[300winmag]

Here is a slightly-redacted set of email that went back and forth between me, Austin, who got a HHD pocketknife, and a non-FR email group. Austin is the treadhead colonel coming out of retirement for a six-month tour in an unfriendly part of the world.

Unless he's been lurking here, all he knows of the Hobbit Hole is what he's heard from me. So please forgive him when he calls us "my group. This note is really directed to all of us here.

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Richard--

I'll have more on my active duty posting in a couple of weeks. The post will be called "Gather 'round, boys 3" --unless by then it's 4 or 5.

Gentlemen, the knife is fabulous. My wife asked me why the news media doesn't focus on Americans supporting our troops like Rick and his group. I had to tell her, dear, good stuff from pro-American Americans isn't news to the news media.

Austin

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

It's the best we could afford for our troops, sir. I wish we could buy body armor, tomahawks, secure radios, air conditioners, and big ticket stuff like that. But we do what we can with our money. The Hobbit Hole does more than just ship poagie bait and love. We also mail the troops tools to make life easier and safer, when we find the right stuff.

We're up to 129 knives so far, and my biggest fear is that the dealer will run out of them at that price. So I buy another dozen whenever I get money ahead. I'll have about 40 ready to go, but there's at least one platoon-sized shipment due out soon.

I hope you never have to use that knife for any serious business, but we already have feedback that those knives have saved two Americans, and one Iraqi.

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

Rick--

Got your knife in the mail. It's superb. Thanks.

Austin

[2Jedismom]

Thanks for posting that, Rick! I hope I hear back from Wes...when and if I do, I'll be sure and post it here in the Hole.

[Wneighbor]

Tears and hugs WM. Everytime, they bring me to tears. God love 'em.

[SuziQ]

My wife asked me why the news media doesn't focus on Americans supporting our troops like Rick and his group. I had to tell her, dear, good stuff from pro-American Americans isn't news to the news media.

An aquaintance of mine works for a local newspaper. I was chatting with her the other day and mentioned the Hobbit Hole and stuff we've sent to the troops. She told her boss, and that lady might call me in a week or two to do a story on it! I gave Dawna the website for the Troops Project so that her boss could find out about it before she calls me. If she does the story, I'm going to stress how important it is that folks who know people serving over there keep in touch with them and send them a little something now and then for themselves and to share with the others in their platoons, etc.

[smaagee]

Got your knife in the mail. It's superb. Thanks.

My sentiments exactly. I use mine everyday for something. Several guys keep commenting "cant wait to get mine", but they understand the postal system here all too well. Thanks again everyone.