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Troops in need....

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SwampMatt

Well-known member
I seem to have found myself in the position of being the postal liaison for this operation.... I was last year and very much enjoyed it. :)

Skeeter suggested something BRILLIANT:

If anyone here knows of a soldier or unit that is in need - post the items needed here,
AND PM ME WITH THE MAILING ADDRESS.


We'll make sure some of the care packages get to them.

Thanks!!!

matt.
 
Just to clarify - We are getting our addresses from the http://www.anysoldier.com website.
We will pick names that have been requested low # of times.

We will ADD to the list of addresses any that are submitted here.

Please let us know if you have a friend or relative serving overseas.
Send me a PM.

:)

matt.
 
A1,I really like the idea of adopting a troop.I put in a call to them a few minutes ago.I'll keep yall informed.IF THERE IS ANY MEMBER THAT HAS A PERSON OR PERSONS THAT WOULD LIKE A SPECIAL SOMETHING FROM YOU OR OUR A/B FAMILY PM MATT(MOODFOOD).It will get to them.
 
We have a son that is in the Army - currently stationed in Iraq. He graduated from Fort Knox and was sent to Korea for one year. He came back home in January and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was recently deployed in September with his troop to Iraq. We are grateful that he is over there with some guys that have already had some tours there previously. These guys will stay there for 15 months. We greatly appreciate what people like you are doing for these fine guys and gals over there. They need to know that we a constantly thinking of them "always" - as they get lonely for home.
As parents of one of these soldiers we are extremely "proud" and would love to help with this operation. Our son is a Calvery Scout in the 101st Airborne. We would like to give his name and ask if the Operation would also donate to him and his troop.

SPC Ombres, Robert A
B Trp 1-32 CAV 1 BCT 101st AASLT
LSA Anaconda, Iraq
APO AE 09391

Thank-you for your support for these fine soldiers. They are extremely missed.
Bob and Sharon Ombres
 
Thanks Bob Address noted. We'll make sure one (or some) boxes get sent there. I'm hoping your son can distribute the overage to others in need.

Good idea A1. I'm all for that too.

matt.
 
Not a word A1.I just got back in town.Ill call them again right now.Just sent email explaining our intentions again.
 
A1,I finally got a response back from Operation Shoebox by e-mail.Things are starting to move forward with this.Waiting for confirmation of adoption and details know.
 
We have previously posted a request to Operation Airboat III to include our son and his troop in the operation. He writes mass e-mails to his family and friends and we received one right before Christmas. I think it depends on where the guys are stationed on their needs and wants and they are constantly changing. For my son and his troop they were extremely happy when a friend of ours sent "home-made cookies and goodies". He had actually asked for more! I am going to try and post his letter for I think you all will enjoy reading it. As parents of one of these guys we really appreciate the support everyone is showing them. We are going to try and plan on being there for the ride and hopefully can participate in any needs there may be in helping pull this off. We are originally from Florida (miss it terribly) but we are currently living in North Carolina (freezing - at that). Below is Roberts letter:


Sent:
Mon 12/17/07 10:04 PM

It's been a while since I've found a little extra time to sit down and
type out an email for everyone. I'm sure it is hard to imagine what
me and the rest of my Troop do here exactly to keep us so busy. Every
day is something a little different- usually a simple task made overly
difficult for one reason or another. Many of you have asked about how
and what we're doing and want to know what's going on here. We would
like to tell you all about our daily lives here and what we do, but
most of it we're not allowed to talk about because of security. Keep
your minds at ease though- we are doing well and staying as safe as
possible. We frequently patrol our area and interact with the local
population. We see children all the time- always waving at us or
giving us the thumbs up.

These days people are asking more for comfort items/treats
to get through the occasional tedious day. I am going to include a
list below of ideas. We are able to hand out things to the children
and help out families we meet here so some of the items listed are
things more geared towards that as well.


-Fire Cheetos & jalapeno cheese dip (great combination)
-Tuna (those kits with mayo and crackers included are the most
convenient for us)
-clif bars (great to pack on missions/patrols, mostly organic, lots of carbs)
-debbie cakes (all sorts, oatmeal pies and swiss rolls are favorites I think)
-Power Bar protein bars
-Ensure (weird request maybe but we don't always have time for a meal
and these things are great - vanilla shake is good)
-chef boyardee (the ready to microwave containers are convenient)
-beef jerky
-hand warmers (go figure, it gets cold here..)
-pillows (cheap pillows, a few guys asked for one. throw in a pillow
case too if you get any- so people don't send one or the other and we
wind up with pillow cases and no pillows or vice versa)
-magazines

-small toys for kids (please no electronics)
-small stuffed animals
-soccer balls (kids are ALWAYS asking for soccer balls, #1 thing
requested by iraqi children. Though.. these may prove costly. May be
hard to ship-I recommend deflating)

I'm sure there are many more things we could use or find helpful but
it is always hard for us to come up with a list.

