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Old 12-22-2003, 08:14 PM
sfc_darrel sfc_darrel is offline
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Talking VFW, Navy MWR, NEXCOM Help Sailors Phone Home

VFW, Navy MWR, NEXCOM Help Sailors
Phone Home During Holidays

By Ingrid Mueller, Navy MWR Communications Group

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- Navy personnel worldwide
will be able to call family and friends free of charge this holiday
season. Through combined phone card projects, the Veterans of
Foreign Wars (VFW), Ladies Auxiliary VFW, Navy's Morale,
Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Division and the Navy
Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) are ensuring that
each Sailor receives a prepaid calling card.

The VFW Foundation, through "Operation Uplink," has made
more than 193,000 60-minute prepaid phone cards available to
Sailors based or deployed overseas. VFW has also provided
1,750 120-minute prepaid cards for Sailors serving in combat.

"Providing free Operation Uplink phone cards to the troops is
both an honor and pleasure for the 2.7 million members of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ladies Auxiliary VFW," said
Edward S. Banas, commander in chief of the VFW. "Without
corporate partners such as Wal-Mart Good.Works, this year's
holiday distribution of 700,000 phone cards (to all services)
would not have been possible. It is important that our troops
know they are cared about, and a free phone call home is one
way we can do this."

In addition, Sailors serving in the continental United States
(CONUS) and Hawaii will soon receive prepaid long-distance
phone cards through a commercial sponsorship agreement
between Navy MWR Division and AT&T.

"AT&T is providing 200,000 prepaid celebrity phone cards,
which are being shipped by Navy MWR to Sailors for use this
holiday season," said Bill Winters, head of the Special Projects
and Programs Section for Navy MWR.

"This is a fresh initiative designed to bring Sailors a special
greeting for the new year. Each phone card contains a greeting
from one of four celebrities whose photographs appear on the
face of these cards," added Winters.

The celebrities include Billy Blanks, founder of Tae Bo; Casey
Atwood, Navy-sponsored NASCAR driver; Aaron Tippin,
country music songwriter and recording artist; and Shane Battier,
professional basketball player with the Memphis Grizzlies. "We
hope it is something we can continue to do in the future with the
assistance of other celebrities," said Winters.

"AT&T is proud to sponsor this novel Navy MWR program and
very grateful to the celebrities who made the special keepsake
cards possible," said Rosemary O'Brien, general manager,
AT&T Military Markets. "We know the Sailors will enjoy
talking with a loved one. We hope the phone cards will continue
to remind them that Navy MWR, AT&T and celebrities from a
variety of fields appreciate their service."

Sailors and Marines at sea will also receive phone cards, as
NEXCOM, in conjunction with AT&T, is providing free $10
prepaid phone cards for those who are underway aboard U.S.
Navy ships with AT&T Direct Ocean Service phones during
December.

Ships receiving cards this year include USS Cole (DDG 67),
USS Detroit (AOE 4), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS
Germantown (LSD 42), USS Gettysburg (CG 64), USS
Gonzalez (DDG 66), USS Jarrett (FFG 33), USS Nicholas
(FFG 47), USS Ogden (LPD 5), USS Peleliu (LHA 5), USS
Philippine Sea (CG 58), USS Port Royal (CG 73), USS Stout
(DDG 55) and USS Thorn (DD 988).
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