Bikini-clad New Jersey woman to boost troop morale with 12,000 posters

A woman from New Jersey is set to lend a hand in boosting the morale of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan after she signed 12,000 posters featuring her bikini-clad body.

Gail Kasper, 45, of Mount Laurel, who made the news this year after she stormed the finals of a nationwide "hot body" modelling contest, has already spent 40 hours signing the posters, which will be shipped out this week.

"My heart goes out to the troops," the New York Daily News quoted her as saying.

"They're so grateful for every piece of support they get. It's so worthwhile. If it helps them, it helps all of us.

"I could've just sent them, but for me the right thing to do is to sign them, to show that someone actually cares," she stated.

She has also invited soldiers to connect with her personally.

"The poster is something that helps them feel good, but ultimately the work I do is helping them to stay strong," she said.

"They reach out and tell me how they're feeling and the challenges they're going through," she revealed.

The model-turned-motivator, also a host on the Philadelphia Visitors Channel, is partnering on the current project with Soldier's Angels, an Army support group.

Volunteers will add the posters to soldiers' care packages - featuring snacks, coffee and other items - at their support centre in San Antonio, Tex. Next stops: Bagram Air Base and Baghdad.

"It's a bold move," Toby Nunn, 35, Soldier's Angels operations manager and a former infantry noncom, said.

"She's walking the walk. She's not just sending posters - she's saying, 'Contact me'. That's a big step for someone in her position," Nunn added. (