The following items are some of their daily need items
1.
2 gal zip
plastic bags*****
2.
Baby wipes
(small packages or individually wrapped)****
3.
Dryer Sheets
4.
Washer Sheets
(Purex)
5.
Insect
Repellent wipes*****
6.
Eye Drops
7.
Sinus
Pills/allergy pills****
8.
Shampoo
9.
Body wash
10.
Hand
Sanitizer****
11.
Clorox
Wipes****
12.
Cheep Shower
Curtain
13. Brush
our hair shampoo
14.
Deodorant
15.
Sleeping bag
liner or Fleece Blanket
16. Beef
Jerky*****
17. Powder
Gator Ade (individual packages)
18. Small
packages or nuts or trail mix ****
The starred items were on the
short list that the guys made up that they needed/wanted most.
Becky
Blackmore, President
Chapter 8
Rolling Thunder, Inc
Dear Ms.
Blackmore,
Thank you very much from both myself and the
Soldiers of Gunner Company. The care package arrived on the 26th. We have been
receiving between 5 and 10 care packages a day with all the items I had told you
that we would get. I and all of the rest of the unit have enough razor’s, soap,
toothbrushes, toothpaste, and drink mixes that we should be able to open our own
Wal-Mart when we get home. We were getting ready to have a formation when I
opened the care package that your organization made up for the unit and everyone
asked if I was going to share. When I told them it was for the unit everything
was gone within a minute. It was very much appreciated by all of us.
To give you an idea of where we are at and
what things are like over here, I will tell you a little about the location and
post we are on. The Camp is known as Camp Leatherneck it is about an hour from
Lashkar Gah in Helmunde province in southern Afghanistan. As you can tell by the
name it is a Marine Corps instillation although all 4 branches of the military
are here on post. The weather is probably like Kentucky, it is chilly in the
morning, but warms up to the sixties during the day. The cold months are January
and February, we have been told expect the nights in the thirties and the days
in the forties. The snow fall is minimal, but we will get rain in the winter. It
is very arid here. The only grass I have seen since we have been here is a three
foot by six foot plot in front of one of the buildings. The summer is supposed
to get up to around a hundred and ten or a hundred and twenty during the day and
down into the seventies at night.
Of course everyone misses home, but we have a
nice sized PX that provides us with just about everything we need. There is a
coffee shop on post called “The Green Bean Café” that reminds me of a Starbuck’s
back home. About half of the Soldier’s go there at least once a day to get some
sort of concoction. I hate to admit it, but I have finally turned into my
father. I refuse to pay three bucks for a cup of coffee. My father keeps
creeping out in me more and more each day. The mess hall has pretty decent food
and they give you as much as you want, so none of the Soldiers are going hungry.
Well I will let you go, but again thank you
from all of us for thinking of us and the generous care package.
William D. Burger
1SG Gunner Co 237th BSB
RSC SW SECFOR
"More sweat on the practice field,
means less blood on the battle field."
From: "Burger 1SG William D RC(SW) 237th G Co
BSB TF ROC"
Subject: Hello
Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:30:27 +0430
Thank you for the care packages. They arrived
yesterday and today. As
soon as I opened the first one I saw the package for Dear Jane and gave
it to her. Now her roommates are jealous, I also got a hug out of it.
The wipes will come in handy as everyone got what it seems like 50
pounds of baked goods a piece from home. Which is kind of a double edge
sword. I am glad they are getting this stuff, but everyone's pants are
getting a little tight, or at least mine are. I don't know if you are in
contact over here with anyone else, but it seems like your organization
knows exactly what we need before I do.
I receive packages from several groups for the Company and the only time
it seems like anyone is around when I open them is when the word spread
that the package is from Rolling Thunder. The way the Soldiers start
reaching as I am opening packages from you makes me think of the
pictures on the news of famine victims. Usually the only thing left is
the box unless I specifically say an item is for someone.
I hope all of the members of your organization and especially had a Very
Merry Christmas. If it is not too much to ask on New Year's eve could
you have a beer or two for me. We can't have alcohol over here. Thank
you again for your thoughtfulness.
Bill
So glad that everyone gets excited about our
packages. We try to pack a little fun whenever we can. So glad that you got a
hug from Dear Jane, glad she didn't mind the Dear Jane name. We have a great
time gathering the items for the boxes, your letter will mean a lot to the
chapter, just knowing that we are on the right track with the items we are
sending.
Still wondering what the shower curtains are for, showers?
Christmas was wonderful, no snow but we are getting a little today, suppose to
have 1 to 2 inches by morning. Earlier when it started to snow it was the big
fluffy flakes.
We will have a couple of beers for you guys on New Years and will plan to share
one with you on your return.
Becky
---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: "Burger 1SG William D RC(SW) 237th G Co BSB TF ROC"
I apologize I thought you knew what the shower curtains are for. The
Soldiers use them to cordon off the rooms for privacy. We can't put up
wooden walls or permanent structures because of the fire hazard. So they
take string and run it between the bunks and tie the shower curtains to
it to make individual rooms. It smells like plastic for a couple of
days, but it does give some privacy.
I don't think she even saw the Dear Jane name. She was just excited to
get the gift. I found out that he had told her he wanted some space and
didn't actually break up with her until Christmas. About 20 minutes
after he broke up with her I gave her the candle. I told her it was from
Rolling Thunder, but I am not sure if she was even listening.
Again I want to thank you for all of the support you have given to the
organization both in Medina and over here.
Bill
