Jolie Rouge
12-07-2004, 09:32 PM
BY DAVID WOOD
c.2004 Newhouse News Service
Iraq and Afghanistan are on Santa's itinerary this year. But what to buy for the American soldier, sailor, Marine or airman spending Christmas Day in those hard places?
Lots of common-sense items and some surprises, according to troops on duty. Razors, lip balm and hand lotion (yep -- even warriors suffer from wind burn and chapped hands).
CDs and AA batteries.
Warm gloves and neck "socks."
Zip-lock baggies of all sizes (they keep out the dust).
Dark sunglasses.
Actually, the troops are humble about their wants -- or maybe it's just hard to focus in on this joyous season amid the strain, fatigue, loneliness and perils of the war. Almost none would be quoted by name with a Christmas wish list.
"Actually, the best gift anyone can give us is a letter of encouragement and support," writes 1st Infantry Division Capt. Samuel F. Cherry, who has served with a forward support battalion in Iraq for the past 10 months.
Act this week and you can still send stuff by first-class mail. And if you don't know anybody Over There but want to help, there are dozens of ways (check out the Stars & Stripes newspaper's list at www.stripes.com/03/mar03/support303.html).
Simple things go far, especially when wrapped in cheery colors that provide relief from the dust-colored landscape, dust-colored uniforms and dust-colored MRE (ration) packaging.
A miniature Christmas tree, with small (durable) ornaments, may sound cheesy, but will magically transform a dreary tactical operations center or troop living quarters.
At most U.S. bases in Iraq -- places like Camp Anaconda, Forward Operating Base Headhunter, Logistics Support Area Viper and Fire Base Glory -- there is a permanent or traveling exchange or commissary selling basics like cigarettes, dip, baby wipes, DVDs, magazines and "pogey bait" -- chips, candy and soda. But the stuff tends to run out, usually just when a couple of exhausted platoons return from a difficult operation. So any kind of non-nutritious food is welcome (one grunt says Jet-Puffed Marshmallows are awesome), along with energy bars.
Unlike in past wars, today's uniformed men and women deploy with electronics. Enlisted troops say Xbox and Playstation games are hot: "Prince of Persia" for a true-locale experience or "Men of Valor" ("Experience the intense combat and realism of jungle warfare") for escape from Iraq's drab, arid landscape.
Miniature DVD players made some lists. There's nothing like being able to crawl inside your sleeping bag after a hard day and fire up "Kill Bill 2" or "The Manchurian Candidate" until you're back on duty. Air fresheners are popular, too.
Prepaid phone cards are a huge hit. And the Army & Air Force Exchange Services (www.aafes.com) will sell you a gift certificate good at any military exchange.
"Music is big, so we're doing a lot of CDs and batteries," says Fran Dobson of Seabrook, N.H., who is platoon support coordinator for an organization called AdoptaPlatoon that can link people directly with a deployed unit.
What specific CDs are hot? "Well, we always ask our soldiers for a wish list and there's so many that just say they don't want to ask for things, that whatever we send them is appreciated," Dobson said in a phone interview.
"We tell 'em, `Don't be bashful,' but they still are."
You might want to direct a gift in a slightly different direction. The Pentagon (www.defenselink.mil) can tell you where you can donate blood or help provide assistance to military families through the Army Relief and Navy-Marine Corps Relief organizations.
Wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center would appreciate breakaway sweat pants (with zippers or snaps going down the legs), zippered sweatshirts, phone cards, postage stamps and small black backpacks. Donations should be addressed to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, c/o Red Cross, 6900 Georgia Ave., Washington, D.C. 20307.
Donations for wounded Marines can be made through the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund; information at: www.1stmarinedivisionassociation.org/Injured-Marine-Fund.htm.
For Christmas delivery, the post office will accept first class packages for military addresses of units in Iraq and Afghanistan until Dec. 11.
But don't despair if you miss the deadline. There are few things more heartening than an unexpected gift that arrives during the gloomy days of February.
