An Opportunity to Help Our Wounded Servicemen and Women

Self | April 21, 2004 | Brad's Gramma

[Brad’s Gramma]

Freepers, I have been sent an email from someone stationed in Iraq regarding an urgent need by our wounded servicemen/women. For security reasons, the whole email can NOT be posted here. Read on, please.



Today I went to visit the military hospital here in the Green Zone. Yesterday my boss (a Marine) had gone to visit some of the Marines brought here from the Fallujah fighting. When he asked one of the wounded Marines if there was anything he could get for him, the Marine requested a razor so he could shave and be within standards again before he was discharged from the hospital. My boss also found that the hospital basically was lacking phones for the patients to be able to call home and talk with their loved ones. I think they only had one that the chaplain carried with him and let the patients use when visiting them. We were able to scrounge up a few razors and got a couple of our cell phones signed over to the ward. I took the items back today along with some candy folks gave me and spent some time talking with the patients.

Afterwards, I talked with the ward personnel and they gave me a list of items they can always use. Our hospital is the largest surgical hospital here in Iraq so most of the patients are evac'd here for their initial care until they can be stabilized and evac'd to Germany or returned to duty (although it is not a big hospital-more like a clinic sized unit).

Of course most of the wounded come in with only what they were wearing in most cases. As such, they don't have things like toothbrushes, etc. A lot of you are always asking if there is anything you can send me. There really isn't anything I need, but these folks could use some things for the wounded. It really is humbling when you think about these young men and women who have been wounded, some of them terribly, and they are really excited about getting a razor or some chocolate candy. So, following is the list of things the ward personnel said they could really use for their patients.

On the hygiene items (toothpaste, shampoo, etc.), they are interested in the travel size products because the wounded are normally only here for a short period of time before they are transferred out to bigger hospitals that have better supplies of these items, or back to their units where they have access to their stuff. If you would like to donate any of these things (or start a drive for these things) just mail them to me. My office will sort the items and make sure they get to the hospital. If you would like to send food items, we'll need individually wrapped or single serving items. And, chocolate is okay if it's mailed soon before it gets too hot (but to tell the truth, we've been known to lick it off the wrapper when we want it bad enough!).

Razors
Shaving Cream
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Dental Floss
Mouthwash
Soap
Shampoo
Feminine Hygiene Products
Underclothes (male and female)-okay this may sound like a strange item, but remember they normally only come in with the stuff they are wearing and normally those are ruined
Slippers/FlipFlop type of things (in large sizes-apparently the things on the local economy are pretty small)
Hospital PJs
Candy
Crackers
Snack Items
Anything else you can think of

Additionally, we like to go out and give our young Marines pulling post duty candy/cookies, so we can always use that type of stuff. We had a great time delivering our Easter candy stash Sunday and we left a lot of Marines grinning from ear to ear.

* * * * * * *

MoJo20001's husband's division is going to be collecting the items and sending them via transport to the hospital in Iraq. IF you feel so inclined, and the need IS urgent...please let one of us know.

We also are coming across names...MANY MANY names of servicemen who need care packages, a letter, sometimes depending upon the branch of service, an email. If you can commit to being faithful with the correspondence, PLEASE let us know about that, too.

[ducks1944]

Send me address also and a soldier address to email or write. I have them all on my pray list everyday. But would love to have names of some I could write to. There no better way to let them know how much we care about them. so please let know.

[Brad’s Gramma]

We shall post "Member since xx/xx/xxxx"

Hehe...I wanna call him NEWBIE!!!! HAHAHAHAAAA

Sailor! Sailor! We want the Sailor!

[Aquamarine]

Would love to help. Please send me the address.

[MoJo2001]

The Sailor is in the Canteen thread getting lost. LOL!

[Brad’s Gramma]

HAHAHHAAAAAA


I just posted to him. I got to call him a Newbie! LOL!!!

[jwalsh07]

Ping me with the address and I'll send whatever they need. If cash somewhere is easier, I can do that too.

