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04/20/08 |
Hello Bob
I would first like to say thank you for the packages over last deployment and this last one included. They are some of the best I've received. This is a 15 month deployment. I got here about 3 weeks ago but it feels longer this time for some reason.
I have 11 people in my section including the CO and 1SG. I'm in Headquarters Platoon this time and I work at night again. It’s nice I don't have to deal with a lot of people. I don't have to leave the FOB. We have about a 100 people in the company.
I put most of the stuff you send me in the share box. The only thing that doesn’t make it there is the coffee because that goes in the freezer and the people in the CP (where I work) drink that. We usually have 4-5 pots a day. Suzanne has told me a lot about what you do and I know the soldiers you support appreciate what you do. It is big moral booster. I would just like to say thank you one more time and enjoy the rest of your day.
Sincerely
Spc Alexander Freeman
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04/16/08 |
Mr Williams,
I would like to thank you very much for the care package you sent me to share with my fellow Airmen. Most of us are here for 1-year away from our families in a live combat zone as part of the Multi National Security Transition Command-Iraq. My specific organization is the Coalition Air Force Training Team. We are helping the Iraqi Air Force stand back up.
We enjoyed everything in the package. The coffee was a HUGE hit. So were the cookies. The biggest treat was knowing that you all back home care about us and send us a token of your thoughts.
The Coffee, cigars, movies, Girl Scout cookies, phone cards and oh yes, the soap, tooth brushes and paste mean so much to us all. Please let every one involved that there is certainly a place in heaven for those who help others.
Thank you, again.
Major Kingston Lampley
US Air Force
Baghdad, Iraq
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04/13/08 |
Bob,
Just received the two boxes of, well, everything!! You guys are the best!
I can not begin to thank you enough and tell you what these items mean to us here. The Afghan Army base here is located in the southern part of the country's desert known as "Desert of Death". Our base is named "tombstone" both names are very accurate in the description of this area.
The Coffee, cigars, movies, Girl Scout cookies, phone cards and oh yes, the soap, tooth brushes and paste mean so much to us all. Please let every one involved that there is certainly a place in heaven for those who help others.
God Bless,
The Sailors, Soldiers and Visitors of FOB Tombstone
Vr,
ADCS(AW/SW) DAN O. WHITTLE
ANA Garrison Ett MENTOR
FOB TOMBSTONE, 3RD BDE/205th CORP
HELMAND PROVENCE, AFGHANISTAN
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04/10/08 |
Bob,
Yet again, there were smiling faces scattered amongst Soldiers looking into the boxes shipped from your home to ours. The shared bounty and the excitement surrounding it mirrors that of the joy on Christmas Morning. I'm sure you remember how many days can seem like a blur of undefined time where each day and week is like the last. Stocking the freezer with fresh coffee and seeing the Squads come by to pick up the boxes to disseminate them at a later time in their CP is living proof that time is passing. Attached is a copy of the monthly newsletter that covers some of our goings on here. Enjoy. It is unclassified (obviously) so feel free to send it off to fellow Supporters. Once again, we truly appreciate all you have done in the past, both military and charity, and what you all continue to do for us every day back home. You give us reasons to fight and that can't be shipped in a box.
Respectfully,
David R. Curci
1LT, MP
Executive Officer
65th MP CO (ABN)
SVOIP 673-0070
To Read The April Edition of:
"Soldiers of the Gauntlet" (click Here) |
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03/22/08 |
Hello!
My name is Becky Callahan. My husband, Robert Callahan was deployed to Iraq in February and is expected to return sometime in April 2009. This is our first deployment and it has been a little difficult so far, to say the least.
We will have been married for 6 years in April and we have never been separated for more than a month at a time. We have been through a lot together. My husband had bone cancer in 2005 and had to have his right leg amputated below the knee that year. He is great and healthy today but still faces a lot of challenges as an active duty amputee in Iraq. I am so proud of him for being willing to stay in the army and deploy with the rest of his unit, when he could have had an easy out.
I heard about your charity from Rebecca Schosek who talked about it at our FRG Easter Party. I think it is a wonderful charity and I will certainly send some postage donations your way. Thank you for caring for the soldiers. As an army wife, it touches my heart to know that other people care about the soldiers as much as I do.
If its not too much trouble, would you please consider sending a package to my husband? I send them as often as I can, but as you know it gets expensive really fast. I know that receiving packages is the highlight of his day whenever they come in and I would be very happy if someone else would join with me in sending him a package periodically.
