To whom it may concern,

I hope that this email finds you well and actually gets through.  I am a soldier in Iraq and just wanted to say thank you so much for the gift that I received from Operation Support Our Troops over the holidays.  I apologize for how late this thank you is.  Please forgive me.  We became quite busy at my base after Christmas and I am trying to make sure that I reply to all the letters and other things that were sent to us.  I cannot stress how much all of us here appreciated the gifts and how it brightened our day.  Thank you again for my gift as well as what you do for all of the service men and women away from home.  God bless you.

Sincerely,

SGT Keith Winkowski

Hello!

Just wanted to say thanks for the stocking! I would have wrote sooner, but I've been pretty busy. We really appreciate your efforts and enjoyed the stocking(s).

Take Care and God Bless!

-Mitch

Received a stocking from you today here in Kabul, Afghanistan. Thank you very much for sending the holiday cheer and the prayers...it mean a lot to us. May God Bless you.

Major Dominic Clementz, USAF

I would like to thank you, on behalf of the 530th Military Police Battalion, for the generous Christmas stockings you sent us soldiers. It's difficult being away from our families during the holidays, and every little thing from home helps. Sending us these stockings is a great reminder that people back home are still thinking about us. Thank you again for your support and encouragement.

Respectfully,

SPC Eric Burmeister

To Whom it may Concern:

I would like to thank you and your organization for the Christmas stocking that was sent over here to Iraq. Thanks for your Support. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

SSG Jase Blunt

530th MP BN

Camp Bucca, Iraq

Dear Warrior Supporters,

Thank You so much for the stockings, everyone in my unit received one.  In My supply office we have a small Christmas tree and we have hung all our Stockings up.  It’s not home but it’s real nice to see a piece of home hear in a very foreign land.  Your support means so much to us here so far from home and family.  I Hope You’all have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Again Thank You All and God Bless!

Supporting Victory!

SGT Henry Joerz

Supply SGT S4

320th MP BN

Camp Bucca

Hello everyone at Operation Support Our Troops,

My name is SFC Bruce M. Paiva and I received a package from you. On behalf of the soldiers of 5th Squadron 4th Cavalry Regiment I would like to Thank You for the wonderful stockings. It really makes a difference when you see your soldiers smile in such a situation as our deployment here to Iraq. We really love that you all support us and take the time to show it. I have attahed a few photos to show you the men in my unit enjoying the care package. Best Wishes...and God bless you.......

Bruce

My name is 1SG John Emswiler and I am with the HHC, 530th MP BN currently stationed in Camp Bucca, Iraq.  Recently I received a Christmas stocking with some items in it and a card with your name on it.  I wanted to thank you for taking the time to send those to our soldiers.  It was very kind of you and, being December, the stocking hats you put in them will come in handy.  That was very nice of you to and on behalf of my Soldiers...thanks and God Bless.

V/R

1SG John Emswiler

تخاى ثةسصهمثق سل1

530th MP BN

Camp Bucca, Iraq

I just wanted to drop you a little note to say Thank You for the stocking.  Everyone in my unit that got a stocking gobbled up the candy like school kids.  It's a wonderful feeling to receive little things like candy in the desert (The sand dries out your mouth) from people you don't know.  I didn't call you a stranger because OSOT has become like family since we've been here in Iraq.

About me:  I'm a 33 year old, 8th year, Hospital Corpsman in the Navy Reservist from Stone Mountain, Ga.  My duties are to basically care for the sick and wounded.  We've been here for about 5 months and have 5 more to go.  There are both good days and bad days, but everyday is a blessing.  In my civilian life, I'm a Benefits Administrator at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

Tell Justin I said thank you for the note...I appreciate it!!!!

Sincerely,

HM3 Najee Mustafaa

NPDB-5

Camp Bucca

I am with the 25 Infantry Division, 2nd Brigade, 1st of the 21st Infantry Battalion out of Schofield Barracks, HI. We are currently on a 15 month deployment stationed in Baghdad, Iraq which began on 3 Dec of 2007. We should be returning to our loved ones sometime in the end of February.

The gifts provided by your operation were greatly appreciated by all of my friends and co-workers within the organization, especially the ones who don't receive much attention from the home front. The watch caps came at a perfect time, its getting quite chilly in the evening time. If there is anything my organization can give you and your assistants back there in Washington for the hard and thankful goodness you provided, please don't hesitate to ask.

I have provided two pictures. The first is of HHC 1-21 Infantry Battalion (My Company) and the second is of my section. I am in the second row, far left as you look at the picture. I am currently the Section NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge) of the S6, a 17 Soldier Section. We provide all communications assistance for the 900 man battalion. We are basically the AT&T in Iraq. We are currently in the process of providing information and guidance to the incoming unit to ensure they are ready for the task that has been charged to them. We are down to about 75 days and I am ready to call it a wrap for this trip. I truly believe 12 months is long enough. 15 months is taking its toll, ha-ha!!

