Tag: deployment

We Salute You on the National Day of the Deployed

Observe the Day by Sending a Military Care Package

On October 26, the military acknowledges the National Day of the Deployed, a day to thank all military serving outside the U.S., and their families who hold down the fort back home.

Soldiers don’t get to choose their deployment locations or durations. They sacrifice their own freedoms as they work to defend the United States and its allies overseas – which is why we think deployed troops are pretty deserving of recognition on this day, and all the rest.

How the Day Got Its Start

The first National Day of the Deployed was acknowledged in 2006. Shelle Michaels Aberle approached John Hoeven, governor of her state of North Dakota, to request a proclamation for a day to honor the military members actively serving outside the confines of the country. Hoeven thought it was a great idea, so he issued a formal proclamation to declare October 26 as National Day of the Deployed. The date is special; it was the birthday of Aberle’s cousin, who was actively serving in Iraq when the idea came to her.

In 2011, Hoeven was elected a state senator and sponsored a resolution to designate the day across the country. The resolution passed unanimously, and today, all 50 states observe the holiday. Although it isn’t a federal holiday, in which banks and schools close, it is still an important one to us at My Hero Crate. Why? It’s literally our job to make sure America’s troops get the thanks they deserve!

How You Can Celebrate

The National Day of the Deployed is more of a symbolic holiday than one that calls for elaborate celebration and camaraderie – although if you want to celebrate it like that, we’d love to be invited! Simpler ways you can join in on acknowledging the importance of the day include:

-Posting on social media, thanking our deployed troops for their service, and explaining the importance of the day. If you have a loved one who is deployed, include their photo in your post so your friends and followers can put a face to the day. This will help create an emotional connection, which may encourage others to celebrate the day, too, even if they don’t know anyone currently deployed.

-Volunteer with an organization that benefits deployed soldiers. There’s always something you can do to brighten the days of our soldiers working and living abroad. Some nonprofit agencies assemble care packages to send to deployed troops, while others organize letter-writing campaigns to send them well-wishes. If either of these sound like fun to you, do a bit of quick internet research to find an organization near you.

Send your deployed military hero a care package or two. They can keep the treats for themselves, or share with the rest of their unit. Because shipping from My Hero Crate is always free to DPO, FPO, and APO addresses, even those overseas, it’s an affordable way to connect with your loved ones without having to find the contents of a snack box or gift box on your own. Also, all our snacks are from American distributors, and we’re an American company, based in Ohio. Our dedication to our country is obvious – and we want to help you celebrate your favorite hero.

How to Order a Military Care Package

My Hero Crate makes it easy to send a gift to your deployed soldier overseas. Follow these simple steps:

1. Visit MyHeroCrate.com. Click “Shop” in the top menu.

2. Choose the care package you think your deployed soldier will love the most. We even have snack boxes for special dietary needs, and gift boxes designed to inspire relaxation in our deployed heroes.

3. Once you find the package you like, select whether you’d like to send a one-time gift, or keep ‘em coming month after month by subscribing. Your soldier will get a brand-new snack box, thanks to AutoPay, so you never have to remember to schedule a delivery.

4. Check out! Just like you’d check out on any website, My Hero Crate makes it easy to pay, and to tell us exactly where to send your special gift. You can even include a custom gift message to send well-wishes to your love done.

It really is as easy as that! Start shopping today, so your gift arrives by the National Day of the Deployed on October 26.

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for accuracy. It was originally published on October 21, 2020.

On Your Team: How an Army Spouse Helps People Improve their Wellbeing

Celebrate Accomplishments with a Military Care Package from My Hero Crate

Louise Valentine has been bucking tradition for years. Before completing her undergraduate degree, she started her own business — the first one. She never stops learning, as evidenced by the alphabet soup behind her name — five major credentials she’s earned over the years to stay at the top of her field. And she’s mastered the art of living without separating work and play.

Oh, she’s also an Army wife, currently stationed in Maryland with her husband and two children, after moving nine times in 11 years, enjoying a full-time career and side gig dedicated to helping people live healthful lives, physically and mentally. The latest way she’s done that is by writing and self-publishing a book on a wildly abbreviated timeline.

You might find yourself feeling exhausted thinking about accomplishing all of that in a single lifetime. But Louise isn’t. She focuses on the driving force behind everything she does, and sticks with it.

My purpose is to help others find realistic ways to live a vibrant, healthy life,” she explained.

