Musings From Momma Marine - Supporting Our Heroes with Care Packages
05 Jan 2009:
To the Friends and Supporters of 3/7,
Once again, I'm guilty of being tardy with my update; hopefully you'll forgive me--we've been extremely engaged with our operations over here.
We were completely blessed with the overwhelming show of affection and care during the holidays; I can't say enough to express our appreciation and gratitude. Our lives here have most definitely been touched by your warmhearted generosity. 1stSgt Elvis Tate has done an outstanding job with getting care packages to the Marines of our unit and will continue to do so. I'll be withdrawing myself as a collection point for other Marines as this duty is currently under good hands.
I've attached a picture of us so you can see how handsome we are :) I'm the fourth in from the left, the most handsome one. Also, after several months of receiving packages, I'd like to relay some of my observations on what items are most needed and used. I've been told that this is very useful information, so I hope it helps:
-Candy: sometimes boxes break and loose pieces of candy will spill out. If you send candy, choose the kind that comes individually wrapped and are contained within a bigger bag. This way, there is less chance of spillage and contamination and a Marine can take a bag with him and pass out individual pieces to his buddies; and since the pieces are individually wrapped, they can be stuffed inside cargo pockets or packs. This is a good time to send chocolates because the weather is cold. Chocolate is not a good item in the summertime.
-Beef jerky: this is a big favorite; all Marines love beef jerky.
-Canned foods (fruits/vegetables/soup): not in demand because we don't carry can openers or Tupperware or all have access to microwaves. If you send fruit, send dried fruits. If you send soup, send the type where the container is heatable.
-Socks: Marines are authorized to wear two types of socks; boot socks and physical training (PT) socks. Boot socks must be black or brown, and need to be longer than the height of the boot top. PT socks should be white and be low-cut around the ankles.
-Hygiene items: this is a tricky one since every Marine has his own preferences of brands and products. My suggestion is to send hygiene items after you've corresponded with a Marine and have learned what he prefers. Now this will be difficult because most Marines are humble and won't ask for anything or admit that they want anything, so you might have to be persistent. What I've noticed is that a higher quality product will get ooh's and ahh's while the more obscure items are usually the last to be plucked from a box.
-Magazines/Movies/CDs: recognizable magazines are picked up and read because they're familiar. The more unique "hometown" publications are not as popular. I've noticed that CDs in general are not very popular because it is hard for Marines to carry discs around and have a device to play the CDs. With DVDs, I suggest sending a movie that is requested versus sending the latest popular release. Or send a rare movie that is not likely to be already floating around.
-Closed-toe shower shoes: we recently received several pairs of rubber shoes designed with holes in them. These are great but the sizes were too small. For footwear, most Marines wear sizes 10-12.
-Protein powder: Marines exercise a lot and consume a lot of protein powder. If protein powder/bars/weight gainers are sent, I suggest finding products that are lactose free for those Marines who are allergic to dairy.
This is all that I can recall at the moment. Feel free to contact me anytime for input on any questions you may have.
I want to thank the following individuals for their continued support and kindness:
Angel E., Kathleen S., Sandy D., Mama Jodi, Mary Jo F., James S., Jennifer C., Rosalie G., Darrell and Carol H., Cindy C., Carolyn B., Boyle, Barbara W., Peggy V., Nancy J., Prayer Angels for the Military, MOMS for the Military, St. Mary Magdalena School, and Cub Scout Pack 362. I apologize if I left anyone out...I'll make it up to you next time! Thanks so much!
Humbly Yours,
Lenny Tran
THANKS! From Task Force 1/3
I wanted to pass on the sincere appreciation from all the Marines and Sailors of 1st Battalion 3rd Marines for all the thoughtful care packages. Many of my men are on their first deployment, let alone first combat deployment, so it can be a difficult adjustment, but with all your support it makes it easier. It is good to know that there are so many caring Americans that continue to support the men and women fighting this war on terrorism.
We only have a little time left now and I ask that is you had plans on sending more care packages, please do so in the next couple of days so it makes it to us prior to getting forwarded back to
Thanks again for all the great support, take care
Semper Fidelis!
