L is for "little platoons"

“To be attached to the subdivision, to love the little platoon we belong to in society, is the first principle (the germ as it were) of public affections. It is the first link in the series by which we proceed towards a love to our country, and to mankind.” ~ Edmund Burke

If you have sent a care pack, or thought about sending one, then may I welcome you to our "little platoon".

Here is my personal philosophy on this matter - I don't claim to speak for Nilk or Kae or any other member of our little platoon; this is simply how I feel about what we are doing.

We do this on our own. We do not come together at a central location to decide what to pack, or where to buy the ingredients, or to pack a pile of boxes as a group. We rely on self motivation to go and do it, and persistence and tenacity to do it again and again on a regular (or irregular) basis. We offer each other encouragement through our actions.

We have no central committee to keep things running. We elect no board, have no directors, have no Constitution and keep no lists of membership. We do not waste time on meeting and talking and canvassing opinions - we just do.

We pay for this ourselves. We seek no government grants or subsidies (apart from the free postage already on offer), or corporate support, and we seek no individual donations. We get no tax breaks or deductions. The effort to put together a box, and to earn the money to pay for the contents, is entirely ours.

We each choose how much to spend, and make no judgements as to whether a box cost nothing to pack, or a small fortune. You give what you can afford to give, and what you think would be worthwhile to receive.

We encourage others to do the same, but we do not hector, cajole or harass them into joining or complying. You do or you don't. What you choose to do is your business, and yours alone.

We send our packs with no expectation of response or reward. If these things happen, they happen, and we rejoice. If they don't, we understand that the Digger on the receiving end may have more important things to do than pen a response. We trust that someone on the other side of the world is smiling, and leave it at that.

We operate under pseudonyms, seeking no publicity for ourselves - but that does not preclude us from seeking publicity for our program. We spread the word where possible, in private and in public, but we do it in a low key and unassuming manner. Those that see the value in what we do tend to grasp it instantly and intuitively; for those that don't, we don't waste time trying to explain ourselves.

We seek one thing and one thing alone - more care packs being sent to our troops in the field. That is the only result that matters.

That's how I view this little platoon.