Christmas for the Troops

[Ed O'Brien]

Tribe;
Ed O'Brien here... many Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines are spending their 2nd or 3rd tour in Iraq or Afghanistan. Christmas is coming. As the popularity of their efforts wanes so do gifts, cards, and letters from us back home. May I beg a favor for each of you who may be moved by thier circumstance.

Go to: www.treatsfortroops.com and make a donation. These are honest folks running a good website. I have nothing to do with the company but have used their services many times and found them reliable, honest, and good.

If you know someone far away from home this holiday -- give the "Treats for Troops" Operator a name and deployment address -- if not, if you don't know anyone overseas, "adopt" a Soldier or Marine from a list at the website.

God Bless these men and women. Many of you know what it was like overseas during the holidays. Personally, I'm sending a Marine Air Squadron all the phone cards I can afford. How about you?
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

[N96337]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

Thanks Ed, will do, and have forwarded this to others!!
John

[mulwyk]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

Thank you, Ed.

My son is in Iraq. His 3rd tour. We're very worried about him.

If anyone would like to send him a Christmas card I'm sure he would like it. Contact me on the PM.

Bob Gustafson

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

Doing one's duty is easy when your "down-Range" as they say. (Translated: Deployed Overseas) You've got a "non-comm" telling you what to do and when. There are very few moments "in between." BUT, this downtime makes all the difference. This is the time when you're alone with your thoughts. This is the time you ask yourself the tough questions. This is the time you miss family most and are belittled in self-doubt. So...

A card, just a simple Christmas Card, can make one of these "in-between" moments better. These are "Our Boys" these are "Our Girls." This is OUR duty!
To the Tribe -
With regards;
Ed O'Brien

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

I sent some phone cards to the Marine Air Squadron I'm sponsoring from the website www.treatsfortroops.com.

The folks at the "Treats for Troops" website were nice, friendly, and sent the stuff promptly. It took 2 weeks into Iraq and the guys in Afghanistan have not yet recieved their items yet. My purpose for posting is: If you'd like a gift to arrive in either theater by Christmas you best order it soon. Don't forget even if you know no one overseas... the website has troops you can adopt.
Happy Thanksgiving to the Tribe! Merry Christmas to the troops!!! With regards; Ed O'Brien

[tcraft]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

I wanted to send a package to a couple of names I have that are outside the USA for the holidays, I am assuming both are in Iraq.

Any suggestions as to what items to send that they need, want or otherwise is difficult to obtain?

Bob.

[mulwyk]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

Bob:
This is what my son has asked for. May or may not be typical of what they want over there.

Reading material...light, humorous, offbeat. He likes those goofy supermarket tabloids ("Batboy Abducted by Aliens!"), They seem to have plenty of serious stuff going on around them, so anything funny is welcome. Local newspapers if there's not too much bad news in them.

Food. Dried fruit, or canned fruit in pull tab can, velvetta cheese, cheese that comes in a spray can, ravioli, chilie, chilie mac (all in pull tab can), beef jerky, powdered drink mix (Kool Aid) that they can put in a water bottle to make it taste like something else, hot salsa and red pepper to give the food some taste, gum, paper plates and bowls (not plastic...it melts), good heavy duty coffee (like Starbucks)


Bob Gustafson

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

Any suggestions as to what items to send that they need, want or otherwise is difficult to obtain?

Bob.

Bob;
We send phone cards, mostly. Five-120 minute phone cards are 50 bucks. (If you can remember how chaotic your world was as a 19-23 year old with girl friends and the like... phone cards really seem to be a thing everybody wants) Poker night packs are good too. These guys are always looking to bond with their buddies and entertain themselves in camp. It a little hard to go to the mall and see a movie in Iraq or Afghanistan. Also there are some small key chains with little red/blue lights that seem to be favored (5 bucks a piece). There's a lot of light discipline and the troops do alot in the dark... so that makes sense. These lighted key chains attach to their front webbing gear, help them with looking at maps and the like, without unstrapping their big flash lights. We've sent batteries, toilet paper, and upgunned personal protection items like vests, gloves, and knee pads too... but everybody seems to have that larger and more expensive stuff now.

