Operation Air Conditioner

Delaware Times ^ | July 17 | dormee

[dormee]

For some young American soldiers in Iraq, Frankie Mayo of Bear is one cool supporter.

She has been sending them air conditioners. Fourteen as of Wednesday. Fourteen more go out today. And she's taking donations to send about 200 more.

The first batch arrived Wednesday afternoon in Iraq at the undisclosed location of her son, Cpl. Christopher Tomlinson, 21, and other members of the U.S. Army's 300th Military Police Company.

Soldiers hugged the boxes. Some started opening them.

"I never expected this," First Lt. Jessica Murphy of Green Bay, Wis., told World Picture News photographer Matt Moyer. "We usually get care packages, but air conditioners?"

Like many other mothers whose children are on active duty, Mayo had wanted to do something for her son.

The one gift she sent him has grown into "Operation Air Conditioner." She has gotten donations online from as far away as Wisconsin, from a Korean War vet.

In an e-mail earlier this summer, Tomlinson told his mother not to worry and that he was doing fine, except for the 145-degree heat in his tent.

He joked that he would be doing even better if he had an air conditioner.

She sent him one.

Mayo's mother, Barbara Nichols, enjoyed her grandson's response: "He said, 'Goody! Send some more!'"

Before Mayo did, she checked the idea with First Sgt. Anthony C. Hallenbeck of the 300th Military Police Company.

Hallenbeck told The News Journal by e-mail that the company welcomes the unusual gift of air conditioners. "All those being donated are greatly appreciated," he said. Hallenbeck noted, however, that more routine supplies such as moist wipes are far more urgently needed.

Mayo sends only small units because of shipping rules, and Army officials told her the troops will have to leave them behind when they come home.

Maj. Len Gratteri, public affairs officer of the Delaware National Guard, said he never heard of any other air conditioner drive for the troops. And Tech. Sgt. Ben Matwey, public affairs officer for the Delaware Air National Guard, said the effort may be a first. He recalled one time, when a member in service won a contest and the prize was an air conditioner. "He couldn't accept it," Matwey said, "so he donated it to a senior center here in Delaware."

Mayo's drive has raised enough money that, last week, she bought 18 more air conditioners at the Glasgow Home Depot, which gave her two free.

The store's project coordinator Fran Denver of Newark, an Army veteran, said, "I think what she's doing is fantastic. This is really great."

The UPS Store in Peoples Plaza packs the air conditioners without charge.

Cindy Guerrazzi of Elkton, Md., recognized Mayo one day in the Glasgow parking lot with two air conditioners in a cart. "You're the air conditioner woman!" Guerrazzi hollered in greeting. "Keep it up!"

Mayo is helping in other ways, too. For example, when she learned of a shortage of feminine hygiene products, she contacted Playtex Inc. of Dover. Playtex officials filled her van with donated items and she sent them to Iraq.

Mayo's neighbors in the community of Clear Creek in Bear were her first supporters and some of their kids are making cards for soldiers. A few people have volunteered.

Still, Operation Air Conditioner largely is a family project, involving Mayo's husband, Mathew; her daughter, Olivia, 10; and stepson Bryan Peterson, 21. Tomlinson's father, Rick, who lives near Wilmington, offers support in other ways, Mayo said.

She said the family was saddened to learn that, with President Bush's recent decision to extend military tours, Tomlinson will be serving at least another year. She said she last saw her son a year ago Mother's Day.

On Wednesday, her son told the photographer how thankful he was - and not just for the air conditioners.

"When I first read my mother's e-mail describing what she was doing, there weren't words to describe how I felt," he said. "I love my mom more than anything but this is above and beyond the call.

"I don't think my mom will ever know how grateful I am for this."

Reach robin brown at 324-2856 or rbrown@delawareonline.com.

OPERATION AIR CONDITIONER

Military officials advise against sending air conditioners or other bulky gifts to troops without making arrangements in advance.