Building a Foundation

Louise, a military wifeConsidered a wellness expert, Louise started her career as a sports and medical massage therapist for the NFL when she lived in Ohio. However, after marrying her combat aviator active duty husband, she moved to New York state to join him at his duty station.

After years of re-engineering her career at each new duty station, Louise was awarded a research fellowship with the Army, where she could utilize her health expertise. During her two-hour daily commute, she planned Team Valentine Project, an online comprehensive health resource, at www.TeamValentineProject.com.

As she drove, she’d dictate notes into her phone and transfer the information to a later blog post. The platform shares tips, tricks, and tools for leading a healthful life, with Louise’s experience as a military spouse sprinkled throughout.

Unbeknownst to Louise, the health tool she created in her spare time would go on to help her land a leadership role at a healthcare technology company, Vheda Health, where she works as the Director of Client Services. It’s a position that allows her to help Medicaid, Medicare, and employer group high-risk populations find ways to navigate chronic disease and improve their overall wellness.

And that’s a task that Louise is no stranger to, herself.

Overcoming Obstacles

In a short span of time, Louise received major medical diagnoses that would change how she approached her work: osteoporosis, and a pre-cancer diagnosis mid-pandemic last summer. And then her dad received his own cancer diagnosis.

Louise had already been writing about how to break down challenges and researching how to do it. But her dad’s health was the motivation she needed to turn her thoughts into a concise book that she wanted published as soon as possible, that her dad could hold in his hands, and see that he had been a success at instilling his values in her.

She also saw an opportunity to help people suffering during the global COVID-19 pandemic. So, she got to work in June. She was finished by October, just as her dad completed his month-long ICU stay because of coronavirus.

“When we’re motivated to help others and see the impact we have on them, it’s powerful and energizes you,” she said.

Her book, now available on Amazon, is called The Art of Breaking Through: Five Simple Steps to Take on Any Challenge & Tackle Self-Doubt. While writing, she channeled how she navigated out of her own dark moments in life to overcome obstacles and come out on the other side better than ever.

“We are all perfectly capable of overcoming obstacles,” Louise said. “The more we recognize that, the more we can do and take on.”

Although the final version of her book is quite short, Louise explained that it was intentional, so that her readers could quickly begin to take charge of their wellbeing rather than devoting too much time to grappling with overly-complicated concepts. Her goal was to empower others to change their lives, and she is confident her short book accomplishes that within its 68 pages.

Tips You Can Follow, Starting Today

Making small changes with great intentions can help you navigate out of a difficult place. Louise says these starting points can help you change the things in your life that aren’t working for you.

-Take a stress inventory. Think about the responsibilities you’re juggling and what you actually need to accomplish in the moment to begin feeling better. Choose what really matters, and start there.

-Recognize that you may need to re-engineer your goals. What you might’ve been able to accomplish under other circumstances could be different because of your current situation.

-Find what works for you by looking to those who are successful as your inspiration. Use their techniques to optimize your time and energy, but don’t restrict yourself to assuming their way is the only way to do things. Ask for help when you need it; find a support system.

-Honor the struggle. Anticipate that obstacles and challenges will appear. When you acknowledge that, you’re less stressed when they arise.

Know that changes take time and won’t happen instantaneously.

“It’s taken me years to get to this place, and it’s a good place to be. That [good place] looks different for everyone,” Louise shared. “Find what works for you, and fill your bucket.”

A Care Package from Home Can Help Motivate Your Hero

military subscription boxSometimes motivation comes from things you’d least expect.

You would expect your military hero to find motivation from their work, their squadron, and their leadership. But sometimes it’s the smaller things — the things that don’t necessarily affect careers — that are the biggest factors in getting through the day and getting things done. One of those things just might be a deployment care package.

A gift of sweet and savory treats and games or activities to pass the time helps your hero’s mind stay sharp and focused when it’s time to work, because the fun and relaxation our military care packages provide reminds them of everyone who loves them back home.

Send a monthly military care package to your hero today.

A Military Spouse’s Guide for Getting Through a Deployment

Stay Strong and Stay Connected with Our Military Care Package Subscription Box

It seems like time slows down during deployments, when you’re responsible for “holding down the fort” at home. Maybe you have children and pets. Maybe you’re working full time or juggling multiple part-time jobs to keep things running. We get it: you’re busy, emotional, and tired. There’s nothing quite like being a military spouse, and getting advice from other people without that experience feels useless.

