Free Phone Cards For Deployed Troops
 

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 4, 2002)

Troops stationed overseas will be provided free phone cards during the holiday season thanks to a partnership between Veterans of Foreign Wars and three multi-million dollar corporations.

Wal-Mart has promised to furnish all military personnel serving overseas with a 60-minute AT&T phone card between Thanksgiving and Christmas, said Mike Meyer, the administrator of corporate development for VFW Foundations. Each phone card will be enclosed inside a Hallmark greeting card and transported free of charge by Federal Express, Meyer added.

Through Operation Uplink, the phone-card project that began three years ago, 500,000 cards will be delivered this holiday season, Meyer said.

"Since the inception of Operation Uplink, one million cards have reached military personnel worldwide and hospitalized veterans," Meyer said.

"We want to show our men and women in uniform that we support them," Meyer said. "So Operation Uplink is to boost morale and relieve the burden that expensive phone calls can cause."

This year the VFW is receiving support from corporate sponsors, but in the past, funding has come from VFW Foundation membership dues and donations raised by its ladies auxiliary, Meyer said.

Those interested in contributing to the fund, or who would like to request phone cards, can go to http://www.operationuplink.org/