Replies

This is such a great thing to do for this holiday! My husband says DVDs and CDs are what he's heard the warriors over there really like, as opposed to VHS. Anybody know about that? The reason I ask is because used VHS movies are pretty cheap on the internet, while DVDs are more expensive. Could send them four VHS flicks for the price of one DVD, but if the VHS technology isn't over there in a big way, all the videos in the world won't give them much enjoyment.

VHS does not do well in a hot, sandy environment. DVD is a better, more robust technology. Most new purchases are DVD players, not VHS players.

In regards to movies. In Kosovo, at Camp Bondsteel, they had VHS capacity only. In Iraq, they can view both ways, but prefer DVD's to use on the computers. Also they are smaller, less weighty to have as part of your kit, especially if you remove them from the crystal cases and put into vinyl CD wallets.

I know the cost problem. It has definitely been more expensive to buy DVD's for Iraq than it cost to send VHS to Kosovo. I shop Wal-Mart and get preused at Hollywood video mostly.

I had only one request for music, and sent over a bunch of my classical and jazz tapes, and bought a couple CD's.

I'm sure music CD's are tops in interest, but it's hard to get them to tell you exactly what--they have a lot of other things on their minds I think.

The last boxes I sent I included a questionnaire for requests from soldiers around them, so maybe we'll get some more specific information.

The box to Mosul had some suggestions from soldiers in it, which is why it had foot powder and toys. Kosovo depleted my entire collection of action, etc. films, but I was glad I had sent them as the 101st Airborne and the 10th Mountain later went not much later to Afghanistan and then Iraq, and I hoped they carried the memory of someone caring about them before 9/11.

With a couple dozen faithful others I call the Merry Band of Patriots we sent over 150 movies to Camp Bondsteel, and they and the boxes of Snickers candy bars where the most appreciated gifts then.

Email and picture from KIRKUK! Thanks especially to Bigg Redd, Kathy in Alaska, Mo1, and Tunehead54 for contributions.

Mo1 is acting as email/photo intermediary:

Dear M******,

Wow! That is about how to describe all the goodies coming our way to kirkuk!! Patty and all the Merry Patriots seem to have a knack for sending the things we like to get in the mail. I will definitely have to send photo's of our 4th of July celebration your way to share with all that contributed to this effort.
I cannot begin to thank you all for the kindness in your hearts, especially in regards to the Iraqi children. These kids are the real losers of the gulf war, and ironically, can also be the biggest benefactors with the right influence.
Last evening we held another sorting party and many of the bins are getting filled. Soon we will have to put our individual packages together for distribution, and that is when all of the team effort will pay-off. I will be sure to send out pictures through email so all can experience the joy of making positive change in the lives of many.
I want to personally thank Patty for the Cardigans CD. I hope she had a chance to listen to it before sending it on to me. It is different, but fairly tame comparatively to most pop music.
She also sent some really classic books. I look forward to reading Starship Troopers, as the book was originally published in the 1940's. Any chance of finding a old copy of Homer's Illiad or the Oddessy?
Well, I'm sure that these books and movies will be well circulated in no time, and there will be lots of happy soldiers in Kirkuk.
Thanks again from all of us here in "Beast".

Sincerely, C******

June 16, 2004, to Kirkuk(should be arriving any time):
Picture album of troop support rallies (Tunehead54 and SerpentDove) and 16 Thank you notes and cards
DVD Movies: Bruce Almighty (Jim Carey); Radio (Cuba Gooding, Jr.); Men in Black II (Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones)[contributed by Mo1]; Lawrence of Arabia (Peter O'Toole); Starship Troopers; True Lies (Schwarzenegger); Fifth Element(Bruce Willis)
VHS tape of President Bush Speech to the Nation on Iraq
Books: Sun Tzu's Art of War; Seven Pillars of Wisdom (T.E. Lawrence); Shogun (James Clavell); Goodbye Darkness-Memoir of WWII in the Pacific(William Manchester); Sum of All Fears (Tom Clancy); Starship Troopers (Robert Heinlein); Pied Piper (Nevil Shute); A Town Like Alice (Nevil Shute); 25 pocket constitutions
24 pencils #2 in plastic case
CD 1965 Music
2 Carefree gum
Magazine: People issue about Reagan, Essay on Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, Letter by Franklin Graham about faith

June 23, 2004, 3 packages sent to Kirkuk,
Box 1: 3 cans (each makes 32 quarts) of sugared Country Time lemonade mix
Box 2: 9 boxes (each has 12 packs of 4 cookies) of Chips Ahoy cookies, First Band on the Moon CD by Cardigans, 1968 music hits CD, DVD movie The Count of Monte Cristo with Jim Caviezel, personal mini fan and 4 pack of AA batteries, overflow toys--7 packs of 5 die cast fire dept or construction trucks/motorcycle/helicopter, 8 mesh bags of sand toys, 1 dress up jewelry and clutch purse combo pack.
Box 3: 21 SUV toys, 17 dress up jewelry and clutch purse packs, 6 baby dolls, 4 combo packs of jump rope, jacks, yo-yo and paddle ball, 1 small card game of FISH.

Box 4 still being packed:
8 packs of 72 pencils, 10 glue and glitter sets, 10 fat kiddie crayon boxes, 4 packs of 4 rulers (with metric on one side). I hope I can find my old office pencil sharpener before I pack this. 1 can 32 qts lemonade mix. Box 100 Tootsie Pops. CD disk holder album.

On way from Amazon, Braveheart movie with Mel Gibson, books Altman code, Glory Road, Tai-pan, Shogun, King Rat, And from Caswell-Massey, travel size aftershave gel (can't send liquid) sandlewood scent. Depending on room I'll tuck some of these in.

Anyone out there have a copy of the Iliad or the Odyssey? I read them in Latin class in high school and never bought a copy.