To all of you Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force and Coast Guard troops away from home this year.
Merry Christmas to all of you and get home safe and fast. There are people waiting for you.
I know how it feels.
Paul

From a former serviceman, thank you.

Civi's just truly do not understand the sacrifices us servicemen have gone thru and still going thru. I grew up in a military family, dad was gone all the time, I joined and did the same thing just didnt have my own family. Combat time at xmas is the ultimate sacrifice for a serviceman/woman outside of the obvious life events but it truly is a very hard to swallow sacrifice especially now with the way most civi's feel about the war and in turn take it out on the servicemen and women as if they had a decision in the bit. I apologize for the Hi-Jack but this is our vietnam( not comparing casualties) and it feels as if there are still citizens out there that we protect with our lives that would rather spit on us then thank us.


Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays to my brothers and sisters at arms, We support YOU.

White devil that is not a hijack. I just want these people to come home as soon as possable. I also spent a Christmas in a jungle on the other side of the world and Christmas was just like any other day. It is just not right.

no its not right, bad part is when you are gone enough times every day is just another day.

Well thank you all for your support, i am currently in Deleram, Afghanistan With the 19 En BN. I worked for 12 hours on christmas, the same as every other day.

Chad, Thank you very much, please give a big high 5 to all the others in wearing our flag over there. Also I have been looking for a NEW APO to send direct care packages to. I forget the SSG I sent to for the past two years but he is back and half his squad came back with him. I was with the 13th inf bat while in kosovo.

here is an address that you can send packages to if you would like, it is our chaplin. he deals with all of our care packages with distrubution because we are split up between 4 different fobs.

Capt. McDonald
19th En Bn 15th En Co
APO AE 09355

Roger that, Thank you very much. Its hard to find willing APO's due to security risks and such. Now that I have the APO, I will speak to my kids teachers when they get back off winter break to start a donation/pen pal program. Its unfortunate that some kids think especially at preschool age like their parents and I think this will help them understand better the jobs that are being performed in the name of freedom, My kids understand fully due to myself,my father, my grandfather, and great grandfather not including male uncles and cousin who have all worn the stars and stripes on our shoulder, but like I said its a shame that parents are teaching their kids to disapprove of the job that a US servicemen and women do.


How are you guys on babywipes and cold packs?


I do have to ask one question, since I work in retail with hunting and shooting equipment, why do I have some certain soldiers buying nightvision and eotechs off me for service duty in the sand box? I know some of that gear is per combat position but I thought uncle sam would provide that to those who required it.

babywipes are always a good thing, you can never have enough. We are currently building a fob that we ust got to 2 weeks ago, when we came there was not even a grade stake in the ground much less a pebble move. So obviously we don't have toilets, ust pits that we burn, and no showers. So yes babywipes. you can also send to

H&S Co 3/4,
Unit 41605
FOB Delaram
FPO AP 96427-1605

THis is the address to the marines that are here for our security. I'm sure they would appreciate it more than we would, we have already gotten alot of stuff seeing as we have been in afghanistan for 8 monthes already. they have only been here for a couple.

And i appreciate the support, people don't realize how it is to be away from there family for so long. In the last 24 monthes i have been with my wife and 3 children for 4 monthes, i get home in april and can't wait. I have missed 3 of my youngest sons 5 birthdays and xmases. it really is bad when they don't even miss you enough to want to talk on christmas because it is more unusual for me to be home than away!!!!!!!!!!!

Marines there for Soldier security, sheesh man they just make the mess and we had to go clean up after them lol.


My old man was 22years USN, served in panama,granada,the first desert storm and some other BS conflict during the early 80's, he was NEVER around, half the year every year he was out to sea, the other half stuck at FTC or at the docks.


It is bad but they are young still, they will understand eventually when its their time. I know I didnt forgive my old man till I went thru basic myself and learned what being a freedom soldier is all about, yes missed my family but as you well know those other fatigue clad humans out there are also your family and this combat family has alot stronger ties then other families do.

I know my battle buddy went NG for texas has been over there more times then a one handed man can count, personally there was no higher adrenaline rush then a 7.62mm whizzing past your kevlar cover but that was before I was married and had kids. Some days I do miss those hisses though.

What is banned as far as in packages now? I know no sleeves or medications but what about venison steaks and ground venison and smoked fish ect? I am a sportsman now well always have been the army just honed my tracking and hunting skills but I got meat and such here from hunts and fishing trips that I can ship packed in dry ice.

Well let me know before you ship home, I can talk to a couple of victory guard members I know and try and get a escort home for each and every one of you.

We had another fubar attack christmas day with a terrorist on a plane with a bomb. Detroit bound plane. A civi botched that one and restrained till the plane landed.

Is your family at Ft. Knox? Just making sure they are being taken care of while you are deployed.


I was single when I was in so the combat pay was awesome to me but I can see how even that doesnt motivate when family is involved. I grew up military so it was easy for me to deal with not being at home.

porn, alcohol and drus are the only thing that you can't send, if you send the meat right down that it is perishable and it will be given to someone quick. My old man sent some steaks and we had to cook them with a butain tourch used for sodering, but you do what you have to not to have to eat mre's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes my family is at fort Knox, my wife is waiting for me to get home so that we can buy a house though. Apparently the truck that i bought her on leave wasn't enough.

HAH, typical. I bought the wife a brand new car and sold two of my 4x4's for it and now she wants a bigger house. Dont even think about walking past purses with mine either, maybe thats why I am on a DIY budget lol.

Yeah we got some excess meat, between all of us at work from all stretches of the country have alot of game meat, I can check and see what they want to part with. Last fall was upland game birds and we gave away over 300 birds and kept plenty for ourselves till next season.