AOL 'Homepage for Heroes' Donates Airtime to Military Overseas

Ask any active-duty serviceperson what they want most, and short of coming home, they'll probably tell you the next best thing is connecting with loved ones.

For the past nine years, USO Operation Phone Home has been distributing free, prepaid international calling cards to deployed U.S. troops across the world, and raising funds to do the same. The same program also provides free access to a phone, high-speed Internet bandwidth and wireless service for soldiers at USO offices everywhere.

In support of that initiative, Patch parent company AOL is sponsoring an airtime donation promotion called Homepage for Heroes. Participating requires you to donate zero dollars and very little time.

AOL will donate minutes to Operation Phone Home every time you login to Homepage for Heroes and:

• Change your web browser homepage to aol.com (10 mins. donated)
• Send a message to U.S. troops through the site (5 mins. donated)
• Email friends about the campaign through the site (3 mins. donated)
• Enter for a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Tablet (2 mins. donated)

In July, AOL will continue the program with a million-message letter writing campaign, and again in September with volunteer efforts to help place servicepeople in full-time civilian positions once they're back stateside.