It's Hugh Hefner to the rescue.
The venerable founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine says Playboy centerfolds will communicate with U.S. troops in an e-mail campaign.
"Operation Playmate," which began as a more conventional letter-writing campaign during the Gulf War, was relaunched because "many Playmates have asked what they might do to support America's fighting men and women," Hefner said in a statement.
A Playboy official said Playmates, assisted by Marines, will answer e-mail correspondence from active duty personnel. The bunnies will wear "the traditional bunny costume in military colors, with military accessories and collars," the official said.
The Playboy official did not say how Marines will be involved in the campaign or why Playmates responding to e-mails would need to wear full bunny regalia.
The company said in its statement that it decided to restart the program "in light of the international war on terrorism."
There's no charge for the service, but each e-mail to Operation Playmate must include the APO number of the person who will be contacted by the Playmate. Only active service personnel will be allowed to participate.
The e-mails will be responded to "expeditiously" by Playmates volunteering their services and working in shifts. The responses will include a message and an autographed photo of the bunny.
Capt. Joseph Kloppel of Marine Corps Public Affairs in Virginia said the service has not endorsed the program, a response echoed by an Army official. Any personnel who use government equipment, facilities or time for such activities would be in violation of Defense Department guidelines, Kloppel said.
Still, "pornography in and of itself is not prohibited for uniformed personnel as long as it is on their own equipment, on their time and at their expense," he added.
He noted that such rights are guaranteed by the First Amendment as long as they don't involve activities such as distributing child pornography or participating in the Ku Klux Klan.
In any case, servicemen stationed near Afghanistan, on ships or other highly secure locations would find it difficult or impossible, logistically, to participate in the campaign, Defense Department officials said.
Playboy claims that the Gulf War Operation Playmate campaign prompted Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf to call their effort "a major morale boost for our troops" and praise the Playmates as "true patriots."
Playboy said the campaign has it roots in the Vietnam War, when 1966 Playmate of the Year Jo Collins traveled to the combat zone aboard a helicopter gunship the troops nicknamed "The Playboy Special" on a "hazardous goodwill mission."
Operation Playmate will be coordinated by Playboy.com, the online division of Playboy Enterprises, and Playmate Promotions, the company's in-house modeling agency.
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