#TBT | Holiday Happiness for our Troops

It's one of our core services - an unwavering commitment to members of the U.S. military, its veterans, and their families. And it continues to grow and develop more than a century after Clara Barton first recruited nurses to support the U.S. Army.

As the holidays quickly approach, we're reminded of this commitment as we prepare to spread the season's cheer. Not far from our thoughts are those military members, their families, and the country's countless veterans. 

On this Throwback Thursday, we've pulled a 1969 article from the Northern Virginia Sun about volunteers from the Arlington County chapter assembling 1,900 ditty bags for the troops through the Red Cross "Christmas - Vietnam" program. The bags included items like voice tapes, batteries, and nail clippers for the U.S. servicemen and women in Vietnam. 

Today, the Red Cross honors the men and women of the military during this time of year through Holiday Mail for Heroes. These cards and personal messages, sent by tens of thousands of Americans, provide a welcome "touch of home" for our troops during the holiday season - messages like this one written for this little boy's heroes, the Navy SEALs. 

Read more about Holiday Mail for Heroes in this recent blog post.