Americans (But Not Dems) Flood Troops with Support

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/22/220038.shtml?s=lh

Americans Flood Troops with Support
NewsMax.com Wires Friday, March 23, 2007

Four years into the war in Iraq, private support for US soldiers looks as
strong as ever.

What do U.S. soldiers need in Iraq? Probably not hand-knitted caps and
booties.

"We're running into a lot of knitted items" in care packages, says Marine
1st Lieutenant Barry Edwards, public affairs officer for Regimental Combat
Team Six in Fallujah. "Great job on the knitting, but we're starting to
break 85 degrees [F.] ... and in about another month it's going to be over
100."

Four years into America's war in Iraq, public approval of the effort has
fallen sharply, but private support for the troops looks as strong as ever.
Since no official statistics exist, the evidence is necessarily anecdotal.
Soldiers in war zones receive a steady influx of care packages and letters.
Domestically, organizations that offer aid to soldiers and their families
have enjoyed consistent support, and some have even grown.

After only three months in Iraq, Lieutenant Edwards has received over 200
care packages addressed to him. They came from friends, family, and complete
strangers, he said in a phone interview, adding that he distributes most of
them throughout the regiment.

"We definitely receive more now than in previous deployments. America's
support for her troops has not waned," he says.

Other troops report similar experiences. "I have received so much stuff, I
would be hard-pressed to say 'thanks' enough," writes Commander Paul Eich, a
naval aviator working as an intelligence officer in Baghdad, in an e-mail.
Commander Eich, speaking as a citizen, not a representative of the US
military or government, says he once received two boxes with enough hand
sanitizer to last him over six months.

Army Pvt. Ryan Zarzecki, from the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment in
southern Baghdad, said he's often surprised to get mail from a stranger.

"Anything you get in the mail that's not a bill is a nice thing," he says
with a smile.

Mailing is easier

Mailing letters to troops deployed overseas has become much easier,
contributing to the steady support. With over four years to build up bases
and establish effective logistical supply routes, mail service has
drastically improved since 2003.

During and immediately after the initial invasion of Iraq, it could often
take months for packages to reach soldiers at the "tip of the sword." Now
care packages mailed from the United States can arrive just about anywhere
in Iraq within seven to 10 days. Mail sent shortly after soldiers deploy
sometimes arrives in Iraq before they do.

Significant support has come from private groups. AnySoldier.com, for
example, allows individuals with or without a connection to the military to
send letters or packages to US forces deployed in dangerous places. Service
members create a post on the site and list the items their unit needs or
would appreciate. People wishing to support soldiers can search the
postings, find one that appeals to them, and send the unit a care package.

Marty Horn, a retired Army sergeant 1st class, and his wife founded
AnySoldier.com in August 2003 to support their son's unit deployed in
northern Iraq. Mr. Horn and his wife were "going broke" sending their son
care packages when he asked for more because he'd been sharing his packages
with colleagues who didn't get mail.

To meet their son's request, Horn and his wife enlisted the help of their
friends. Four months later AnySoldier.com was helping to connect US troops
deployed in any war zone with care packages and letters. Now AnySoldier.com
helps an estimated 115,134 soldiers.

What's inside that box?

Care packages sent through AnySoldier.com, and a host of other
organizations, include anything from snacks to toilet paper to books about
Islam.

"The most common thing that we've seen in care packages recently and in
previous deployments I've participated in has been snack items, small
hygiene products, reading material, writing material, cards and letters,
those kinds of things," says Edwards.

A number of people like to send candy, but service members ask that people
please consider the nutritional value of what they're sending. "A little
[candy] is fine, just not a lot," wrote hospital corpsman 3rd class Adam
Shepherd in an e-mail from Al Taqaddum, Iraq. More popular is beef jerky and
low-carb snacks.

For nonfood items, soldiers say they appreciate foot powder, high-quality
toilet paper, baby wipes and old DVDs. More complete lists can be found on
donation websites. Army Pvt. Tyler Moore, from the 1st Battalion, 28th
Infantry Regiment in Baghdad, enjoys the support packages. "It builds morale
for the soldier just to receive something from back home," he says. "The
soldiers want to know that someone else other than their family supports
them."

Operation Quiet Comfort is one of several organizations that specifically
helps wounded soldiers. Among other things, volunteers make quilts from old
blue jeans to keep injured soldiers warm on long flights home on cold cargo
plans. Each quilt takes 20 hours to make.

"It's not what is sent that makes us appreciate the packages. It's just
knowing that people are thinking of us that matters," says Specialist Adam
Lamberson in an e-mail from Scania, Iraq.

Some try to profit from aid efforts

An unfortunate side effect of the apparent continued goodwill toward US
soldiers has been unethical entrepreneurs seeking to profit from people's
desire to support the troops.

AnySoldier.com is taking legal action against four organizations that took
the address of soldiers for free from their website and then sold them to
other people trying to donate items to soldiers.

Other companies selling premade care packages reportedly use only a small
percentage of donations for soldiers and make a healthy profit from the
business.

To avoid scams, soldier aid organizations recommend going through
established channels. Aside from dodging groups with dubious intents, Marian
Watt, public relations chairperson for Operation Quiet Comfort, warns, "If
you try to go out on your own to do something, you're not going to get very
far. There's a lot of red tape."

Charles Moskos, noted military sociologist at Northwestern University in
Evanston, Ill., questions whether genuine, widespread support for troops
exists.

"What I think characterizes America today is what I term 'patriotism
light'," he explains. "It's more symbolic, rather than true support."

Not all care packages come from Americans who support the war, but many
soldiers don't seem to mind.

"I would still accept it," says Pvt. David Bounds from the 610 Brigade
Support Battalion in Baghdad. "They may not support the reasons why we are
here, but it's good that they still care in some aspect."



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