Instead, take a cue from someone who’s been there with My Hero Crate’s tips from other military spouses about how to get through deployment with your sanity.

Use On-Base Benefits

Especially if you live on-base, you’ll find that these close-to-home resources are invaluable. Do all your shopping on base when you can and take advantage of on-base babysitting at the Child Development Center when you work and when you need a break.

Most base CDCs have an hourly child care option, so you can schedule a couple days per month to enjoy time to yourself to decompress, destress, or problem-solve without children interrupting your train of thought.

And if you’re already living on base or at least near to base, you won’t need to travel very far to drop off and pick up your kids, making it the most convenient option available to you without relying on family members or friends.

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Getting a good night’s sleep is key to feeling your best and being healthy. Being well rested is the foundation for good days. When you’re tired, your body handles stress and emotions differently. Just like when your kids get fussy, you know it’s time for a nap, do the same for yourself. Hit the hay at a reasonable hour and wake up every day at roughly the same time.

Try not to watch TV in bed, or leave lights on all night. Cozy up in your dark bedroom and focus on resting and falling asleep.

Healthy sleep habits help you keep your energy up throughout the day and prevent that run-down feeling.

Exercise at Home or at the Gym

Exercise releases endorphins that can help improve your mood and increase your energy. Take advantage of free gym access or fitness classes on base when you can, or look up at-home workout videos online and work up a sweat in your living room.

According to the Mayo Clinic, you should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise every week, spread out over all seven days. You don’t have to exercise because you’re trying to lose weight; it’s just good for your body, physically and mentally. And even if you don’t care about all that – it will at least help you pass the time and perhaps meet new friends who are dealing with deployment, too.

Talk

Your military spouse friends know what you’re going through, so if you’re having a tough time during deployment, make a few phone calls and plan a get-together to help take your mind off of your emotions or process them.

As a military spouse, you also have access to free non-medical counseling sessions through Military One Source. Attending counseling sessions does not mean that you’re weak. It means that you’re strong enough to acknowledge that you need help managing stress and life while your spouse is away.

Participate in Activities

Whether you frequent on-base activities for spouses dealing with deployment or you make your own, keeping busy with something fun is ideal! 

You can plan a day trip with your friends or children, take up a new hobby, learn new skills via online courses, or anything else you can think of. Not only will these help you pass the time, but you might gain valuable knowledge you can apply in your career or use to start a small side business to help you bring in some extra money each month.

Stay Connected by Sending Military Care Packages During Deployment

Your hero may be deployed, but that doesn’t mean they don’t realize how hard you have it at home. They hope that you’re doing well, thinking of them, and feeling happiness at every opportunity.

Remind them of your love by sending our monthly subscription box for deployed military members in the Air Force, Navy, Army, or Marine Corps. For just $39.99 a month, for as many months as you’d like, we’ll send your hero a military-approved care package full of sweet and salty snacks, quick meals, personal care items, and premium gifts like sunglasses, headphones, and activity kits. And shipping is always free to any APO, FPO, or DPO addresses.

Each time they receive one of our military care packages in our signature olive-drab box, they’ll be thankful for everything you do while they’re away – while you’re thankful for everything they do, too.

Subscribe to our military care package service today.

How to Talk to Your Child About Deployment

Celebrate Your Hero Together by Sending a Military Care Package

It’s hard to be a military parent, but deployment makes it even harder, not just to raise your children, but dealing with the emotions that come with being deployed. There are a few things you can do to help prepare your children for an upcoming deployment, and it’s best to start the conversation early.

Preparing for Deployment: It’s All About Talking

We know that you’re busy making deployment plans, arranging childcare, examining finances, and more. Add getting your child ready for a period of absence to the list of your responsibilities.

-Reach out to your military parent support groups. It’s likely a parent has been deployed before; they can give you an idea of what to expect.

-Talk to your children’s teachers and other important adults in their lives to alert them about the upcoming deployment.

-Start talking about deployment in front of your children, using terms they’ll understand. Explain what deployment is and why it happens.

-Answer any questions your children pose to you about deployment, making sure you stay positive in your words and actions.

-The deploying parent should plan one-on-one activities with the children during the weeks leading up to deployment.

-Make a plan on how you’ll stay in touch while you’re deployed. The parent staying home with the children can talk about mailing deployment care packages full of treats and snacks.

-Prepare your children for changes in household routines by talking about new routines in advance.

