yes, heroes, because of everything they and their families sacrifice to keep America safe. They are putting their very lives on the line for us here at home not only so we can sleep peacefully at night, but so we can continue life as we know it with out war on our home soil, so we can voice an opinion that most may not agree with, and so our future generations can also live in freedom.