I was perusing the Blogs of Note a few minutes ago and came across this: Map Of The Fallen. It's a map that uses Google Earth and it tracks all of the US servicemembers who lost their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan. If you click on the servicemembers icon you can read about how they died, see photos, and read comments from friends and family. I know there are several sites like this out there, but I thought this one was particularly interesting because it maps out where the servicemembers called home.
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I got an email from ThanksUSA, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to spouses and children of active-duty servicemembers. So far ThanksUSA has awarded 1,750 scholarships to spouses and children and they want to give out 500 more this year. ThanksUSA and Lonestar teamed up to to create PSA about how you can help.
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And finally a little heads up for those with deployed servicemembers...
I know how much we all
Anyway, Stonewall called me today and I almost didn't answer because caller ID said it was from Colorado. And who do I know in Colorado? Exactly - no one. However, I was curious, so I answered and it was Stonewall! I told him caller ID said "Colorado" which was weird because usually it says "Pennsylvania" or some 404 six digit number.
So Stonewall enlighted me.
A few weeks ago he spent a ridiculous amount of money on minutes for his AT&T calling card. When he was trying to call me today the animated woman told him his remaining minutes which was a surpisingly little number considering the recent purchase. Stonewall called AT&T and they told him that when he calls through an MWR line in PA to call a PA number, he's being charged 5 minutes for every 1 minute he talks. 5 minutes! "Read the small print," they told him. So he did. Yeah, it costs extra to make in-state calls and going through the MWR phones in PA while he's in Iraq to call my PA number counts as in-state.
Thank you, AT&T. You suck. I believe the fine print reads, "Bend over."
So Stonewall got the number for MWR at Ft. Carson and he called me through them. Hopefully, that's a little cheaper.
7 comments:
wow they seriously rob you on those phone cards!! that sucks!! do all the deployed soldiers need calling cards to phone home? let me know, i'd like to donate a few if that's the case!
Ugh....I loathe calling cards and their sleezy way!
ugh...I so understand your pain on that....I got my phone call yesterday...and before I knew it...it was up....and he said it took him 15 minutes just to get someone to patch him through...frustrating
Oh I remember how much calling cards sucked and how big of a rip off they are. My hubs and I eventually just talked on im because trying to make a phone call would just make us both upset.
omg!! THAT is the lamest thing EVER!
They should give out free or half-off phone cards to military families so they can talk to their loved ones without losing an arm and a leg.
Just as I believe mail for the familys with soldiers deployed should be free, I believe all calls should be free! I mean COME ON! These people are risking their lives the least we could do is give them a free call! They are defending the freedom of the greedy bastards who make that money off the calls.. rediculous!!
Did you know that you can make "Morale" calls for free? If he calls the military base DSN Exchange where you live (from another DSN line) and tells them its a morale call, or he is calling from Iraq they will patch him through to any number as long as its a local call. This bypasses the need for Calling cards at all as long as you live close to a Military post of some sort.
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