Posted on 03/27/2004 7:01:53 PM PST by BykrBayb
Story Number: NNS040324-08 Release Date: 3/25/2004 9:40:00 AM
By Journalist 1st Class Todd Macdonald, Logistics Group Western Pacific Public Affairs
SINGAPORE (NNS) -- While nothing can replace family and friends on the pier for Sailors and Marines returning from deployments, the crew of the San Diego-based USS Boxer (LHD 4) had arguably the next best thing waiting for them pierside March 21 - pallets of Girl Scout cookies —enough for everyone aboard.
Local Girl Scouts, acting on behalf of their counterparts from the San Diego-Imperial chapter and its Operation Thin Mint (OTM) initiative, delivered 310 cases of cookies, along with handwritten notes of support, for the ship's nearly 1,000 Sailors and Marines.
Sailors said the cookie delivery helped make duty on the middle day of a three-day port visit more “palatable” for the ship’s duty section, and provided a touch of home for the Sailors and Marines.
“Normally, having duty on a ship when you are in port is not the most desirable position to be in; you’re working while everyone is having fun,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handler) 3rd Class Steven Vlasich. “But today, people who didn’t have duty were coming up to me to make sure I got them a box of cookies. They didn’t want to miss out.”
This is the third consecutive year of OTM, and according to Mary Doyle, communications director for the San Diego Girl Scouts, by the time the last 2004 OTM shipment arrives overseas, a three-year total of nearly 500,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies and hundreds of thousands of notes will have been sent to deployed service members worldwide.
Many of those cookies have been and will be delivered by ships of the U.S. 7th Fleet Logistics Force, which is headquartered in Singapore by the staff of Logistics Group Western Pacific, in its operational role as Commander, Task Force 73. When schedules allow, the cookies are delivered by local Girl Scouts during Singapore port visits. The local troop, which is made up primarily by daughters of U.S. expatriates, U.S. Embassy personnel and military family members, also includes girls of other nationalities.
For most of the Singapore Girl Scouts, who have been involved with OTM for each of its three years, delivering the cookies is a unique opportunity to support their stateside counterparts and get a firsthand introduction to the Navy. The Boxer duty section gave the girls an extensive ship tour.
“I can’t believe how big this ship is,” said Jacueline Zee, 7, during the Boxer delivery. “It’s so big you can drive trucks on it, and it has helicopters on it. I didn’t think you could do that.”
For the Sailors, the reaction of their Girl Scout visitors was often as rewarding as the cookies.
“It’s great to see the excitement in the girls' eyes as we take them on the ship and show them the different departments and what they do,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuels) 1st Class Matt Altekruse. “Believe me, some of that same thrill was in the eyes of the Sailors when they received their Girl Scout cookies.”
“It feels good to be able to say thank you to the military people in person,” said Varsha Hande, a 10-year-old Singapore Scout. “We really appreciate what they are doing for the United States.”
Boxer deployed from San Diego to the Central Command area of responsibility Jan. 14 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom force rotation. The ship provided amphibious lifts for a portion of the equipment and personnel from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.
For related news, visit the Logistics Group Western Pacific Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/clwp.
There's a story there about POW/MIAs in Viet Nam. http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=3888 With a related video.
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