Both US Armed Forces News Service (USAFNS) and Web Independent News Service, L.L.C. are independent organizations, and are not part of, nor endorsed by, any agency of the United States government.
Best viewed with Internet Explorer, Version 4 or later.
This Website gets an extraordinary amount of traffic that visits just this page. If you have a few moments, please click on your home state. Servicemember hometown news releases are sorted based upon the state of residence of the Next of Kin (NOK). Releases are posted for all 50 states, and 9 US Territories and possessions. You might find some news about your servicemember.
If you know of any additional links, references or tips that would help contact/locate servicemembers, or be of assistance to their families please Email Webmaster.
Emailing "Anyone": We get many Emails from individuals that wish to send an Email, holiday greeting or care package to a particular servicemember or "anyone" of our servicemembers. There are several websites that offer the ability to send an Email to "anyone" in the service, and some even allow you to select the branch of service, and some allow one to select a specific ship to send the Email. Several of these websites are listed below, please scroll down and read the information below. Our servicemembers are extremely busy, and do not have much spare time, but they do enjoy getting cards, letters and email, However, you should know that you may/may not get a response; because to their tempo of operations doesn't allow much free time..
Sending Packages/Letters/Donations to "Anyone": We cannot be a great deal of help, because the Department of Defense has made it almost impossible to do what you are trying to do. They changed their policies following the anthrax letters that occurred shortly after 9-11. Here is a link to their news release on the subject:
Donations and Gifts for the Troops: We do not think that there is a means of sending donations or gifts directly to servicemembers unless you know them and their US Postal Service APO/FPO mail address. If you wish to donate time, funds and/or merchandise, we recommend that you consider registering as a volunteer and/or making a charitable donation to any of these well known charities:
Locating a Loved One: For those that are trying to locate a loved one, and know his/her name, rank or rate, branch, and social security number, may write/call the locator service of the appropriate branch of service. Here is a link to the Department of Defense webpage that provide contact information and guidance:
Multi-National Force - Iraq - Send Email Messages to the Troops: The Multi-National Force in Iraq has created a webpage where one can send an email to the troops and optionally leave their email address: New 02/01/2008
The US Army has established a webpage where one may post an online greeting/message to our soldiers at the following link:
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/tooursoldiers/ - To our soldiers - "We are providing this service as an opportunity to send a message of support to Soldiers who are serving in the War on Terrorism." .... "These messages are viewed individually and edited or deleted based on content. Profanity and violations of operational security, privacy, and propriety will not be posted. Soldiers around the world appreciate your thoughts and feelings of support."
Adopt a Fort Bragg Soldier: If you are interested in "adopting" a deployed Fort Bragg Soldier, please contact Vicky Lee, Fort Bragg Community Relations, at vicky.lee'at'us.army.mil or (910) 396-5401/8015. The "adoption" is a commitment on your part to send letters and care packages to "your" Soldier until he/she returns home.
Family Emergencies: Should there be a situation that would require a servicemembers presence at home, family members should contact the American Red Cross. Contacting the servicemember and/or their duty station will only delay the process. The necessity for his/her return must be verified by the American Red Cross before the service member will be allowed to return home. You will need the servicemembers name, rank, service number (SSN), and their duty station.
NAVY-MARINE CORPS MARS: "Certain U.S. ships have set up systems to send and receive MARSGRAMS to and from families of personnel aboard by way of 'mailboxes' located throughout the United States. In order to ensure, insofar as possible, the prompt delivery of messages, names of ships active in this endeavor are listed. The list changes periodically as the ships move about the world. MARSGRAMS may also be sent to U.S. Military or U.S. Government personnel and their families in the U.S. or stationed overseas.
"
OperationDearAbby.net (http://anyservicemember.navy.mil): "Dear Abby, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of the Navy's LifeLines2000 Services Network in association with SPAWAR SCC (National Capital Region) is providing this private and secure on-line resource that will allow you to send a Sailor, Marine, Soldier, Airman, or Coast Guardsman a holiday greeting or message of support." The message is delivered to 'Any Service Member' in the branch selected by the sender.
Global Security: Commercial Website with comprehensive list of links to Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard unit Websites.
