HBO is spearheading a Troop Drive this summer to deliver care packages for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Troop Drive is scheduled to coincide with the July 13, 2008 premiere of the HBO Films'original miniseries, Generation Kill.

Following Generation Kill screenings for veterans and active duty soldiers who were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, HBO compiled an authentic list of goods that soldiers request while overseas –a Marine "Wish List." Some items are familiar from as far back as WWII, such as socks and razor blades. Others show a new generation at war: DVDs, CDs, video games, and calling cards. Based on this "Wish List," HBO is collaborating with corporate partners that will donate items for care packages. HBO will supply DVDs and CDs for the care packages.

Consumers are encouraged to show their support to the troops, free of charge, by visiting a product gallery at www.genkilltroopdrive.com and selecting items from participating brands to add to the care packages. HBO and its brand partners will cover the cost of the contributions, giving consumers an easy way to show their support by sending items on their behalf.

"The Troop Drive allows us to go beyond telling the stories of the United States Marines in our miniseries Generation Kill. It gives us an opportunity to provide practical support with items we know the troops want and need," said Zach Enterlin, vice president of advertising and promotions, HBO.

Corporate partners for the Troop Drive are Alpha Media Group, AT&T, Duracell, Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Co., Penguin Group (USA) Inc., Random House Inc., Time Warner and Unilever.

Based on the award-winning book by Evan Wright, who was embedded with the First Reconnaissance Battalion for the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, Generation Kill follows the highly trained Marines of the First Recon special operations unit through the first 40 days of the Iraq War.

The seven-part miniseries, written and executive-produced by The Wire’s David Simon and Ed Burns, premieres on Sunday, July 13 and portrays the true story of the young Marines'experience at the tip of the spear of the American invasion, as they contended with equipment shortages, ever-evolving Rules of Engagement and an unclear strategy.

Wright originally reported the story in a series of articles for Rolling Stone Magazine, which he later turned into a book published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons. Generation Kill has received the General Wallace M. Greene Jr. Award (given by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation for outstanding nonfiction pertinent to Marine Corps history), a PEN USA Award, the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, and the Los Angeles Times Book Award.

Brands participating in the HBO Generation Kill Troop Drive to date include:
Participating Brand AT&T BAND-AID Brand BENGAY Blender Magazine Degree Duracell HBO Video Jack Link’s Johnson & Johnson RED CROSS First Aid Lever 2000-Vaseline Lipton Maxim Magazine NEOSPORIN Penguin Group (USA) Inc. PURELL Random House Inc. Sports Illustrated Subpop Soundtrack Vaseline

There are currently 222,300 active troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, including Reserve and National Guard members, according to Department of Defense statistics. HBO hopes to reach a large percentage of the troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan with a non-profit partner handling the distribution during the Holiday season this fall.

The Troop Drive runs through Sept. 7. Civic Entertainment Group, New York, handles the initiative for HBO.

Generation Kill premieres July 13 at 9 p.m. The seven-part series airs on Sundays through Aug. 24.

About HBO
Home Box Office, Inc. is the premium television programming subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., providing two 24-hour pay television services – HBO and Cinemax – to over 40 million U.S. subscribers. The services offer the most popular subscription video on demand products, HBO On Demand and Cinemax On Demand, HBO on Broadband, as well as HD feeds and multiplex channels. Internationally, HBO’s branded television networks, along with the subscription video on demand products HBO On Demand and HBO Mobile, bring HBO services to over 50 countries. HBO programming is sold into over 150 countries worldwide.

About Civic Entertainment Group
Civic Entertainment Group (CEG) is a public-spirited events and promotions agency specializing in branded entertainment, municipal marketing, public-private partnerships, sponsorship consulting and event marketing and production. CEG was named "2005 Agency of the Year" by PROMO Magazine.

About Alpha Media Group Inc.
Alpha Media Group Inc. is a multimedia company that includes Maxim, the most successful young men's lifestyle magazine in America, Blender, the award winning music magazines and Maxim digital. Alpha Media Group Inc. is owned by Quadrangle Capital Partners II LP, a private equity fund focused on the media and communications industries.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and Yellowpages.com organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 on Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Telecommunications Company list and No. 1 on America’s Most Admired Telecommunications Company list. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.

AT&T's support for military families remains steady: Since 2000, AT&T has donated prepaid phone cards with a retail value of nearly $8 million and has given nearly $6 million in grants for military members and related non-profits. The company has also built 70 calling centers in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan — so military members can stay connected with loved ones.

About Duracell
Part of the Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG), Duracell has been powering people around the world for more than 40 years. Our products serve as the heart of devices that keep people connected, protect their families, entertain them and simplify their increasingly mobile lifestyles. As the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance alkaline batteries, Duracell also innovates in disposable, renewable and peripheral technologies. The company also markets general purpose flashlights. Visit www.duracell.com for more information.

About Jack Link's Beef Jerky
The story of Jack Link’s Beef Jerky is a story of family traditions. It began with treasured family recipes that were passed from generation to generation. Through the years, the Link family has shared a solid commitment to quality, integrity and a commitment to earn consumers'respect by delivering the best-tasting meat snacks in the world. Today, Jack Link's Beef Jerky is the number one brand of beef jerky and appeals to consumers'sense of freedom by encouraging them to feed their wild adventurous side. Jack Link’s Beef Jerky – Feed Your Wild Side.

About Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company, Division of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc.
Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company offers superior, scientifically proven products from beloved brands in wound care, itch relief, pain relief and germ protection to heal, relieve and protect.

BAND-AID® Brand is America’s #1 Brand of Adhesive Bandages. BENGAY® patches and creams target deep, penetrating heat right at the source of your pain so you can get the relief you need. Number one doctor recommended PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer kills 99.99% of most common germs that may cause illness. NEOSPORIN® First Aid Antibiotic, a #1 Doctor Recommended Brand for over 25 years, provides long-lasting infection protection, killing more types of infectious bacteria than even the leading topical prescription based on laboratory results. Johnson & Johnson RED CROSS® First Aid Brand products, trusted and used by medical professionals since 1885, are designed to optimize the healing process for all types of wounds.

About Penguinn Group (USA) Inc.
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group, penguin.com, one of the world’s largest English-language trade book publishers and part of Pearson plc, the international media company. Its imprints and trademarks include G.P. Putnam’s Sons, which published Generation Kill in hardcover in 2004, and Berkley Books, which re-released the title in paperback this month.

About Random House Inc.
Random House, Inc. (www.randomhouse.com), the U.S. division of Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, is home to many of the world’s foremost authors of adult and children’s books. Random House has more than 120 publishing imprints in the U.S. and Canada, which publish books in hardcover, trade and mass market paperback, audio, electronic, digital, and other emerging formats.

About Unilever
Unilever’s mission is to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products, including Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.