How do I Write Letters to Iraqi Soldiers?
Watching news stories about the war in Iraq may make you wonder what you can do to help. Consider writing an appreciative letter to a soldier in Iraq. Not all soldiers have friends and family members who can write to them. Difficult mail delivery means that the letters that do get through are rare. By writing a letter to a soldier in Iraq, you give him a little piece of home and remind him that someone cares.
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Where to Go
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Contact a letter-writing service like DoSomething.org, MarineParents.com, or Letters To Soldiers.org. If you want to develop an ongoing correspondence with a specific soldier, visit Adopt A US Soldier or ask friends and family members if they know someone stationed in Iraq.
What to Write
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Thank the soldier for her service. Regardless of your feelings on the military presence in Iraq or other current events, let the soldier know you respect her courage and sacrifice. Be positive. Don't use this time to complain about increased gas prices or express your political agenda. Tell the soldier about yourself, your job, things you enjoy doing, movies you have seen recently, etc. Write this letter as you would to a friend you have not seen in a long time.
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Rules to Follow
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Write the letter in pencil or pen. Most of letter-writing services do not accept typed letters. A handwritten letter is more personal and shows the soldier that a real person wrote to him and not a letter-generating program. Mail multiple letters in bulk. Do not place them in individual envelopes. Organizations like MarineParents.com and Letters To Soldiers.com send several letters as part of a care package.
It's the Little Things
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Include a picture of yourself or your hometown. This personalizes the letter and helps remind the soldier a real person cares about them. Feel free to add your name and mailing address and encourage the soldier who receives your letter to write back. Many soldiers do not have anyone to correspond with them and would appreciate the chance to communicate with you. However, do not be discouraged if a soldier does not write back.
Keep It Going
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Write more than one letter. If you are writing to anonymous soldiers, write as many letters as you can. Make each letter a little different, since most services do not accept copies of the same letter. Take your letter writing one step further and encourage your friends, family members, book club, or Sunday school class to join you. Throw letter-writing parties. Invite people over, serve snacks and spend one night writing letters to the troops.
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References
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