Requests For Military Mailing Addresses: "Responsibility for military personnel records falls within the jurisdiction of the military departments, not the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Therefore, requests for military addresses should be sent to the respective service of the individual whose address is being sought. There is no comprehensive source for Email addresses. Even if there were, military regulations and the Privacy Act of 1974 do not permit the military departments to provide home addresses or telephone numbers of service personnel. Moreover, regulations do not permit random dissemination of listings of names and addresses of service personnel. These regulations have been established to protect individual service men and women from commercial exploitation and to respect their right of privacy. Because of the large volume of requests that each service locator receives, please allow four weeks processing time for written requests." This link includes instructions for US Army, US Navy, US Marine Corps and the US Air Force. The information was last updated 27 May 1998, but is probably still correct.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Army News Service, Oct. 15, 2003) -- The U.S. Military Postal
Service has assigned new geographic zip codes for units and personnel serving
in Iraq.
The intent of the new zip codes is to decrease the time it takes for service
members and civilian employees to receive their mail, officials said, as well
as to improve postal service throughout Iraq.
Family members and friends of service members and civilians assigned to V Corps
and 3rd COSCOM units that currently use zip code 09302 and 09372 for their
letters and packages are now required to use a new zip code that reflects the
unit and individual's actual geographic location within Iraq.
Mail with the zip code of 09302 and 09372 will continue to be delivered to the
intended recipient even after the change is in effect, officials said, however
they warned there may be a slight delay in delivery.
For service members assigned to the below listed units, the zip code numbers
will not change, and they remain as follows:
USAF Websites Listed by Major Command: You may be required to check several of the AF HQ, 10 Major Commands, or 4 Organizations listed. This method is not nearly as user friendly as the previous alphabetical listing of units.
Tips:
Check Unit Website: Check unit Website by clicking on link above. If available, use guidance for Internet Email. If not, use instruction below.
Email to US Air Force: The US Air Force uses First and Last names along with sub-domains for the different bases around the world.
Template:[firstname].[lastname]@[base].af.mil Example: John Doe's Email address at Eglin AFB, FL would be john.doe@eglin.af.mil
NOTE: If you have additional guidance for the general public to reach USAF servicemembers via Email, please contact Webmaster.
Post a Message "To our soldiers" - US Army Website - "We are providing this service as an opportunity to send a message of support to Soldiers who are serving in the War on Terrorism." .... "These messages are viewed individually and edited or deleted based on content. Profanity and violations of operational security, privacy, and propriety will not be posted. Soldiers around the world appreciate your thoughts and feelings of support."
Army Community Relations: Connecting You with Your Army - "Many independent organizations are ready and willing to help support the troops. Although the military no longer accepts mail addressed to "Any Service Member" there are still dozens of ways you can show your support to the American Soldier and the U.S. Army. Below is a short list of organizations that will help you send messages, packages and other mementos of support to troops."
Tips:
Check Unit Website: Check unit Website by clicking on link above. If available, use guidance for Internet Email. If not, use instruction below.
Email to US Army: The US Army maintains a Website that provides Email service for all servicemembers of the Army. Servicemembers must 'Sign Up' for the service at Army Portal. Servicemembers can use any unused Email name. The example below is the default - if a name is already in use, the default will add the next number to the name, i.e. John.Smith6@...:
Template:[firstname].[lastname]@us.army.mil Example: John Smith's US Army Email address would be john.smith@us.army.mil
SALTS Project: Show Your Support to the Troops! Send Email to our Sailors and Marines onboard our deployed ships! Allows one to send an Email to "Anyone" on a selected US Navy Ships (USS), US Army Transports (USAV) and US Navy Military Sealift Command Ships (USNS).
NAVY-MARINE CORPS MARS: "Certain U.S. ships have set up systems to send and receive MARSGRAMS to and from families of personnel aboard by way of 'mailboxes' located throughout the United States. In order to ensure, insofar as possible, the prompt delivery of messages, names of ships active in this endeavor are listed. The list changes periodically as the ships move about the world. MARSGRAMS may also be sent to U.S. Military or U.S. Government personnel and their families in the U.S. or stationed overseas.
"
Tips:
Check Unit Website: Check unit Website by clicking on links above. If available, use guidance for Internet Email. If not, use instructions below.
For Marines embarked on US Navy ships: See US Navy, NOTE: (2) below.