Anyway, I once again thank you and your friends for all the joy that you have sent over the Ocean. We have little white football fights going on constantly throughout the Gimlet Task Force, ha-ha. Thanks.

Jason

Dear Operation Support Our Troops,

On behalf of Charlie Troop 1st Squadron 303 Cavalry, 81st Brigade Combat Team, Washington Army National Guard I wanted to say “Thank you so very much” for the Christmas care packages you sent.

Our Troop received 4 boxes from your organization. It was a perfect match as our First Sergeant distributed each to one of our four Platoons. A spouse of one of our Soldier’s sent him a Christmas tree that is put up in our office area. Now, thanks to you, we have stockings on the wall behind the tree and a few gifts underneath. We are very grateful for the support of you, and others like you. It is always pleasant to receive mail of support, but even more so from anonymous, unsolicited people and organizations from our great Nation.

God bless you, your Organization and the United States.

Happy Holidays,

CPT Dale Wright

C Troop 1-303 CAV

Executive Officer

Al Taqaddum, Iraq

To all,

Thank you so much for the gifts, they were well received. Each one of my soldiers received a stocking and a gift. It was very thoughtful of you to send them to us. Thank you very much for your support. It means so much to all of us that our neighbors are thinking of us at this time of year. It makes our being away from home a little easier knowing this. Again, you have made a lot of soldiers very happy at this time of year. Thank you again.

1SG Sandland, Eric

146th RAOC / 1SG

FOB Marez, Mosul, Iraq

Hello everybody at OPERATION SUPPORT OUR TROOPS.

We have received all your boxes and am very grateful for all the stockings and goodies that you have laboriously prepared for us!

I made sure that all the troops here got your stockings. i put a box in each of the buildings here that have American troops. And i took some pictures of the guys that work in my shop. we work in the cargo yard here at the airport. we load/unload all the planes that come through here.

Please tell the School kids that we loved all their letters they wrote us. we read every one.

well, gotta go work a plane.... thanks again so much you guys are awesome!!!!

SSG Storms

Hello,

I just wanted send a thank you to the person who sent this care package to me here in Iraq. The name on the card was from Charlene and it said from all of us at Park Court Kent, WA. I myself live in Auburn, WA. And it was nice to receive this from people so close to home. I just wanted to say that no matter how often I hear thank you for your service I think about how me and so many others like me could not do it without the care and support of people back home like you. Yes we struggle day in and day out being away from home and doing things that most people couldn't or wouldn't do but none of this would be remotely possible without the friends, family and even random people who we don't even know's support. Again I just wanted to say thank you for "Your" service to the soldiers and may your Christmas merry.

Respectfully

SPC Eric A. Taunt IMO

Mosul Mayor's Cell S-6

"Pro Patria Vigilans"

OSOT,

I am the recipient of one of your stockings.  I want to thank you for your time and effort!  We very much appreciate it.  It is very comforting to receive stuff from home.  We are fortunate to have your thoughts and prayers.

Please tell your packers not to be disappointed if they do not receive a lot of messages back.  Not everyone is fortunate to get access to a computer, and when they do, they email their family.  Everyone misses their family now.  I, myself, am missing all the holidays and will be away for my first year wedding anniversary.  Many of us work long, long days and are very tired.  Make no mistake that your support is greatly appreciated and we put to good use everything you send us!

Merry Christmas!

Scott A. Koscielniak

2LT, AG

TF34 Strength Manager

Operation Support Our Troops,

My name is Brady Fischer from Carter Lake, Iowa and I am an Air Force officer stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan. There are many Airmen and Sailors deployed here in Kabul to advise the Afghan National Army on ways to improve their Logistics operations. It is a critical part of the mission to allow security in the country to be improved and restored. We convoy daily to work in armored vehicles and wear body armor. We interact with Afghans on a daily basis and are performing a dangerous but necessary mission. Most of us are deployed for 1 year and some are deployed for 6 months. It is a long time to be away from our loved ones and our homes. I tell you all this so you know who are supporting here.

It is wonderful to come back from a long days work to find care packages from fine organizations like yours especially during the holiday season. These kinds acts from people we have never met mean a lot to us here in Kabul. Thank you for thinking of us and for taking the time to send a little piece of home to a far away part of the world. Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers, and generosity. God bless...

Sincerely,

Major Brady Fischer

Senior Advisor, Logistics Support Operations Center

Afghan National Army Logistics Command, Kabul

Thank you so very much for the care package. Take care and have a merry christmas.

