Supporting our deployed military personnel with e-book technology

On March 2, 2011, we shipped 10 donated Kindle 2′s from Denver to the CJ-4 NATO Weapons Escort Team in Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan. They arrived 15 days later and were distributed a week after that, coordinated by CPT Rachel Kinnas and SGT Jose Gutierrez.

Since then, we’ve received inspiring testimonials from the Soldiers who received the Kindles, including the photo above which came with the following note from the Cougar Team Family: “Thank you so much for your kindness and support of our troops. Your acts of charity will forever stay in our hearts and memory. These Kindles have boosted the moral of our troops immensely.”

Click here to see the full gallery of 11 photos and individual comments we received by e-mail from Camp Phoenix.  For example, SPC Nicholas Guerro wrote, “Thank you for the Kindle. It was hard to keep books in my bag while on mission because they all seem to get ruined but since I got the Kindle I have been able to download my books and take them in the truck.”  SSG Hoover Travis added, “Your generosity is great.  I especially think the ten dollar gift card was a good idea to get us started.  I already have about twenty books on mine.  Thank you very much.”

I’m glad that SSG Travis mentioned the $10 Amazon gift card which we include with each Kindle that we distribute.  E-Books for Troops receives individual donations in all amounts, but you can be sure that even a $10 donation will enable us to get a Soldier going with his or her first book purchased for Kindle reading.

I also received the following e-mail from PFC Steven Logan:

PFC Steven Logan

“Thank you so very much for the Kindles that you have sent to myself and the others in my platoon. For those of us in the platoon that enjoy reading this means so much. As you could imagine finding good literature to read while deployed is not a very easy task. However you have just granted me the opportunity to choose what type of material I want to read at the push of a button. No longer will I have to read books that I may not be interested in simply because someone else says it’s a good read. I truly look forward in being able to use it along our future journeys here in country. It is nice to know that people think about sending things to deployed troops that can further our knowledge in life, outside of the everyday box of snacks. So on behalf of myself and others who are in my platoon thanks again for thinking about us.”

Thanks to all of you who sent us your used Kindle 2′s.  This group of 10 included Kindles sent from all over the United States, from Los Angeles to Waltham, Massachusetts.  One of my favorite jobs in preparing shipments of the donated Kindles is sideloading them with personal messages which some of you include when you click on the Donate a Kindle button and fill out the Kindle for Troops Donation Form. Here’s an example of a message from a donor which a Soldier found on the home page of his Kindle: “A thank you (or a Kindle) never seems like enough.  I greatly appreciate your service to our wonderful country.  I cannot tell you enough how thankful I am to you for protecting our country and our future. Thank you for your service! Happy reading.”

As always, these Kindles were shipped with brand new protective Latitude jackets and e-Luminator lights donated by our valued partner, M-Edge Accessories.  The accessories contributed by M-Edge greatly enhance the usability and durability of the Kindles being used far from home or the local coffee shop.  Our sincere thanks go out to Patrick and Devon Mish and to Kira Caban at M-Edge for their support.

{ 0 comments }

We recently received great photos from Bravo Company, 1-66 Armor Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, based in Fort Hood TX and deployed to Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan. Click here to see all of them on the Facebook page. Here is how SGT Roger Bratton described this Army unit’s work in his original request:

We are away from our Base for 5-8 days at a time and do not have the means to bring books with us. We carry all of our supplies for the time we will be away with us and many times books get left behind due to the fact we just do not have room. The majority of our Soldiers enjoy reading very much. It relaxes them after their long days and brings them a little peace. I hope you can find a way to sponsor us. Thank you for your time and great program.

We want to thank 1SG Saul A. Castillo for the photos and for coordinating distribution of the Kindles.  He e-mailed us as follows:

Gentlemen,

On behalf of my Soldiers and I would like to thank you for the Kindles. My Soldiers were very happy and pleased to receive the ebooks. I appreciate your support and the joy you bring happiness to our Soldiers who are in harm’s way. I have attached pictures of the guys that received them and a couple that are on R&R that will get them when they come back. Thank you again.

This shipment of Kindles comprised used devices contributed by supporters of E-Books for Troops.  You can click here to learn details of that program.  When I ship the used Kindles to Soldiers, I include any personal messages which the donors have included in the donation forms.   So when the Kindles are fired up in places like the Arghandab Valley in Afghanistan they contain messages on the home screens like this one from a donor in Green Bay, Wisconsin:

Thank you for serving our country.  The contributions you are making every single day are very much appreciated!  God Bless…

Our sentiments exactly.

{ 0 comments }