Education Guy directed me to this wonderful program:
For those seeking a quick way to show appreciation for the troops’ service far from home this holiday season, look no further than “Giving Thanks,†a new initiative from the Defense Department’s America Supports You program.
(Video)
Americans can send text messages of thanks and get responses from active-duty troops through the “Giving Thanks” initiative of the Defense Department’s America Supports You program. ÂÂ
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
“This is a simple way to connect our citizens to our soldiers using modern technology,†Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, said of the text messaging program.
The program, which already has received nearly 4,000 messages, officially kicks off at 6 a.m. EST Nov. 17 and concludes at midnight PST Nov. 22. Between those times, people wishing to express gratitude to the troops for their service can text a brief message to 89279. Each text message sent will receive a response from an active-duty servicemember in return.
 So, now we can demonstrate our support for those poor troops eating plastic turkey with Bushitler without even getting off of our sorry, sodden, football watching butts. It’s the least we can do.
Those guys, they don’t ask for much.
Um. This makes me feel sad.
Those guys, they don’t ask for much.
Apparently, they are asking for a bit much more than the Bush Administration is willing to give.
RMN: Malkin had that featured this morning. I reasonably certain that both progressives and liberals can agree that it is despicable and the Dept of Defense needs to step up and fix it now. If the president needs to get involved he should.
Somebody’s ass needs to be canned for that abomination.
RWM, feel free to stick your “opportunity to bash Bushitler” where the sun don’t shine.
Why happyfeet?
“…feel free to stick your “opportunity to bash Bushitler†where the sun don’t shine.”
Right. Because from the very start the Bush Administration has been treating returning vets as a priority…
RWM: Have much of an agenda here? Just a bit off topic? Feel free to reach back to 2 year old crap that was identified and solved by rightfully “embarrassed” Republicans. If you think that this administration is any worse than any other dealing with returning soldiers, administrative nightmares, medical care and the like then your fixation on the “thugs” has blinded you to history. Spend some time checking out Johnson during the Vietnam War.
How about we move on to supporting the wonderful program above or would you rather start defending Pelosi and Reid’s conduct when it comes to, oh, I don’t know, funding those soldiers? It’s up to you.
QUAGMIRE!
You know what is odd, RMN? I just googled “military signing bonus” to see who was responsible for demanding these refunds, and I found a bunch of links to sites talking about demanding refunds from Vets, but the only name ever given was the same dude in Pittsburg. You think maybe it might be just an isolated incident, one of those clerical errors the military is famous for?
To my mind, no administration has ever treated vets the way they should be treated, except maybe for Truman.
“”…2 year old crap that was identified and solved by rightfully “embarrassed†Republicans.””
It seems you skipped over this part:
“The action represents a reversal of GOP policies toward the VA. For the past four months, House and Senate Republicans have repeatedly defeated Democratic amendments to boost VA medical funding.”
RWM: Who didn’t know that there actually was a shortfall. Yea, I read it and it still doesn’t support you as being anything other than a Bush bashing thread jacker.
RMN–Get real. What were those increases attached to?
“Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson told a Senate committee that the number has been revised upward to 103,000 for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. He said the original estimates were based on outdated assumptions from 2002.
For three years they were basing their figures on estimates drawn up from before the war. Did Malkin feature that too this morning?
In your world does Bush serve in the House or the Senate, RMN, because I can see some confusion looming if this goes much further.
“Get real. What were those increases attached to?
Ok, let’s go with that…
Where was the Republican amendment? Where was their funding bill?
Was the VA funding important enough that it was brought up as an independent budget item? If not, why not?
It was brought up as an independent budget item when the Republicans saw a 2.6 billion dollar shortfall staring them in the face. If, earlier, they didn’t want any attached items to a Dem amendment they were free to propose their own amendment. They took no such action.
Here are the Republican proposals.
It’d be great to see them fund any gap by liquidating porkbarrel projects. I’m sure Murtha’d be on board.
Dan, Those are the proposals for 2008. The article I cited is from 2005.
“Rep. Chet Edwards (Tex.), the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations subcommittee on military quality of life and veterans affairs, said the administration and Republican leadership had been made aware of the problems as far back as 2004 when Reps. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.) and Lane Evans (Ill.,), then chairman and ranking Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee, called for major increases in spending.”
It’s just sad because it’s so insubstantial and faceless I guess and really, I think kind of condescending and stupid. You’ve got an entire political party calling these guys losers, and a text message is gonna make them feel more better? I think they’ve more than shown that they’re not sitting around over there pining for a pat on the back. I bet they would like some cookies and beer and dvds though.
Malkin had that featured this morning.
I didn’t see anything on Malkin re: this mess. Got a link?
Democrats won’t be happy until the benefits and such are such that the military is too expensive to actually use. There no chance that Republicans could ever actually spend enough to where the Democrats would not find fault. The Republicans want an effective military, the Democrats want an albatross.
Right. Bring in the sockpuppet with the straw man.
Oh huh cause you are.
“Comment by happyfeet on 11/20 @ 3:25 pm #
It’s just sad because it’s so insubstantial and faceless I guess and really, I think kind of condescending and stupid.”
Nope, there’s a real person at the other end.
You could reach out and touch my son.
Bender: Sorry, it was actually on Hot air. Link below:
http://hotair.com/archives/2007/11/19/too-bad-to-check-military-demands-partial-refund-of-signing-bonus-from-wounded-vets/
“Comment by RMN on 11/20 @ 3:34 pm #
Right. Bring in the sockpuppet with the straw man.”
You’re threadjacking about budgeting on a thread abeou supporting the troops.
Why don’t you go piss up a rope?
