Once a forum lurker, now a forum poster. And pardon the length of this, it is rather long. For that I do apologize.
I've been in contact with Daniel Ruepong's group since around
Christmas and they're all doing fine. I'd sent packages before, but
that was when they had little/no internet access and quite busy, so I
never heard back, but I did see his Sept update. When Christmas came
around and despite him having been dropped due to no contact, I still
gathered up 26 stuffed animals got some Christmas ornaments and tied
them around their necks so they'd hang down between their front paws with tulle ribbon. I understood there was no
guarantee it'd make it to him, but I did it anyway.
Nine days
later I had an email from him thanking me for lifting their spirits the
Christmas season when for some it was their first deployment and others weren't getting mail from home. He said the Soldiers appreciated them and some of
the Soldiers immediately attached them to their vehicles.
So I continued to send packages, and they sent me a small slideshow
back of their appreciation. Daniel couldn't send it and I met Peter
that way. Later on and after I had sent a box of Girl Scout cookies for
everyone, toy cars, and even four R/C cars (Customs didn't have a
restriction on those~), I met Kyle.
In talking with Kyle and Peter, they told me they were the mail
fetchers for Daniel and that it was like Christmas when they saw
box(es) from me waiting for them, even if it sucked that they have to
wait for Daniel to open them first.
Before each round, I send word to Daniel to get additional ideas of
what to send (like pulling teeth it is), I mean Kyle even said if I was
unable to get him a jar of PB for next shipment he'd understand. Went
and got him a 40oz jar of super chunky to last him awhile.
If no response (busy), I assume whatever goes. I've had requests for
board games, toy cars, jerky, sunglasses, basketball, sketch pads, and
a few others. That led into getting board games, sunglasses for
everyone (26 people), smell good stuff from B&BW for the ladies,
some Hot Wheels/Johnny Lightning, the four R/C cars with batteries so
they can play right out of the box, and a digital camera (just for his
group). The r/c cars were a huge hit.
So anyway, as I was walking out the door yesterday to go to work when I
was handed a package from my mom. I hadn't ordered anything but a book,
A Moment of Truth in Iraq, and that had arrived a week prior.
When I saw it was from Daniel, both 'rents came running out. I was on
the verge of some she-Hulk, box ripping action but found the rip tab
just in time.
Inside I found a written letter from Daniel, as well as a plaque, and a folded Flag.
The certificate certified the Flag I received was flown for a day in my
honor over one of Saddam's palaces that was being used as HQ for all
I'd done for my Soldiers. I slid the Flag out of the packaging Daniel
tried rewraping it in to give it some protection after they folded it
in the honored triangle. You could smell the dust in the fabric.
I'm not sure how often something like this is sent back to folks at
home, but for us this was a huge ordeal, especially for my dad. He'd
served in the Army and gone to Vietnam. For his parent's 60th wedding
anniversary, he tried writing a letter to the previous administration
in hopes of getting a Flag of similar honored status because of his
service to give to his parents. The higher ups said no/ignored the
request, so to him, this was huge.
It's not something I was expecting either, heck, I'm happy with the
emails I get from them and some of my Warcraft guild have been on the
receiving end of my late night
"OMGOMGOMGIGOTANEMAILFROMMYSOLDIERSOKIMGOINGTOBEDFORREALNOWBAI" moments
on Vent.