-Keep your goodbyes brief, but meaningful.

During Deployment: It’s All About Keeping in Touch

Being separated from a parent during deployment can be hard on children. Keeping in touch and being positive can make the time pass more quickly.

-Write letters, make phone calls if possible, and send an armed forces care package to your loved one in the Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Navy, or National Guard. 

-The parent at home should maintain a schedule and routine as much as possible while following household rules just as before. Don’t change bedtimes, don’t tolerate behaviors you wouldn’t have tolerated before, and continue asking children to help with some household chores.

-Turn to your community resources, child psychologists, and school counselors if your children are struggling. Don’t wait for a big meltdown to take action.

Stay Connected Even at a Distance with Military Care Packages from My Hero Crate

Ease the emotions that come with deployment by sending a special care package to your deployed hero. My Hero Crate takes care of all the details for you because we assemble military-approved treats and other items to bring cheer to your hero, no matter where in the world they’re stationed. And shipping is always free to any APO, DPO, or FPO address.

Shop for care packages, and send one to your hero now.

Facing Valentines Day During a Deployment

Send a Gift for Deployed Soldiers to Help Them Celebrate

The uncertainty of deployment, coupled with missing yet another holiday together, is heartbreaking. For many couples, Valentine’s Day is about togetherness and showing each other how much you care. Distance, especially long ones across oceans, can make celebrating difficult. But this year, My Hero Crate has ideas for how you can make the most of your Valentine’s Day celebration. 

Enjoy Valentine’s Day with Friends

If you can’t spend the holiday with the one you love, then why not spend it with friends who are going through the same thing? If it’s safe to meet up in person, plan a small dinner party or dessert night. Otherwise, plan a gathering via video conference, where you can play games, chat, and do the same activities. Use apps like Zoom, Discord, Google Hangouts, or Facebook Messenger to arrange your virtual meet-up. When you spend Valentine’s Day with people who are enduring the same thing you are, you find lots of common ground and can comfort each other.

Do Absolutely Nothing

Sometimes treating a holiday like Valentine’s Day like any other day makes passing the day much easier. While you’ll definitely have to deal with hearing about other peoples’ plans, you can revel in the fact that you can spend the day doing whatever you want – including taking a nap on the sofa, eating junk food for dinner, going for a run, or meal-planning for the rest of the week, for example.

Plan a Spa Day

Use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to practice some serious self care. Indulge yourself in luxurious and relaxing spa treatments – even if they’re DIY ones – and simply enjoy the rejuvenation process. You can get everything you need for your DIY spa treatments in our Women’s Relaxation Gift Box. Treat yourself!

Spend Time with Your Family

If you and your military hero have started a family together, devote February 14 to your children (even if they’re fur kids!). Plan fun activities for them, like a special dinner and movie night. Get creative with it. For example, if your kids are very small, create a drive-in movie experience by creating “cars” out of cardboard boxes and lining them with a blanket. They can enjoy their movie from the inside of their new rides while you stretch out on the sofa.

Head for the Great Outdoors

Reconnect with nature and practice mindfulness as you go on a hike on a nature trail. Take in the sights; breathe in the crisp, fresh air; and enjoy moving your body and using your muscles. Many people find peace in nature. Perhaps you will, too.

Shop ‘Til You Drop (Within Reason)

Sometimes retail therapy is all it takes to get your mind off of your sorrows, like missing Valentine’s Day with the one you love. Save up all your shopping, including grocery shopping, for Valentine’s Day, and knock it all out in one day. There’s something soothing about the process, even if you’re just shopping for necessities.

Send a Military Care Package to Your Deployed Hero

Even if you may only get a letter or card in return, you can make your hero feel special and loved on February 14, by sending him or her one of our military gift boxes full of snacks and treats, or with items meant to inspire relaxation. We’re also pleased to offer a Valentine’s Day gift for military members this year. It’s a special gift box full of V-Day-themed items and sweet and savory treats. 

Five Reasons to Send a Monthly Military Subscription Box

My Hero Crate Makes Care Packages Easy!

One-time snack boxes are a wonderful gift – but what if you’re looking to send a present every single month? If you’ve ever wrestled with the complexity of sending a package to an APO address, then you know it’s not something you look forward to. But My Hero Crate is making the military care package game as simple as can be, and taking care of all the complicated work for you.

We’ve come up with five very important reasons you should send your hero a monthly military subscription box – but we’re sure once your hero receives it, they can come up with a few more!

