Guns & Ammo, Skateboarder among titles offered by publisher

By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, March 29, 2006

WASHINGTON - A New York publishing firm wants to send troops free subscriptions to its magazines - including Guns & Ammo, MotorTrend and even Soap Opera Digest - as a "thank you" for serving in the military.
Primedia Inc. is making 47 of its magazines available for free to any active-duty servicemember, regardless of where they're serving.

Company spokeswoman Anne Marie O'Keefe said the program launched last year, but only recently increased its scope to include more titles and more readers.

The company has been running ads and editorials in the magazines asking its regular subscribers to help pay for the service, and O'Keefe said officials have been thrilled with the response. More than $140,000 has been donated, with $15,000 from corporate sponsors and the rest from private citizens.

The offer is open to any troops on active duty serving overseas. Troops must have an APO or FPO address to receive the magazines, and they are limited to three subscriptions at a time.

Other magazines available in the catalog include Hunting, ATV Rider, Skateboarder and The Shooting Times. The company has also made available a pair of photography magazines and four crafts publications.

"Guns & Ammo is by far the most requested, but we do have 102 requests for Soap Opera Digest and another 90 for Simple Scrapbooks," O'Keefe said.

The subscriptions should take eight to 12 weeks to start up, once the request is filed, she said. Troops can receive an e-mail confirmation letting them know the subscriptions have begun when they register.

Information on the program, and how to donate, is available at www.subscriptionsforsoldiers.com. Troops looking for more information on how to sign up for the free subscriptions can e-mail information@subscriptionsforsoldiers.com.

Thanks, Jill