Dec. 7, 2004
www.newhouse.com/archive/wood120704.html
c.2004 Newhouse News Service
Iraq and Afghanistan are on Santa's itinerary this year. But what to buy for the American soldier, sailor, Marine or airman spending Christmas Day in those hard places?
Lots of common-sense items and some surprises, according to troops on duty. Razors, lip balm and hand lotion (yep -- even warriors suffer from wind burn and chapped hands).
CDs and AA batteries.
Warm gloves and neck "socks."
Zip-lock baggies of all sizes (they keep out the dust).
Dark sunglasses.
Actually, the troops are humble about their wants -- or maybe it's just hard to focus in on this joyous season amid the strain, fatigue, loneliness and perils of the war. Almost none would be quoted by name with a Christmas wish list.
"Actually, the best gift anyone can give us is a letter of encouragement and support," writes 1st Infantry Division Capt. Samuel F. Cherry, who has served with a forward support battalion in Iraq for the past 10 months.
Act this week and you can still send stuff by first-class mail. And if you don't know anybody Over There but want to help, there are dozens of ways (check out the Stars & Stripes newspaper's list at www.stripes.com/03/mar03/support303.html).
Simple things go far, especially when wrapped in cheery colors that provide relief from the dust-colored landscape, dust-colored uniforms and dust-colored MRE (ration) packaging.
A miniature Christmas tree, with small (durable) ornaments, may sound cheesy, but will magically transform a dreary tactical operations center or troop living quarters.
At most U.S. bases in Iraq -- places like Camp Anaconda, Forward Operating Base Headhunter, Logistics Support Area Viper and Fire Base Glory -- there is a permanent or traveling exchange or commissary selling basics like cigarettes, dip, baby wipes, DVDs, magazines and "pogey bait" -- chips, candy and soda. But the stuff tends to run out, usually just when a couple of exhausted platoons return from a difficult operation. So any kind of non-nutritious food is welcome (one grunt says Jet-Puffed Marshmallows are awesome), along with energy bars.
Unlike in past wars, today's uniformed men and women deploy with electronics. Enlisted troops say Xbox and Playstation games are hot: "Prince of Persia" for a true-locale experience or "Men of Valor" ("Experience the intense combat and realism of jungle warfare") for escape from Iraq's drab, arid landscape.
Miniature DVD players made some lists. There's nothing like being able to crawl inside your sleeping bag after a hard day and fire up "Kill Bill 2" or "The Manchurian Candidate" until you're back on duty. Air fresheners are popular, too.
Prepaid phone cards are a huge hit. And the Army & Air Force Exchange Services (www.aafes.com) will sell you a gift certificate good at any military exchange.
"Music is big, so we're doing a lot of CDs and batteries," says Fran Dobson of Seabrook, N.H., who is platoon support coordinator for an organization called AdoptaPlatoon that can link people directly with a deployed unit.
What specific CDs are hot? "Well, we always ask our soldiers for a wish list and there's so many that just say they don't want to ask for things, that whatever we send them is appreciated," Dobson said in a phone interview.
"We tell 'em, `Don't be bashful,' but they still are."
You might want to direct a gift in a slightly different direction. The Pentagon (www.defenselink.mil) can tell you where you can donate blood or help provide assistance to military families through the Army Relief and Navy-Marine Corps Relief organizations.
Wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center would appreciate breakaway sweat pants (with zippers or snaps going down the legs), zippered sweatshirts, phone cards, postage stamps and small black backpacks. Donations should be addressed to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, c/o Red Cross, 6900 Georgia Ave., Washington, D.C. 20307.
Donations for wounded Marines can be made through the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund; information at: www.1stmarinedivisionassociation.org/Injured-Marine-Fund.htm.
For Christmas delivery, the post office will accept first class packages for military addresses of units in Iraq and Afghanistan until Dec. 11.
But don't despair if you miss the deadline. There are few things more heartening than an unexpected gift that arrives during the gloomy days of February.
Dec. 7, 2004
www.newhouse.com/archive/wood120704.html