Support Group 'Mugs' U.S. Troops

An example of the personalized mugs which SoldiersAngels.org and AppreciateOurTroop.org send to U.S. military personnel. The recipient's name replaces the 'John Doe' on this sample mug.

2005-04-21 - Cincinnati, OH, USA: Personalization is most usually associated with consumers applying their individual stamp on a purchase of some kind. It is not generally associated with the work of non-profit organisations, and certainly not associated with military conflict. Every so often, however, examples come along which widen the perception of personalization and how it can be used.

Members of the U.S. armed forces serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the globe will receive an extra measure of support from their home country in the months to come, thanks to an alliance forged between AppreciateOurTroops.org, a website that provides free personalized Troop Appreciation Mugs to military personnel, and Soldiers' Angels Foundation (www.soldiersangels.org), a non-profit organization "dedicated to providing tangible caring support for American servicemen and women".

The cornerstone of AppreciateOurTroops.org is Operation Mug a Troop and Operation Mug a Vet. With nearly 30,000 requests from American troops for their own personalized Troop Appreciation Mug, "These mugs have become one of the most requested mugs in the world," said Glenn A. Jordan, founder of AppreciateOurTroops.org. "I designed these mugs to send a strong and lasting message to our troops that not only were they supported, but more importantly, that they were appreciated and thanked for their service and sacrifice for all Americans."

These free Troop Appreciation Mugs, which contain the words "We the People Appreciate and Thank" followed by each recipients name and rank, are made possible with the support of grateful individuals, groups and businesses. Included with each mug is a letter of thanks and appreciation addressed to that specific troop. To date, almost 2,000 military men and women have been "mugged".

Soldiers' Angels was founded in 2003 by Patti Patton-Bader, the mother of a soldier who was then serving in Iraq. That summer, her son wrote to her expressing concern that some soldiers did not receive any mail or support from home. As a result, she contacted a few friends and asked them to write to a soldier or two. Since then, Soldier's Angels has grown to an Internet community with tens of thousands of participants, including businesses that donate money, services, and items for packages for members of all branches of the armed forces. The foundation also supports wounded servicemen and women with personal visits and phone calls and sends thanks via letters and e-mail to the military of other coalition nations in Iraq.

This website does not normally refer to political or military issues. It does not follow any political agenda, but the writer hopes that a peaceful society will soon emerge from the current situation in Iraq.