Kindle for Troops can use your old Kindle

[HarryT]

No, we will leave it here so that those interested, and who wish to support the "Kindle for Troops" programme are able to see it.

If you'd like to discuss the "political" side of whether or not Kindles SHOULD be sent to troops, please feel free to start a new thread in the P&R forum for the purpose. We welcome such discussions there.

Thanks.

[Harry_Y]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

This is a great idea! I'm always donating to various charities that support both active military and our vets. Currently, I'm knitting helmet liners for the troops.

I know where my K2 and K3 are going once I get my K4 Touch.

Thank you, My wife is a Quilter and makes quilts for our disabled vets.

Your love and support will be remembered by those troops for years to come.

[Grimm]

Having done the Iraq deployment thing myself I can say this would be greatly appreciated, regardless of what some... people... in this thread might think; of course they haven't deployed so they have no idea what we do or why we do it, regardless of what their daddy says (hint: he doesn't speak for all of us) and do not have access to over there.

[johnnyb]

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, we will leave it here so that those interested, and who wish to support the "Kindle for Troops" programme are able to see it.

If you'd like to discuss the "political" side of whether or not Kindles SHOULD be sent to troops, please feel free to start a new thread in the P&R forum for the purpose. We welcome such discussions there.

Thanks.

I'm interested in the logic of this: Isn't asking for donations already a political statement insofar as it clearly states: "It is good to send donations"?

[HarryT]

Moderator Notice
This is your final warning: stop trying to derail this thread or you WILL be banned from this site.

[WT Sharpe]

We mean that.

[abookreader]

Just to let people know - I received an acknowledgment for my paypal donation saying that each Kindle they send out gets paired with an Amazon gift card and a cover that has been donated by M-Edge.

So even if you can only make it small donation it will help with funding those gift cards.

[texasnightowl]

Originally Posted by abookreader

Just to let people know - I received an acknowledgment for my paypal donation saying that each Kindle they send out gets paired with an Amazon gift card and a cover that has been donated by M-Edge.

So even if you can only make it small donation it will help with funding those gift cards.

Thanks for mentioning this. I had looked at the page but they don't take K1's (I guess since it was Sprint before the switch to AT&T?). But the paypal donation is a possibility.

[Harry_Y]

Originally Posted by abookreader

Just to let people know - I received an acknowledgment for my paypal donation saying that each Kindle they send out gets paired with an Amazon gift card and a cover that has been donated by M-Edge.

So even if you can only make it small donation it will help with funding those gift cards.

Thank you for the update

[covfam]

johnnyb, you make it sound like they are made of money.

Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks makes $15,080 a year.

Poverty level in 2011 is $26,170 for a household income supporting five (two adults & three children).

Let us examine the likely averages soldier in the USA. This individual begins a 4 year tour as an E-2 (private) making $17,496/year, and ends his 4 year tour as an E-4 (coporal) making $25,476/year, assuming that everything goes perfectly. My personal experience that the average soldier works an average of 60hr/wk rather than the typical 40hr/wk.

When these increased work hours are included, the average pay over the four years is $6.85/hr, less than federal minimun wage. So basicly more than 75% of the US soldiers make a little more than the average Mcdonalds high school student.

Interesting, that a US soldier supporting a family, will typically fall right above or right below the poverty level in the US.

So yes it is a good thing for charities and other entities to donate and support our troops.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by covfam

johnnyb, you make it sound like they are made of money.

Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks makes $15,080 a year.

Poverty level in 2011 is $26,170 for a household income supporting five (two adults & three children).

Let us examine the likely averages soldier in the USA. This individual begins a 4 year tour as an E-2 (private) making $17,496/year, and ends his 4 year tour as an E-4 (coporal) making $25,476/year, assuming that everything goes perfectly. My personal experience that the average soldier works an average of 60hr/wk rather than the typical 40hr/wk.

When these increased work hours are included, the average pay over the four years is $6.85/hr, less than federal minimun wage. So basicly more than 75% of the US soldiers make a little more than the average Mcdonalds high school student.

