Recognition

Microsoft and the USO are sponsoring awards that recognize individuals on the home front who have gone above and beyond in their work to support the troops:

Microsoft Corporation, in partnership with the United Service Organizations (USO), is recognizing the contributions of the military community - the friends, family, and other individuals who help brighten the lives of U.S. troops throughout the world - with the creation of the first annual Above and Beyond Awards.

The Above and Beyond Awards is our way of publicly honoring and thanking the outstanding commitment, exceptional service, sacrifice and achievements of individuals who have shown extraordinary dedication in brightening the lives of our troops over the past year.

They have selected a series of finalists for each award and the voting has begun. While all these individuals deserve our gratitude and honor, there are few who we would like to give our official endorsement to.

For the Effort Award, Patti Patton-Bader from Pasadena, CA:

When Patti's son Brandon was deployed to Iraq, she began sending daily care packages to him. Soon she was recruiting friends and family to send packages to the troops, which eventually led to her start a nonprofit, "Soldiers' Angels," in 2003. Since then, the group's 100,000 members have sent tens of thousands of care packages and hundreds of thousands of letters to make sure no soldier is forgotten while serving.

And for the Medical Attention Award, Walter Fricke from St. Louis Park, MN (gotta have the local angle):

A helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, Walter Fricke founded the Veteran's Airlift Command to provide free air transportation for wounded and recovering troops and veterans with their families through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots. Walt himself spent six months in a hospital 700 miles from his hometown. He realized, "my healing began in earnest when my family was able to gather the resources to make a trip to visit me." Since its founding, VAC has made 177,162 trips to reunite troops with their loved ones.

Vote early. Vote often. Vote here.