In an arrangement with the 300th Military Police Company, Frankie Mayo of Bear is collecting donations to send air conditioners and heavy-duty power adapters to the soldiers.

[dormee]

Sorry, I forgot to add the link to this woman's web site...http://mywpages.comcast.net/frankiemayo/

[Bahbah]

Have you seen this?

[Support Free Republic]

Just 17 cents per day

Click The Logo To Donate

[George from New England]

My take on this is...

These businesses participating are doing so ONLY for the publicity and press coverage. Where are the soldiers going to power the air conditioners from? Are we sure these will fit in the windows in the tents? C'mon.

I know the conditions over there are unbearable but this is a stupid ploy by Home Depot, UPS, etc to try to show they care.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Bahbah. No, I hadn't seen this particular project. I've been able to send a couple fans (requests) to specific guys. They were appreciated.

[Angry_White_Man_Syndrome]

The Troops most likely have generators for power. I served in the Navy for 10 years and every where we went we took at least one generator (50kW size). As far as fitting into tent windows, that is nothing a knife and some duct tape can't solve. Sure the companies are doing this in part for marketing purposes. SO What!!! At least, the troops are getting some relief.

[Kewlhand`tek]

money would be better spent on swamp coolers. they use less electricity.....but then again the avaiblity of swamp coolers may be limited.

[Angry_White_Man_Syndrome]

Yes, Swamp coolers would work, but don't you need a water source to run them? Most of the time the generators are not even near capacity. We had to run all sorts of equipment to come close to bogging down ours. Plus, running the generators we did bellow 50% load was really bad for them.

[fightinJAG]

I agree wholeheartedly!

I think the services should provide these to soldiers to wear when they are out and about (so long as they don't hinder them operationally):

http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/pipmoreshell1.jhtml?sku=&pid=26726800&catid=105&pcatid=1&nicknameindex=&pageType=MOREINFO

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

"I never expected this," First Lt. Jessica Murphy of Green Bay, Wis., told World Picture News photographer Matt Moyer.

My hometown Big GB in da hizz-ous!!

[fightinJAG]

also from the DOD homepage:

Thank you for thinking of our troops! Thousands of Americans are asking what they can do to show their support for servicemembers, especially those serving overseas in this time of war. Below are Web sites for several organizations that are sponsoring programs for members of the Armed Forces overseas. While it would be inappropriate for the Department to endorse any specifically, servicemembers do value and appreciate such expressions of support:

Contribute to "Gifts from the Homefront" Certificates from the Army Air Force Exchange System (AAFES). These allow you to send a gift certificate to a loved one, family member or friend associated with the military. These certificates are redeemable by authorized patrons of the PX/BX and are redeemable at all locations around the world including deployed areas. For more information, please see: http://www.aafes.com/docs/homefront.htm.

Donate to"Operation USO Care Package" at http://www.usocares.org/home.htm.

The Gift of Groceries program at http://www.commissaries.com/certificheck/index.htm helps meet the family needs of our Guard and Reserve troops fighting the war on terrorism.

Donate a calling card to help keep servicemembers in touch with their families at Operation Uplink at http://www.operationuplink.org/

[Dr. Scarpetta]

BUMP

[Gracey]

Thought you'd be interested in this article.

Hot Under the Collar
August 19, 2003

According to a Washington Times editorial today
(http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20030818-085538-8874r.htm), a volunteer effort to send our troops air conditioners to make their tour of duty in Iraq a little easier to bear has had the effort stopped cold in its
tracks...by the Post Office!

Last Friday, Mrs. Frankie Mayo - the organizer of Operation Air Conditioner (http://mywpages.comcast.net/frankiemayo/) who had 302 new units ready for shipment - was informed "by a bureaucrat in an air-conditioned office at Delaware's Wilmington Distribution Center that it would no longer ship the air conditioners because they contain Freon."

It's kind of curious that our friends at the post office would suddenly stop participating in this relief effort. They've already shipped 425 other units for the project since June.

