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North Speicher Chapel
Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq
Dear Friends
Christmas for soldiers has been difficult throughout the decades. The Christmas spirit that fills your families and homes has found its way to foxholes, bombed out buildings, hospitals, ships, frozen fields and islands from both World Wars, Korea, Viet Nam and over the past few years out in the desert of Iraq. Though a soldier deployed over Christmas can't be with his or her family at this joyous time of the year, it's still Christmas. The smells are different, the sights and sounds are nothing like back home, but the love a solider feels from family, friends and Supporters from home is still treasured.
This Christmas, paratroopers, soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen find
themselves carrying the memories of Christmas' of yesteryear with them to the desert of Iraq, outside of cities like Tikirt, Samara and Bayji. We will wake up to sunny skies, sandy ground and sounds of helicopters, trucks and weapons being made ready for the mission of combat. But Christmas can still have a similar feel of home -a present that was unexpected, so far from home. A gift can put a smile on the face of any paratrooper
even in combat.
US service members are always encouraged by seeing the willingness to spread Christmas cheer to them so far from home. You can put a smile on the face of a service member by selecting a gift from the suggested list or purchase something of your own desire under $20, wrap it and mail it to the chaplain sending this letter. On Christmas day at North Speicher Chapel, any US service member coming to the chapel will be given a
present sent from family, friends and supports back home. Please feel free to personalize the gift with notes of encouragement and holiday greetings. Also, feel free to include your mailing address inside the box so the service members can say thank you. To make sure your presents get in the service member's hands out here have your packages sent no
later than 1 December 2006.
Christmas is one of the most joyous holidays back home. For us out here it is different. But rest assured, though our mission may be unlike anything ever experienced on Christmas, our thoughts and prayers are still for family and friends on this wonderful day.
Sincerely,
Chaplain (MAJ) Derrick Riggs
Send Christmas gifts by 1 December 2006 to:
Chaplain (MAJ) Derrick Riggs
ATTENTIONl Gift For Any Soldier
HHC 3/82nd BCT
COB Speicher
APO AE 09393
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Project Combat Christmas
The following items are suggested gift ideas which US military members use on deployment on a regular basis. Feel free to select one or several of these items as gifts, or if you choose you can select a different item of your choosing. We suggest the gifts be in the $20 range. If you would like to send a gender specific item please note that on the outside of the wrapped package.
Please ensure gifts are mailed to the respective chaplain no later than 1 December so they will arrive before Christmas.
1. DVD Movies
2. Music CDs
3. ipod accessories
4. itunes gift cards to download music on an ipod
5. any gift card that can be used over the internet
6. books
7. board games
8. candy
9. socks -military tan, black or aD green
10. CD cases
11. bed sheets -twin
12. phone calling cards. www.oifsQawareuroQe.net
13. earphones for CD players
14. universal remote for TVs
15. keychain flashlights
16. blank CDRs or DVD-R W
17. computer accessories: ie. Travel mouse, number key pads, notebook USB lights, web cam.
18. computer games
19. Playstation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360 games
20. Co~puter thumb drives
21. foldable camping chairs
22. warm blanket
23. alarm clock
24. shaving kit
25. disposable cameras
26. items that may be reminders of home |
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