As the nation moves ever closer to war in the Persian Gulf, the number of local neighborhood connections with this military action grows.

We were reminded of the growing dangers last weekend during a casual chat with a neighbor, who said she had been talking by phone that morning with her youngest son, who had called mom and dad from Kuwait. The young man is a US Marine, and his unit deployed just last week. He is now in the desert, working his specialty, preparing to go to war. His mom said he could not say just where he is now, or what his role will be. She just was happy to hear his voice, and she prays he will be remain okay and return safely home.

While there are no exact details, the feeling is that there will be more than just a few Dorchester men and women putting their lives on the line in the coming months. Dot has long provided scores of our young people to the military, and this generation is no different. We have seen their names and faces in the pages of the Dorchester Reporter over the years: in the honor rolls, in our coverage of local youth sports, and in any number of other activities from the neighborhoods.

Military morale officers believe the best way to brighten a young soldiers' day is to sustain a steady stream of mail from home. Today's military have an advantage over previous generations, in that they can keep in touch with family and friends both by phone and by the Internet. Soldiers in the field will still welcome postal letters, but they also can receive email and visit worldwide web sites to stay connected to their family and friends. This newspaper's own website, www.dotnews.com, is a great way for our military to visit and feel close to home.

Also, this week the Dorchester Reporter is announcing that we will send a free, complimentary mail subscription to any son or daughter of Dorchester who are away on military duty. Each weekly issue will be mailed to military personnel, and even though it might take a few extra days to reach them, it's a great way to keep our local troops connected to their family, friends and neighborhood.

If you have a loved one from Dorchester serving in the military, we invite you to complete the subscription form in today's paper and send it along to us today. These free subscriptions will continue until our neighbors complete their mission and return home to us.

-Ed Forry

City Gets High Grades in Storm's Wake

The huge snowstorm which hit the area on President's Day caused a certain amount of disruption for many local routines. But coming as it did on a planned vacation day from school and work, the record-setting snowfall (27.5 inches at Logan, they say) caused none of the problems that the infamous Blizzard of '78 inflicted on our town.

It is good today to pause and acknowledge the efficient and professional work of Mayor Tom Menino and his DPW chief Joseph Casazza. They showed great political leadership and management skills and their snow emergency team did a great job.

It is fashionable in some quarters to denigrate public employees. You will hear none of that carping here. To the Mayor and the DPW workers, let us all give a great salute for a job well done.

E.F.