R/S
Sergeant Major Richard Lewallen
Task Force 1/3
3445-325
HERO SUPPORTERS,
THANK YOU for all your help in sending Support Boxes to this Task Force Unit. Since mail cut off is early February and it takes 1 to 2 weeks for mail to arrive, we'll be sending out this week and all next week to this Unit. If you have anything you'd like to send, please call or email. 806.898.0356 or Jodi@SupportingOurHeroes.com. From what I've heard, the last month of deployment is one of the hardest, so we'll be sending a lot to our guys to try to help them through that mail-less last month.
Semper Fi
From our 2ndLt Lenny Tran
Sorry for not writing sooner; I just returned back from a mission that kept me out for a little while. As it turns out, after weeks of planning and coordination for the move to our current position, we've just received orders to move right back to where we were originally. Needless to say, not many people in my unit are happy about this. So now we have to pack up everything again and do this all over. My address won't be affected, though.
Oh, I forgot to tell you; it was my birthday last week. It's been so
hectic that I haven't really told anyone--I nearly forgot myself, haha. Believe it or not, it was on Christmas. And Christmas itself was good; we hardly noticed anything different, though. It was pretty much business as usual. New Year's came and went the same way. My fellow Lieutenant friends and I spent a couple of hours commiserating together about what we'd be doing if we weren't over here. We pitied ourselves for a little bit, but realized that we're here because we're needed here. And I realized that I'd probably never get to know you or about your family if I wasn't over here, so I'm actually glad for the deployment.
I have been trying to play Mattie's guitar every chance I get. My buddy snapped a couple photos of me playing it, so I'll send them to you and Mattie when I retrieve them from his camera. I haven't been able to use the vacuum much because of all my missions and because my living space is just a transient one right now. But the next move should be (hopefully) permanent for the rest of the deployment. It's worked out so far though; thanks so much for it!
Once again, thanks so much for everything. You've been so wonderful to me. Let me know what your New Year's resolutions are. Talk to you soon!
Always,
Lenny
Retired Marine LtGen Victor H. Krulak, dies at 95
Retired Marine Lt. Gen. Victor H. "Brute" Krulak, celebrated for his leadership in World War II, Korea and Vietnam and for his authoritative book on the Marines, "First to Fight," died Monday at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. He was 95 and had been in declining health for several years.
In a career that spanned three decades Krulak displayed bravery during combat and brilliance as a tactician and organizer of troops. "Brute was very forgiving of young Marines who made mistakes," said retired Col. G.I. Wilson, a combat veteran. "But he was hell on senior officers who preferred careerism and bureaucracy over decisive action. He detested those who lost sight of looking after their enlisted Marines and young officers."Born in Denver on Jan. 7, 1913, Krulak was a 1934 graduate of the Naval Academy -- where he picked up his nick name, a jest on the fact he was 5 foot 4. As a junior officer he served in Marine actions in Central America, where his views on counterinsurgency were formed.
In World War II, as a lieutenant colonel, he led a battalion in a weeklong battle as a diversionary raid to cover the invasion of Bougainville. Although wounded, he refused to be evacuated. For his bravery he was awarded the Navy Cross. Under heavy fire from the Japanese, the Navy sent patrol boats to evacuate wounded Marines. Krulak befriended one of the young commanders, John F. Kennedy. Decades later the two shared a drink of whiskey in the Oval Office after Kennedy was elected president.
After World War II, Krulak held several key jobs, including commander of the 5th Marine Regiment and later chief of staff for the 1st Marine Division during the war in Korea. Later he served as commander of the Marine boot camp in San Diego and, from 1962 to 1964, as special assistant for counterinsurgency to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
As commanding general of Fleet Marine Force Pacific he made 54 trips to Vietnam. His ideas about mining Haiphong Harbor and relying on small unit actions in South Vietnam to win the support of the populace clashed with the strategy of Army Gen. William C. Westmoreland, commander of all U.S. troops from 1964 to 1968. He opposed Westmoreland's decision to establish an outpost at Khe Sanh, which resulted in one of the bloodiest sieges of the war.
