How many military names and addresses may I request?
We ask that you limit yourself to two names so that you will be able to devote enough of your time to supporting each person.

I want military names and addresses to give to my class/club/associates so that they can all write letters; what can we do?
We can assign (limited to 1-name and addresses per 25 people). We assign our names one-on-one so that we have a record of each assignment. Another choice would be to have your group write letters to the troops and then send the letters to Pen Pals for Soldiers. We will include them in the care packages we send regularly mail out to troops in Iraq , Afghanistan and Kuwait . If you include a return address at the bottom of each letter, the writer might receive a personal response from the recipient. Our mailing address is:

Pen Pals for Soldiers, 2473 Atherton Court , Simi Valley , CA 93065

Since I don't know the military person, what kind of letter should I write?
All you need to do is write a friendly note introducing yourself, "Hello, my name is _____ and I live in _____." You might include your e-mail address since some of the soldiers have access to computers. Then include any additional info rmation about you and your family that you may want to share, i.e., children, grandchildren, school, job, pets, special interests, etc. Ask him/her about himself/herself and his/her family. Then you might tell your soldier that you support the work he/she is doing to protect America's freedom and are grateful to him/her for his/her willingness volunteer to protect the freedoms of U.S.A. Just make it a chatty letter, letting him/her know he/she is not forgotten. There are no set guidelines about what to write; just let him/her hear from you.

What should I include in a care package? - Here's some suggestions:
Paper & pens, so they can write back when they have time.

Toilet paper (As ridiculous as that sounds, they need it!) / Baby wipes / Shampoo & Conditioner / Kleenex / Aftershave / Sunscreen / Lotions / Disposable razors (Good ones, like Mach III) / Foot & body powders / Lip Balm / Deodorant / Small bottles of hand cleanser & sanitizers (waterless)

Feminine hygiene products (thin pads are suggestion) / Perfumes / Hair barrettes & scrunches
(*Note* - in different shades of brown, black and blonde. They can only wear items that match their hair color!)

CD's / Tapes / Videos / DVD's (these do not need to be new, used are just fine)
Game Boy games / AA Batteries / Batteries for Walkman CD players
(*Note* - Batteries must be in original packaging and you must list them on the customs form!)

Pringles / Beef Jerky / Ground Coffee / Teas / Q-Tips / Hard Candy / Instant Hot Chocolate / Sugar / Cereal

Playing Cards / Magazines / Dried Fruit / Nuts / Protein Bars / Breath mints / Cup of Noodles & Top Ramen

Boxes / Packing popcorn / Tape / Black shoe polish / Insect Repellant / International phone cards / Gum

Seasonings (Mrs. Dash / A-1 Sauce / hot sauce / etc.) / Disposable cameras

Cookies (in tins or something where they will not crumble) / Snack food (that will not spoil or crumble)

Pringles Potato Chips / Small packages of breakfast & snack bars / Microwave Popcorn
Kool-Aid Packets / Collapsible water container (for the Kool-Aid) / Vitamins /Short Stories / Word Puzzles

How do I send a care package?
It is best to send a package through the United States Post Office Priority Mail. When sending mail it is U. S. Domestic rates (39 cents for letters, and packages go by weight.) USPS has a one-rate box that they provide and the mailing cost is $8.36 no matter what the weight. You can order these boxes for free from http://www.usps.com. If you are sending a letter from outside the United States , use the postage required to send a letter or package to the U.S. When sending a package, a U. S. Customs Form has to be filled out listing the package's contents. Please remember if you send batteries or any metal, please make sure it is listed on the Customs Form. Sometimes you will run into a postal worker who does not understand APO or FPO addresses. Trust us, ask for a supervisor and they will make sure to check for that military base address and get it on its way.

A package/letter has been returned to me. Why?
We cannot explain why items are sometimes returned. Some of the units are transferring around very quickly and mail cannot catch up with them and is returned. We do not have forwarding addresses for the units we have been supporting, so you should stop writing.

I requested a name on your website and never received one?
Names are assigned generally within 24 hours of submitting your e-mail or written request. If you have a spam filter on your computer, the name assignment may have ended up there.

I do not live in the U.S. Can I still write to a member of the U.S. Military?
Yes. Postage for your letter or package would be the rate you would pay for sending a letter or package to the U.S. since the APO or FPO address is for a military base in the U.S.

Where do you get the military names and addresses you are assigning?
We receive the majority of our names from military men and women themselves and their families, or Commanding Officers in the field who have send us names of men and women in their units who do not receive mail and ask to be included in our support program. We sometimes receive individual names from a family member who is asking that we help show support for that person.

What about the prohibition regarding writing to "any soldier". Isn't that what I am doing?
No Our organization and others like us have been established to provide names and addresses of specific individuals for our volunteers to correspond with. You are not writing to "any service member" so the restriction does not apply. The Department of Defense is familiar with our organization and supports our efforts.

I haven't received a response. How long does it take for a letter or care package to be delivered and should I continue writing?
It takes 10 days to 2 weeks for a letter to be delivered. A few of our letter writers have told us that they had no response, while others had overwhelming responses; we can't predict which names we randomly assign will be avid letter-writers. We know it is disappointing after all your effort that you have not received a response. Please know that what you are doing is important even if it is never acknowledged. If you write several letters with no response, we suggest that you stop writing. We also recommend that you do not send a care package until you have received a response to a letter.

Do you have e-mail addresses instead of Snail Mail (regular USPS delivery)?
Sometimes we do have e-mail addresses for the men and women serving overseas, but it is the idea that they receive something from home that is important. A letter or package means so much to them not for what it contains but where it came from. Please feel free to enclose your e-mail address in your correspondence, because most soldiers have e-mail access when they return to their base camps.