Subscriptions for Soldiers Remembers U.S. Veterans November 11

Organization gives free magazines to service members overseas with support of the American public.

Atlanta, GA -- Subscriptions for Soldiers is calling on the American public this Veterans Day to remember those who served in the past and the soldiers who put their lives in danger today to ensure the safety of the country. Citizens have the opportunity to sponsor an active-deployed service member’s request for their favorite magazine subscription by simply visiting www.subs4soldiers.com and making a $10 donation.

Launched by Magazines.com in April of 2008, Subscriptions for Soldiers provides free magazines to soldiers serving overseas. For active-deployed service members, receiving a monthly magazine can boost morale in stressful times and serve as a source of entertainment and a connection to home. “At the heart of Subscriptions for Soldiers is a campaign to connect service members, those they serve and the life we all cherish,” says Jay Clarke, president and CEO of Magazines.com. “Veterans Day is a time for people to remember our troops and give back to the men and women serving our country.”

Celebrated each year on November 11, Veterans Day has a long history in America and is an opportunity for citizens to celebrate the bravery and personal sacrifice of U.S. veterans. Now nearing its 90th anniversary, Veterans Day first began in 1918 on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month. After four years of World War I, an armistice was signed and the "war to end all wars" was over. Today, the national holiday is a time to remember those who sacrificed everything to serve their country, and the men and women who continue to carry out the brave and honorable task of service as the war in the Middle East enters its sixth year.

Through the years, there have been many differences between wars fought and generations of service members, but one thing remains the same: service members still long for messages from home.

Veterans Through The Years

In 1944, Jimmy Gentry of Franklin, Tenn. was 18 years old and joined the U.S. Army to serve in World War II with the 42nd Infantry Division. “Back then, the only thing we had to look forward to was a letter from home,” Gentry says. Gentry fought in France, Germany and Belgium, and was one of the first liberators at the infamous Dachau concentration camp. For him, Veterans Day is a time to pay respect to those who didn’t come home. “On Veterans Day, I think of my brother, the six classmates and 110 other soldiers I fought with who lost their lives while serving in World War II.”

Phil Jones of Peachtree City, Ga., served as a pilot with the U.S. Air Force from 1969 to 1977, and flew in war zones during the Vietnam War, a war that scarred the face of American patriotism. Jones remembers his homecoming at 3 a.m. at San Francisco Airport and the faces of distain and eyes of contempt that greeted him. “It wasn’t the joyous welcome home we had all been hoping for,” Jones said. While Jones dedicated eight years of his life to serve his country, he feels humbled by the service of his Vietnam comrades and his father who served in WWII, The Berlin Airlift, Korea and Vietnam. “On Veterans Day, I remember my father’s service.” Since Vietnam, American citizens have rebuilt a culture of patriotism that supports service members even in times of political disagreement. “People have found a way to support the troops while being able to have a healthy concern for the war itself,” Jones says.

In 1991 Gary Barksdale of Lexington, Ky. was deployed to Desert Storm with the U.S. Army National Guard. The war received much attention, and soldiers treasured letters and care packages from loved ones at home. “I can’t even begin to tell you how much we enjoyed hearing from our friends and family while serving overseas in Desert Storm,” says retired Maj. Barksdale. “Everything we received, we shared. We passed around old newspapers, magazines, books and letters, all of which reminded us that we were being supported by our country.” The importance of being remembered and supported still rings clear with Barksdale today. “Our soldiers who are fighting overseas need morale support from home to help them get through tough times.”

As fighting continues in Iraq and Afghanistan, a new generation is making the sacrifice to serve their country. Sgt. Jonathan Wardell is based in Ft. Bragg, N.C. and joined the Army at the age of 23 in 2005 as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division. Serving two tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Wardell’s words resonate with those veterans who fought before him. “Getting a package from home was the one thing we had to look forward to,” Wardell recalls. “We spent months sleeping in ditches, fighting in tough terrain and trapped in a foreign country. We felt isolated, and any reminder of America was like a light at the end of a dark tunnel.” Like many other veterans, Veterans Day for Wardell is a time to think of fellow comrades and be thankful for the simple pleasures of home, like a magazine, that give soldiers overseas a taste of America.

This Veterans Day, please visit www.subs4soldiers.com and show your support to a service member overseas with a monthly reminder of home.

About Subscriptions for Soldiers

Launched by Magazines.com in April 2008, Subscriptions for Soldiers provides citizens and corporate sponsors the opportunity to show support to troops deployed overseas by sponsoring a magazine subscription. Service members sign up for free one-year subscriptions at www.subs4servicemembers.com. Subscriptions for Soldiers then pairs that service member’s request with a subscription sponsor. Individuals who want to sponsor a service member’s subscription visit www.subs4soldiers.com and make a donation of $10 or more to give a free subscription to a service member overseas. For more information on Subscriptions for Soldiers, visit www.subs4soldiers.com or call (800) 673-1289.

About Magazines.com

Magazines.com is a privately-held company based in Franklin, Tenn. Major investors in Magazines.com are Anderson Media, one of the top U.S. wholesale distributors of magazines, music, books, and videos and Time Inc., publisher of People, Sports Illustrated and Time magazines.

With more than 1,900 titles available, Magazines.com offers people a fun, easy way to discover new magazines and helps them track subscriptions. Magazines.com is the leading independent agent selling subscriptions, serving customers online at www.magazines.com and by telephone at 800-MAGAZINES (800-624-2946.)

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