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WASHINGTON, May 11, 2006 – The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is making it easy for anyone to honor America's troops with "Gifts from the Homefront" gift certificates. Anyone, even non-authorized exchange customers, can send these gift certificates to military servicemembers serving in operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom.
On May 20, 1950, the first Armed Forces Day was celebrated by parades, open houses, receptions and air shows. It was a day for the military to show state-of-the-art equipment to the civilian population they were protecting, and a day to honor the people of the Armed Forces of the United States.
This year, Armed Forces Day again falls on May 20, but many of the honorees will not be at home to celebrate it with their families.
"Receiving confirmation that Americans back home are thinking of you while you're far from home is critical to good morale," AAFES Chief of Corporate Communication Army Lt. Col. Debra Pressley said. "Send a gift certificate to a soldier through aafes.org, or when you see a person in military uniform, shake their hand and say thank you for serving our country."
Gifts from the Homefront gift certificates may be redeemed at any AAFES exchange worldwide, including 52 BX/PX facilities throughout OEF/OIF. Troops use the certificates to purchase items ranging from personal-care items, sodas, candy and snacks, to DVDs, televisions or video games.
Those wishing to send a Gift from the Homefront can log on to aafes.org or call (877) 770-4438 to purchase gift certificates in $5, $10, $20, $25 or $50 denominations. From there, the Gift from the Homefront may be distributed to "any servicemember" through the Air Force Aid Society, American Red Cross, Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, Fisher House, Operation Homefront, Operation Interdependence, Soldier and Family Assistance Center, or United Service Organizations, or sent to a specific servicemember designated by the purchaser.
(From an Army and Air Force Exchange Service news release.)
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