You’ll save time shopping for care package items and organizing shipping.

Shopping for individual snacks, hygiene items, and fun surprises can be quite time-consuming. Rather than scurry from store-to-store looking for something unique to include, you could dedicate that time to doing something vital to running your household – and there’s always something to do, right?

My Hero Crate’s care package experts source gift items and assemble each box with great care. And because all our items are sourced from American distributors, we’re keeping our business right here in the U.S.A.! 

Your hero will have something to look forward to each month.

A monthly subscription box from My Hero Crate means your loved one in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, or National Guard will receive a new gift box every month, without fail, for as long as you’d like.

Soon, your loved one will know when to start counting down the days to their next gift. When they receive it and open it, they’ll be reminded of how much they’re loved and valued. It’s like sending them a big hug from home!

Our care packages are affordable.

For the cost of just 10 lattes, one tank of gas, or 40 lottery tickets, you can send a military care package anywhere in the world, with free shipping for APO, DPO, and FPO addresses.

And our care packages are a good value! Each gift box is completely filled before being sealed and shipped, so you know you’re getting your money’s worth.

Unique premium gift items are included each month.

Your hero won’t receive the same items month after month. Variety is the spice of life, and subscription boxes are meant to be varied, too.

Each military subscription box includes items like:

  • -Salty snacks: potato chips, beef sticks, pretzels, and more
  • -On-the-go snacks: granola bars, beef jerky, and more
  • -Quick meals: ramen noodles, mac ‘n’ cheese, breakfast oatmeal packets, and more
  • -Candy: America’s favorite fruity and chocolatey treats like Hershey’s bars, Starburst, and Skittles
  • -Personal care items: disposable face masks, cotton swabs, antibacterial wipes, tissues, and more
  • -Healthy snacks, like nuts, fruit snacks, protein bars, and more
  • -Premium gifts, such as a phone battery power bank, sunglasses, headphones, water bottle, and more

We donate to non-profit, veteran-backed organizations every month.

For every care package we sell, we donate a portion of our proceeds to a non-profit organization that’s doing great work for American veterans. Check out our website to see which organization we’re supporting this month.

Our donation is just one way we’re giving back to America’s heroes. Assembling meaningful gift boxes and shipping them to your hero is another.

Purchase a monthly gift box subscription online.

Valentine Ideas for Your Hero

Send a Traditional Valentine and a Military Care Package to Say “I Love You”

Every holiday spent apart is difficult, and Valentine’s Day is no different. Your partner or sweetheart misses you just as much as you miss them. One of the most thoughtful ways to show it is by sending them a greeting card. Go the extra mile this year by making your own card to send, and by ordering one of our awesome military care packages from My Hero Crate. We offer free shipping to APO, FPO, and DPO addresses all over the world, no matter where your hero is stationed.

Construction Paper Crafting

Create a greeting card design using construction paper in a variety of colors. Cut out hearts and other shapes, then glue them onto a piece of cardstock or another piece of construction paper. Paper doilies and tissue paper also look great. Write your own greeting inside. This greeting card project is ideal for kids who want to send a Valentine to their parents or siblings stationed away from home.

Collage Cards

A more artful idea for decorating a Valentine is creating a collage to adorn the front. Gather up old magazines, scissors, and glue. You’ll want to start with a background image large enough to cover the full front of your card. Look for nature scenes, cityscapes, colorful patterns, or other meaningful images. Then, choose images for the foreground: people, animals, plants, and other pictures to create a kind of storyline. Write your message on the inside and send it off in an envelope.

Buy a Blank Card and Customize It

If you aren’t confident in your art skills, start with a premade greeting card that is blank inside. Choose one that you can add your own decorations to on the front, like a photo cutout of you and your loved one. Write your own custom message inside.

Write a Heartfelt Letter

If you’re skilled in crafting poems and prose, purchase fine stationery from an online or local store, and draft a romantic letter to your hero. Make it even more special by learning some simple calligraphy techniques from YouTube to make your letter look fancy.

Photo Album Valentine

Small brag-book-style photo albums that hold 4×6” photos are inexpensive at your local dollar store. Purchase one and fill it with your favorite prints and memories, and include messages throughout it to your enlisted loved one. It’s like a multi-page Valentine they’ll love looking at over and over again, and it won’t take up too much room in their personal belongings.

