CompTIA Mobility Community Teams with Cell Phones for Soldiers to Help Troops Stay in Touch With Families

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., March 10, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Mobility Community of CompTIA, the leading non-profit association for the information technology (IT) industry, is teaming with Cell Phones for Soldiers to make it easier for United States service members stationed overseas to stay in touch with family and friends back home.

The CompTIA Mobility Community has challenged association members to donate old and used cell phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers, a non-profit organization that provides pre-paid calling cards to U.S. military personnel abroad so they can call home without calling collect. Since 2004, Cell Phones for Soldiers' has made more than 204 million minutes of free talk time available to U.S. troops.

"We are pleased to partner with Cell Phones for Soldiers as a way to honor the dedicated men and women who serve our country," said Heather Murray, vice president, Tech Data Mobile Solutions and chair of CompTIA's Mobility Community. "By providing free communication for our troops so they can connect with loved ones while serving overseas, CompTIA is offering encouragement and support in a time of need. I encourage all members of the CompTIA community to participate at the Annual Member Meeting next month."

"This initiative focuses on social responsibility and the environmental impact of technology, both of which are core values of CompTIA," said Susan Krautbauer, executive vice president, Veterans Alliance Resourcing, Inc., and member of the CompTIA Mobility Community executive community. "That's why this effort has been embraced by other member communities and organizations within the association."

The cell phone collection drive will culminate at the CompTIA Annual Member Meeting April 1-3 at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego.

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist of Norwell, Mass., with $21 of their own money. Funds raised by the registered 501c3 non-profit organization from the recycling of cellular phones are used to purchase prepaid international calling cards.

Partnering with Cell Phones for Soldiers is the latest example of how CompTIA and its members support America's military personnel and veterans.

CompTIA's Troops to Tech Careers program offers veterans a way to hone their existing talents and fill in any gaps through training and certification in the IT skills most sought after by employers. CompTIA is a participant in the White House's IT Training and Certification Program, a public-private partnership that will enable thousands of service members to earn industry-recognized IT certifications before they transition from military service; and the U.S. Tech Vets initiative. CompTIA also participates in the Department of Defense Information Assurance Program and contributes to the Wounded Warriors Project through its foundation, Creating IT Futures.

To learn more about the CompTIA Mobility Community and other groups visit CompTIA Communities.

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SOURCE CompTIA