Hey Gang!!
The ANY SOLDIER 2007 Calendar is now accepting orders! What a great way to support our deployed troops by supporting AnySoldier.com.
Wait til you see the fantastic pictures submitted by our troops–even Capt B and yours truly are in it! Over 1,000 photos were originally submitted. Click here to go to the “Where to send” page and then scroll down the page until you see the order form. Here is a sample page thanks to Gunn Nutt. Let’s all support the troops by supporting AnySoldier!
Semper Fi,
Taco
The SandGram 
August 17, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Woohoo! Look at that calendar! 🙂
August 17, 2006 at 3:24 pm
Looking Good!!!
No better way to mark time….order some for your anysoldier soldier’s care box!!
August 17, 2006 at 3:56 pm
I just ordered mine!!!
August 17, 2006 at 4:11 pm
Oh yeah! Nancy waded thru thousands of pictures and Taco Mamma actually did 95% of the layout work on this project – so ALL HAIL Nancy and Mamma!
August 17, 2006 at 5:10 pm
Thank you! This is really great…my credit card says “ouch” now!
August 17, 2006 at 5:16 pm
In fact I just went back and ordered 2 more…going to send them to my state senators…so they have a reminder…each and every day!
August 17, 2006 at 5:32 pm
Bridget,
Outstanding idea, I my Senators need one too, in fact my Rep could use one as well.
Sam
.
.
PS Taco, I was sure your hot fanny would be in it! (Thanks Mrs. Taco for sharing just a little!!!)
August 17, 2006 at 9:21 pm
Ya couldn’t stop at hundreds of pictures, could ya Nancy. Nope “doing it for the troops” means you “had to” wade through thousands…of…pictures…of…..young…fit…men
…in…uniform…
Your patriotism is truly awesome LOL
PS How many pictures did you have to go back to for a second look???
Seriously – thanks to ALL who are making this a reality. Great oaks from small acorns grow…
August 18, 2006 at 12:26 am
I ordered three!
August 18, 2006 at 1:12 am
I think it’s an awesome idea to send these to your senators. I’m almost ashamed I didn’t think of that myself! ha! Oh, and GunnNutt…take some credit for this calendar, too!
August 18, 2006 at 1:29 am
Karen I.’s x-ray vision returned so she order three, too.
August 18, 2006 at 3:14 am
I second Nancy’s comment about Gunn Nutt!! We have been quite a team here!!
August 18, 2006 at 4:10 am
TM & GN Great Job! I can’t wait to see the whole thing up close…
Thanks for all the work you put into it…..it’s going to be a big success!!
August 18, 2006 at 1:57 pm
This is SOOO exciting to see the calendar come to fruition. Nancy, Mama T, Gunn, we’d love to hear snippets now & then about all that actually went into this labor of love. Maybe even some enticing shots once in awhile of the pics that “almost made the cut” so we have an idea of what’s in store for us.
I can see our calendar purchase opportunities really snowballing. Not only the fabulous idea of sending it to politicians, but what about sending them to our local elementary schools and churches to get more adopt-a-troop because the guys love those school letters so much. Think I’ll order another 5 right now!!!
And I can envision next year’s calendar including a few family pics – a soldier and his Mom; a grunt and his newborn daughter; the possibilities are endless.
And you better start thinking NOW about how you’re gonna handle all our requests (demands??)to be on the selection committee next year – especially once you start telling us the details from this year. I can do late nights … I’m not sleeping anyway. Neither are Karen and Bridget 🙂
August 18, 2006 at 2:24 pm
Sammy D,it was a monumental job to do all the winowing according to Nancy at AnySoldier. She worked on it for several months before getting it to us. Thank goodness no one, to my knowledge, submitted anything like the picture my own son posted here, but there are some wonderful shots. For instance, one month highlights children because we could not turn any of them down! As a result, we have four pictures on the page. They are precious!
I love your ideas for next year–keep them coming! We will welcome all suggestions! Especially on how to market the calendar.
August 18, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Any way “advance copies” or samples could be sent to Fox News, CNN etc to get the word out now for placing orders?? Probably Nancy is already on top of that !! Nancy, if you need me to “buy” a few advance copies for something like that, post here and I’ll get a check to you through Marty.
August 18, 2006 at 3:50 pm
Yep..been working on mailing some media on this and hoping to get a good response. Thanks for the ideas and the kudos! I couldn’t have asked for a better team to work on this with.
August 18, 2006 at 4:30 pm
Nancyofanysoldier…How about letting Military.com or the other military family support sites know about the calendar..if you haven’t already.
August 19, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Thanks, Bridget. Yes, I’ve been doing my best to get it out there to certain sites such as Marine Parents United, MilitaryNews.com and any other organization that I know will want to participate in this fundraiser by purchasing some calendars!
August 19, 2006 at 1:02 pm
What if you made up a flyer to send with each calendar advertising for next year’s? One that your supporters could hang up say at the library, grocery store or license bureau? Or maybe post a copy of a flyer for this year on anysoldier.com that we could download, print, and hang up for this yearf?
August 19, 2006 at 3:46 pm
Heck I think the folks at the local PO ought to buy a calendar…I’ve been keeping our branch office in business and out of priority boxes for the last couple years! They definitely know about the program…a flyer would be extra work but a good idea! (Oh and by the way….priority box from Wichita to Baghdad..4 days…has happened several times…just amazes me!…Longer to other places but wow!)
August 19, 2006 at 10:16 pm
Bridget…you’re in Kansas! I’m in Nebraska. Not so far away from each other!!!!