Sgt Diaz, Nick Love

Sir or Ma'am,

I work with US soldiers in the Sadr City section of Baghdad. Our group provides security so that when the soldiers are not "outside the wire" they are free from guard duty and can rest peacefully between missions. The soldiers are so appreciative of the guards that they shared some of the "bounty" provide by OSOT, with my guards. The smiles on their faces said it all. Your love and support means so much to all the people serving in Iraq. Your actions have so much more impact than you can ever know. Thank you so much!

On behalf of everyone that you touch and may not have an opportunity to write,

God Bless you

Fred Jenkins

First off, I would like to say thank you for the kind wishes sent in a note inside a red Christmas stocking.

I am not sure how it got to the Al-Faw Palace in Baghdad, but it was on a table with care packages outside the Joint Operations Center.  Although its contents had been dispersed,  a stocking was all I needed to hang in my room.  I was pleased to see your note and kind words inside, along with an email address so I could send a thank you.

The stocking did not go to a soldier but rather ended up with a Naval Officer.  I am probably one of the biggest fish out of water here in Baghdad.  My background is as a nuclear submarine officer and a Navy deep-sea diver and you can bet there are no submarines and no diving for me to do in Baghdad.  There are actually thousands of Navy personnel on the ground in the CENTCOM Theater supporting the Army.

I served on active duty for 12 years and have been in the Navy Reserve for 7.  I was recalled to active duty for at least a year on 31 October (guess I got the Trick and not the Treat:) ).

My family lives near Annapolis, MD.  I ask that you keep my wife and our three children (ages 8, 6 and 4) in your prayers.  Since I am a Reserve Officer and what is known as an Individual Augmentee, we do not have the support structure a ship or a unit has when it is deployed or recalled.  It is especially hard on the children since all of the families we are friends with have no connection with the military and all their friends' dads will be home for Christmas.  They Navy offers great counseling and support for adults, but many adults have already developed coping skills.  It is the sacrifice of the small children that many times goes unrecognized.  They need to know they are not alone. 

I call my children our Homefront Heroes.  My 6 year old asked Santa to keep me safe and bring me home as soon as he can.  Santa said he would do his best and told my son not to worry.

Thank you again for the wonderful card and a Merry Christmas to all at Operation Support Our Troops!

R/

CDR D. Sean Nolan, USN

Officer-in-Charge, Transition Cell (C-3)

Multi National Corps - Iraq

Proud Americans in the State of Washington-

Thank you….From the bottom of my heart thank you for your support and thoughtfulness. You brought many smiles to many faces out here.

From one Proud American to another…Thank You.

TSgt Karmann-Monique Pogue

CAOC/Combat Ops/Space/STO

Just wanted to send a note from Iraq to thank you for the Care package. It means the world that people care enough to take time of of busy lives to send us care packages!

I hope you all Have Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Thanks Again

SSG CRAIG DARBY

HHC 81ST HBCT

CAMP RAMADI

Dear Operation Support Our Troops

My name is Charles Lia; I am the company First Sergeant for Headquarters Company 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team that is (usually) stationed in Seattle.

We have had the privilege of being adopted by your organization, and have received the Christmas stockings that you sent.

I wanted to let you know that this was a huge success. Christmas morning, the Commander (1LT Francisco) and I went each of our Soldiers quarters and presented your gifts. Every single one of them greatly appreciated the time and efforts that you all put into these stockings.

Attached is one of the photo’s from Christmas. Please excuse the lack of uniforms on the recipients, as we woke them early on Christmas morning to make these deliveries.

Thank you, from all of us here in Ramadi, Iraq. We wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year.

1SG Charles Lia

I just wanted to say thank you for the packages you sent during the holiday season. It means a lot to myself and all the soldiers serving with me. We greatly appreciate all the support we receive from home. Thank you for your generosity during this holiday season. We are proud to serve the United States of America and want to thank you for serving as well. Again, thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Jared R. Everson

SGT Everson, Jared R

B Troop 1-10 CAV

FOB Zulu, Iraq

hi

thank you for you gifts and prayers. they mean allot this time of the year. love the state of Washington, i have an aunt that lives there. from all the soldiers at A co. 27th BSB 1st CAV div. we would like to say thanks.

pfc rummel

Hello. You already know that I am deployed and you have sent some care packages to myself and my unit. I would like to thank you very much for everything that you have done and are doing for the soldiers over here. It takes a lot to support us, because of the mixed feelings about the reasons why we are here. Everyone here also sends their thanks for your support. Thank you again.

-Joe Pedano

i was one of the guy that just got a stocking from you all thanks a lot.

TSgt Roberts

Kabul, Afganistan