Care Packages and Thank-You Notes for our Troops in Afghanistan

self | 7-3-04 | patriciaruth

[patriciaruth]

Our troop support group finally found a way to send care packages to our troops in Afghanistan, and I've received a couple letters this week requesting goodies. We're pretty excited about finally making contact, and are inviting others who want to show support to join us.

If you can't afford to contribute money or goods, the troops also really appreciate letters, cards and notes, and request your prayers for their safety and peace of mind.

The first set of care packages and thank you cards and notes that we sent to Afghanistan for the Fourth of July were received with joy and you can read about them on the second half of our last thread, Write a Thank You Note to a Soldier in Iraq this Memorial Day Weekend

We've been collecting goodies and contributions toward the next set of care packages to go to Afghanistan. Our contact there will send them to the troops at the outlying fire bases, and has requested toiletries, movies, paperback books, snacks, and games for them.

Also, there are ongoing requests from a group of soldiers near Kirkuk in Iraq for items for the poor village schools and children in the surrounding area, specifically elementary school supplies and children's toys and crayons 24 to a box are a special project of theirs.

[summer]

bttt

[patriciaruth]

I'd get the Nicole Kidman The Others. It was a well made ghost story, and worth viewing if you like the genre. They probably are thinking about the Italian Life is Beautiful, which starts silly but after they go to the concentration camp, it becomes quite good.

[patriciaruth]

I'm going to crack your book myself before I send it off to another base. Fair warning, I am a tough critic.

[patriciaruth]

Please put any lotions, etc. in ziplock baggies before you mail.

Mathluv sent some wet wipes which leaked and messed up the cover of one of her puzzle books. It was a surprize to me as I have been just tossing the travel packages of wet ones in the boxes. Not any more.

As you see, we've already put some of your goodies in the boxes going out as room permits.

I watched the A Man Apart with Vin Deisil. It wasn't any worse or better than any other the others in that genre. Definitely watchable if you like the Payback, Collateral Damage, Lethal Weapon type of movie with a home boyz in the hood edge.

[patriciaruth]

Mo1 just sent some Army T-shirts and Army socks (50% wool) she got at a website. If these pass muster when they get there, we will be doing more of them.

If you want to go to a grocery warehouse or discount store or talk to your local Wal-mart about getting a discount for buying a box for our soldiers, then beef jerky is also wanted by the Special Forces soldiers in Afghanistan who come back to base every few months for R&R.

Also "pogie bait", like Payday candy bars and after the weather cools and chocolate won't melt, Snickers and other high calorie energy bars.

I will always handle special requests by any soldier, but more and more now I am concentrating on the outlying soldiers in Afghanistan. And so far, the four things above are what they are requesting, because food with energy and protein and extra dry undergarments mean survival to them on their forays and are worth the weight in their packs.

Cheers!

[asgardshill]

Right-o - the red-haired Aussie it 'tis then.

[iceskater]

Do you think she might have meant "A Beautiful Mind"? Russell Crowe was in it and it was out in the theaters a couple years ago.

Just a thought.

[patriciaruth]

Do you think she might have meant "A Beautiful Mind"? Russell Crowe was in it

Eerily I woke early with this same thought on my mind. A Beautiful Mind was very well done movie about the mental struggle with paranoid schizophrenia, and a deserving oscar performance.

Perhaps we could send the ladies both movies, as both are deserving of viewing, especially by someone interested in psychology? Or I could email her fellow NCO and ask her to clarify this? Would that be a breach of confidentiality?

I'll let asgardshill call this one.

[Abigail Adams]

Maybe she meant "Life is Beautiful". I think it is an Italian film, and maybe there is more than one translation for the title? It is a romantic-type movie:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6305426651/103-5810152-4371038?v=glance

[patriciaruth]

We saw the film Life is Beautiful, but I don't remember if it was subtitled. We see a lot of films that are foreign subtitled and if they are good we don't remember the subtitles.

[asgardshill]

Interesting - I considered but dismissed "A Beautiful Mind" because of the presence of the word 'life' in the requested title. But I did think it was outstanding because it gave me some insight into the behavior of a late member of my family. Its a long story and one not appropriate for this forum, but suffice to say that I got a jarring reminder of the acting out and the suffering of that family member from Russell Crowe's performance.

I'll gladly snag and send a copy of "A Beautiful Mind" in addition to "Life is Beautiful".

[patriciaruth]

I just got the copy of Not Without My Daughter with Sally Field that I ordered. Thought it might personalize the problem we are fighting for the gals there.