Krulak had hoped to become Marine Corps commandant, but President Johnson in 1968 nominated Gen. Leonard Chapman Jr. Krulak retired and began a second career as an executive for Copley newspapers and as a columnist. He retired as an executive in 1977 but continued to write. In 1984, his book "First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps" was published, examining the history and culture of the Marine Corps. It remains on the official reading list for Marines and has been said to carry the DNA of the organization that prides itself on being the worst enemy that a foe of the United States can imagine.
"The Marines are an assemblage of warriors, nothing more," Krulak wrote. He called on Marines to maintain a "religious dedication" to being ready to "go and win -- and then come back alive." He disdained Pentagon bureaucracy and, even as he celebrated the Corps' history, he called for Marines to "remain on the cutting edge of the technology that will keep its specialty effective."
Bing West, former assistant secretary of defense in the Reagan administration and author of books on Marines in Vietnam and Iraq, said Krulak "was legendary for the depth of his intelligence."
In a 2007 speech to the Marine Corps Assn., Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised Krulak for "overcoming conventional wisdom and bureaucratic obstacles thrown in one's path." Among other things, Krulak advocated that the Marines form a special forces unit when other Marine leaders opposed the idea.
All three of Krulak's sons served in Vietnam: Charles and William as Marine infantry officers, Victor Jr. as a Navy chaplain. After retiring from the Marines, William followed his brother into the Episcopal clergy. Charles, as a general, served as Marine commandant from 1995 to 1999, and followed in his father's footsteps as an innovator and champion of the enlisted man. Along with his sons, Krulak is survived by four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Krulak's wife, Amy, died in 2001. Funeral services are set for 2 p.m. Jan. 8 at the chapel at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
Is it safe here?
Sent in by Lisa Turnbull with AmericInn International Lodge and Suites. (Pampa Texas is about 26 miles east of Borger, the hometown of Supporting Our Heroes.)
Well I thought you might get a kick out of what happened to me when I was in Pampa, TX a couple of years ago. I work for AmericInn International, a hotel chain based in the Midwest. One of my jobs is to do sales and marketing for new hotels coming on line and visit the area BEFORE the hotel opens. Since the Pampa hotel wasn’t opened yet, I had to look for a room outside of our chain and one of our company’s policies is that we can NOT stay in hotels that have exterior corridor entrances, meaning you can access the door from the outside of the building and that they don’t have an interior hallway. When I was on line looking to book a hotel room in Pampa for the pre-opening, I didn’t have much of a choice and had to book a room at a hotel that only had exterior entrances. My only other choice at the time was to stay in a hole in the wall hotel or drive 2 hours round trip everyday to Amarillo, which I really didn’t want to do.
So I load up my bags, hopped on a plane from Minneapolis and off to Pampa, TX I go. Pampa is a relatively small town, about an hour outside of Amarillo and the AmericInn, when completed, was the first new hotel there in over 20 years.
Anyway, I drive up to this hotel and hesitantly get out of my car. I am very nervous, which is unusual for me, as I travel 38 weeks out of the year by myself and think of myself as one smart/tough woman (until today). Walking in confidently, shoulders back, chest out, here I go…it can’t be all that bad, can it? Well to my dismay the lobby is PACKED with a bunch of burly looking, hard ass men and I thought I was going to faint, I can’t stay here, I said to myself, I will get strangled, raped, something horrible is going to happen to me, eh gads, I must run! But no, I thought I would just slowly walk up to the front desk and show them that I wasn’t scared (yeah, right), and check things out. So as quietly as I could, I said to the gal behind the front desk, “am I going to be safe staying here”, as I looked back over my shoulder at the group of men. To my horror, she started cracking up and laughing so hard it seemed like forever before she could compose herself. Then she looked at me and said “miss, you couldn’t be safer any where in the world, you see all those guys there, they are secret service agents for VP Dick Cheney who is in town, and you just happen to have 2 of them on either side of your room”, Oh my gosh, did I ever feel like an idiot…so, it goes to show you, don’t always judge people by what they look/dress like, ‘cause you never know who might be staying in the room next door!
Lisa
Our City Girl, Street Smart, Lisa has had quite a "country girl" education with the building of the AmericInn Hotels in Borger and Pampa. The one in Borger was the FIRST AMERICINN built in the entire state of TEXAS! and it is owned by a MARINE! OORAH!
Re: Happy New Year and Thank You!
