Why We Love Conservatives In Alabama

I am not sure if you knew or not, but you cannot send Christmas mail to "Any Marine/Soldier/Sailor/Airman" or to "Any Recovering Marine/Soldier" because of the inability of the U.S. Postal Service to screen the mail and the fear that some terrorist might mail a letter with anthrax to Baghdad. I know, that sounds stupid but it is a fact.

Last year, almost a half million of these letters were rejected. There is no count this year as of yet.

As you know I served with the II Marine Expeditionary Force in Desert Storm. It seems like a lifetime ago, but nothing brings a tear to my eye more quickly (except my daughter) than thinking of the plight of our Marines and Soldiers (Airman and sailors are included, but both for brevity and living conditions, as well as combat burdens, I emphasize my Devildogs and our Army dogs).

I remember many nights in the cold, dark desert waiting for mail. These days there is email and satellite phones and internet access to YouTube and stuff so that our warriors can contact home. Back in my war, the internet was a pipe dream for investors and there were probably less than 100 websites.

I was fortunate. My father is a combat vet of two wars. My brother was mere yards away from me for the entire adventure. I had people at home who wrote me - a girlfriend (later my wife), friends, Sunday School classes, elementary school classes, and people from church. As long as the military mail system was running, I was getting mail and packages from home.

Others weren't as lucky. If you have served you know what I mean. There are always those who are orphans or loners or just simply those who didn't quite fit in with people back home. Some had no wives, girlfriends, or mothers to write. Some fought an entire war for no one; at least no one in particular.

I shared my mail and my packages. Everyone in my team go the same number of Oreos and beef jerky and soap. We all ate the popcorn (minus what we fed the mice and camels) and opened cans of sardines and jello pudding cups. We sat around in the cold and heat, dependent on the season, and shared.

Everyone got goodies, but not everyone received the love. It is the unwritten rule that Marines share goods and bads. I alone received the love that was in the package.

The "Any Marine", etc mail was a great initiative during Desert Storm. I am sure other wars as long as men have fought them, but during the Storm it lifted the hearts and spirits of hardened, grown men. Even a crayon drawing from a Sunday School class would moisten the eyes of combat vets.

So to my point. If you want to send this mail, or post it on your blog for others, there is a solution. Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions (a conservative and very decent, God fearing man and as honest as a politician can be)has offered his Congressional office as a conduit for this mail. He says his office will have it screened by the Congressional Mail Office and get it where some kind heart intended it to go.

ANY Marine/Soldier/Sailor/Airman (OR recovering such, you choose)
c/o Office of Senator Jeff Sessions
335 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-0104