My husbands mailing address is:
CPT Robert H Callahan
HQS, MNC-1
C6
APO AE 09342
I know they have been asking for coffee and mints (particularly lifesavers wint-o-green) but I am sure that the guys would be thrilled with anything you have to offer.
Sincerely,
Becky Callahan
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05/10/07 |
Dear Mr. Williams, The Thompson Group, and Aunt Lena,
Words cannot express how grateful we are for the care packages your company sent to my Soldiers in Iraq. We received two boxes full of chips, dip, candy, coffee, stuffed animals, and letters and cards from people back home in the USA. My Aunt Lena Gamble had something to do with this.
I am Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dave Emeott. American fathers, mothers, wives, and children have given me the honor of leading 21 of the finest Soldiers our nation has ever sent to battle. We repair the electronic equipment (night vision goggles, radios, computers, and missile systems) for the 3rd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Washington. We operate from Camp Striker in Baghdad. If you see on the news a large, green 8-wheeled armored vehicle and Soldiers with an Indian Head patch on their shoulder, more than likely those are the Arrowhead Brigade Soldiers we support. Pray for the safe return of the living and for the families of
I staked claim to the coffee and cigars for the "old Soldiers" like myself. The chips and candy were grabbed by the guys and gals fast.
We have been in Iraq since June of 2006. With the 3-month extension all units will now serve, we will return in September 2007. None of us are looking forward to another summer here. It is only mid-May and today it will be 109 degrees. However, it is our duty and we will do it with professionalism.
Pray for the safe return of the living and for the families of our fallen brothers and sisters in arms.
Sincerely,
CW4 Dave
Electronics Maintenance Section
Bravo Company, 296 Brigade Support Battalion
3rd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division
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06/06/06 |
Mr. Williams,
First, I would like to take a moment to really say, "Thank you," for the wonderful care package you and your company sent to me and my unit. It was very much appreciated. I am not a soldier, but a government employee of the Department of Defense. I work with soldier’s everyday and it is a humbling experience to be there with them when they receive these packages, sometimes from complete strangers. I never thought I myself would be a recipient of such kindness. It really made my day. It also made my unit's day; they've been rummaging through the package non-stop, enjoying the many goodies you guys provided.
In response to your questions, I am currently stationed in Afghanistan though I can't identify where. I expect to remain out here in this position until early winter and then I will be turning over the reigns to my replacement, whose name is Randalyn Adams.
As for our wish list, most of what was requested I can't repeat in polite company. In all seriousness, we feel so lucky to be receiving anything and our work is so consuming that we rarely have time to focus on wants. Anything sent our way will be gratefully accepted. I will add that we currently have a large stock of hard candy (such as Jolly Ranchers, etc.) already, as the dusty climate here makes eating these kinds of treats a challenge.
Again, I don't think I or my unit can thank you folks enough ... it is always a great feeling to know that people back home care and support us.
V/R,
Dean Grable
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06/03/06 |
Thanks Bob for emailing me back. I know our replacements would love to continue receiving your donations. In fact, I received a big box of Kettle Chips yesterday and took them into our Chow Hall. The food you send us gives us a little variety to our same selection in the chow hall. I’m going to provide you with a name who is replacing me if you still would like to donate to Camp Phoenix. Her name is: CPT Tracy Tagwerker
I will be in touch with you when I get home. I’m looking into an assignment in Germany so I might be deployed again and will still want the goodies from you.
Thanks Bob for your help. |
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05/08/06 |
Bob,
Just got back today (from a few days out of the office) and your coffee pot, coffee, and tons of food goodies arrived. Thank you so much…you made a lot of people very happy here.
Shannon Harmon’s note with the coffee was very touching. We appreciate everyone’s prayers and thoughts.
We are extremely grateful.
Cheers,
Ray
Ray Joinson, Col, USAF
CFACC-LNO/Dep Dir ACCE - Kabul
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05/07/06 |
Mr. Bob Williams
I would like to thank you for the BOX OF SUPPORT that you sent; it is great to know that what we do is appreciated by our friends and family back home. I am currently assigned as the ASG-Kuwait (Area Support Group – Kuwait) Master Gunner; I have the responsibility of ensuring that all of the pre-deployment requirements are meet for units going into Iraq. This is my third tour in the Middle East and also my longest away for my family (I was just extended for another 6 months). There are 16 of us in the Training Village here at Camp Buehring Kuwait and a typical work day is literally sun-up to sun-down, I can’t say for security reasons but we train a lot of soldiers each month for the hardships that they are about to face.
