Last summer I adopted a soldier through an organization called Angels ‘n Camouflage, which links us civilians with a deployed solider or veteran. In becoming an angel, as we’re called, we agree to write a letter a week and send one package a month.
    I found out about the project when one of my colleagues wrote a story about the local chapter of AnC. Since working in newspapers I’ve learned about oodles of organizations working for the greater good that are always encouraging people to get involved. There are several I saw myself joining, but never took the next step. Becoming an angel, however, was something I felt I needed to do.
    I can give you one reason, one image for why I wanted to do this: a soldier waiting to hear their name at mail call, and leaving empty handed. It didn’t seem fair to me.
    At AnC soldiers sign up for this program and again, I felt a certain unfairness when I learned the amount of veterans and deployed needing angels far exceeded the number of available angels.
    When I signed up, Bob joked that I would start writing to my soldier, fall madly in love and run away with him when he came back to the United States. He joked, but I think there was a little bit of seriousness in his voice. Taking his silliness with a grain of salt, I awaited an email with my soldier’s name and address and whatever other details I needed to know about him.
    A few days later a message from AnC appeared in my inbox and guess what? I got a girl! I felt an overwhelming pride when I saw her name knowing that she was mine to take care of. I thought it was even better that I was going to be corresponding with a fellow female as I would know exactly what to send her and write in letters.
    When I got that email all I knew was her name and the day and month of her birthday – it’s all I know now. AnC is clear in that that you might not hear from your soldier until months of letters and packages, or even at all.
    That’s one of the reasons why I’m writing about this. First, is because there’s been recent influx of soldiers signing up and again, not enough angels. Another is because apparently some angels have gone AWOL on their soldiers.
    I suspect it’s because they haven’t heard from their deployed. I’ll be honest, I wish I knew more about mine. I hope she doesn’t think my letters are boring. When I write her about things like camping trips and holidays I wonder after if I shouldn’t have mentioned them – I don’t want her to feel bad. If I write about a bad day at work, I hope she doesn’t think I’m complaining too much because, really, compared to her situation, I have nothing to complain about. And some weeks, I just don’t have much to say, so I send a postcard.
    I wonder about her a lot. I imagine that she’s young, though I don’t know for sure. I hope that she has good friends where she is and wonder if she has family who also write to her. I wonder if she has good food to eat and if she gets three meals a day.
    AnC has a forum where angels share experiences about their mail calls from their deployed – first letters or emails, even special packages sent to them from a world away.
    After what is sometimes months of writing letters, their fears and concerns are squashed by these letters, and in reading their posts, so are mine.
    I never expected to hear from my soldier, but reading about those who have reminds me why I’m doing this. She’s not being inconsiderate when she doesn’t write back. She’s busy fighting for this country.
    I want to encourage people to join this campaign, but really look at themselves in considering if they can do this or not. Do you have the time to write a letter a week? Will you be committed enough to continue writing even if you don’t hear from your soldier? When I think about what my soldier is doing for me over there, the question is easy.
    Something else to consider is if you can afford to send care packages. While money is tight for me, as it seems to be for everyone, I have fun picking out items for her packages. I’ve sent silly things like squirt guns, Frisbees and Koosh balls; I’ve sent items such as soap, baby powder and blister relief pads. Last week I sent her a St. Christopher medal that said, “Protect Us.”  You’re supposed to spoil your soldier or veteran, it’s fun, but again, really consider whether or not you can do this before joining AnC.
    I can’t stress it enough that you must be serious about this. Adopting a soldier and then going AWOL is worse than not adopting one at all. If you are interested in joining, visit www.angelsncamouflage.org for details.