[The Sailor]

Hello Canteeners, Freepers and all Supporters of U.S. Service Men and Women.
First I'll like to think you for the support given to those deployed in places we wouldn't think to send those we disagree with.
I'm am IT1 Young of NCTAMS LANT DET HRDS Tech Control, husband of Mojo2001. For those with military locator access, please don't flood my .mil acct. I get too much email sent for my alloted box size as it is...
Any and all donations sent to Mojo and myself will be hand carried to my Division to be sent (hopefully through mil transport to the Hospital) by me personally daily or as needed (Living Room only so big).

[Brad’s Gramma]

Thank you, Sailor, for your service to this great country of ours!

And thank you SO MUCH for giving everyone an opportunity to GIVE BACK to the military. So many of us WANT to...but aren't sure how.

You do know, don't you, that you're going to become very very hooked on FR? LOL!!!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Thank you for this heart-wrenching post. Yes, indeed - count me in - FReep-mail me with the contact information!

[TruthNtegrity]

Hi Nancy,

I've written to the address I got from you and from a gal in Germany who has a contact - her hubby - a Chaplain in Fallujah. BUT I haven't gotten any requests for anything other than brownies and chocolate candy.

I have those "travel size" from taking them to WRAMC but the troops are now getting really great baskets from the USO, including prepaid phone cards.

I'd love to send some stuff on, to add to this collection.

I'd also love to write letters (I'm so worried; I haven't heard from my CPL in the 1st Battalion from Camp Pendleton - he's back in Iraq, and in Fallujah and hasn't sent me an address.)

So - email or snail mail letters.

And an address to send these comfort items I have to them.

You know me - I'm always ready to help.

Carrie

[Cate]

Hey Brad's Gramma- post the address and I'll do my best to get a package rolling. We all need to step up to the plate and help where ever we can. This is a small price to pay for our freedom!!! Cate

[TruthNtegrity]

You have FReepmail!!

[TruthNtegrity]

I'm interested in sending packages of travel size stuff.

I'm also interested in writing letters, or emailing anyone who needs encouragement. I love to write - so not a problem.

Please FReepmail me whatever addresses there are for sending the package of travel-size items to the Hospital, and also address for email and snailmail.

I've now been told I make brownies that are more like fudge, and satisfy the "need" for chocolate better than anything else they've been sent. Awww, flattery will just getcha another batch!

BTW, anyone reading this - if you send goodie boxes of candy and such, remember to throw in something that is non-choclate. Several of the guys at WRAMC requested Skittles, Licorice, and/or Starburst - one was allergic to chocolate and the other just like fruit-flavored candy better than chocolate. Just a hint.

Truthy

[lainde]

bttt

[TruthNtegrity]

This former OSIS/OBU/GCCS-M contractor would like to thank you for doing this for us.

We're only too happy to help.

I've already asked Brad's Gramma for address to send requested items, and email and snail mail addesses for me to write. I love to write letters - email or with postage.

Thank you for allowing us to help with this.

And thank you for your service.

Bravo zulu for letting us know.

GO NAVY!!!!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Chomp, chew, chomp, chomp, grunt, yummmmmmm.........

I'm having a chocolate attack, again....HELP! LOL!

[Texasforever]

Please send details on where to send the package. via fr mail and I will get right on it. Thanks for the heads up.

[antaresequity]

Anyone for adopting this way station for our finest? How can we as a group make sure our wounded who pass through this faciliy know, we love them, support them...

This is an opportunity to put our money were our mouths are...even if its a pair of slippers or a magazine...

Anyone else game to make this an effort beyond lip service?

Young men and women in the prime of their lives have decided to sacrafice their own self intrests in favour of freedom, freedom for men they dont even know...What would you like to contribute to make sure they are recognized?...I pledge 100 bucks right here right now...can we pull together 1000? or maybe 5000 bucks?

Young men, and women, in the prime of their lives have chosen to go in harms way...I think we are obligated to help them...seems to me we could adopt a place like this.

Free Republic can generate 65 grand for its quarterlies in usually less than a month...can we do somthing here?