I'm going to attach the 'solicitation letter' to the post, but I'm posting this on all the forums I belong to. They have about 3,000 soldiers that will be given a 4 day pass in November to 'go home' to their families just prior to the actual leaving country. The problem is that they will be WAY up in West Texas - and quite bluntly, some of the soldiers won't be able to afford to go home.
They are going to try to arrange either chartered ground, or air transportation for nearly 3,000 soldiers - and it's estimated to cost between $400,000 and $600,000 for all of the soldiers to come home for the holidays - and get back to the base.
SOLICITATION LETTER
I'm going to get a copy of this to Dan Patrick, Edd Hendee, and whoever else I can find that might have some face time to get the word out. If YOU are aware of anyone - any company - etc., that might be willing to donate, or heck - loan them a few planes and fly them all home! ;-) - please provide them the link to the .pdf above, give them my contact information, give them the contact information in the solicitation letter - whatever works for you!
We (my husband and I) would be able to afford to fly him home - but there are way too many soldiers whose $300/month guard pay is a very NEEDED income from their 'regular' life - and a plan ticket at Thanksgiving, or hotel stay for the family to go there, or a rental car...just isn't in the works for them.
My understanding is that if they organize this - their '4 day pass' starts when they hit the ground in their home location. If they do it 'hodge podge' - every man for themselves - it starts at a certain time, and the clock is running. So the guy who buys the greyhound bus ticket for $50 to Houston, who spends 18 hours on a bus - he has to be back the same time as the guy who spent $500 round trip air fare. Needless to say - it'd suck for all the E1-E4's probably.
Anyway - I'm trying to put the word out - I (as always) appreciate you!
Thanks!
Donna
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