Amazon, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), announced a joint effort to help individuals salute U.S. troops and give a holiday gift to active service members. Amazon has worked with the DoD to create an online destination (http://www.amazon.com/saluteourtroops) within Amazon.com's Web site where customers can purchase a gift certificate to be delivered to a man or woman of the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines.

Visitors to the Amazon.com/Salute Our Troops page can purchase a $20 Amazon.com gift certificate for a service member, and have the opportunity to share a personal note of support directly on the gift certificate. Amazon.com will deliver all gift certificates to the Department of Defense, which will then distribute them.

Armed forces gift certificates will be available for purchase through December 26, 2001, and are valid through January 2003. This area of Amazon.com's Web site will also feature select messages of support from customers and a continually updated meter, which will track the number of service members who will receive gift certificates.