During the summer the Tankers and Humvee drivers get Monkey butt... adult diaper rash. Windows rolled up, 130 degrees, tons of gear... you'd get diaper rash too. So we've sent lots of talc. On the T for T website they've got a product called "Monkey Butt." I can't say that we've ever sent it to anybody -- but it does add color to this posting.

I've got a pistol that's made 4 tours in the hands of 3 different Marines. Ultra fine Iraqi sand makes autos go silent sometimes... which is bad for your health... so I bought an 8 shot 357 Smith and Wesson. I gave it to a young man and he left it for his replacements. It's back at my home now... but I don't recommend sending firearms. Once again just more color for this posting.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

Tribe;
We sent items to soldiers in Afghanistan and Marines Iraq. In Iraq (An Bahr province to be exact -- where things are heating up -- see the news.) Christmas items arrived in about 2 weeks. Items we sent to Afghanistan took just over 3 weeks. Meaning, if you're going to send something to troops in either theater... do it SOON!
With Holiday wishes and Christmas Regards;
ED OBRIEN

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

Even if you can't afford to send gifts to the troops -- think about cards and letters. Here's a Colorado woman who is
doing something good. At the bottom of this story there is also an address you can use, should you want to participate. With regards; ED OBRIEN

Woman sends 19,500 letters to soldiers overseas
written by Matt Renoux 9NEWS Mountain Reporter
posted by Dan Boniface Web Producer

RIFLE - For Rifle resident Cathy Meskel, every word, every letter she writes fits into a larger effort to try and reach as many soldiers in Iraq as she can.

Woman sends 19,500 letters to soldiers overseas. 9NEWS at 5 p.m. December 2, 2006.

Owning a pet store in Rifle, Meskel surrounds herself with life. She has made it her life mission to help those who put their lives on the line.

"I know it's a really bad situation over there but if I can personally do something to make a difference, to make a difference in those peoples lives that's what I intend to do," says Meskel.

Days after the war in Iraq began, Meskel started writing letters to soldiers. That was four years ago. Today she says she has written and mailed 19,500 letters to men and women serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"Just to make those guys know that someone is thinking about them and praying for them," Meskel said.

She writes one letter generally about her family and life in Rifle, then copies that letter many times before mailing it in bulk. Maskel hopes others will do the same so that no soldier goes without mail.

"I write a letter to the soldiers because there's so many soldiers that go to the mail call and receive absolutely nothing," said Meskel.

Meskel's letter campaign actually started when she was a child, and sent a few letters to soldiers during the Vietnam War, and then she sent letters during the Gulf War.

In return Meskel has received certificates from combat units, as well as several pictures of soldiers all of which are now placed on her wall of honor.

Meskel has also received several hundred letters and e-mails from those soldiers who have received one of her letters.

"I probably have 300 or 400 e-mail addresses from soldiers that have e-mailed me to keep in touch," Meskel said.

She says if you want to write a letter, don't worry about it being perfect, just put something to paper and mail it.

"They don't care what the form looks like, all they want is something that says, 'You know what? Tell me about you,'" says Meskel.

If you would like to send a soldier a letter you can do it, by going to www.anysoldier.com.

[Carl E. Carson]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

I did this and it just takes a minute. No matter what side of the fence you are on - this is a great way to tell our service men and women how great they are.

Carl Carson

----- Original Message -----

Subject: FW: Something cool Xerox is doing

Something cool that Xerox is doing

If you go to this web site,

https://www.letssaythanks.com

you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a
soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who
gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!!

This is a great site.

Please send a card.

It is FREE and it only takes a second.

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Christmas for the Troops

Yesterday I recieved this Email for Maj. Peter Blake USMC.
Al Anbar Province, Iraqi Theater:

Ed,

I just got those cards yesterday. Please know that I am very appreciative and our Marines will really like the lights and the extra opportunity to call home around Christmas. That was an excellent package to send - one of the best (and healthiest) I've seen! It's dark out here and those lights are great on jacket zippers, etc.

Thank you very much! I'll send some pictures of the squadron/aircraft your way.

Peter

God Bless the Marines! And, Happy Holidays to the Troops and the Tribe -- ED OBRIEN