CALLING CARDS AVAILABLE FOR SERVICE MEMBERS IN IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN

Washington, D.C. -- Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that special prepaid calling cards will now be available to all service members serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Until now, some guard and reserve families were not able to buy these cards for their family members serving overseas, because the families at home did not have access to the service exchanges (stores on military bases) where the military-specific prepaid calling cards are sold.

"These calling cards are important to our service members who are serving overseas. It allows them to keep in touch with their families at home, without their families incurring high telephone bills from collect or credit card calls coming from places like Iraq and Afghanistan," said Senator Collins. "Providing the military prepaid calling cards is the least we can do to make their time overseas a little easier and to thank them for their service to the country."

Under the new program, called "Help Our Troops Call Home," anyone may purchase a prepaid calling card for American troops serving overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom through the Exchange Online Store. The calling cards are usable by land based and ship based military personnel. They can either be mailed to an address or distributed directly to service members. The cards are billed as the only prepaid calling cards with a negotiated rate specifically designed to allow deployed troops to call home for the least cost.

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is running the program. People may order the prepaid calling cards online at:

www.aafes.com www.usmc-mccs.org www.navy-nex.com (calling card link will be in service by the end of the week)

These links will also be available at Senator Collins' web site at:

www.collins.senate.gov