Thought I’d give you guys a quick Gerberhead update. Brian goes to MEPS in Des Moines tomorrow night and goes through all the “fun” stuff on Monday.
His choices are…drum roll please….
1. Military Intel (32 or 36 weeks
in Dam Neck, Virginia)
2. Data Systems
3. Aviation Ops
Please keep him in your thoughts on Monday!
August 19, 2006 at 10:34 pm
Will do, Mrs.455 He sounds like like sweet and imaginative little Gerberhead. They gave him some great choices too. I wouldn’t know what to pick.My very best to you both.
August 19, 2006 at 11:34 pm
Mrs. 455,
He can pick intel just like that? Is he going in as enlisted or officer?? I’ve been trying to get into the Navy as an intel officer since March and you would not believe all the brick walls I’ve run up against!
August 19, 2006 at 11:52 pm
Anon…
He is supposed to be “guaranteed” a spot in intel as long as he passes everything including the background checks, etc. I can’t remember exactly but there was something about only so many openings available, and Brian got in just in time. It wasn’t even his first choice until a couple of weeks ago, and then he started talking to a couple of guys who are actually doing it and got hooked. Heck, Brian was originally going AF until the recruiter didn’t do his job. His scores on all his tests qualified him for just about anything USMC offers. The recruiter was all but drooling when Brian started talking to him. I have told Brian he’s not to sign ANYTHING at MEPS unless he’s certain he’s getting what he wants, but then again..the military will do with you what it wants anyway.
August 19, 2006 at 11:53 pm
And to answer the rest of your question…he’ll go in as enlisted. He’ll graduate high school in May 2007 and leave for bootcamp in July. If everything goes well on Monday that is!
August 20, 2006 at 1:55 am
If 1000 pix were submitted and we had a desk calendar, we could have 3 on a page and get everybody in. In that case I’d be too busy to enforce and /encourage the enforcement of the afore mentioned criteria.(Don’t tell Wang the Second.
August 20, 2006 at 2:28 am
mrs455 very cool for Brian!
We’ll keep him in our thoughts. (and his mama too!) Some good choices there!
August 20, 2006 at 12:53 pm
Mrs. 455 – Tony saw your post at Cap’t B’s site and he’s rendered speechless that you’d write back to him. I’m his bud & since his usual “yo” won’t adequately express his feelings, he asked me to write.
You and Brian both deserve the thanks of our entire nation for Brian’s decision to enlist. I’m sure the decision has not been easy, especially for you, to know the hardships your son will face. We will always be here for both of you, and if Brian is ever deployed, he should warn his superiors that they will need a separate building to store all the letters and packages he will receive from his supporters.
If you don’t start your own blog soon, please keep us posted here as Brian makes his way thru his senior year (INCLUDING a pic with the cowboy hat…PLEASE???) and into military life. As we church ladies like to say, you’re part of the “AnyMarine.com family” now, and we’re always here to listen, encourage, and support.
PS Bridget & Mrs. 455 – I’m just west of the plains in Colorado… Marty tells me he and his wife have fond memories of their years in Denver and I keep telling him we need an AnyS/M reunion here sometime. Get the 7-10 earliest contacts (remember them, ladies?); some of our favorite contacts along the way; the calendar “models”; the church sewing circle; the Tacos; the Cap’t and his Dog; all their families … Could be fun… (Did I just hear Nancy groan something about TOO MANY BUBBLING PROJECTS??)
Anyhoo, today my flag flies especially for you, Mrs. 455, and our newest Gerberhead Brian.
August 20, 2006 at 1:21 pm
The motto for the afore mentioned proposed desk calendar could be
“Don’t be an athletic supporter, be an AnyS/M supporter!”
August 20, 2006 at 2:09 pm
And on a SUNDAY morning, Karen… Shame LOL
August 20, 2006 at 2:16 pm
Tony’s bud!
Thanks to you and the others for the words of encouragement for Brian. I think he was understandably nervous when he left this morning. Big decisions for a 17 year old! I think he’s floored everybody with the decision he made. The recruiter has arranged a meeting tonight with a Sergeant Major who is in military intel. Brian has talked with him on one occasion, and I think he’s excited about meeting him tonight. I wish Brian had gotten a haircut before he left!
I had thought about starting a blog, but Taco will tell you that some of my letters are mind-numbing at best! Bathroom reading material most of them! I’m sure he’s rolled his eyes on more than one occasion at what I’ve written.
I was just in Colorado a few weeks ago. I took three donkeys I had rehabbed to a rescue there to be adopted out. Maybe taking two more soon! The place is just outside of Denver. I miss Colorado!
August 20, 2006 at 3:30 pm
Mrs455,
I am so proud to welcome you to the ranks of Marine Moms! Guess our phone conversation didn’t scare you away! Tell your son that we are so proud of his decision to serve our country and especially the US Marine Corps.
August 21, 2006 at 12:37 am
Samantha if I may….
Mrs455 check out the letter to a military wife on the blog “Samantha Speaks” in the links on Taco’s main page…Sam wrote one heck of a wonderful letter to all military wives and mothers…just great…and her words say what we all believe.
Thank you to all military families……And Tony’s Bud…I definitely think we need a mid-west/rockies gathering!….
now back to your regular programming…
August 23, 2006 at 1:12 pm
WHOO HOO!
Taco’s offering up some signed copies. I ordered mine yesterday, along with Capt. B’s.
October 20, 2006 at 4:32 pm
I ordered two, one for me and one for a Christmas gift for a friend.
It will have to share wall space with my Marine Corps 2007 calendar. Heaven help me if the Army, Navy and Air Force come out with one!