Mrs. Mayo - whose son is currently serving in Iraq - needs our help. As she wrote in an email to the Times, "We must cut through any red tape to get (our soldiers) what they need. Period. No excuses or delays. Delays are costing American soldiers lives. I will not accept failure as it is not an option for me nor my family."

Please let Postmaster General John Potter know that this kind of stupidity by the post office is completely unacceptable. His phone number is (202)268-2020; fax (202) 268-5211; or e-mail by going to www.usps.com/common/contact_us/ and click on consumer feedback. Time is of the essence here, so please make your voice heard TODAY. Thanks!

[Gracey]

Checkout Post #14

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Gracey, action will be taken. Postmaster General John Potter will hear. Hopefully enough hue and cry will go out that the shipments will continue.

[Pompah]

Great idea.
I'm guessing that when all the "Photo-Op" PR shots are done
and we go on to other things The Big Chill Fan will end up in some Officers Mess in a Rear Echelon area.

End of story.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Last Friday, Mrs. Frankie Mayo - the organizer of Operation Air Conditioner (http://mywpages.comcast.net/frankiemayo/) who had 302 new units ready for shipment - was informed "by a bureaucrat in an air-conditioned office at Delaware's Wilmington Distribution Center that it would no longer ship the air conditioners because they contain Freon."

OUTRAGED bump

[mystery-ak]

Well, my hubby has an ac, but no generator to run it....so if they are not sending generators too, how are they going to run them.

[Gracey]

Thought you'd be interested in this, emailed to me from;
http://www.chuckmuth.com

Hot Under the Collar Update

Before reading the post office's "explanation" (below) as to why they now refuse to ship donated air conditioners to troops sweltering in the Iraqi heat, catch Washington Times editorial cartoonist Bill Garner's poke at USPS by visiting our home page at www.citizenoutreach.com. It'll put you in the proper frame of mind before digesting the bureaucratic spin that came out of the Postmaster General's office on Wednesday.

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As Opposed to the Risk Our U.S. Soldiers Are Taking EVERY DAY?

"We appreciate your query concerning the mailing of the air conditioner units. The issue here is one of basic safety. Neither the United States Postal Service - nor any other of the world's postal administrations - accepts compressed gas for international air shipment. We understand that most private-sector package carriers follow similar safety guidelines. The simple fact is that an incident involving compressed gases in international
flights could place an entire crew and its' passengers at risk - whether over land or above the ocean. That is a risk we do not want to take."

- Official email response from USPS on its decision to stop shipping donated air conditioners to troops in Iraq

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Reader's Response to the USPS Response

"(What) a load of BS!! USPS says they don't ship AC's cuz they're afraid the machines will blow up in the air?! What?!"

- News & Views reader "Andrew"

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Goin' Postal

"As an employee of the Post Office, this (decision to stop shipping donated air conditioners to troops in Iraq) comes as no surprise. Speaking from personal experience, the bloated bureaucracy of the Postal Service has only two main concerns: Grabbing that fat check and covering their own asses.

They don't seem to be concerned about the little things like customer service, employee training or morale, and don't get me started on the issue of security.

"Having worked as a (position withheld) for my facility, I know we've sent out a couple of dozen air conditioners. If the honcho in Delaware is so concerned about Freon, all you have to do is slap a HAZMAT label on the case. Freon is no more hazardous than some of the other hazardous materials the postal service ships."

- Name withheld for obvious reasons - the emperor doesn't like it when one of his subjects points out he's naked as a jaybird

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That Number to Call Again, Is.

If you ain't buying Postmaster General John Potter's bureaucratic "spin" on this matter, his phone number again is (202) 268-2020; fax (202) 268-5211; or e-mail by going to www.usps.com/common/contact_us/ and click on consumer
feedback.

Another Black Eye for the Post Office

"Karla W. Corcoran, the inspector general of the U.S. Postal Service, agreed to retire Tuesday after a federal investigation affirmed charges that she abused her authority, wasted millions of taxpayer dollars and mistreated subordinates in her office."

- Washington Times, 8/21/03