We are very excited to announce that E-Books for Troops has launched a great new program, Kindle 2 for Troops (K24T), which provides an opportunity to donate your pre-owned Kindle 2 to a solider who is currently deployed overseas.
The impetus for this new program was observing the overwhelming demand and response to Amazon’s recently announced third generation Kindle. We instantly recognized this created a terrific opportunity for current owners of Kindle 2s who are upgrading to the new model to donate them to our deployed soldiers.
Here are the highlights of the program. It is really easy to participate:
- Read the details of the program on the Kindle 2 For Troops information page.
- If you have a Kindle 2 U.S. or Kindle 2 International that is in good, working condition (no damage, please) and you are a U.S. citizen, you are eligible for the program. (Note: first generation Kindles or Kindle DXs are not eligible).
- Complete our K24T Kindle donation form, and we will then email you with shipment instructions for your pre-owned Kindle.
- You will then mail your Kindle 2 to EB4T, and once received we will email you a receipt that you can use as proof of donation
(note: EB4T has a 501c3 application pending and is authorized to operate as a tax-deductible organization per IRS publication 4220). UPDATE: Our 501(c)(3) application has been approved!
- We will then distribute your Kindle, along with a case and light donated by M-Edge Accessories, as part of a future donation to a sponsored EB4T unit.
We are so excited to announce this program, and know it will be very successful, but it will only be active for a limited time.
We are accepting donations only through Thanksgiving Day 2010, so please contact us now.
For more information or questions, please contact us today.
PV2 Liebig
We are very excited to announce that PV2 John Liebig and PFC Andrew Kwawu of the 101st Airborne Division are the first two soldiers to be equipped with e-reader technology thanks to contributions to E-Books for Troops! PV2 Liebig and PFC Kwawu are currently deployed to Afghanistan, and were part of our pilot program which was coordinated at Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, by SGT Andre Corbin.
They both describe themselves as big readers who have never used electronic readers before but see the advantages of the technology for the military. “It is an easily portable device with a lot of memory for more than one book,” PV2 John Liebig wrote in answer to questions designed to guide EB4T as it moves beyond the pilot phase. PFC Kwawu agreed, writing, “I think e-readers are a good solution for deployed servicemen and servicewomen because of its handy nature and the fact that unlike the traditional book you can carry more than one book at a time.” They plan on using their Kindles as time restrictions and available downtime allow.
PFC Kwawu
PFC Kwawu reported that he sees most of his fellow soldiers using downtime to surf the Internet, watch movies, sleep, and call home. “I also see a significant number of people reading,” he added. PV2 Liebig wrote that soldiers order traditional books online and take advantage of Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) activities.
PV2 Liebig hails from St. Robert, Missouri, and is currently assigned to Warehouse Supply. His unit is 96 ASB, 101 CAB, and he has been deployed to Afghanistan for three months. He enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy, and his favorite book is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. He has served in the Army for just over a year, and he decided to join because of the educational benefits.
PFC Kwawu originally came to the U.S. from Ghana in West Africa and now lives in the state of Georgia. He works in the Aviation Warehouse, and his unit is 96 ASB, A Company, SSA Platoon, 101 CAB. He has served in the Army for 18 months and has been deployed to Afghanistan for three months. He enjoys books by John Grisham and others about legal drama and crime solving, as well as the occasional romantic book. Why did he join the Army? PFC Kwawu replied as follows:
“The honor in serving the nation as well as all the opportunities the Army gives you in order to better your life and to take good care of your family.”
PFC Kwawu added this:
“I would like to say we the service personnel do appreciate all that the diverse organizations including our families are doing to support us while we are away from home. It really does give us the encouragement that out here we are not on our own. Thank you very much.”
E-Books for Troops is proud to be part of this overall support for U.S. troops who are deployed overseas defending our country. Ken and I are very grateful to those who have already donated to make this start possible, and we encourage you to consider making a contribution today to enable us to expand the work beyond the pilot phase.
It gets us totally fired up to see these photos of PV2 Liebig and PFC Kwawu with their new Kindles still in the original packaging. In each box that I shipped to them from Denver we also included an Army camouflage jacket and an e-Luminator2 booklight, donated by our partner M-Edge Accessories – much appreciated!
Len Edgerly, left, and Ken Clark
Monday, May 3, 2010, was the day co-founder, Ken Clark, and I finally had a chance to meet in person, after working by email and phone for two months, organizing this project to provide e-Readers to active duty US troops overseas.
We worked for a while in my living room here in Cambridge, Mass., on plans to create the non-profit organization and to continue spreading the word about E-Books for Troops. Afterward, I turned on my Olympus recorder for an interview that I used for Episode 94 of The Kindle Chronicles podcast.
I began the interview by asking Ken what it was that he heard in my interview February 26th with Army Sgt. Andre Corbin that led Ken to offer to help the project which grew out of M-Edge Accessories’ donation of a Kindle to Andre for his deployment in Afghanistan.
Ken and I both left our meeting energized and excited for what lies ahead with E-Books for Troops. We’d love for you to set aside a couple minutes and listen to our conversation on the past, present, and future of EB4T!
Click here to listen to the interview.
We have sent our first two Kindles
to U.S. soldiers on active duty in Afghanistan, thanks to the support of those who have contributed to the project here at E-Books for Troops. The delivery also contains lights and camo jackets donated to EB4T by M-Edge Accessories.
The U.S. Postal Service offers reasonable rates to ship to military personnel in Afghanistan and elsewhere. It cost us $17.80 to send the package, which weighed just over five pounds. Sgt. Andre Corbin said mail is taking eight to fifteen days, and he will let us know when the package arrives. We’ll have more information on the soldiers receiving the Kindles in this pilot phase of the project as soon as the package arrives in Afghanistan.
Thanks to all of you who made this possible by your contributions!
This evening at 7:33 Mountain Time I completed the purchase of two Kindle 6-inch e-readers, which will be delivered next week here in Denver. Also on their way are two camo jackets and two e-Luminator 2 booklights, donated by our partner M-Edge Accessories. I will also purchase two Amazon gift cards to include in the package that I will route to Afghanistan for the initial pilot phase of E-Books for Troops.
These two Kindles will probably begin their journey in China, and from there I suspect they will head east across the Pacific to Denver. Once I ship the box to Afghanistan, which direction will they go? East again, or maybe back across the Pacific? Either way, these two wireless reading devices will travel many thousands of miles to their destination. I like to imagine two soldiers opening the boxes, probably sometime in May, and slipping the e-readers into their jackets, and checking out what’s on the screen when they turn them on for the first time.
Meanwhile, back on the net, word is spreading quickly about EB4T. A new wave of donations is arriving at our PayPal donations account that will enable us to expand the program carefully, making sure we establish good procedures for distribution. Ken and I are very grateful to everyone who has offered support so far and helped to spread the word!