I know many of you had questions on what we're doing over here and what Iraq is like.
I will do my best to answer some of those questions soon and send
pictures of this far off land. The families are in many ways very
similar to your own. I am in a rural area similar to Polk County.
There are a lot of farms too. The kids go to school just like you.
They don't have a wal-mart to go school shopping though. They aren't
able to show off their new shoes on the first day. Most of them like
soccer. They say America is #1. A lot of people here speak english.
I sat in a middle school math class and remembered my days in Polk
County. You all would get along with the Iraqi people. They are good
people and on our side fighting for their country.

Thank you for everything you have all done for us. We are all
grateful for your support.

Go Appsate! :)
3-peat.

Robert
 
Here is the other letter our son sent Dec. 26. I am going to try and include a couple of pictures he had sent us. These are the first pictures we have seen of him since he left on his tour in September, which made it a great Christmas gift for us. He does not have the capability of sending mail to us at this time but is able to use the internet occasionally. I hope we are not using too much space on the site but I thought these letters may be enjoyed by all. These guys are truly missed by their loved ones!
Bob and Sharon Ombres.

Below is Robert's letter and hopefully a couple pictures.


Sent:
Wed 12/26/07 6:52 AM

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and were able to enjoy a
break with friends and family. It is hard to think about it being
Christmas here. No decorations in the neighborhoods we patrol, no
Christmas songs heard from any of the houses, no trees and certainly
no nativity scenes.. I sit here thinking of this time last year and
miss the routines I once took for-granted. I think about all my
friends and family and their past few days and know what fun things
filled them. These thoughts for someone away from those familiar
comforts, especially for a soldier in a land not his own, will start
to make you lonely.. I realized I was simply feeling sorry for myself
and should think about where I am and why.

Yesterday, when we drove through a few towns in our sector, the kids
flocked to us as they always do. They look up to us. A lot of them
say they love America. Most of them are saying what they think we
want to hear, kind of like a kid talking to his role model trying to
impress them. I tell them Iraq is "zien" (good) and I like it. The
people here have grown up under a failed government and don't have any
self-pride and I think it is one of the biggest hinderances they have
now and are going to face while they continue to fix the broken
system. The kids here have so little and grow up fending for
themselves- they see us with our overbearing gear and large vehicles
and want to be just like us. My 15 month situation is their life. I
doubt any of the iraqi people I talk to on any given day will ever
enjoy the things I'm missing. That is the reason I am here in Iraq.
To give a small HOPE of a chance to these kids. I've been to many of
our greatest US cities and traveled through some of the poorest US
towns and not a homeless person on the streets or family living in a
shack has less than a lot of the kids and families here.

I don't write this looking for pity for myself or them. No matter how
much is donated, the world is what it is. (Though, donations are
wonderful comforts we all appreciate and thank you for; don't stop:) )
I'm writing this so you open up your thoughts a little wider than
usual. Whether you pray over meals, before you sleep, or to
yourself.. think for a second about the many people not as fortunate.

...and please pray they continue to not shoot at me or try to blow me
up, or at least aren't so great a shot..

BUT........
ANYWAY........

I miss and love you all. I hope you all had a great Christmas and I
hope to spend the next one back home with you.


I'm trying to include a few pictures..
pic "1"- a few of us before an Air Assault mission.
pic "2"- me posing for a picture in a classroom. the kids were a bit
timid about getting close here..
pic "3"- martinez (doc) posing with some neighborhood kids. you can
sort of see what the neighborhoods look like in the background. :/
 
same thougts i had 35 years ago in another war that way of thinking has been with me ever since my thougts an prayers will be with him and all his brothers an sisters in harms way all over this planet we own them all a great debt an graditude . the pic didnt show would love to see them, also thanks for sharing seem you have a good young man there.
 
buckshot and anyone else with a child overseas............ya'll have my respect, and prayers for a safe return. My wife and I have been sponsoring a few guys for 2 years now. Hopefully one day we will drink BEER together with them.
 
We tried to post a picture on this site but couldn't fiqure out how to do it. I was able to go to Pictures and Wallpapers and post one there. It is a picture of Robert and his troop in front of a helicopter before an AASLT mission. Our son is the 2nd from the left standing. We will try and post another of him sitting with some Iraqi children in school. Bob and Sharon Ombres.
 
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