 Military Support Packages
ARE YOU STILL DOING THOSE MILITARY SUPPORT PACKAGES?
Everywhere we go we provide information on the Military Support Packages we continue to send to those who are serving as our messengers of peace and freedom throughout the country. We continue to receive requests every day for packages to go to those folks and we get many postcards, notes and letters of appreciation from those who receive the boxes. We have sent thousands of packages to U.S. soldiers serving overseas including some packages to soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain. We thought you might like to share in reading two of the letters we receive: “Thank you very much for sending the package with food and supplies. It is greatly appreciated by my men and I. It means a lot to us that people at home are taking an interest in what we are doing and taking time out of their days to send us anything. I know that you all understand my sentiment and it is a driving factor in your continued support of America’s service men and women. “As I am sure you are aware, I am involved in a very different conflict than those you all fought. We are fighting any enemy with no uniform, no base and who refuses to stand a fight. Our battle is as much against an artillery round on the side of the road as it is against the man emplacing it. In fact, we have to beat that artillery round in order to even try and get to the man who emplaced it. We have made great strides in the protective gear that Soldiers today wear, but are still taking casualties. I personally truly hope that they will stop coming up with new protective gear for us because they have yet to make anything lighter and we definitely are getting weighed down. Our vest with plates adds about 30 pounds before adding a basic load of ammunition, water and whatever else a Soldier decides to carry. “Perhaps the greatest difference between this conflict and yours is that we are all here training the Iraqis. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Iraqi Army fighting the insurgency. However, as much as this war is different the basic principles remain the same. “Just as you did we always have security as the number one principle. Whenever we stop or perform a dismounted maneuver, 360 degree security on the ground is priority number one. Since we are mounted, we have the ability to have crew served weapons provide out security as we travel. We constantly work on medical skills at the individual soldier level (this becomes especially important when the medic is the casualty as two of mine have become). The adage of shoot, move and communicate continues to drive all actions on contact. Basically, soldiering is still soldiering. I thank you again for your continued support and for your efforts in all previous conflicts. It is because of your actions that the USA today remains the greatest country on earth and I am proud to follow in YOUR great example. 1LT, CM Aaron Attermann” ********************************************************* Thank you for taking the time to write to us. We are the men of Charlie Company (Crazy Company), 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, Fighting Eagles. We are a tank company team made up of infantry, armor, and support elements. We are currently stationed at Forward Operating Base Paliwoda, near Balad, Iraq. Our home station is Fort Carson, Colorado. We enlisted from all over the United States. Our mission in Iraq is to help train and prepare the Iraqi security forces so they can assume control of their own country. We have made an amazing amount of progress since the beginning of the war. The people of Iraq are grateful to be living free from the reign of Saddam. We have also adopted several schools in our area and we are helping to establish and rebuild the infrastructure of Iraq. Our average day consists of about 15 or so hours of work. Each day we do combat patrols to find the insurgents that are trying to disrupt the new freedom the Iraqi people have found. We also do a lot of maintenance on our vehicles and weapons to keep them in good working order and of course, we must sleep. Most of us don’t have much free time and when we do get it we try to write or call home to our wives, children or parents. We have received a lot of letters and packages from the American public. We understand that not all Americans agree with troops being in Iraq, but we are grateful that you, and many others like you have taken the time to show you care about the troops in Iraq. You are the reason that men like us are so willing to sacrifice so much.” If you have sent a package or made a donation toward sending a package these two letters are just a sample of the feelings of those who receive them. If you have someone you want to send a package to please complete the Military Support Package Request form you will find in this Veteran Leader. They will appreciate your efforts. Read "Thank You" letters from our Military Troops!  
USAF A1C Toni Chapman of Madras, OR and USAF Sgt Brian Helpap of Saginaw, MI receive a support package at Balad, Iraq, 40 miles north of Baghdad in Central Iraq.
Do you have a member of your family (direct or extended) serving their country in the Military throughout the world? Then let us know their name and address so that we, The Veterans of the Vietnam War, Inc. can send them a Military Support Package. 
Aussie troop receive support packages in Guadal Canal, in the Solomon Islands.
This package contains many items to give comfort and inform the serving military personnel that we fully support them.
We at the Veterans of the Vietnam War, Inc. believe in our service personnel and their mission. We believe OUR support for them is paramount to their emotional well-being. They need to know that their family, their friends, their community and their countrymen support them. Their job is tough enough and if we can give them a little comfort and all of our support - then we have achieved our aim.
Let us all show your support for our Troops fighting the War Against Terrorism and any other Conflict or Peacekeeping. Display a "Support our Veterans" Sticker on your Home, Office or Vehicle.
Send us the name and address of the serving member so we can send Military Support Packages or Send a donation in support of our Troops so that we can fund more Military Support Packages or send such things as:
ITEMS NEEDED FOR MILITARY SUPPORT PACKAGES:
Bags of candy - M & Ms, individually wrapped mints, fruit flavored
Hard Candies - anything that will not melt
Writing Tablets
Pens
Chap Stick
Pringles
Letters of Support from you!
Paperback Books
Crossword Books
Hard Candy
Sun Glasses
Disposable Cameras
Gum
Sun Screen
Noodles Ramen (all flavors)
Beef Jerky
Playing Cards
Soap
Shampoo
Disposable Razors
Toothbrushes & Toothpaste
Hand lotion
Deodorant
Hairbrushes
Tissues (Travel Packs)
Personal Hygiene Items (Female Soldiers)
You may send these items to:
Veterans of the Vietnam War, Inc.
& The Veterans Coalition
805 South Township Blvd.
Pittston, PA 18640 We Thank you in advance for your caring and support! Read "Thank You" letters from our Military Troops! | 
