Service members in the military love getting mail from their loved ones and strangers because they are lonely and stressed out.If you want to write a letter to an anonymous service member, maintain a positive, uplifting tone, write generally about yourself, thank them for their sacrifice, and add some artwork!Make sure your letter goes to a random service member by working with a recognized organization.Make sure you follow the mailing guidelines provided by the U.S. if you are sending a letter to a soldier.The postal service where you live.
Step 1: Kids should be encouraged to write by hand and include pictures.
If you want a handwritten letter to feel more personalized, make sure the writing is legible.When it's hard to find a lot to write about to a stranger, including artwork is a great idea.Encourage kids to draw happy scenes from home, like playing in the park on a sunny day.Discourage drawings show planes shooting at tanks.It is okay to include artwork if you are an adult.Send a photo of a beautiful sunset, but not including you or anyone else in it.
Step 2: It's a good idea to say "hello" to an unknown soldier.
If you are writing a letter to a friend or loved one, you can use a personalized salutation.If you want your letter to have an uplifting tone from the start, try something like "Dear Hero" or "DEAR Brave Patriot.""Dear Sir or Madam" is a bit too formal, while "dear Soldier" isn't too generic.
Step 3: Thank you for their service.
It is difficult to know what to write to a stranger or someone you know.When writing to a soldier, it is always a good idea to show your appreciation for their sacrifice.Try something like, "I am so thankful for you and all the other soldiers who are sacrificing to keep me safe and free."
Step 4: Write about yourself in detail for a soldier.
You have to assume that it will be a one-way conversation when you write to a military member.Let them know general information about you and your life with a few lines.A child might write, "My name is Joe".I'm in fourth grade.I like spelling class and recess, but not math.An adult might write: "I'm Ellen."My father served in the Marines in Vietnam and I am a CPA in Omaha.Provide the same generic information you might give to someone else.This is true for children writing letters.
Step 5: Don't mention death, killing, or politically charged topics to a stranger.
When writing to an anonymous soldier, your goal is to remain kind and uplifting.Don't make assumptions about what they do, or ask if the situation they've been put in is right or wrong.Don't write anything like, "I'm sure it must be very difficult to have to take lives in order to protect our nation" or " I really wish our President had sent you halfway around the world for no good reason."It is okay to write that you are praying for their safety.If you know the person, you may be able to discuss touchy issues in ways that won't cause distress.
Step 6: Don't expect a reply if you provide an adult's contact info.
Sending a one-time letter to a random soldier is fine if you don't want to hear back from them.If you would like to have them write you back, you can either email me or write me.You should never assume that they will write you back.They may be in a situation that makes it impossible for them to do so, or they may simply feel uncomfortable doing so.Kids should not send their own information.They can provide an email address for a parent or their school.It's a good idea to write down your email and mailing addresses if you know the person.It's possible they lost them.
Step 7: You can add a closing sign-off with your first name.
Provide your first name and last name, if you're comfortable doing so, after you have offered your thanks, written a little about yourself, and perhaps included a drawing.Unless given permission by a parent, teacher, or other responsible adult, children shouldn't give their last names.If you know the person, you can personalize the closing with "Love" or something similar.
Step 8: There are organizations that send letters to soldiers.
Several organizations collect letters written for anonymous soldiers and send them to deployment.If you want to send a letter without a specific soldier in mind, you need to identify and work through one of these organizations.A Million Thanks is one of the U.S.-based groups.Check out the ratings on sites like Charity Navigator to find out if the group is government-affiliated or a charity.The U.S. is located in the United States.The Postal Service won't deliver individual letters addressed to any soldier.If you are sending letters on your own, you need to identify the recipients.
Step 9: The group has specific guidelines for writing letters.
Basic rules and requirements for writing letters will be given to you by the organization you choose to work with.They all require the content to be positive and uplifting, and use screeners to remove letters that are controversial.Other requirements include: no excessive discussions of politics or religion, no overly personal or specific identifying or contact information about children, and no glitter or confetti!
Step 10: Delivery times vary widely so don't mention specific dates.
You should not date the letters since there can be lag times of several weeks before delivery.They want the letters to be current for the soldiers to read.Instead of writing "It's December 28, in the middle of my favorite time of year," write something more general, like "I love it when the snow starts falling here." The average delivery time for letters sent to overseas U.S.
Step 11: Send a packet of letters to the organization with friends.
Sending the group batches of letters written by friends, family, co-workers, classmates, and so on is a great idea since organizations like Operation Gratitude ship out letters to soldiers in large batches.You can start a letter-writing campaign at your school or workplace by gathering up the letters and sending them to the organization's address for processing.If you send your letters to the U.S., they will be screened, processed, and shipped.They don't want you to put your letters in individual envelopes or staple them together.
Step 12: Donate to the organization to pay for postage.
These groups are usually charitable organizations that don't require payment for their services, but they have to incur shipping costs to send letters around the world.If you send a packet of letters, the group will ask you to make a small donation to cover shipping costs.If the group doesn't request donations, inquire about making one.The U.S. is a country.All military mail is delivered by the USPS at the same rate as domestic mail.It adds up when you send boxes full of letters.
Step 13: To send mail to military members, use the USPS.
Only the U.S. is allowed by law.USPS can deliver mail to military installations in the U.S.Parcels addressed to military addresses will not be accepted by other carriers.You can use the USPS to send a first class letter to a military base halfway around the world for the same price as a domestic letter.The USPS charges domestic rates for military mail.
Step 14: Treat the letter like domestic mail.
If you are sending a letter, you should include a first-class stamp and address it to the US.The envelope should look like a letter in the US.The return address should be at the top left, the postage at top right, and the recipient address in the center.Write clearly on the envelope.The USPS wants you to use all caps.
Step 15: The letter should be addressed to Army and Air Force personnel.
To send a letter to a service member in the U.S. Air Force, you'll need to provide their name on Line 1, their Unit (or PSC) number and Box number, and "APO" plus "AA."Line 1 is James Wilson and Line 2 is the Air Force.
Step 16: Mail the letter to personnel in the Navy or Marines.
If your recipient is in the Navy or Marines, their name goes on address Line 1, their Unit and Box (or Ship and Hull) numbers go on Line 2, and "FPO" plus "AA," "AE," or "AP" is the ZIP code for their deployment.Line 1: JAMES WILSON, Line 2 on a base, and Line 3 at sea.