Jackson Free Press

AnySoldier.com's motto, "Freedom isn't free! Just ask any soldier …" speaks volumes. The next words on the Web site explain its purpose: "Want to send your support to a soldier in harm's way, but have no idea what to send, who to send it to, or how to send it?"

The service was started by the family of Sgt. Brian Horn, from Maryland, who was serving with the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade in Kirkuk in Iraq. His family found out that he was giving out some of the things they sent him to soldiers who weren't getting anything from home.

With the help of friends and families, boxes addressed to Horn with "Attn: Any Soldier" added to the address soon began arriving. He knew these packages contained things for him to distribute to his soliders.

By September 2004, the family had successfully acquired the domain name AnySoldier.com. Since then, they've connected thousands at home with thousands on active duty.

In the FAQs at the Web site, this is the explanation for how it works: "We provide suggestions on What to Send and How to Send letters and packages. Then you select one or more soldiers from the Where to Send page. You will notice the soldier's address includes the line, ATTN: Any Soldier. The soldiers are volunteers for this effort, they will see the Attn line, and will put your letters and packages into the hands of soldiers who don't get much or any mail. This effort is 110 percent voluntary. You send your support, and maybe some stuff, directly to whatever unit or units you want, you don't send us anything. PLEASE read the entire Web site before you send anything as we want you to be informed and comfortable with this effort as many people have told us."

Why not listen to your heart's desire and go online to find a soldier or two you can help? You can even sort the lists of soliders who've signed up for those that like the same stuff you like, so you can have something in common with them.

My Son Vincent
by Vanessa Barlow
May 18, 2005

I remember the day Vincent called to tell us he had joined the Army National Guard. My heart skipped a beat. Then I thought it wouldn't be bad. There was no need to worry. After all, we had no wars or talks of wars involving us going on at that time.

That was just one month before 9/11. Suddenly, I was terrified. I had occasional nightmares of his being shipped off to war and calling me to say he wasn't coming home. But I never told him any of this. After all, I didn't want to worry him. Thankfully, it was a long time before he was finally activated to go to Iraq.

Soon after his activation, he and Michelle, his sweetheart of five years, were married. This was a happy time for us because we love Michelle like a daughter, and we knew that Vincent was happier than he had ever been in his whole life. In my mind—through my motherly fears—I thought that if he didn't come back, I would have a little bit of peace knowing that he had been very happy. But I try only to think good, positive thoughts. Prayer helps. I do have faith that God will protect him and bring him home safely.

Once he was over in Iraq, they couldn't decide where they wanted his home base to be. So, months went by before they finally made a decision. His home base was right where he'd been all those months. During this time he was unable to receive packages or letters because they were unsure where he would be from one week to the next—or if he would be going anywhere at all. It hurt me for him because he would have to see all the other soldiers receiving and opening their letters and packages from home—as if it were Christmas and he was left outside looking in.

I know how important these things from home are to our soldiers. It was very disheartening for him. But I don't think hardly a mail call has gone by since we were given his address that he hasn't received something, even if it's just a letter from him grandmother. Those mean a lot to him. She sends him one a week—three and four pages. He and I do keep in touch on a daily basis through e-mails. I thank God for that opportunity. But there have been times where a couple of days would go by before I heard from him again. I would begin to have negative thoughts, and I would start to worry. You have all sorts of scenarios going through your head. But then I would finally hear from him, and everything would be fine. Usually it would just be the computer being down that kept him from emailing us. But you still worry.

Vincent was always protective of his brother and me when he was small, and his sister when she came along. He never wavered from that, even when I started dating his stepdad (Vincent was 8). He really grilled him. He even went so far as to ask how much money he had in the bank. I guess he wanted to make sure he had enough to take care of his mother and brother and him. We still get a chuckle out of that one.

As I think about it, he is still doing that very same thing—protecting his family. Only now it's on a much grander scale.

I'm even more proud now than ever.