I received a box in the mail this week that was a box of food I sent to Jonathan Kane back on August 8th.  It doesn't have a reason for the return.  It may be because I wrote "anysoldier" underneath his name.  I don't usually do that.  So I guess I will have to repack it and send it back out.  I've never had a box returned before. 

Teresa 

I was at a airport in St. Louis Sunday and saw two soldiers walking thru.  I jumped up and told them how much I appreciated them and thanked them for their service.  They thanked me and said they appreciated it because they were just returning from Iraq.  It was an honor just to speak to them.

Teresa

Teresa,

Marty says to write the address *exactly* as it is given to us, to include Attn:  Any Soldier, Sailor, Airman, etc., and we have sent well over a thousand boxes with that on it, and have only had three boxes returned since the beginning of 2004.  That should have nothing to do with it being returned.  Sometimes, stuff just happens for no reasonable explanation.

Gran

My Andrew is home for R & R.  He says they are always low on food.  I will get my friends and family together and get going on food.  It's great having Andrew home, but he will be going back shortly.  I am just going to put a note in the boxes to please share with everyone.    I have a few soldiers I send to that will do just that.  On behalf of Andrew, thank you to all you wonderful people.  It is an honor to share this experience with you.  I know I really need the support. 

Dianna, I'm so glad Andrew is home with you.  I hope you have a really wonderful time and that it passes s-l-o-w-l-y.

Is Andrew a contact?  Is he living with any of the guys we know to be contacts-Garrett, Jonathan, Jose?  Try as I may, I know I still don't have a handle on where everyone has landed, and I don't want to miss Andrew!

Take care, Kristen

Kristen, I hope the time with him is S L O W.  Andrew is not a contact, but does know several of the soldiers that blog.  If you would like to give him a shout out, I can give you his information.  I am not quite sure how to send a private message, but if you send me one, I will give you his address and email.  I do know he know Jonathan Kane.   Thanks Kristen. 

Dianna

Dianna,

How about you have Andrew give you all the names of the guys he is with there at his post, and then you can check the "where to send" list to see if any of them are listed as contacts. Since Jonathan is with Chris and we know that Chris is not with Andrew, we know they are at different spots. whew!  It is really such a puzzle trying to figure it all out.  When Chris gets home in a couple of days I am going to sit down with him to review anysoldier.

Hugs, Angela

Angela-sent you a PM

Joanne

That is a good idea.  I will have to do that.  In the mean time, I do know some of his buddies and will get together care packages.  I am going to let everyone I know to get on board.  I believe they should have the best of the best while serving.  My goal is to get food and other items to them every week.  I know Andrew shares everything he receives.  He did mention that if we could send candy, gum and mints in a separate box that would be great.  He said sometimes the chips tasted like mint.  With that, they will get a candy box, a gum box and other individual boxes.  I am making list of things they could use.  Thank you again to everyone.  God Bless Our Troops.

IMPORTANT NEWS!!!!!  Nightline is having another show tonight (Wednesday) about the Korengal Valley.  The unit they filmed have left now, but I'm sure it will be another great show.

Hope you all get to watch it.

Teresa 

Ooh, it's on at 11:35 here... I don't know if I'm gonna make it.  lol 

I got a big box of meal-type food out to Jonathan today... not enough for 37 guys to have 3-squares a day but hopefully enough to ease some of the horrid monotony of a chicken dumpling mre.  I included a big tub of Quaker Oats, a bottle of maple syrup and a package of brown sugar for a breakfast... only I'm a little worried about the whole water ration thing.  It doesn't take gallons of water to make oatmeal, but still.  I don't know how the water thing works, if they're allowed to use their drinking ration for cooking...  I would love to send pasta and those big plastic bottles of sauce but I don't know if they'd have enough cooking water to boil it.  Any thoughts?

Now, if only I could get the mail to arrive tomorrow. *sigh*

Kristen, Kirk Calvert is one of my guys and I believe he's with Johnathan. I sent him your question in an email just now. I'll let ya know if i hear anything back.

I hope he can keep his stomach from growling after reading about the breakfast ya sent!!

Shelly

Hi Everyone,

Here's the Nightline link:

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=5776593

 It's a follow-up on the report that they did before on Battle Co.  I'm sure many of us who supported guys from 2/503 remember that one.

Hugs,

Thanks for the link Sharon. Interesting to me that they changed the name of the program to "The Other War". I was really ticked last year when they called it the "Forgotten War". I was like, who!?!? who forgot?! The media? grrr I'm not sure this time if they got much new reporting except the Wanat incident but as always, very very cool to get a better look at what's out there and how are guys are living. Didn't see any of my guys but I did recognize the infamous Capt Kearny :)

I got an email back from Kirk Calvert today regarding the water situation. He says once they are resupplied they'll have "plenty of water to cook all that stuff" (ie the oatmeal and pasta).

He did add (and sounded pretty frustrated) that the resupply is few and far between and they have little food or water now and have only received mail twice since they arrived. To top it off, they have been ordered to stop buying local tobacco due to the poisoning of a couple soldiers (not on the KOP< the article is somewhere on the forum). I have a box in my car for the mail, cigs. I'll put one together this weekend with some grub. Maybe they get it all at once, but they clearly need a hand. I think it's probably a good idea too, if anyone is planning on sending winter/cold weather items to maybe start getting them out since it may take a looonnnggg time to get there.

Shelly

shelly,

i sent u an email

Jo