Why write to a soldier?

Supporting our military heroes is one of the greatest and most rewarding things that you can do.

And what better way to support them than to become a penpal and send them letters which will help to boost their morale while they are stationed overseas?

Not only is it a fantastic way to form new connections and relationships with British troops, you have the satisfaction of knowing you are doing something worthwhile.

The impact that you can have on a person who is serving in the military is more significant than you would think.

We have heard feedback from soldiers who spoke of their absolute joy at being appreciated and opening a letter from a member of the public who recognises the contribution they have made to the country.

Let us be clear. As you can imagine – particularly if you have ever served in the military yourself – life in the army can be incredibly tough and painful.

As a soldier, you live with the possibility that you may not make it home to see your family. You take the risk that you could one day be severely injured or captured by enemy forces.

One thing is for certain: you know that you will never be the same person again as you were before you signed up to the army.

Even the training exercises that you go through in the military are not for the faint hearted. 

You are stretched to your limits, shouted at, and tested in every way possible. You train under incredibly strict regimes, and are a world away from the creature comforts that you may have enjoyed as a civilian.

But you do it because you know that you are giving something back to your country. You go to bed at night knowing that you have played a key role in helping to keep your country safe.

You are also contributing to the welfare of those overseas. And sometimes, when you are in the most gruelling conditions known to man, perhaps the only thing that keeps you going is a letter from a special person who has extended the hand of friendship to offer compassion and understanding.

Many soldiers tell us about how they look forward to receiving letters from loved ones, or even from strangers every month.

Those letters can often act as a ray of light, in uncertain times. You see, becoming a penpal goes a long, long way to boosting the morale of our military heroes.

It can make an immense difference – particularly for those in Afghanistan or Iraq.
It also opens up the possibility of a new relationship, or long-lasting friendship.

You get to become acquainted to people that you would not have done otherwise. You learn about their hopes, dreams, fears, outlook and hobbies.

It truly is a special way of bonding with someone.

But perhaps the greatest benefit that is somewhat understated, is that you also are able to get a front row look at life behind the scenes in the military.

It opens you up to a whole new perspective, an unseen world, which you may hear about, but never truly understand.

By connecting with the country's unsung heroes, you are in some way at the forefront of that change, by offering that much needed boost to those deployed overseas.

In doing so, the soldier you write to learns more about you and you end up with a confidante, who is able to connect with your life, and offer you friendship.

The days of a soldier can often be long and it may feel like it lasts a lifetime. So by reaching out to them as a penpal, or simply as a point of contact, you are truly helping the time to pass much quicker.

Many of those stationed overseas may even have families that do not take the time to write.

So sometimes, you may indeed be the only thing they look forward to. Even those with families speak about how they appreciate hearing from people all over the country who kindly take the time out to write to them.

And nowadays, connecting with our military heroes is so much easier than it once was.

You can either choose to write by letter, or you can connect via email or social media, giving you plenty of ways to keep in touch.

Therefore, if you truly want to make a difference to your life and that of another, sign up to forcespenpals today, to form that life-changing connection.