This week, our country celebrated the 245th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps and Veterans Day. As the son of a Marine, 20-year Marine veteran, and the father of a Marine, it pains me to see our country divided. Much like 9/11, Veterans Day this year will come and go without an opportunity to bring communities together in large numbers and celebrate the two things we need right now to reunite America — service, and gratitude. This premise may seem far fetched to some but think back to what it was like 19 years ago on September 12th when our entire nation was united because we heard and answered the call to serve together. Recall the last time you stood alongside your neighbor at a community event or parade to express appreciation to those who serve. Remember the pride you felt like an American when you volunteered with other grateful citizens who joined forces to give back to their community or others less fortunate in a hands-on way.

We believe that a grateful nation that serves together is a united nation. In our lives, and in America, there is a common thread that demonstrates service to others will bridge divides. And we have seen firsthand that this solidarity of service is the best way, and perhaps the only way, to reunite our country.

On October 26, we celebrated the National Day of the Deployed. Operation Gratitude did what we always do to recognize those who are currently serving and those who have served in our military -- we took action. This October, we will assemble and deliver more than 26,000 Care Packages to veterans in all 50 states and DC. Many of these recipients will be isolated and homebound on Veterans Day. Just a few weeks later we will assemble and deliver our signature, Holiday Care Packages to 20,000 Deployed Troops around the world in the midst of a global pandemic.

My career in the Marine Corps was marked by two bookends — from my first deployment as a young Second...

Family. That’s a strong word. Family is built on love, trust, and accountability, among many other things. Family is crucial for survival. Without it, what would the world look like? It’s unimaginable.  Hi there, my name is Andrew Buss. Over the last few years, I have been fortunate enough to be considered a part of the Operation Gratitude family. I have loved every minute of it. 

The story in today's post is very personal to me, and I am sharing it with you because it illustrates so clearly what many young men and women experience when they are deployed — many of them separated from their families for the very first time.

Every Care Package delivery will include our signature paracord “survival” bracelets, because we have learned over the past decade that it is not just a paracord bracelet... it is a symbol of appreciation and the strong bonds that Operation Gratitude forges between Americans and their military and first responder heroes.

I’ve heard it hundreds, if not thousands, of times since I started as the CEO of Operation Gratitude three years ago — handwritten letters are the most cherished items in our Care Packages. As a Marine who deployed to more than 50 countries -- from the first Gulf War in 1990 -1991 to my time in the Middle East during 2008 -- I can tell you nothing boosts morale while you are deployed more than receiving handwritten letters.

"I realized that my letter writing didn’t have to be complicated. It needed to be a piece of positivity. This pandemic has created so much loneliness. People just want a bit of human connection." - Jake Kelly

Each year Operation Gratitude receives tens of thousands of Beanie Babies from grateful Americans across the country, and one goes in every single care package we send to service members deployed around the world.

I want you to know, it’s not just a care package… It is an opportunity to go beyond saying “thank you for your service” and build understanding, empathy, and ultimately bridges between civilians and our military, veterans, and first responders.

When the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the nation in early 2020, we at CSX turned to our trusted partner, Operation Gratitude, to determine how our Jacksonville-based transportation company could join forces with theirs to meaningfully connect with the country’s new frontline responders.