Sleep Well America, Moms Got the Watch

We love our moms! We love their strength, love, determination, and courage. Our moms bear our weight from the tinies bundle they protectively cradle at birth to the sullen, sulky, ungrateful teens they guide through a myriad of confidently bad decisions on our part. Eventually, we all come to the realization our moms are impressive! Our moms protect our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls.

Indeed, from our first breaths to their last a mother’s love endures. Often moms are sweet and gentle, kissing away tears and embracing us with love. But do not ever doubt the fierce warrior that lies in wait to protect us in times of need.

An elite subset of moms even extends that warrior love to protect us all. According to the Department of Defense Annual Demographics Report published December 16, 2023, females comprise 17.7 % of our current active-duty force, the report goes on to state this number has been trending upward on an annual basis. The annual demographics report is available on Military OneSource.

As a result of increasing numbers of women serving on active duty with children under 18 years of age at home, the military is adopting innovative support policies. New policies address issues like leave, lactation accommodations, and deployment.

As cited in a release by the Department of Defense, "The over 3 million women who have served in or with the armed forces since the American Revolution have contributed immensely to the strength and resilience of our armed forces," said Patricia Montes Barron, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy.

Sunday, May 11 marks Mother’s Day 2025. The fortunate moms among us will enjoy a sumptuous brunch they don’t have to prepare themselves. You bet they still had to do the grocery shopping though! How about breakfast in bed complete with sumptuous bits of eggshell for extra crunch?

However, across the globe our military moms just might be lining up in chow hall or even ripping into barely palatable MRE freeze dried scrambled eggs with chorizo and peppers… mmm delicious!

You know you can do something tangible for these moms, right? Why not open your wallet and bust out your credit card? It’s not too painful, I promise! Forgo your expensive chai latte and chocolate croissant or power bowl for a day or two, that’s all it will take. You can send one of our troops a great care package that just may up in the hands of a deserving deployed mom.

Today, we shine our spotlight on our formidable military moms. We can all sleep well tonight knowing that moms got the watch.

Special Cards from St. James the Apostle Church

Recently St. James the Apostle Church in Springfield New Jersey hosted a Day of Service for their parishioners where they worked cheerfully on special notes for our troops.

Troopathon loves to partner with churches, civic groups, and schools across the United States like St. James the Apostle to supply handmade cards filled with love and support for our care packages to our deployed troops love to see in their care packages.

St. James the Apostle Church Cards.1.JPG

Can you begin to imagine how uplifting it is for our deployed men and women to not only receive a care package filled with all sorts of treats and necessities but to also find and adorable message of support crayoned onto a homemade card made just for them?

Please join in on the fun, you don’t have to be a budding Rembrandt to send in your own homemade card, but you can always include a special message of love and support of your own when you send a care package today.

As always, our troop support packages will include all our regular great treats like cookies, premium beef jerky, aromatic gourmet coffee thanks to our Friends at San Francisco Bay Coffee, personal care items, Bombas socks, beef and turkey treats from Old Wisconsin Sausage and more.

May a Month of Military Significance

May is National Military Appreciation Month. An entire month designated to celebrate the service, sacrifice, and heroism of our troops on the front lines. Congress officially designated May as National Military Appreciation Month in 1999. This is our chance as a nation to publicly show our collective appreciation for the troops’ past and present.

You may not think about our troops every day, but we still have tens of thousands of troops deployed in hot spots around the world, or adjacent to active conflicts which always have the potential for danger or spillovers.

Within the month itself, there is a host of significant dates to remember, so check this out!

**National Nurses Week -- May 6 -May 12, 2025**
Currently there are more than 29,000 active duty nurses serving across the Armed Services, according to the Military Health System. Indeed, military nurses provide vital, often life-saving care

**V-E Day -- May 8, 1945**
Following five brutal years of conflict, German officially surrenders to Allied Forces. We take this occasion to remember Victory in Europe Day and thank all those who bravely fought for freedom.

**Military Spouse Appreciation Day -- May 9, 2025**
Our troops rest easier knowing they have a support system back home. Military spouses also serve a vital role in the well-being of our troops. Indeed, without a strong support network, many of our troops could not fulfill their mission. Here's to you, the spouses who keep the home fires burning.

**May 17,2025 -- Armed Forces Day**
So, what's the deal with Armed Forces Day? We already have Memorial Day and Veterans Day, isn't that enough? Well, Memorial Day honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, laying down their life in service to our nation. Veterans Day is to thank those who have served but have completed their military service. That brings us to Armed Service Day, a day to thank those grinding it our right now, every day for you, for me, for all of those they willingly protect and serve. Sounds worthwhile to me, so thank you, I am honored by your service!

**We Remember -- Memorial Day -- May 26, 2025**
Originally called Decoration Day and celebrated on May 30th traditionally, the current name of Memorial Day came into use following WWII and with the passage of the 1968 Uniform Holidays Bill Memorial Day moved to the final Monday in May.
**As our way of honoring those who gave all, we are also asking all our supporters to fly their flags proudly on Memorial Day, and for those who have flag poles to remember to fly your flag at half-mast**

See’s for Troops

Our See's for Soldiers program allows See's Candy locations throughout California to collect candy donations bound for the troops. For a limited time our troops will enjoy the luxurious treat of premium See’s candy in their care packages. See's Candies in our care packages delight our troops and is sure to bring sweet smiles and sweet dreams to our homesick troops.

Troopathon’s exclusive See's for Soldiers Program is one of special support efforts to bring the joy of See's Candy to our troops serving in the Middle East and around the globe.

May Photo of the Month — “A care package from the States can bring immense joy”

“A care package from the States can bring immense joy to a deployed military member.”

“Receiving a care package serves as a tangible reminder that loved ones back home are thinking of them, which can be a powerful morale booster. It's a sense of comfort and reassurance, helping to alleviate feelings of homesickness and isolation. Familiar items from home can provide a sense of normalcy, and it's wonderful to receive essential items that may be hard to find or expensive in deployment locations.
Care packages often include personal touches like handwritten letters, photos, or small mementos, which can strengthen the bond between the deployed member and their loved ones. The thought and effort put into creating a care package can make a deployed member feel loved and appreciated.
In the midst of deployment, receiving a care package can break the monotony of daily life, providing a welcome distraction and a sense of excitement. The emotional support and practical assistance provided by care packages can contribute to improved mental health and well-being for deployed military members.
Overall, a care package from the States can bring significant joy to a deployed military member, providing emotional support, practical assistance, and a sense of connection to loved ones back home.” Jay J. USAF — deployed