Letter From Iraq #23

One of our final weeks has passed and according to the count down timer we have 15 days left before we start departing for home.  Of course, as thing in the military go, that date has changed several times but either way we are going home soon and so that is really all that matters.  Looking at the count down clock it looks like the seconds are peeling away a little faster this week and that is always a good thing.

In the last couple of weeks my parents have told me that people have been asking what I need here to make my life easier and at this point in the deployment it is kind of a hard question to answer.  We are so close to going home that there is very little that I really need.  I really do appreciate all of the support that I have received from everyone and now I have a mission for all of you.  I know that many of you want to continue to support me and the other military people and I would like to share with you how that may be possible.

There are many organizations out there that have been set up to support the troops.  One of the biggest organizations set up for this task is called the USO.  I’m sure that most of you have heard some information about the USO at one time or another.  Most of you are familiar with the very funny Bob Hope, who during his time was one of the biggest celebrity supporters of the USO.  He would travel around war torn areas doing shows for the troops with his band of fellow supporters.  Well this form of support was organized through the USO and it continues today.  The USO has been supporting America’s service members since just before World War II and they continue to support us to this day.  This week it is actually the USO’s 67^th birthday on February 4^th.

On the day that we flew out of the Baltimore Airport to come over to Iraq there were volunteers at the airport handing out snacks and small care package packs with some essentials and a few other small things to help pass the time.  They also have a USO center at the airport where military members can go into and have access to the internet or some snacks.  They also had a T.V. to help pass the long hours that some people spend in the airport.  In the back they even had a washer and dryer so that some people that have been traveling for days on end might be able to do a little bit of light laundry so that we can enjoy being clean.  The volunteers that run the center are very courteous and friendly.

So I’m sure you’re wondering how you can support the troops through the USO.  Well it is quite simple really…It costs money to offer free internet to the troops.  It cost money to keep a facility up and running.  Funds are required to have things to hand out to the troops while they are at the airport before their deployments.  And it can get quite expensive to ship a troupe of entertainers to a tiny little base in the middle of Iraq.  The USO is always in need of donations and I am calling on the good people of New Salem to make those donations.  It doesn’t have to be anything big, but every little bit helps.  It could be a donation of two dollars or fifty dollars.

As I looked through the USO site, http://www.USO.org, I also noticed that they have a section for people to organize a fund raiser.  With the upcoming anniversary celebration that is coming up, I think it would be a great idea to have a fund raiser for the USO and make the donation in the name of the entire town.  It would make a great community service project of the local Boy Scouts, 4-H club, Girl Scouts, or any other club of that nature.  In fact it has the potential for each of these clubs to get together and work as a group to take up this task.  Just think, you have the potential to help out troops around the world.  Adopt the saying of the USO, “Until Every One Comes Home”, and support the troops until they are all back with their families.

Real quick before I sign off for this week I would also like to direct you to another web site that is geared toward helping the troops is a site called America Supports You (http://www.americasupportsyou.mil).  This is another great source of information on different ways to support the men and women of the military.

As I sign off this week I would like to send out and special thank you to Bill and Norma Breimeier for the box of National Geographics and ND/Farm magazines.  There aren’t too many people here that really understand the farming magazines but I appreciate them because they remind me of home.  Thanks also to everyone who has emailed or written in the last couple of weeks.  There have been too many emails and letters for me to respond to each one individually.  It is great to know that I have the support of the whole town behind me and everyone else in the military.

If you have a question of would like to just drop me a line you can send me an email at john.iraq@hotmail.com.  Being this close I would suggest holding off on sending letters/care packages through the post office because they may possibly be returned if they arrive after I leave.

Until we meet again, Have a great Air Force Day!