II would like to thank you for what you inspire in our soldiers and I wish you the very best, you are truly the reason why we do what we do.
Alan M. Johnson
SFC, USA
ASG KUWAIT MASTER GUNNER
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05/06/06 |
Dear Mr. Bob Williams and friends,
On behalf of all the Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen, who are proudly serving at the Combined Review and Release Board (CRRB) Baghdad, Iraq, I want to personally thank you for your box of treats you sent to Technical Sergeant Lora Bright. Sergeant Bright shared with us one of the several boxes you sent. The folks at CRRB really enjoyed all of the food you sent. Your support is very much appreciated. Please accept this group photo of our team here at the Embassy. We are all either paralegals or attorneys, who provide due process for Iraqi detainees. Best wishes to everyone back in the United States and thank you once again for your kind support!
Very respectfully,
Chief Abraham Elizondo
LNC(SW/AW), U.S. Navy
IRAQ EMBASSY |
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05/05/06 |
Mr. Williams,
Hello, Sir. My name is Capt Christy J. Kisner and I am assigned to TF 134 Detainee Operations Legal Office, Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq. I wanted to write and say thank you for the extraordinary care packages you and your company has been sending to us. You are all so very thoughtful and generous.
Mail call is the highlight of our day here… it truly is. We never know what surprises await us when we get the deliveries. You and your community have brightened our days. I just wanted to let you know how thankful we are. It is truly an honor to serve our country…. And people like you.
v/r
Capt Christy J. Kisner, USAF |
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05/04/06 |
Good Morning,
I just wanted to Thank you and your Company for the great support for my Sailors here in the AOR (Area of Responsibility), in our Navy Customs Mission. The Sailors really enjoy all of the snacks, coffee, and other items that you send in your Care packages. As the Senior Enlisted Leader and Acting Assistant Company Commander, I replaced LTJG Mc cabe, you can not imagine what joy it brings to these Sailors when other than family members send them items here in our mission, so thanks again from me to you and all your employees. We truly appreciate the support of the of our fellow Americans.
Very Respectfully,
BMCS(SW) Mark T. Turner
Senior Enlisted Leader
NAVELSG Navy Custom Battalion QUEBEC
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05/04/06 |
Thank you sir again for what you have done and are doing for the troops. Your efforts have made a difference. I had one of your cigars myself with a great conversation with Chief Jones from a National Guard Unit out of Dayton, Ohio stationed at Manas and three other Senior Chiefs headed to Afghanistan, I later saw them again at Bagram.
It was a real honor and privilege to have an opportunity to extend my appreciation for their service to so many Americans that believe what they are doing is right. '' We won all the battles in Vietnam and lost the war '' because of our political system and losing the will of our fellow Americans. I pray that we can prevent that for those serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. It was an inspiration to me personally to see and share the pride of all those young brave Americans, men and women at the forefront.
Again sir, thank you and those who support your efforts!
Robert Howard
San Antonio, Texas
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SIFT@aol.com replied: |
Dear Robert;
Thank you for all the kind words. Especially from someone who has earned our nations highest honor. Chief Cherry told me about your visit, and I would respectfully ask that you send me your mailing address. I would like to send you a DVD that we produce of all the wonderful pictures that the troops send me that you will never see on CNN. We have 11 slides shows now of thousands of pictures of all the good work and great things our brave men and women are doing at freedom's front door.
Also being an old Navy guy, I have made it my mission in life to always support our military service people and to never let there be another Vietnam. I am joined in this effort by some very dear friends who I would go to war with anytime. I am sure you noticed the picture below as you walked out of various rooms at Manas. That was a brain child of Col. Steve Kelly. An old Huey driver and previous base commander of Manas. And I cannot thank you enough for taking time to visit our brave men and women serving abroad. It is people like you that give them inspiration. And let them know that people at home really care.
I thought I probably had the most exciting trip an old sailor can have when I sailed back on the John C Stennis but I have to say that the 10 days I spent with our troops at Manas, getting up at 0300 and going to the Chow Hall and talking with the ones going down range and being able to give them all a knife, a bunch of Starbucks, and a cigar for everybody. This overjoyed everybody and as they started to thank me it was so great to be able to tell them that all this stuff was given to me for them by a bunch of people back home that really appreciate what they're doing. And I was just the wore out sailor bringing it over to them.
Once again, thank you for continuing service for your country.
Bob William |
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