Military Mailings, Part 2 Updated

The other mail project that kept me busy was my "Mail for _____ Paul" initiative.  My brother, as it happens, is actually a mail carrier.  I decided that I would get famous people to write to him because mail from your sister is lame and probably gets old real quick, because a mailman should get mail, and because I had a lot of time on my hands.  It totally worked.

I essentially had a form letter that I would modify specific to each recipient.  I included my letter and a photo of my brother at his deployment along with his APO address and a stamp so that it wouldn't cost them more than some time.  Each letter was hand written on my special Crane stationery.  I started with local notables.  

I wrote to the mayor of the city he lives in: success.  

I wrote to the mayor of the city I live in and got him to write to my parents.  

I wrote to Buddy Cianci: success.  

I wrote to his childhood hero, Cal Ripken Jr. ... and eventually I called him.  And called.  And while they did not respond until the end of his deployment, and not with something personalized, a lovely, lovely woman did send him a nice keepsake that was signed.  I sent that woman a thank you note.

I was thisclose to getting a letter from Ben Folds of Ben Folds Five.  So close that Ben Folds himself sent me a DM on Twitter.  I had apparently sent the letter to his old management company.  Even though I was able to get a second letter faxed to the right company, Ben never followed through, much to my disappointment.

I wrote to the one and only Seth MacFarlane, RISD graduate and creator of Family Guy, a cartoon based in a fictional RI town.  I state for the record that Seth MacFarlane is the man!  He sent a personalized sketch to my brother in Afghanistan.  My epic success, I felt like a rock star. I was so thrilled I sent Seth a thank you note with pictures of my brother coming home, which I hope he has pinned up somewhere because he's just that nice.

I wrote to the Farrelly Brothers, legendary RI movie makers, who eventually sent my brother each of their movies on DVD.  That box made it to Afghanistan after my brother got home, but they still responded.  That reminds me I need to ask him if he had them sent back here.

I wrote to Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs: No response.  Bummer.  I am a huge fan of his.

This has been on my mind in recent days because a different unit from my brothers base has been sent off this week for a 10 month deployment.  I miss sending those packages of food and I wonder if any of those 150 men and women will need mail.  Not everyone has a sister, or a family, or a special someone who will make sure to send a little bit of home as often as they can.  Some members of our military receive nothing the entire time they are deployed and I really can't think of anything more sad than that.

I am going to email my old contact at the base and ask if anyone who just left, who may be lacking in family or friend support, is in need of some mail.  It's a very small way to try to pay back a very big thing.


USPS FAQ on Military Mail

Guidelines and Restrictions