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30-Year PX Veteran Braving Baghdad 'for Our Troops' (73-year-old great-grandmother)
Washington Post ^ | 7/3/05 | Stephen Barr

Posted on 07/07/2005 7:07:40 AM PDT by lowbridge

About the time you're celebrating the Fourth of July, Lena Haddix will be en route to Iraq. She's a 73-year-old great-grandmother who recently finished a six-month deployment to Kuwait and then signed up for a six-month deployment to Baghdad.

Haddix is a store manager for the Army & Air Force Exchange Service and volunteered to work overseas because she wants to support the youngsters in the military.

"I'm doing it for our troops," Haddix said in a telephone interview from her home in Lawton, Okla.

"I was a little late getting started because I raised a family first. But now I can do something for the troops. . . . If you could just see the expression on their faces when I talk to them. Anything you can do for them, they appreciate it more than they do here in the States."

Haddix works for the retail arm of the Defense Department and is part of a network of volunteers who go overseas to bring movies, music, sodas and goodies to the troops. Post exchange personnel operate out of trucks and tents and, when conditions permit, set up PXs in buildings.

On most days, the exchange service has about 450 civilians operating 54 stores, 65 phone centers and more than 100 fast-food eateries throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kuwait.

About two-thirds of the revenue generated by exchanges goes to fund military morale, welfare and recreation programs.

Haddix has been with the exchange service for 30 years, working in Virginia, Texas, Ohio, California, the Panama Canal Zone and Oklahoma. Her home base is Fort Sill, near Lawton.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: baghdad; gnfi; grandmother; iraq; militarywomen; px
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1 posted on 07/07/2005 7:07:40 AM PDT by lowbridge
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To: lowbridge

In 1950s Japan, going to the PX was a brief visit home.


2 posted on 07/07/2005 7:11:36 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: lowbridge

I recall reading this story last year! Why has it
been revived now?


3 posted on 07/07/2005 7:27:01 AM PDT by Grendel9 (uick)
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To: Grendel9

My guess is because last year she was serving in Kuwait and now she's just left for a hitch in Iraq...


4 posted on 07/07/2005 7:32:54 AM PDT by WestTexasWend
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To: lowbridge

Salutes and hoorahs to a great American.


5 posted on 07/07/2005 7:46:12 AM PDT by Christian4Bush (The modern Democratic Party: Attacking our defenders and defending our attackers.)
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To: Calpernia

bump


6 posted on 07/07/2005 8:32:36 AM PDT by lowbridge
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To: ducks1944; Ragtime Cowgirl; Alamo-Girl; TrueBeliever9; anniegetyourgun; maestro; TEXOKIE; ...
Haddix is a store manager for the Army & Air Force Exchange Service and volunteered to work overseas because she wants to support the youngsters in the military.

"I'm doing it for our troops," Haddix said in a telephone interview from her home in Lawton, Okla.

"I was a little late getting started because I raised a family first. But now I can do something for the troops. . . . If you could just see the expression on their faces when I talk to them. Anything you can do for them, they appreciate it more than they do here in the States."

7 posted on 07/07/2005 8:37:09 AM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: Calpernia

Thanks for the ping!


8 posted on 07/07/2005 9:02:14 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: Calpernia

Great Living American bump
http://www.garagelogic.com/lexicon.htm


9 posted on 07/07/2005 10:17:45 AM PDT by Valin (The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right.)
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To: lowbridge; DevSix; Dog; nuconvert

Awesome story! Thanks for posting.


10 posted on 07/09/2005 10:37:02 AM PDT by Coop (www.heroesandtraitors.org)
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To: lowbridge

What!?! This is terrible. Females should not be in a war zone! < /sarcasm>

Go, Granny, Go!


11 posted on 07/09/2005 10:38:32 AM PDT by CheneyChick
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To: CheneyChick

Bump


12 posted on 07/09/2005 11:18:48 AM PDT by bwteim
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To: lowbridge


13 posted on 07/09/2005 11:20:38 AM PDT by bwteim
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To: bwteim

Ha ha - that picture rocks. Granny in her boonie hat.


14 posted on 07/09/2005 11:21:23 AM PDT by CheneyChick
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To: bwteim; CheneyChick; lowbridge
Original FR story here.
15 posted on 07/09/2005 11:26:51 AM PDT by Coop (www.heroesandtraitors.org)
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To: Coop; Allegra
Hey Allegra do us a HUGE favor....see if you can get to this PX and shake this womans hand and tell her America thanks her.

Please!

16 posted on 07/09/2005 2:00:11 PM PDT by Dog
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To: txradioguy

You still in the sandbox?


17 posted on 07/09/2005 2:00:56 PM PDT by Dog
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To: Dog

She's definitely making the site as a hero.


18 posted on 07/09/2005 2:23:12 PM PDT by Coop (www.heroesandtraitors.org)
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To: Dog
Hey Allegra do us a HUGE favor....see if you can get to this PX and shake this womans hand and tell her America thanks her.

I wish they had mentioned which PX, or at least the base. There are quite a few in Baghdad and I can only get to a couple of them.

If I see her, though, I'll definitely chat with her and maybe even give her a hug. ;-)

19 posted on 07/09/2005 8:51:00 PM PDT by Allegra (On the Rocks With Salt, Please...)
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To: Allegra

Give her one for me as well. And tell her she's going to make our site (see tagline) as a hero within the next day or two. :-)


20 posted on 07/11/2005 7:39:03 AM PDT by Coop (www.heroesandtraitors.org)
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