[comp.mail.misc] Saudi Connection Network Relay - Messages to Troops

epeterso@houligan.encore.com (Eric Peterson) (02/15/91)

I saw this on a Bitnet mailing list and thought it might of general
interesting, especially since this topic was brought up in alt.bbs
recently ...

fwp1@CC.MsState.Edu writes:

| E-Mail to Troops in the Persian Gulf Area - Not really a list
| 
| Editor's Note:     I have received inquiries about a network address to
|                 use for mail to troops in Operation Desert Storm.
|                 While not a mailing list, there is probably enough
|                 interest in some countries to post the following.
|                    Besides the service mentioned below, GE Information
|                 Services is offering a free service on their GEnie
|                 network.  For more information you may contact
|                 GEnie in the US at 1-800-638-9636.  The GEnie
|                 service requires that you call a GEnie dial-in modem
|                 and sign onto their "Letters from Home" service.
|                    Please note that in both cases the services are
|                 probably subject to interruption or delays without
|                 notice.  Be sure to provide all the information
|                 provided.  I have no information on how these
|                 services are actually working at present.   Marty Hoag
| 
|     Date: 13 Dec 90 13:15:43 U
|     From: George Bennet <George_Bennet@Admin.MsState.EDU>
|     Subject: Desert Shield mail
| 
|     ...
|            A drop-box address has been established at
|     saudi-connection@Ra.MsState.Edu to route personal messages to
|     U.S. military personnel involved in Operation Desert Shield.
|          Since there is presently no known direct internet route to
|     Saudi Arabia, these messages will be uploaded to the Saudi
|     Connection, a BBS network. Traffic on the Saudi Connection ends up
|     with a sysop in Saudi Arabia who prints the messages on a laser
|     printer and delivers them to the U.S. military postal system
|     there.
|          Although the routing is very complex, these messages are now
|     being delivered to the addressee in Saudi Arabia in less than a
|     week. In comparison, there have been reports that snail-mail is
|     taking six to 10 weeks.
|          While the contents of these messages are not available for
|     public viewing, they are also not private. One or more sysops in
|     the system will censor the messages for racial slurs, profanity
|     and obvious things of that nature. The Saudi Connection is a
|     private endeavor and those involved in it feel strongly that it
|     should only be used to send "positive" messages. No message will
|     be passed which might adversely affect the morale of the
|     recipient.
|          This is presently a one-way deal. No system has been
|     established for return mail, so be sure to include your snail-mail
|     address, especially if you are writing to ANY SERVICEPERSON.
|          Include the serviceperson's name and address in the body of
|     your message as shown below:
| 
|          Specific Individuals:
| 
|          Name, Rank, Social Security Number
|          Operation Desert Shield
|          Organization/Unit (Deployed)
|          APO NY ZIPCode
|          Local Forces <----THIS MUST BE INCLUDED OR IT WILL GET SENT
|                            TO NEW YORK AND THEN BACK TO SAUDI!!!!!
| 
|          Any Serviceperson:
| 
|          Any Servicemember
|          Operation Desert Shield
|          APO New York 09848-0006
|          Local Forces <----THIS MUST BE INCLUDED OR IT WILL GET SENT
|                            TO NEW YORK AND THEN BACK TO SAUDI!!!!!
| 
|          It is important that you put "Local Forces" as the last line
|     of the address. If you don't, it will take a very long time,
|     indeed, to reach the addressee.
|          Please try to limit messages to 20 lines.
|          Once again, the drop-box address is:
|          saudi-connection@Ra.MsState.Edu
| 
|     --
--
       Eric Peterson <> epeterson@encore.com <> uunet!encore!epeterson
   Encore Computer Corp. * Ft. Lauderdale, Florida * (305) 587-2900 x 5208
Why did Constantinople get the works? Gung'f abobql'f ohfvarff ohg gur Ghexf.

mpreen@hemel.bull.co.uk (Malcolm Preen) (02/15/91)

epeterso@houligan.encore.com (Eric Peterson) writes:

>I saw this on a Bitnet mailing list and thought it might of general
>interesting, especially since this topic was brought up in alt.bbs
>recently ...

>|            A drop-box address has been established at
>|     saudi-connection@Ra.MsState.Edu to route personal messages to
>|     U.S. military personnel involved in Operation Desert Shield.

Does anyone know if it is possible to get a similar connection to the British
troops ?

Malcolm
-- 
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