RMN: OK, now that we have established that, in your mind, the evil Bushburton has been screwing the vets; What’s your opinion on texting the soldiers. Is that something you think is good and will you take advantage of it?
Or shall we continue to snark about the administrative failings of the VA and the DOD, things which have been legion for many, many years.
Both a sock-puppet and an albatross. When you can do more than point fingers at bureaucratic fubars, come back and see us.
No – wait – don’t go yet. Got anything good to say about the program Dan posted on? Or is it a bunch of tired crap? My vote is for Badyears, on all four.
Wait: I’m happyfeet’s sockpuppet. You mean he’s someone else‘s sockpuppet?
Maybe it’s socks, all the way up.
I just would rather they felt they could ask a bit more of me than just sending a text is all, NO. I guess I can’t know how this text thinger would seem to a soldier, but I kinda know for me it would depend a lot on my mood when I got it.
I hear it’s real hard to text, with a sock over your hand
Why won’t anybody sockpuppet meeeeeee?
Oh. Their newsletter just came through…
Ok. This Goody Bag thing sounds more my speed. You guys can have the Tim Russert part.
happyfeet
We could save time and make a movie about cookie flavored beer, although I suspect it wouldn’t pack the same punch, and frankly I’m not sure anyone would be interested in such a blasphemous concoction.
I look at it with the idea that every single call, letter, text, care package sent improves the situation over what it would be if we just didn’t bother. The organization running this texting program provides all the other options to reach out as well.
here’s the link for that video
Wait…wasn’t it just a few days ago that someone showed up here and started accusing folks of sockpuppetry?
I’m just saying it made me feel sad is all, EG. I don’t want everyone to feel sad. What else is sad is that video though.
It makes me sad, too, that we can’t buy them a beer or something through PayPal.
You might want to give the VA a heads up, RMN, looks like your pals
http://tinyurl.com/29k2zz
are fixing to send some more casualties their way
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48184
Maybe the reason it is hard to get a fix on casualties numbers is worthless cocksuckers like you playing politics with mens lives.
Shove that straw filled sock up you ass.
Exactly! That kind of exactly captures my feelings. Thanks, Dan.
We can’t, Dan.
Though if we were fighting in Germany again, we could.
We have to get a better vetting process on our enemies.
I’m betting that one of Murtha’s jowls would make a dandy side-curtain airbag.
“”To change the political law, it doesn’t seem to me you need the military stability,” Mr. Murtha told reporters on Capitol Hill.”
And the hard-hitting journalists scribbled furiously. Not one with enough sense or courage to scream “That is the most insane fucking thing I have ever heard, you black-hearted, lying sack of rancid porkfat!”
I was sockpuppeted once, but I think she was just afraid to touch…
Wait, you guys are talking about something else, aren’t you?
Darn.
I agree with happyfeet. Makes me kinda sad, too. Bunny (my better half) and I sent ’em a big box of DVDs for Christmas last year, but that doesn’t seem like much. I do rather like Collins’ idea of being able to buy them some beverage (or at least some good cookies) through PayPal. That would be cool.
Oh, and RMN, not to put too fine a point on it, but fuck you, the horse you rode in on, and the barking moonbat asshole who sent you. The VA has always been a mess, long before the e-vil McChimpyBushitler/Rove/Cheney/Halliburton/Rethuglican cabal was ever born, and the GIs have been justifiably bitching about it since day one, never mind that this has jack to do with the issue at hand. The last thing I’m interested in seeing right now is some proggie jerkoff mewling about something that, truth be known, he almost certainly doesn’t know a goddam thing about, other than what he read on DailyKoolAid or whatever.
Boy, the pattern seems familiar – which recurring troll is RMN? Can’t be gwf, didn’t declare they were leaving enough times. Timmah? Maybe, but not enough invective. Could it be actus? Maybe!
Merovign, I think we’re all relatively certain that andy is actus. Anyhoo, nothing says, “utterly clueless about the U.S. military” more than trying to blame the Bush administration for the bonus thing. and if anyone could point me to a government offical saying “no thanks, we have enough money” I’d appreciate it.
I thought Andy was Timmah? I’m so confused…
RMN,
Signing bonuses have jack shit to do with the VA.
You can probably find it in here.
Merovign, Andy is actus. Timmah is an obsessed douchnozzle. actus is like trying to nail rancid Jello to a tree.
Send a troop a text for turkey day
America Supports You: Americans Can Text ‘Thanks’ to Troops
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2007 – For those seeking a quick way to show appreciation for the troops’ service far from home this holiday season, look no further than “Giving Thanks, 
Alright, here’s the skinny on stuff like this. It’s all very nice and everything, but honestly, nobody wants your text message. DVD’s? Yep. GOOD books? Yep. We had libraries of shitty romance novels and westerns. Snacks and baby wipes? We live in trailers now, with showers and air conditioning and everything. And a PX. So please, no more baby wipes, hot chocolate, or any other shit that we don’t need. Booze and porno? Not allowed. But we’re Americans, and Americans have know-how. So, if you know how to send booze and porno without getting people in trouble, then bless your soul.
rum balls… fruitcake…. or so I’ve heard.
Can we nail actus to a tree? Can we?
Hey, Swede, the guys usually use Region 1 DVD players, local gear, or region-free players?
Most of us used our laptops we brought with us. We could also buy the little movie players at the PX. So, if it plays in the US, then that’s good.
Swede…you got any suggestions for DVD’s, etc? Thanks in advance.
So what would happen if I slipped a pint of Jack Daniels in amongst the DVDs? Do they X-ray everything that gets shipped over, or might it slip through?