July 6, 2011
New Partner: Operation Honor Card (Military Appreciation)
The Corps has recently developed a new partnership with a program called "Operation Honor Cards." Operation Honor Cards is a joint project of Blue Star Families, the American Red Cross, and ServiceNation: Mission Serve, working together with the Veterans Administration, the Corporation for National and Community Service, Joining Forces, and the Department of Defense. The program aims to create an atmosphere of 'shared service' by encouraging Americans to perform volunteer service in honor of military families and veterans.

This program will promote and collect virtual Honor Pledges of volunteer service through the website www.honorcards.org. Individuals or organizations fill out an Honor Card stating what act of volunteer service they will do to honor a service member, veterans, wounded warrior or military family.

The Corps is participating by pledging 1 million volunteer hours for the program for 2011.

Individual volunteers for the Corps can also pledge and track their hours via the website, and choose the service project they will be doing to honor a service member and/or military family. When filling out their Honor Card online, they should tell what their service project will be and include the code: "USACE" to indicate that they are volunteering hours for the Corps of Engineers.

Service project events such as those held on National Public Lands Day are a great opportunity to gather your volunteers and ask for their participation in the program by personally pledging their hours on a Honor Card and writing words of support that will be delivered to military community members, to military members, veterans, or their families.

More information about the program can be found on the website at www.honorcards.org by downloading the OHC Kit that includes step by step guide, templates and sample letters to get you started. (see attached kit) Through this program, you can show your community's pride for our military by building an "Honor Wall" at your next event, at your project office, or visitor center which will enable everyone to see the direct results in your community. An "Honor Wall" in a visitor center can also be a great way to advertise the program and recruit volunteers beyond those serving during a special event day. Spread the word about the website for individual and volunteers who would like to make the pledge online.

This is an opportunity for the Corps and our volunteers to show our support of military soldiers, wounded warriors, veterans, and their families by pledging community service in their honor, as a token of appreciation for their service to the nation. Please feel free to contact me at (503) 808-4313 or via email if you have questions about the program or to find out how you can get involved.

Thank you,
Heather Burke
National Partnership Program Manage

Back to E-mails and Memos