Interesting, that a US soldier supporting a family, will typically fall right above or right below the poverty level in the US.

So yes it is a good thing for charities and other entities to donate and support our troops.

Well yeah, but if you're gonna do that you need to include benefits as well, housing, subsidized food, supplies, clothing etc. depending on the specific situation.

[Harry_Y]

Originally Posted by covfam

johnnyb, you make it sound like they are made of money.

Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks makes $15,080 a year.

Poverty level in 2011 is $26,170 for a household income supporting five (two adults & three children).

Let us examine the likely averages soldier in the USA. This individual begins a 4 year tour as an E-2 (private) making $17,496/year, and ends his 4 year tour as an E-4 (coporal) making $25,476/year, assuming that everything goes perfectly. My personal experience that the average soldier works an average of 60hr/wk rather than the typical 40hr/wk.

When these increased work hours are included, the average pay over the four years is $6.85/hr, less than federal minimun wage. So basicly more than 75% of the US soldiers make a little more than the average Mcdonalds high school student.

Interesting, that a US soldier supporting a family, will typically fall right above or right below the poverty level in the US.

So yes it is a good thing for charities and other entities to donate and support our troops.

The average Deployed Sailor works about 84 hrs a week
(Actually more since I'm not counting Watches and Drills)

So an E-4 would be getting paid $5.84 per hr.

But he also gets to eat those Free Meals in the chow halls (oh Yum)
and he gets free room in board (in a space about 2 foot x 2 foot x 6 foot).

And for that you get to be gone for months on end, but on the bright side
you don't have to worry about all those pesky things like being able to tuck
your kids in at night, or being able to take a normal shower, etc.



If you do nothing else ever for these Men and Women,
say a prayer for them, and when you see them Thank Them.

I am a Vet and I am so grateful to our active duty personnel.

To those with Children, spouses, or even parents in the military, to You
I want to say Thank you, I realize that you also are making a sacrifice.

[Grimm]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Well yeah, but if you're gonna do that you need to include benefits as well, housing, subsidized food, supplies, clothing etc. depending on the specific situation.

Clothing only applies to uniforms, you buy your own clothes otherwise out of your paycheck. You really need to clarify what you mean by "supplies" because other than job specific gear we are not given any "supplies" unless it's directly related to deploying and that usually mean stuff to help keep you alive, e.g. helmet, protective vest, "war gear"; as for things like toiletries and personal items, you buy your own.

As for housing you're either in a barracks/dormitory room with a roommate, base housing (in both cases you do NOT get any funds for housing contrary to popular belief and you live where they put you), or you go outside the base and pay for your own housing with a housing allowance (which is a set amount, anything over comes out of your pocket).

I did the Active Duty thing for 8 years in the USAF and now I'm an E-6 in the Air Nat'l Guard and have been outside the wire numerous times in Iraq, been through the sniper, mortar and rocket attacks that occur on a weekly basis so I do have some experience with the things you mentioned.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by abookreader

Just to let people know - I received an acknowledgment for my paypal donation saying that each Kindle they send out gets paired with an Amazon gift card and a cover that has been donated by M-Edge.

So even if you can only make it small donation it will help with funding those gift cards.

Wow, they also get a cover! Very nice.

[Blossom]

My hubby was a E-4 in the USAF. It's not alot of money they give you and out of the base stations you are lucky to get into base housing. We got in once and sure that is the paid for along with utilities but it comes with it's own headaches. There are rules and regulations and lawn care you have to do yourself. People coming in and out unannounced, House Inspections...etc You also need to be ready to tear down and move within 3 days. We never got more then a week's notice where we was going next.

Moving costs alone could suck your budget out. They paid for some of it but not all.

As for food, you're not always near the chow hall unless deployed so you have take your lunch. He was given $8 to eat on a day and we're lucky we don't have kids as I don't know how those who do did it all the time. I defiantly learn how to be frugal back then!