IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO SEND A SERVICEMEMBER A VALENTINE
February 13, 2002

Americans who would like to send Valentine’s Day greetings to servicemembers overseas can still do so by logging on to http://OperationDearAbby.net .

This Web-based alternative to the “Any Servicemember” and “Operation Dear Abby” greeting programs, which were suspended Oct. 30, 2001, due to security concerns, has already logged nearly 400,000 messages of support or holiday greetings since its inception.

The site, powered by http://AnyServiceMember.Navy.mil , provides greetings to servicemembers of all four Services worldwide. It is a cooperative effort between the Navy’s LIFELines services network and the newspaper advice columnist.

To ensure servicemembers with limited Internet access were able to read the expressions of support and patriotism, the LIFELines staff developed a convenient download and printing process allowing the messages to be distributed.

In addition to holidays such as Valentine’s Day, the Web version of Operation Dear Abby will continue to deliver messages of support year round.