[asgardshill]

Good choice. That's a marvelous movie (although Ms. Field's politics leave a bit to be desired).

I'm going to try to get "A Beautiful Mind", etc. for the current shipment before mailing it.

[patriciaruth]

As long as they don't call me names (which Ms. Roberts did) or don't openly call our country evil and live in another country (like Johnny Depp), then I recognize their talents and their livelihoods and ignore their political preferences.

But the personal life of stars does affect my movie going habits. It just wasn't fun anymore to go see Julia after she called me a repugnant reptile and Harrison Ford lost his appeal after he dumped his wife for a twenty year old chick.

Stars are in the business of selling illusion and vicarious living. That's more difficult to do when they let reality intrude upon their public image.

[patriciaruth]

This is an email from Kirkuk that I forgot to post last week while I was trying to get boxes packed and mailed:

---

SPC ******* is a soldier in my 1ST Platoon and yes his writing is atrocious, but he does have a big heart and a soft spirit nature. I'm so glad that you got a letter from him and that you were able to read it!! That is another reason why I choose to type out emails, my writing skills are pretty bad as well.

I know that we are looking forward to all the goodies you have is store for us!! As for the books, there are some that only read. They prefer to do that over watching anything, so books are good. We have started a library Room" and now they are filling up with all kinds of books for all to enjoy. Many people donate books they receive to this room and as people finish reading, the get placed back on the shelves. We seem to have a good spirit of sharing. I think people stationed here almost don't want to keep anything, but pass it around as they finish. It really works well despite all the ownership training we all get through our socialization processes growing up.

We do appreciate all the Supplies sent our way for Operation Crayon. As for totals, we are expecting to see some really large, palletted donations that are rumored to be sitting in Kuwait, awaiting transport. I will do my best to get some pictures of the supplies, as next Friday will be a party to move them all into a warehouse for the purpose of setting up a packaging assembly line.

I cannot thank you enough for you efforts to make this such a pain free deployment for so many. I have been on a few in my 18 yrs, but never seen this type of love and support from so many. You must be a Republican. Thanks!!

V/R,
C*****

[asgardshill]

You must be a Republican

Heh heh heh ...

[patriciaruth]

That made me laugh. Wonder if it was the magazines and articles that I would throw in the boxes that tipped him off?

I certainly don't discuss politics with the soldiers, but how many Democrat women get Army and NRA's Outlook magazine?

Well, the Ronald Reagan calendar that just went out in the last box ought to clear up any doubts he has. LOL!

[patriciaruth]

BTW, I've been shopping on Norton's dime and ordered these movies and books recently.

Movies
The Sixth Sense (Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment)
Windtalkers (Nicolas Cage,
The Unforgiven VHS (Burt Lancaster, Audrey Hepburn)
Predator (Schwarzenegger)
Men in Black DVD (Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones)
Men in Black VHS (Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones)
Die Hard (Bruce Willis)
On Any Sunday (Steve McQueen)
Dennis Miller-The Raw Feed (2003)
Eyes of Laura Mars (Tommy Lee Jones, Faye Dunaway)
Shanghai Knights (Jackie Chan)
Witness (Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis)
The Man from Snowy River
bidding on Groundhog Day (Bill Murray) on eBay
Awakenings (Robin Williams)
Good Will Hunting (Matt Damon, Robin Williams)
The Killing Fields (Haing Ngor)
The Right Stuff (Sam Shepard, Dennis Quaid)
Not Without My Daughter (Sally Field)
Orange County 12.47

Books:
Nora Roberts trilogy: SeaSwept, Rising Tides, Inner Harbor
Winds of War (Wouk)
Clan of the Cave Bear (Auel)
Sarum (Rutherfurd)
Russka (Rutherfurd)
The Chequer Board (Shute)
Still Missing (2 copies)
The Right Stuff (Wolfe)

[Peach]

You must be a Republican! LOL

I love these guys.

[asgardshill]

Sounds like a good collection - I sincerely hope that "Norton" either has deep pockets or back-channel connections like Thor does ;)

I'll try to pick up the remainder of my list (The Others, How to Deal, Butterfly Effect, Life is Beautiful, and A Beautiful Mind) as well as the CDs tomorrow. With Hidalgo, the VHS tapes, the chop-socky (Bruce Lee, Bruce Li, Sonny Chiba) and the other stuff I've already amassed, I hope to get the whole package off by Monday.

Busy weekend coming up.