Web sites deliver hearts to heroes

NORA K. WALLACE, NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

February 14, 2006 4:09AM

Usually on Valentine 's Day, Vandenberg Air Force Base Capt. James Cunningham might arrange for a sitter for his two sons so he and his wife, Kim, could have a romantic dinner or a night on the town.

But this year, the finance officer with the 30th Comptroller's Squadron is in Kabul, Afghanistan, counting the hours and minutes until he returns home, and celebrating the most romantic of holidays with dozens of other lonely deployed hearts.

Still, with a phone call home and the help for a Newport Beach-based company, Capt. Cunningham received "the best Valentine's Day present ever," he said.

In an effort to help deployed service members, The Family post Inc. is offering free personalized interactive family Web sites to the families of deployed military personnel. For a few more months, each time a customer buys a Web site contract worth about $12 to $21 a month, the company will donate a free site to a military family through its "Website for Heroes" program.

On Monday, during a routine call home to his wife and boys, Andrew, 12, and Brandon, 9, he learned of his family's special treat for him.

"Hey babe, how's it going?" the captain asked via speaker phone to his wife.

"Well, we have a surprise for you," Mrs. Cunningham said, instructing her husband to log onto his computer.

As the photos of his family slowly appeared on his military computer, with a special Valentine's message and a beating heart icon, Capt. Cunningham said, "Ah, sweet. That's awesome."

Though he's been able to send some digital images home and e-mails as well, the slow military connection sometimes makes it an arduous task. With The Family Post technology, dozens of photographic images can be downloaded into albums at a password-protected site within a few minutes, Mrs. Cunningham explained. Families can also upload personal calendars, where deployed service members can see when a child has a sporting match or dental appointment. There's also an instantaneous message board.

Capt. Cunningham seemed genuinely pleased to have a more visual connection to his family. As a budget officer for the Afghan national army, the officer typically works 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., overseeing a billion-dollar budget that will enable the army to purchase everything from uniforms to buildings.

"This is just awesome, "said the one-time Air Force Airman of the Year. "It's more than I could ever ask for. We get care packages with candy and things, but that comes and goes. This is something that will keep forever. It's the best Valentine's Day present I could ever ask for."

Capt. Cunningham, whose home is decorated with signs declaring "Family is Forever" and "Proud to be an American," is due home in 22 days, including travel.

As he paused from riding his skateboard, Brandon said it's been hard with his dad gone, because he missed Andrew's birthday for the first time. And though he e-mails homework assignments to his dad, Brandon really just wants to see more of his father.

"We're hoping he'll send us pictures," Brandon said. "We only got a couple and that was from Halloween. We gave our dad all our candy and he gave it to a refugee camp. They never have had candy. He took a couple photos but that was it."

It hasn't been any easier for Capt. Cunningham.

"The hardest part of his job is staying focused and trying not to think of my family 100 percent of the time," Capt. Cunningham explained. "That's definitely killing me. They're my life. Every free second I have at home I spend with them."

That's just the reaction Michael Sawtell hoped for when he started The Family Post late last year. A new father at 47, the company president wanted a way to share milestones with far-flung family.

"If you think about Family Post, it specializes in bringing together families separated by time zones," said Mr. Sawtell, who came to Vandenberg Monday. "The ultimate example of that is a service man or woman deployed. It makes us feel like we're doings something significant, offering a communication vehicle for military families."

The Cunningham's were chosen for the site donation by Global Hearts, an assistance program for families of deployed Vandenberg service members. About two dozen military families at other bases are participating so far, Mr. Sawtell said.

e-mail: nwallace@newspress.com