Forces Halts Soldiers' UNMARKED Care Packages

[dangerboy]

Forces halts soldiers' care packages
 
The Montreal Gazette


Tuesday, December 11, 2007


MONTREAL - More than 1,700 care packages collected by Montreal-area community groups and residents destined for Canadian troops in Afghanistan have been grounded after the military said they could not be sent overseas.

Citing security concerns and a lack of space on transport aircraft, the Canadian Forces informed the members of the Roxboro Legion, who spearheaded the drive, that it cannot accept the packages. Parcels must be addressed to a specific soldier, the military said, and not "Any CF member."

Organizers are devastated, especially Jean Bisson, whose son, Capt. Mike Bisson of the Royal Canadian Hussars, was instrumental in starting the drive.

A peacekeeper in Bosnia, he told area Legion members how touched he was to receive a care package from Ontario while he was overseas.

"Not so much the contents, but just the fact people were thinking of him," Ms. Bisson said. "It was a touch of home."

Her other son, David, has been serving in Afghanistan since June, also with the Hussars. Aiding in the collection helped to take her mind off her worries.

Members started canvassing in June, collecting from community centres, churches, schools, and other Legions to fill boxes with shaving cream, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, wet wipes, playing cards and letters or thank-you cards.

"We had children, some as young as five years old, making pictures to send over," Ms. Bisson said.

Ms. Bisson was holding out hope that a solution could be found, if not in time for Christmas, then perhaps New Year's or afterward.

"The soldiers will still be there," she said.

© The Ottawa Citizen 2007

http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=23143fe3-7257-4775-b346-fce5afadf7c7

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

I guess that doesn't apply to letters which have been sent in bulk address to "Any Canadian Soldier"

 

[dangerboy]

I am guessing that this is a relatively new rule, (or they are starting to enforce old rules) as I can remember receiving care packages addressed any soldier last year overseas.

 

[Rodahn]

In my opinion I think that this is a travesty, I know that when I was overseas, getting packages was a high point of my tour. I realise that there are limitations on cargo space, however anything to lift the moral of the troops is a good thing, and space should be made available if only in limited quantity.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Back on Dec 5 this notice appeared DND News Release

News Release

Write to the Troops, No Packages Please
NR-07.103 - December 5, 2007

OTTAWA -- Canadians have indicated a desire to do something for Canadian Forces members deployed on missions around the world. This outpouring of support and generosity is very much appreciated. Canadians should take note, however, that the CF re-supply system cannot handle care packages addressed to “Any CF member” for a variety of reasons, including security and volume.

Postcards and letters addressed to “Any CF member” are acceptable but, unfortunately, parcels cannot be delivered and will be returned to sender. A list of mailing addresses as well as detailed postal information for CF operations is available on the http://www.forces.gc.ca website.

Family and friends of deployed military personnel are invited to explore the http://www.canadapost.ca website to learn about their program of postage-free mailings to deployed military members.

One way in which Canadians can express their support is by e-mail messages on the forces web site http://www.forces.gc.ca. The “Write to the troops” message board is one of the preferred methods to show support.

For a variety of other ways to show support to the troops, visit the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency’s website at http://www.cfpsa.com/supportourtroops.

-30-

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[PMedMoe]

I have to admit, it must be very disappointing for both the organizers and the soldiers, however, here's the link for mailing items to "any" soldier which states "Please note that only parcels as described in the "Bulk Mail" paragraph below are acceptable. Parcels that contain items other than correspondence, such as care packages or donations, will be returned to the sender at the sender’s expense." and there is a link for Donations.

Edit: Nfld Sapper, you beat me to it!! 

 

[armyvern]

This has ALWAYS been the policy.

Letters addressed to "Any Canadian Soldier" were acceptable & packages addressed to "Any Canadian Soldier" were not acceptable.

Is this merely news this week because the Christmas Season is approaching? I'd guess so, as there's a thread running on this site already from this time last year ... which pointed out the EXACT same policy. It just seems that Canadians themselves feel the need to collect for our soldiers at this time of year (and that's NOT a bad thing), the re-itteration of the policy is nothing new -- it's an attempt to stave off the influx of parcels that simply can't (and never have been) be sent overseas.

The CF is just trying to get the word out again -- that despite these citizens finest and much appreciated efforts -- the parcels simply can't go and to save them both the effort of organizing and putting together these packages and the disappointment/aggravation that would be expericed upon learning their parcels would not be shipped.

The title of this thread is VERY misleading. The Forces has NOT halted soldiers' care packages from home which are addressed to them. Nor has the Forces halted care packages to "any Canadian Soldier" from ordinary Canadian -- because they NEVER could be sent anyway. You can't halt what was never allowed, the Forces is simply reitterating the policy which has ALWAYS existed.

 

[Command-Sense-Act 105]

If people want to do something for soldiers, but there are problems getting things to theatre, I believe we should be steering them towards assisting the families that are back here, not just of those deployed, but in general.  Sailors at sea, people away on course, young families far from their original homes, with small children, dealing the adopting to military culture, possibly unfamiliar language and environments - these things happen here in Canada every day.

Things like this should be steered towards MFRCs.  The troops in theatre generally have plenty (no flames, please, BTDT, appreciated the support but we did get a lot of things pushed to us and were never hurting for goodies to eat) but can't do a lot to help out their families while they are far away.

I am sure the MFRCs will be able to put donations to good use.

My 2 Rand...