Naval Web Sites Listed Alphabetically: Alphabetical listing of US Navy websites. Good place to start looking for detailed information on how to send an email to a specific command or unit. Some have contacts to assist locating a specific attached servicemember - if he/she are attached to that unit.
Navy On-line Search Engine: Search Engine that searches US Navy Website for information. Good place to enter your servicemembers ship or unit to find websites.
SALTS Project: Show Your Support to the Troops! Send Email to our Sailors and Marines onboard our deployed ships! Allows one to send an Email to "Anyone" on a selected US Navy Ships (USS), US Army Transports (USAV) and US Navy Military Sealift Command Ships (USNS).
NAVY-MARINE CORPS MARS: "Certain U.S. ships have set up systems to send and receive MARSGRAMS to and from families of personnel aboard by way of 'mailboxes' located throughout the United States. In order to ensure, insofar as possible, the prompt delivery of messages, names of ships active in this endeavor are listed. The list changes periodically as the ships move about the world. MARSGRAMS may also be sent to U.S. Military or U.S. Government personnel and their families in the U.S. or stationed overseas.
"
Tips:
Check Unit Website: Check unit Website by clicking on links above. If available, use guidance for Internet Email. If not, use instructions below.
Email to US Navy: The naming convention used onboard ship's is usually:
Template:[last name first initial]@[ships name].navy.mil Example: John Smith's Email address onboard the USS Mitscher would be smithj@mitscher.navy.mil
Note: (1) In some cases, ships reverse the convention, so the Email address would be jsmith@mitscher.navy.mil. In addition, some commands use only the first 6 or 8 letters of the last name, i.e. John Smithfield might be jsmithf@mitscher.navy.mil, jsmithfie@mitscher.navy.mil or smithfiej@mitscher.navy.mil. Note: (2) On some ships with US Marines embarked, the same rules apply except, 'usmc' is substituted for 'navy' in the Email address: i.e., jsmith@nassau.usmc.mil, etc. The ships that use this are the LHA's, LSD's, LPD's etc. Note: (3) Some crewmembers and officers have Email directed to their job title: i.e., The Command Master Chief might be cmc@mitscher.navy.mil
Complete US Postal Service Mailing Address for US Navy Ships:
Template:Example:[Sailor's name], [Sailor's Rate] John Smith, BM1
[Sailor's Division/Department] First Division
[Ship's Name] ([Ship's Hull Number]) USS Mitscher (DDG 57)
FPO [??] [ZIP+4] FPO AE 09578-1275
NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense
No. 139-03
(703)697-5131(media)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2003
(703)428-0711(public/industry)
TROOP SUPPORT MAIL POLICY STRESSED
To bolster force protection, the general public is urged not to
send unsolicited mail, care packages or donations to service
members forward deployed unless you are a family member, loved
one or personal friend.
On Oct. 30, 2002, the Department of Defense (DoD) suspended the
"Operation Dear Abby" and "Any Servicemember" mail programs due
to force protection concerns. Although these programs provide
an excellent means of support to friends and loved ones
stationed overseas, they also provide an avenue to introduce
hazardous substances or materials into the mail system from
unknown sources. Unsolicited mail, packages and donations from
organizations and individuals also compete for limited airlift
space used to transport supplies, war-fighting materiel and mail
from family and loved ones.
Recently, DoD has become aware of organizations and individuals
who continue to support some form of the "Any Servicemember"
program by using the names and addresses of individual
servicemembers and unit addresses. These programs are usually
supported by well-intentioned, thoughtful and patriotic groups
who are simply unaware of the new risks facing deployed military
forces. Some individuals and groups publicize the names and
addresses of service members, ships or units on Web sites, with
good intentions. The result, however, is a potential danger to
the troops they wish to support.
DoD cannot support creative and well-intentioned efforts that
defeat force protection measures, but can instead recommend
alternatives to mail and donation programs. To show support to
troops overseas, the following are recommended:
* Log on to the following Web sites to show support, to include
greeting cards, virtual Thank You cards and calling card
donations to help troops stay in contact with loved ones:
* Visit Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and nursing
homes. Volunteer your services to honor veterans who served in
past conflicts.
Mail from family members and loved ones has always been
encouraged and the military mail system will continue to work
hard to get that mail to servicemembers overseas.
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