Strykers deliver humanitarian aid to Rajan Kala

U.S. soldiers unload humanitarian aid for distribution to the town of Rajan Kala, Afghanistan Dec. 5, 2009. The team used their Stryker armored vehicles to move the humanitarian aid from the Joint District Community Center to the town of Rajan Kala. The soldiers are assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 17th Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Francisco V. Govea II.

Thank you SoCal Volunteers for your Support!

From our dear friend Linda Green in Southern California, who organized her third massive supply drive for Soldiers' Angels Germany in November. She rallied the entire community to donate, sort, and pack the items, but none of it would have been possible without her passion and leadership. Thank you and well done, Linda!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATIONS TO OUR TROOPS!

The many volunteers included students collecting donations at schools.

During our two week collection drive leading up to our November 14th sort/pack event, thousands of items were generously purchased and donated by volunteers across Los Angeles and surrounding cities from the South Bay to the San Fernando Valley.

The clothing items and phone cards were sent to wounded troops recuperating at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Many of these troops were recently wounded on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, and find themselves at Landstuhl with nothing but their hospital gowns. Our wounded heroes very much appreciate having these basic comfort items during their recovery.

VOLUNTEERS SORT AND PACK NEARLY 6,000 ITEMS AND WRITE OVER 800 LETTERS TO OUR TROOPS!

Volunteers sorting and packing the donations for patients medevaced to Landstuhl hospital in Germany.

More sorting and packing...

Heartfelt appreciation to the volunteers who joined us last Saturday at Culver Studios to sort, count and pack nearly 6,000 socks, tees, p.j.'s, sweats, phone cards, and other much needed items.

And a warm thank you to those who wrote over 800 heartfelt cards and letters to the troops, and to the doctors and staff at LRMC to thank them for all they do.

Writing letters for the patients and staff at Landstuhl hospital.

Everyone who participated felt deeply gratified at helping our troops, and really moved to see how many people pitched in to provide our wounded heroes some comfort during their recuperation.

Special thanks to Culver Studios for giving us the space and access to their lot to stage the sorting and packing event! We would also like to thank State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, Assemblyman Ted Lieu, State Senator Fran Pavley, U.S. Congresswoman Jane Harman and L.A. City Councilmembers Pres. Eric Garcetti, Tom LaBonge, Herb Wesson, Bill Rosendahl and Janice Hahn and their staffs for so generously opening their offices to us to serve as donation collection points.

We are also grateful to our friends at the L.A. Air Force Base, Mira Costa High School (Manhattan Beach), Manhattan Beach Fire Dept., the Democratic Action Ctr. (Torrance) and Brookside Elementary (Oak Park) for helping collect donations. Many thanks to Fedex for once again donating the packing materials.

We also want to recognize our friends at Organizing For America for their support. OFA promoted the collection drive, served as a drop off location and, through the generosity of OFA volunteers, were able to collect a multitude of items at the grand opening of their new So Cal office in Culver City.

One of the "mountains" of donations bundled for shipment to Landstuhl hospital.

Thank you again Linda and all those in Southern California who so generously donated items, funds for shipping, facilities, and their time to support those who have given so much for all of us.

600 Gifts for 600 Soldiers

Soldiers' Angel Jeanne Graeser teamed up with American Legion Post 77 in Waveland, MS to box up hundreds of Christmas gifts and goodies for Mississippi troops.

"600 gifts for 600 soldiers," Graeser said. "Today we boxed up hot chocolate mugs, hot apple cider , candies, Christmas candies, Christmas gifts, scarves that people have knitted. These guys are over there without their families, and I feel that this is the least we can do to make Christmas more pleasant for them."

The packages will be shipped to members of the 155th Calvary Regiment in Iraq. The veterans from post 77 know how important it is for a soldier to receive letters and gifts from home.

Well done Jeanne and AL Post 77!!

Sneak Preview! Updated with video!

The new Soldiers' Angels warehouse in Texas.

We haven't had the official opening ceremony yet, but this is a sneak preview photo of the new Soldiers' Angels warehouse. Until now, SA has worked with fulfillment facilities who have been fabulous business partners for years. But it was time... located in San Antonio, Texas, the new Soldiers' Angels warehouse is now run by veterans and hero volunteers.



