Military Friends Foundation Gives National Guard Soldiers a Final Chance to See Family Before Heading to Afghanistan
BOSTON – The Military Friends Foundation, a non-profit proudly serving Massachusetts National Guard, Reserve and Gold Star Families, welcomed home over a hundred of members of the Massachusetts National Guard’s 182nd Infantry Battalion today at Logan Airport today. These soldiers are part of the hundreds of soldiers who the Military Friends Foundation is flying home to reunite with family and loved ones before a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan. 182nd Infantry Battalion is made up of Massachusetts National Guard Soldiers from across the state including Melrose, Braintree and Middleboro.
Military Friends provided more than $25,000 to ensure that these Soldiers could fly home for a final visit with family. “I have never experienced a support network as strong and committed as the Military Friends Foundation. I am so proud of this tremendous support for our Soldiers. It amazes me how quick Military Friends can react – they jump in with both feet!, said Major Eric Dinoto of Melrose, the XO for the 182nd Infantry Battalion.
The Military Friends Foundation is a non-profit proudly serving Massachusetts National Guard, Reserve and Gold Star Families in times of need. Support for this transportation assistance program and other Military Friends Foundation programs for local military families comes from thousands of citizens across the Commonwealth who make a voluntary contribution through Question 32e – Mass. Military Relief Fund – on their Mass. State Tax Form.
“We love the Military Friends – they do great things for all our military people in Massachusetts,” said PFC Joshua McLaughlin of Middleboro. PFC McLaughlin is on his first deployment and received a grant for his flight home.
Through generous donations, the Foundation has given hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to Massachusetts military families. To make a donation to bring a Soldiers home, please visit www.militaryfriends.org/donate or call (617) 733-7994.
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