OSOT - Operation Support Our Troops

Also, remember that we are registered in most states ~ and if you are collecting funds to defray the cost of shipping packages, you need to contact our treasurer at support-our-troops-owner@west-point.org. If you handle ANY money, record keeping is a must, and our treasurer will advise you appropriately. AND ... if anyone is receiving contributions from a corporation, etc. .... and you need our tax ID number, please contact our treasurer.

2. A member has the wonderful idea of including a holiday CD in her box. Please do....!!!!! Any CDs would be very much appreciated. A caveat on sending religious materials: we CAN send religious materials, just not in bulk. You are permitted to put one bible, or one book with religious verses in each box ... you just cannot send materials contrary to the Islamic faith in bulk quantities .... one per box does not violate either the letter or the spirit of the law.

3. How to maintain the privacy of the soldier and comply with our security requirements, while nonetheless personalizing your box to the soldiers:
(1) You, as the member, have the soldier's name(s). You can write him BY NAME. You can include any personal information about yourself and your family that you are willing to share. You can invite him to write back to you, if he has time (but please, don't send the infamous "20 questions" letter :o)
(2) Your friends, colleagues, school children, etc. who may be helping you with your drive (if you are sending multiple boxes and wanted to get friends involved) may only write to "Dear Soldier" .... but THEY can include personal information about themselves ... and even they can invite the soldier to write back.
(3) The whole idea is that we must protect the soldier's privacy. If the soldier decides to write back and start a correspondence, either with you or with your friends and school children, that's his right ... he is disclosing his personal information, which is his right to do ....

4. Each and every box that you send must have the signature OSOT sticker on it.

If you have not yet received your stickers, don't mail those boxes yet. If you have not yet requested your stickers, and you need some, either for DVDs you are sending or boxes you are sending, please send your name and complete mailing address to me at support-our-troops-owner@west-point.org and estimate how many stickers you will need for the next few months.

One last word on stickers. A new member asked if she could have extra stickers to give to friends to put on their DVDs ... Simple answer: NO. Unfortunately, while we absolutely trust you, we cannot afford to have the stickers "out and about". As far fetched as it may seem, there just is no guarantee that everyone would use them for the purpose intended. Thus, we had to make the tough decision that we would rather see 1,000 DVDs arrive in Landstuhl without the signature OSOT stickers rather than risk even ONE box bearing an OSOT containing something harmful for our troops. You may always put an OSOT sticker on the DVD and have your friend mail it .... but we don't want to place this extra burden on you ... unless it's something you can conveniently do.

5. Additions to the Wish List will be added here until we have enough to update the entire list in pdf format:
Printable list has been updated, January 25, 2005

Odds & Ends (Questions asked by our members)

Odds & Ends
(Questions asked by our members)