So how do ya handle calls like.......

[Dennis Peacock]

Caller:
I have a son in the military. He is part of the xxTH and going to Iraq in about XX days. I would like to get one of those Freedom Pens to give him before he leaves home.

Or

Caller: My son, Sgt Fuzzy Wuzzy, is supposed to be leaving for Iraq in xx days and I would like to give him a Freedom Pen before he leaves for Iraq.

I have people coming out of the "wood" wanting pens to give my son/daughter......and they want them for $2.50......

My problem/question?

How can I turn in the number of pens I ordered for accountability
purposes if I make Freedom Pens for troops leaving soon?

How can I be "sure" that what they are saying is true and that I don't just have someone who wants a nice pen for little or nothing.??

If ya'll say it is OK to turn and give out these pens, then I have a LOT more work to do and will loose accountability for the FPP.

Please advise.

[Aaron Koehl]

Dennis,

This is a sticky issue- since we plan for every troop to have a pen, rushing to give them out before they leave will allow troops to get more than one, while others get none.

This is part of the, "I want my pen to go to a specific troop," the logistics of which are impossible. So, official Freedom Pen distribution and tracking go through HRO and its liaisons with the military. Anything else should be done separately and independent of materials keyed for the Freedom Pen Project.

If someone wants a pen for a specific soldier, including ones that won't be shipped, those transactions are separate from the Freedom Pen Program, and should be independent of the resources earmarked for shipping. These pens would then be personally made pens and not marketed under the Freedom Pens Project.

Keith?

_Aaron_

[Keith Outten]

Dennis,

I had a simular situation when asked by the Army to consider giving pens to those who are returning from deployment. I felt that the real reason for giving Freedom Pens was to boost morale of our troops on the ground in harms way, these are the people who are at risk of losing their lives every day.

Soldiers returning home don't have low morale and consequently soldiers who have not been deployed can't possibly appreciate the gift until they have served in a combat zone. My directive to the Army was to make sure our pens were given to our troops in combat zones, this way they will have more meaning and provide more comfort.

Since we can't make pens for everyone in our military service and our goal of making pens for everyone in a combat zone is already a very tough goal to accomplish I think that we need to stay on course with our original plan. Anyone who wants or needs a Freedom Pen for a special person that contacts me I send to Ken Salisbury, Ken can make the decision. I did make an exception last week when requested to send a pen to the widow of one of our soldiers, that pen will be shipped tomorrow morning from the Hampton Roads Online office. Dennis you will have to evaluate each request as it comes and make a decision. If you contact Ken and provide the details I'm shure he will adjust your pen kit numbers if it is for a good cause.

If every member of SawMill Creek would make Freedom Pens we would be able to give them to everyone in uniform.

[Ken Salisbury]

I agree with Keith's assessment of this situation. You will have to be your own judge in this regard. I have had several requests like you have had. In one case I just gave the person a pen and in another case I sold them a pen at a reduced cost from my own stock and got a small donation from them for the program.

You will just have to judge the worth of such requests on their own merit. I will take care of the kit numbers for you.