December Newsletter 2018

Dear Santa… Letters from our Troops

Our Troops in their own words

We\’re Making a List and Checking it Twice …

Be Nice not Naughty!  Our Troops Need YOU!

Paws for a Moment this Busy Christmas Season to Thank our Four Footed Troops and their Handlers

Military K9 teams fill specialized roles such as patrols, guarding important buildings and sniffing out roadside bombs and providing a special loving bond with their human partners.   Move America Forward recognizes and honors Military Working Dogs and the troops who train and work alongside them. Since 2010, MAF has been sending specialized K-9 Care Packages for those military dogs and the handlers who work alongside them.

K-9 Care packages include all of the normal great items included in a normal care package that our troops enjoy and need PLUS eye-protecting \”Doggles \” specifically designed for our furry troops and ultra-tough Kong training aids, doggie treats and other. If you would like to send out a special K8 package, we are here to help!

Larry Marino & Listeners at KRLA AM870  The Answer  Support our Troops with Holiday Drive!

As part of the MAF Holiday tradition, we once again joined forces with KRLA AM 870 The Answer in Los Angeles and KCBQ AM 1170 The Answer in San Diego to send packages to our troops from Thanksgiving through Christmas. The listeners in Los Angeles and San Diego have really pitched in to help make sure our deployed service members were remembered, honored and given a long distance hug from home.

Listen below and Larry Marino talks to Lisa Baron, our Director of Troop Support about our troops and our vital mission to support them.

Welcome to Our House! MAF Volunteers Prepping for Christmas Shipment!

Hundreds More Christmas Boxes
Ready to Ship Now!

Amazon Smiles Maximizes your Support With Ease

Make your money work twice as hard by supporting the troops at no extra cost to you while doing your holiday shopping with Amazon Smiles!

Move America Forward is now partnering with Amazon.com and participating in their Amazon Smile Non-Profit Program, where Amazon donates a portion of whatever you order to MAF so we can send even more support packages to our troops!

How does Amazon Smile Work?

It\’s simple: All you have to do is use the link below to select Move America Forward as the charity you would like to support and a small portion of what you buy on Amazon.com is donated. No extra cost to you, just extra support for our brave defenders for buying the things you normally would. It\’s a WIN-WIN!

CLICK HERE TO SET UP AMAZON SMILE

Millions of Americans already use Amazon to purchase clothes, books and movies to tech gadgets, or almost anything you can think of. Chances are, if you\’ve ever bought anything on-line, you have probably used Amazon.com at least once or twice.

Now with Amazon Smile, you can support Move America Forward at no cost to you, by doing all your holiday shopping with Amazon Smiles. Your gifts will cost nothing extra, but a portion of the sales will be donated by AMAZON to the troops via MAF!

Prices are the same, shipping is the same, and nothing changes except Amazon donates .05% of your purchase TO THE TROOPS on your behalf!

Click HERE to shop for great Gifts and be sure to set MAF as your Amazon Smiles Charity!

Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight

Merry Christmas, My Friend

\’Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one-bedroom house made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
and to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I’d seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I’d heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.

They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
“Santa, don’t cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps.”

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night’s chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this Marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.
And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.

I didn’t want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said “Carry on, Santa, it’s Christmas Day, all secure.”
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,

Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight
Written by Corporal James M. Schmidt

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