Don’t Forget the Care Package

An ideal gift, our military care packages are full of snacks or self-care items. Receiving one is like getting a hug from home, even when home is an overseas flight away. And while you have many options for premade Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps care packages, we are confident that ours are the best. Why? All our snacks are sourced from American distributors, and we’re an American company, based in Ohio. We also donate a portion of our proceeds to a veteran-backed organization in the United States. 

 

Choose a care package to send to your military hero today.

Why Gluten-Free Military-Approved Snack Boxes are a Great Gift Idea

Send a Hug From Home to Your Military Hero Inside a Delicious Care Package

We’re always bragging about how great our military care packages are – and our customers give us lots of compliments on them, too, like these two:

“My overall experience was lovely. Your customer service is top notch! Packages arrived overseas in about a week with zero shipping charges. Absolutely amazing! What a wonderful service!”

“Perfect for deployed loved ones! My nephew in the Navy loves this! I love how I can send him care packages with no hassle and a good deal!”

This month, we’re especially loving our Gluten Free Dairy Free Vegan Military Care Package, designed for enlisted military or veterans with dietary restrictions or preferences. Here are three reasons why you should send one to your hero today.

Snacks Help You Take Care of Your Loved One From Afar

When you can’t be near your military hero, it’s hard to express just how much you care. Phone calls are few, and it can be hard to prove just how much you love them through a simple letter.

A military care package from My Hero Crate can be sent to any Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines base anywhere in the world, even overseas. And as our customer review says, there’s no hassle on your part. You don’t have to hustle to the grocery store to buy items, find a box, package the snacks, and wait in a lengthy line at the post office. We take care of everything for you, and your hero will receive our signature olive drab gift box.

Treats for Special Diets Can Be Difficult to Find

Especially in remote areas, snacks that meet special dietary needs or preferences can be hard to come by, or difficult to identify. Gluten can make someone with Celiac disease feel very ill, so avoiding gluten altogether is absolutely necessary. Similarly, dairy can affect your hero’s health if they are intolerant or allergic. And if your hero eats a vegan diet for religious or moral purposes, they don’t want to be stuck with snacks that don’t allow them to live their beliefs.

Every treat in this particular military snack box meets these dietary restrictions, so your hero never has to read every label or negotiate swaps with their friends.

Our Military Care Package is Full of Healthier Snack Choices

Most pre-made armed forces care packages are full of sugary or fattening snacks that might make your hero feel sluggish during PT and throughout the day. Our Gluten Free Dairy Free Vegan Military Care Package is full of healthier snack options, like Corn Nuts, popcorn, Veggie Straws, specialty fig bars, fruit leather, and more.

If your hero has any additional allergies or dietary restrictions we should know about, we promise to work hard to accommodate those, too! Just let us know when you place your order. 

Order a Snack Box For Your Hero Today

If you want to thank them for their service, celebrate a special day, or send them a care package just because, My Hero Crate is your number one source for the best military snack boxes. Find one that your hero will love by browsing our full selection of care packages at MyHeroCrate.com, including gift sets that promote relaxation during their down-time. 

National Guard Heroes You Should Know

Wish a Happy Birthday to the National Guard on December 13

While you might not think of the National Guard when you think of American military forces, you really should! The National Guard is unique in that it serves both community and country. Members of the National Guard face deployments overseas just like other branches of the military, and must still undergo rigorous training; boot camp is the very same as that provided for the U.S. Army.

Meet some National Guard Heroes you should know as we observe the National Guard’s birthday this month.

Tammy Duckworth

After serving in the United States Army Reserve, Tammy Duckworth transferred to the Army National Guard in Illinois in 1996. In 2004, she was deployed to Iraq. On November 12, 2004, she lost both her legs when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade launched by Iraqi insurgents. Duckworth received a Purple Heart, an Air Medal, and an Army Commendation Medal. She retired from the Illinois Army National Guard in 2014, as a lieutenant colonel. Currently, Tammy Duckworth is serving as a United States Senator for Illinois. 

Tulsi Gabbard

While serving in the Hawaii State Legislature, Tulsi Gabbard enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard in 2003. A year later, she was deployed to Iraq and was shortly thereafter commissioned as a second lieutenant before being deployed to Kuwait in 2008. For her service, Gabbard received the Combat Medical Badge and the Meritorious Service Medal. She was promoted to major in 2015. Gabbard currently serves as the U.S. Representative for Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district.

