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8/22/2009
>>> 2009 "Merry Christmas Marines and Sailors" >>>
"Operation Merry Christmas Marines and Sailors" has started!
On July 2, 2009 approximately 4,000 Marines and Sailors along with 600 Afghan Soldiers attached to 2nd MEB (2D Marine Expeditionary Brigade) started their offense mission titled "Operation Khanjar or Strike of the Sword" in Helmand Province Afghanistan. These young warriors are in very volatile situations, harsh environments along with very minimal living amenities. The amenities when compared to Iraq are very low in Afghanistan.
Over 12,000 US Marines and Sailors are now occupied in Afghanistan. We must continue to do all we can to send our love, pride and support to these Marines and Sailors as their deployments time goes forward.
Living daily with such limited amenities, and such volatile environment is not easy for anyone! However, our Marinas and Sailors do this day in and day out, carrying out missions with 60 lbs or more of gear on their backs, in very harsh terrains, it must be exhausting to say the least! These wonderful brave, fearless Warriors face each challenging day with as much optimism and vigor they can muster considering the Marines have suffered several causalities since this operation began.
I am sure there are many days these young warriors suffer a bit of home sickness. However they continue to move forward and do their jobs. This is why we must send Christmas to them in Afghanistan. Can you imagine what it is like being deployed over the holidays, away from family and friends?? We can TRY our best to make it the best possible Christmas for these Marines and Sailors that cannot be home for the holidays.
If we can bring them a sense of norm along with smile for even just 5 minutes, then we have done our job!
We can not let our political opinions ever get in the way of supporting our troops! They go where they are told to go, and follow orders that come from their Command elements! This is NOT a right or left issue, this is showing pride and dedication to our fearless warriors, that continue to protect and defend our freedoms.
The units attached to 2nd MEB over the holidays, will be the recipients of this year’s Christmas stockings. WE will be sending 4,000 stockings!!!. That means we need a heck of a lot of donations!
ONLY YOU can make this mission successful! It is the patriotic, proud and dedicated citizens of our fine country that makes the missions our organization pursue such a success!
We now are seeing Christmas commercials and signs of the holidays in our local stores. Let yourself go into that special Christmas feeling and share those emotions with our troops deployed. These stockings get shipped by late November at the latest to make sure they arrive in Afghanistan by Christmas!
Luckily, the stockings sent last year to 3/8 arrived on Christmas Eve, but that was way too late! They ended up being dropped by helicopters deep into the mountains of Afghanistan! If you’re able and plan to donate, please do so as soon as possible so we may get a good idea of how many stockings we are able to send this year! 4,000 stockings will cost way over $200,000!
Each stocking includes identical items, valued over $100.00 each. Items include:
Energizer Headlamps (this item is their all time favorite) Dr Scholl’s WORK boot insoles (I have been told they make their feet happy), a cigar (with their battalions logo on the band), holiday candy, handheld games, Harmonicas (this item provides them a means to take their minds off of combat, on the little down time they have) one time use camera's, a great weapon wipe, which repeals sand from sticking to their weapons.All these items and much more will be packaged in a very special Marine Corps Digital Sand Cammie stocking, which they will treasure I am sure for many years to come.
Your donations will be most appreciated!
Please assist us in showing our troops they are NEVER forgotten!
MOM 4R MARINES send items to entire Battalions, which consist of more than 1,000 Marines and Sailors each.
MOM 4R MARINES is very aware of the very bad economic times many of us are dealing with currently. Unemployment remains very high and jobs are very difficult to acquire. Please keep in mind small donations can add up to big numbers. Your donation, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated!
operationmerrychristmasmarines2009_flyer PDF File
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