SA's Operations Manager and OIF Veteran Toby Nunn gives us a tour of the warehouse.

"We're carrying on in their honor."

Via Greyhawk: An Army Reserve unit that had soldiers both killed and wounded during the shootings at Ft Hood deployed as scheduled to Afghanistan last Friday.

Members of the medical unit all left wearing bracelets engraved with the names of their fallen comrades:

Sgt. Amy Krueger, of Kiel, Wisconsin
Capt. Russell Seager, of Racine, Wisconsin
Maj. Libardo Caraveo, of Woodbridge, Virginia
- all from the 467th Medical Detachment, along with

Capt. John P. Gaffaney, of San Diego, California
and
Lt. Col. Juanita L. Warman, of Havre De Grace, Maryland
- who were assigned to the 1908th Medical Company, Independence, Missouri.

More at the link.

Pear Harbor Remembered

Sixty-five years later and with emotions still raw, Bosun's Mate Wilbur Wright fights to maintain control as he recalls his personal experience on board the USS Ogala at Pearl Harbor the day after the Japanese attack. Wright's heartfelt story begins by describing the carnage at Pearl, and he barely holds back tears as he struggles to say, "We had lost everything, and we didn't have nothing to fight back with."

With thanks to our friends at the US Naval Institute (and the USNI blog), who also provided the photo below from their archive.


US Navy sailors honor casualties of the Japanese attack on N.A.S. Kaneohe, Dec. 7, 1941. The "Farewell to Thee" cermonies took place later, possibly on Memorial Day 1942.

Full Moon Over Taji

An AH-64D Apache attack helicopter departs the flightline under a full moon to conduct operations from Camp Taji, Iraq, Dec. 2, 2009. The helicopter is assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Travis Zelinski.

Operation Hero Recovery

(November 27, 2009) Forward Operating Base Todd, Afghanistan - Navy Diver 2nd Class Alfred Pintor comes up out of the water following his dive to search for a missing 82nd Airborne Soldier in an a river in Afghanistan near Forward Operating Base Todd. Members of a U.S. Navy dive team from Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2, along with members of the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne, Coalition Forces and Afghan National Security Forces, are currently participating in Operation Hero Recovery attempting to recover the remains of U.S. Army Sgt Brandon Islip lost in a river in Afghanistan after going in the water on November 4, 2009. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Matthew Bash/RELEASED.

We are grateful for the Navy divers who honor our duty to Leave No Man Behind by carrying out the search for Fallen Hero Sgt Brandon Islip, who was recovered last Sunday.

Forever Spartans

This product was produced for 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division to remember and honor the Soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice this past year in Afghanistan. This product is approved and released under the authority of 3BCT public affairs.

140,000 Holiday Care Packages

140,000 Holiday Care Packages
Boxes of Love and Support

Right now, about 140,000 service members are spending yet another holiday in a war zone, and now more will be on the way before Christmas. We want them to know that they are remembered, that we are thinking of them during this Holiday Season, and that we are grateful for their service.

Fortunately, Angels and donors have come through for Wrapped in Holiday Spirit like champs!! We have tens of thousands of blankets and tons of gifts and supplies on hand for our heroes — hot chocolate and socks, candies and snacks, beautiful cards and notes of support — all just waiting to be delivered...

And that’s where we need this final push. Gathering the postage for 140,000 care packages is a gigantic undertaking and every bit helps — whether $5, $10, $50 or $100...

Even with the belt-tightening we’ve all done this year, I know $5 is within reach for most of you. If everyone who received this email gave at least $5 — more if possible — we’d have enough to send every last package!!

Click here to donate for postage.

Please help send a box full of love and holiday cheer to a deployed Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine!

You can even have a holiday care package sent to a hero in honor of a family member or friend. It makes a fantastic holiday gift! Click here to order a holiday care package for someone you know.



We're down to the last few days — it can take up to three weeks for packages to reach the most remote areas of Afghanistan, which means we have to get things sent this week if we want all our heroes to have them in time for Christmas. Please give what you can!

Together we can make sure all these wonderful gifts get to the brave men and women we hold so close to our hearts this Holiday Season.

Wingtip to Wingtip,

Patti Patton-Bader
Soldiers' Angels Founder and CEO