Jan 19, 2011
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As of Jan.16th VFW Operation Uplink™ “Free Call Day” (FCD) surpassed 5 million connections made from deployed military personnel to their loved ones. Operation Uplink initially provided calling cards to deployed and hospitalized troops, but on Mother's Day 2006, due to the growing popularity of the program and thanks to the generosity of corporate donors like Sport Clips and Harleysville Insurance, the program began hosting "Free Call Days."
Operation Uplink hosts a Free Call Day for service members serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and hospitalized veterans, giving them the opportunity to call their loved ones in the States at no cost.
Free Call Days are available at more than 700 MWR internet cafes using SPAWAR. Soldiers use their regular SPAWAR prepaid PIN number and use regular dialing procedures, if they don’t have a PIN, on the day of the FCD, the café manager can issue them one. A sponsor message greets them before the call is placed to inform them that the call is at no charge and they are free to talk for as long as they are able.
The program is the only one of its kind and provides two designated days each month where deployed service members making calls from their Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR) center to the U.S., and Germany and Italy land lines are greeted by a recording which states their call will be free courtesy of Operation Uplink. Members of the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary VFW Posts, as well as other caring citizens generously support the program. The VFW is proud of Operation Uplink because it provides an easy way for individuals and organizations to make an immediate difference in the lives of active-duty military personnel.
Click here if you or your corporation is interested in sponsoring a Free Call Day! Contact John Lowe of the VFW Foundation at (816) 756-3390 or at Jlowe@vfw.org with any questions.