Dear Angels,

In this war, those who make some of the biggest sacrifices are rarely noticed. The media is not covering the steady stream of heroes who now face a new mountain to climb: healing and reassembling their lives after catastrophic injuries. As the fight has heated up in Afghanistan, the number of wounded has increased.

Supporting these heroes and their families is some of the most powerful work Angels can do, reaching out to people at the most challenging times of their lives and wrapping them in strong and protective wings as they find their bearings.

Wounded in Action

Hero Faces Biggest Fight of His Life

Severely-wounded Marine Todd Nicely's story has been on the milblogs and passed among friends who are praying for him. A group on Facebook has also been established to send him and his family their love and encouragement as they face the monumental task of recovery. Please check out the links to see how you can personally help this hero who has given almost everything in service to this country. As a triple amputee, he is going to have a long recovery and will need all the financial and mental support we can give him. [more]

Backpacks Start it All

First Response to the Wounded

With the increasing number wounded, there is a high demand for SA's First Response Backpacks. These great packs are one of the first indications wounded soldiers receive that Americans back home are thinking of them. They are distributed in-country to Combat Support Hospitals and other major facilities that treat or transport the wounded, and the thanks we receive from the wounded who get one are amazing. If you can, please help us ensure we have enough of these packs to meet the demand! [more]

Band of Angels

SA's Wounded Team Leadership, Amazing Angels

The Team of Angels that works with the wounded includes some of the most amazing Angel leaders. They all spend hours and hours dealing with terribly-wounded heroes and the families who are standing by the bedsides. Some of them pull off logistical miracles. Others literally hold the hands of more wounded soldiers than they can count, and some are the rock a family of a wounded soldier needs, or the facilitator of a great meal that lifts their spirits for awhile.

Lynette Roncin coordinates the wounded team, making sure Valour-IT laptops, grants, opportunities for a little fun, and other physical or financial support is available to wounded families and their heroes. She also heads up the WTLC Team, which showers the wounded with cards and letters of love and encouragement. Roger Godskesen works closely with deployed medical units, making sure they are stocked up on backpacks and supporting the spirits of medical personnel who are dealing with so many wounded troops. Maryann Phlilips leads Soldiers' Angels Germany at Landstuhl, the first line of Angel volunteers who wrap their wings around a wounded hero and reassure the stateside families. Kassie is our volunteer presence at Bethesda, making sure wounded and families have all the support they need from Soldiers' Angels, as does Opal Rieras at Brooke. These amazing Angel leaders form a web of support and encouragement for the wounded—their humongous hearts do more than could ever be measured!

Please keep remembering our wounded heroes, even when they are not on the front pages. And please see how you can help. Look at the "For the Wounded" section under "Teams & Projects" on the left-hand side of the Soldiers Angels website to see all the big and small ways you can get involved: www.soldiersangels.org.