On Fourth of July, I wrote about the lack of support our soldiers were receiving in the form of letters and care packages. The Americans have groups like Soldiers' Angels, and we do not. I was under the impression that it was due to apathy and disinterest where our military is concerned, so I tried to drum up some support. Boy, did I get support! Dozens of emails from you, telling me how you would love to get involved in something like this, and where can you sign up. It was very heartening, and I wish the soldeirs themselves could see some of the emails I received.

I spoke last week to the Deployment Director at Petawawa. Told him of my plans, asked how it could be instituted, and gave him some details regarding the American programs. And then I hit the wall. I can't believe I didn't see it coming... Red tape. "Blah blah, your heart and your intentions are in the right place..." and "I'll see what I can do, but it might be months before I get an answer, and it may not be the one you are hoping for..."

Apparently, this brilliant idea of mine has to go before a commission on military security. Seriously. I want to send these guys letters and cards, and the very idea has to pass a commission. Gay marriage didn't spend that much time being debated!

So I decided that perhaps I would be better off if I did something similar to the Angels program, where soldiers or their friends and family sent their name in to an organization's main address, and that soldier was assigned an Angel. I would start a Canadian Angels board.

So far I have not had the chance to bang something together - and I'm still holding out hope that the Deployment Director can get the bureaucrats to sign here, here and initial here on my plan to work through them, the way the 82nd Airborne does it.

And then, on July 5th, I received an email from an organization called Angels'n'Camouflage. It brought tears to my eyes, their devotion that no soldier, veteran, or incarcerated vet should be forgotten or feel unloved. Even us Canucks! When these kind Angels heard of my plight, they sent notes out to their members and soldiers:

In your next mail call letters, please pass along the following to
your adoptees: If you know of any Canadian Troops that would like to
be a part of Angels 'n Camouflage, please tell them that we are here
for them with open arms and all they need to do is get signed up!!

If any of you have a brother, sister, child or friend serving in the Canadian Armed Forces overseas (or UK forces, too! They are just as forgotten), they deserve support. Please sign them up to Angels'n'Camouflage! These wonderful American ladies will do what our own government and military is too bogged down in red tape to do: care.

Click here to join the Angels'n'Camouflage or Soldiers' Angels.