Soldiers' Angels & BAE Help Military Families Send Care Packages

FT. CAMPBELL, Ky., Nov. 20, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --For the second year in a row, Operation Patriot Care Package, spearheaded by documentarian Michael Slee, is connecting deployed soldiers and their families while chronicling deployment from both sides of military life -- the homefront and the frontlines.  This time, Soldiers' Angels and defense contractor BAE Systems have joined the team to show military families and their soldiers how much support they have from their fellow Americans.

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On Monday, volunteers and staff from Soldiers' Angels and BAE joined families of deployed soldiers from Ft. Campbell to stuff Holiday care packages and give the families an opportunity to spend time with each other as people going through the same challenges.  This is the first step in a process of following the experiences of both the deployed soldiers and their families at home, which is a surprise for the unit itself and includes Slee's trip to Afghanistan this morning to film them.

"I come from a military family," says Slee.  "I know what it's like when Dad's gone and Mom is 'Dad.'"  Recognizing that unlike their deployed heroes, the families at home don't always have a mission to distract them from the pain and fear of deployment, Slee created Operation Patriot Care Package to "give the families a mission and bring them together with people who understand -- that's the purpose behind the effort.  Not only do they fill packages, but via video they see the arrival and opening of the packages, and how much the gifts are appreciated."

The project's goal is already partially realized, according to military wife Jessica, who attended the packing event.  "It's an amazing experience to know that we're able to contribute…It makes us feel good to think that they're going to have a smile on their faces over there," she says.

Slee spent three days with the families, documenting their homefront experiences and covering a family with a soldier on leave.  Video from the families and the packing activities are distributed by PathFire and additional video will be available throughout Slee's trip, with the full documentary to come.  Updates will be posted regularly at patriotcarepackage.com.

Soldiers' Angels is an award-winning 501(c)(3) with hundreds of thousands of volunteers providing aid and comfort to members of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans and military families through a wide variety of hands-on projects and volunteerism. For more information:  www.soldiersangels.org  or 615-676-0239.

SOURCE Soldiers' Angels