 

[armyvern]

The MFRC in Charlottetown actively steered Community Groups etc towards most of the things you've mentioned below CSA. I don't know if that's a National Policy, but when we did receive bulk packages addressed to "any Canadian Soldier" we would look to make sure that they got distributed to somewhere where they were needed -- we'd also let the orginator of the parcel know the intent in case they had any objections to it. Wonderfully, none ever did.

 

[tomahawk6]

Just send the packages through the BG's home base which then can send them on to Kandahar. Otherwise this is not only a PR issue but also a morale issue. Where there is a will there is a way.

 

[armyvern]

Just send the packages through the BG's home base which then can send them on to Kandahar. Otherwise this is not only a PR issue but also a morale issue. Where there is a will there is a way.

Sure it's a morale issue, in the eyes of the Canadian public, but then those soldiers are STILL getting their carepackages from their loved ones delivered to them on a priority basis.

So, it all get's to Trenton via the BG. What do we do now? Have a shipment from a BG deemed a priority ... and bump some of those augmentees family-sent care packages off the flight because they're on the opposite coast from the BG? Bump medical supplies? Ammo? Critical spares?

This is Canada and our air cargo space is extrememly limited for this trip -- if somethings got to be given up ... it certainly shouldn't be anything that the mission requires for success, nor should it be anything sent by loved ones. Sadly, in the grand scheme of things -- somethings got to be given the lowest priority for shipment.

We bump critical spares off flights now to accomodate packages from family. This policy exists for a reason.

 

[jswift872]

I don't think it's right. When I was over I got a few from the MFRC, addressed to any Reserve Soldier, I was over January to August this year.

 

[armyvern]

I don't think it's right. When I was over I got a few from the MFRC, addressed to any Reserve Soldier, I was over January to August this year.

The MFRC packages are a little different.

The MFRC is located on your base.

The MFRC packages are organized, packed, wrapped, labelled etc right there by staff for shipping. They are security checked. They KNOW what's in those boxes -- they pack them!! They also get funds to buy soldiers those items with while the soldier is deployed. A package from your supporting MFRC is LIKE a package from home -- your Unit. There's a HUGE difference.

I also sent shipments of packages over to "any Reserve Soldier" -- but only those packages that we did up and packed right there in Detachment Charlottetown's MFRCs. That's called security.

 

[riggermade]

The MFRC packages are a little different.

The MFRC is located on your base.

The MFRC packages are organized, packed, wrapped, labelled etc right there by staff for shipping. They are security checked. They KNOW what's in those boxes -- they pack them!! They also get funds to buy soldiers those items with while the soldier is deployed. A package from your supporting MFRC is LIKE a package from home -- your Unit. There's a HUGE difference.

I also sent shipments of packages over to "any Reserve Soldier" -- but only those packages that we did up and packed right there in Detachment Charlottetown's MFRCs. That's called security.

Anything being sent over that is not checked is a nightmare.  When 3 RCR was over there and Storring got his 15 min of fame for all the stuff that went over to the Afghans it was a nightmare, myself and 1 Cpl were  rear party QM and had to go thru over 200 triwalls of mostly junk to ensure there was no dangerous goods.

 

[simysmom99]

The policy is a good one.  Let's make we give our soldiers what they need to take care of themselves and the Afghans before we start sending over more soccer balls, candy and other assorted stuff that is really not needed.  This was brought to light very poorly.  Instead of saying that we don't accept anything, why isn't the Canadian Public being encouraged to write?  Send a card, tell a soldier what is happening in their home town.  Or, are they just not hearing the whole message?

 

[midget-boyd91]

why isn't the Canadian Public being encouraged to write?  Send a card, tell a soldier what is happening in their home town.  Or, are they just not hearing the whole message?

Because "CF encourages public to write more letters to troops"  isn't as catchy a headline as "Forces won't accept packages for troops."

Does it still count as a 'letter' if something else was included as long as it is in a 'standard' size envelope? eg. little clip-on keychain flashlights in the same envelope as a letter.

 

[simysmom99]

Amen!  Bad news and misleading headlines are the only thing that makes the news.  Sad but true.
I am starting to get more requests, so when I tell people to write, I will make sure that there is a positive spin on it.  If we all do it, maybe the message will get through.  I know, hope springs eternal.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Anything being sent over that is not checked is a nightmare.  When 3 RCR was over there and Storring got his 15 min of fame for all the stuff that went over to the Afghans it was a nightmare, myself and 1 Cpl were  rear party QM and had to go thru over 200 triwalls of mostly junk to ensure there was no dangerous goods.

Then I had to sort and store it all again on the other side. You're right. It was junk. It took the rest of the tour to get rid of it. I tried to send it up to him at Warehouse and they wouldn't take it. It was some of the most disgusting lawn sale reject stuff that I've ever seen. The logistics to send, and distribute, that stuff was horrendous and the end state was no more than a feel good news piece and a commendation for one individual.

 

[riggermade]

Then I had to sort and store it all again on the other side. You're right. It was junk. It took the rest of the tour to get rid of it. I tried to send it up to him at Warehouse and they wouldn't take it. It was some of the most disgusting lawn sale reject stuff that I've ever seen. The logistics to send, and distribute, that stuff was horrendous and the end state was no more than a feel good news piece and a commendation for one individual.

There was stuff so bad that the Salvation Army in Pembroke wouldn't even take it andalthough I didn't expect praise you are right one person gptthe commendation.  I wanted to take triwalls and dump on his lawn here in Pet but nobody thought that was a good idea

 

[fraserdw]

Beans versus Bullets folks, we need bullets mostest.  However, I, for one, have sent the news story to Air Canada asking them to step one to the plate.  If everyone reading this does the same guess what a little people power might do??????

Signed
Exiled in Gagetown