A U.S. Army soldier stands guard as Iraqi police officers enter a house during a joint search operation in southwestern Mosul, Iraq, Monday, March 16, 2009. U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces are making a renewed push in the Sunni-dominated city of about 2 million to deny safe haven for insurgents and restore basic services. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” that’s what it says at Statue of Liberty exhibit at Ellis Island. As I walk this city and interact with its men, I swear Emma Lazarus’s wording was a tad off—at least it would be in the dating realm. In 2009, Lady Liberty would be carrying a torch. That poem would read: Look-y, yet another tired, sloppy, recently unemployed investment banker, yearning to date for free.
Umpf.
Where have all the alpha males gone? You know – the man’s man. Not exactly the chauvinist, we don’t miss him much. More like the chivalrous, albeit cocky, Fitzwilliam Darcy meets MacGyver. Where’s that guy? Instead, We the people, get national love declarations from men like Jason Mesnick. Come on!
But there are real American men (and women) worthy of encouragement.
Forget dating for a second, there are soldiers out there (yes, some could be single but that’s not the point) that could use a moral boost. And whether or not you’re for or against the war(s), the people fighting them are real. And they could really use a show of gratitude – and some ramen noodles (aha, ramen noodles).
Soldiers from all over the country are listed on AnySoldier.com. The site is crammed with information on how to contact a soldier. And guess what the soldiers need most from us (you and me = us)… a ray of sunshine, a break. So a little note about your day, a funny story, an update on American Idol, can go a long way. Why not grab a piece of paper and scribble a few words? It’s that easy. If you choose you can also send a care package – many soldiers have requested soap, chips, cough drops, and things like that.
If you want to send something to a soldier from New York, click here, and use the first drop down menu on the left to select “Where the Unit is From,” then select “New York.” Then choose a name.
Once you’ve selected a soldier to preview, on the right you’ll see the date that soldier is expected to leave his (or her) post, how many times his contact information has been requested, and you’ll see a note from that soldier detailing what he (or she) needs most.
After you’ve read through the information and have chosen a soldier click the bolded blue “Here” to get the contact information. The site requests that only serious inquiries click that "Here" button for two main reasons:
1. It calculates that you will indeed send that soldier at minimum a letter and marks the profile accordingly.
2. Soldiers are constantly on the move. The site is updated daily but you must send your letter immediately so that your soldier receives it.
Now, isn’t this the type of guy (and gal) to write home about?
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