Charles Lindbergh

American aviator Charles Lindbergh was an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps Reserves, during which time he received the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration, for completing the first non-stop transatlantic flight between New York City and Paris. Before making history, he was a U.S. Air Mail pilot. When the Army no longer needed more active-duty pilots, Lindbergh joined the 110th Observation Squadron, 35th Division of the Missouri National Guard, out of St. Louis. He was promoted to captain in 1926.

John William Vessey Jr.

Jack Vessey Jr. was a career officer in the United States Army and served as the tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1982 to 1985, during the Reagan administration. Vessey began his 46-year military career by lying about his age to join the Minnesota Army National Guard. He succeeded, and his unit was deployed during World War II in North Africa and Italy. He served during the Cold War, Vietnam War, and in Korea, until 1979, when he was assigned as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army. Vessey is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, two Defense Distinguished Service Medals, three Army Distinguished Service Medals, a Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, two Legion of Merit awards, two Bronze Star Medals, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Leonard F. Wing

Red Wing Sr., as he was called, first enlisted in the U.S. Army for World War I and earned the rank of first lieutenant after completing officer training. After World War I, he was discharged in 1918 and established a law practice in Rutland, Vermont. In 1919, Wing joined the Vermont National Guard’s 172nd Infantry Regiment as a second lieutenant and rose through the ranks until he was named colonel in 1933 and brigadier general in 1937 as commander of the 86th Infantry Brigade. Wing’s military awards and honors include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star. 

Scott Perry

Currently serving as the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district, Scott Perry began his military career in 1980, upon enlisting in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. He was commissioned a second lieutenant after graduating from Pennsylvania’s Officer Candidate School before qualifying as a helicopter pilot. He served a variety of assignments, including during a deployment to Bosnia and Herzegovina between 2002 and 2003. He served in Iraq between 2009 and 2010, during which time he was credited with flying 44 missions and occurring nearly 200 combat flight hours. After serving in Iraq, Perry was promoted to colonel and commanded the garrison at Fort Indiantown Gap National Training Center and was promoted to brigadier general in November 2015. He retired from the Pennsylvania National Guard in 2019. 

Send Love to Your National Guard Hero!

At My Hero Crate, we know that our service members enlisted in the National Guard carry out important missions at home and abroad. They deserve our thanks every day! If you have a loved one in the National Guard, present them with one of our military care packages so they’ll be stocked up on snacks during their guard weekends and all the days in between. If they’re deployed, you can still send them one of our army snack boxes, too – and shipping is always free to FPO, DPO, and APO addresses.

A Veterans Day Salute!

Thank Someone Who’s Served with a Care Package from My Hero Crate

On Veterans Day, you probably celebrate by enjoying a day off and casually thanking veterans you know for their service in whichever branch of the military they were in.

Once you live the American military life, though, you come to learn more about Veteran’s Day and appreciate it for how important it is. Here’s a quick history of the holiday, and how you can observe it.

The Date Is a Throwback to World War I

World War I ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 18, 1919. However, the fighting had already ended seven months prior with an Armistice between the Allies and Germany was called on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is known as the end of “the war to end all wars.” 

In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. He said, “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in this country’s service with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.” The original concept was a day to observe the Armistice and celebrate with parades, public meetings, and suspension of business. 

Over the years, lawmakers passed resolutions to honor November 11, but it wasn’t until President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation on October 8, 1954, that the day was officially cemented and special committees were formed and named to oversee the holiday. The very first Veterans Day was officially observed on October 25, 1971. 

How to Celebrate Veterans Day

There are some easy ways to participate in acknowledging Veterans Day. Unfortunately, some of these ideas are not necessarily appropriate in our current pandemic. You can, however, hold onto these ideas so you are prepared to observe Veterans Day in the years to come.

-Attend a Veterans Day event in your area, such as a parade or special service.

-Donate to a non-profit organization that benefits your local veterans.

-Fly an American flag correctly, following U.S. Flag Code.

-Write a letter to troops stationed overseas, or a letter thanking veterans you personally know.

-Visit a VA hospital, where you can volunteer.

-Spend time with a veteran on this day, or any day of the year.

-Send a military care package to someone currently serving, or to someone who has retired from service, to thank them for their dedication to their country.

More Ideas?

Do you have great ideas for celebrating Veterans Day? Share them with your social networks to inspire other people to acknowledge the day. Reach out to your friends on various platforms, including NextDoor, Facebook, or Instagram, to remind them of the day’s importance.

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