Letters From Military Personnel

7/20/2010

Hello from a very appreciate Air Force Medic.  I received the care package today and letters.  Wow, let me tell you I was so happy.  I work in a detention facility where we house over 950 suspected Taliban members.  It is not as hard as you think.  Being medical you get respected.  I think the guards have it much worse.  I brought into work some contents of the care package and shared with my coworkers.  We live in tents here so you know the conditions aren't that great.  It has air conditioner and only 6 of us are in it.  Some have way more.  The tent just shakes all night with the wind, hear airplanes, and sometimes gunfire keeps you up.  The gunfire is the practice range now, not live war or something like that. Once again, thanks, we appreciate the care package.  This is my third deployment and will finish in December,  David

 

06/23/2010 (the following letters were sent to our

 headquarters, in hope that we would find the person the soldier is writing  back to)

Dear Logan Barnes,

Life at war is very different and very hard.  The hardest part is being away from family and friends.  As an Infantryman, 

war is scary because were on the frontline But the support from people like yourself back home makes it all worthwhile.  

It is a reminder of why we fight.  Me personally, I fight so my family and future 

children  won't have to.  It is an ugly thing, war, but through the grace of God, we have people to support what we are doing.  The weather

 over here is hot and at night it rains. Hiking the mountains makes it allot hotter too.  I am a team leader for a machine gun team. 

 I love my job and I love the

 United States of America.  

Your friend, Sgt Rohn

Dear Giana Hulsey, Thank you for the lovely letter, I really enjoyed the hearts

with wings.  It is a great honor for me to serve my country and to protect America's

way of life.  Another way you can thank me for my service is to always listen to your Mommy

and Daddy and do your very best in school.  Your Soldier, Terence

 

Dear Kyler: Hey dude, my name is Private Ware.  I am thankful for your support. 

We the Rakkasans of 101 are grateful and we thank the children of Haycock Elementary.

I am in the US Army and my job is a RTO.

 

Hey ki-o's: It is really cool that you all are learning about what we do over here.

I have been to both Afghanistan and Iraq.  Afghanistan is a beautiful country that has a very 

long history going back thousands of years.  We have a lot of fun here. We have big

mountains all around where we are.  Sometimes we even walk all the way to the top of them.

Specialist Joshua

Dear Meghan Robinson: Your letter was very sweet and heart warming.  We do all

that we can in order to keep you feeling safe.  Thank you for your support and good thoughts.

P.S Your welcome !  SPC Whit

Dear Michelle: Hello My name is Harry and I wanted to tell you thank you very much for the care packages

that you and your class mates sent to us; it really brightens our day.  I t is people like you and your friends that help

us get through our days here in Afghanistan.  I hope that one day when we get back to the states, we are able

to meet you and your classmates and thank you in person; being here in Afghanistan, we have learned to 

appreciate all the little things.  Your new friend Harry.

Dear Davina Starke:
Thank you for the letter and packages.  It means a lot to an Indiana boy who misses his wife and kids, to get letter from 

so close to home.  Well I don't know what else to say except, "thank you and I am proud to serve our country on behalf of all those who 

live there." SPC Clinton    US Army

Dear Tyler:
Thank you for your letter. It is nice to know that I have support back home from someone other than

my family.  I also like to play video games, and like you Call of Duty World at War is also one of my favorite games.  

It is my pleasure fighting for my country.  Fighting for your freedom.  SPC Douglas US Army

 

Dear Laken:

It is in great gratitude in knowing a person like you who cares for us.  Receiving the goodies from you was very good

and delicious.  Hope that someday you will be able to have your own horse.  Thanks again and hope to hear from

you again.  Sincerely SPC Miranda

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5/18/2010

Dear Christine and the Letters from Home Crew of Volunteers: 

 Just a note from a nurse soldier to thank you for the most wonderful care

 package. The grateful notes and well wishes truly mean a lot!!

 Of course I shared all the "goodies" with my staff and patients - they

 thank you too!

Keep the prayers coming. We are still sending home too many "broken

warriors".  Please take care and again, thank you so very much!

 Lt Col Connie Day  

Flight Chief Nurse

Balad, Iraq

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Dear Letters from Home,

I want to personally Thank you for the package you sent to my unit.

 It  was very nice to get something in the mail that put a smile on my face.  I

 shared the contents with my fellow Medical staff and Seabees.  I'm a Navy

 Corpsman Stationed in Afghanistan with a Seabee Mobile Construction Battalion.

 Our job is the provide Emergency and clinical medicine to all navy (and other

 services and countries) personnel in any situation. .  I have

 attached a few pictures for you from Afghanistan.  Thank you very much!

  HM2 Shawn Buxton NREMT-P

 

 

 

1/13/2010

Thank you for all the great stuff you sent for my platoon.  My guys have been working extremely hard with long periods of no showers, heat, mre's for food and little sleep.  The letters and food were a welcome treat.  

1LT, Platoon Leader Charlie Company 4 -23 INF

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Thank you for writing and providing gifts and encouragement.  I appreciate your thoughtfulness in writing and sending packages.  Hearing encouraging words from back home makes the time away more bearable.   Specialist Gorske B Troop FOB Farah

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Dear Letters from Home  You were like a bright big sun on a gloomy day for me. I just had to sit down and let you know how much your packages meant to me!  Sincerely LT Bush

1/1/2010

Everyone:  Thank you for all you do for us over here in IRAQ.  The letters and pictures are great!. I am from the Clearfield area and assigned to a unit out of Pittsburgh, Again-- Thank you!

12/31/2009

Dear all:

As the New Year is upon us, our military still sends their words of thanks from our last mailing on Nov 22, 2009.   3 more priceless thank you notes just in, that because of so many fine citizens like yourself, you are making a difference in sending us cards and treats for our mailings. A very special thank you to all the  volunteers countless hours of helping the program to date, so with that we end the 2009 year on another high.  We have made a difference since May 2003 when the program first started.

Remember to a man/women far away from home, to hold a Letter from Home, is like holding the hand of the person who wrote it.  Watch for our newsletter in Feb 2010, and our deadline for address (first of the month that we ship in)  and our shipping dates are as follows. 

April 25, 2010  "Patriotic Hearts"

July 11, 2010 "Stars & Stripes 4-Ever"

November 21, 2010 "Let Freedom Ring!"

Wishing you a very Happy New Year,
 
Sincerely
 
Christine Jovenitti, director of Letters from Home
6631 Ridgway Jbg Rd
PO Box 125
Johnsonburg, PA  15845
 
Motto: Until they come home, we will send them Letters from Home
 
www.lettersfromhomeprogram.org
 
email lettersfromhome@windstream.net
 
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Dear Christine:
 
I am the Camp Chaplain here at Camp Virginia, Kuwait and I just received the generous shipment from the Letters from Home Program.
 
What a blessing! I've passed out some of the goodies already.  We have large get-together on Friday night and I delivered the many bags of tortillas chips. They were a hit!
 
I plan to distribute the paper sacks on Christmas Eve at our chapel service.  If I have any left over I'll pass the rest out to some of the soldiers working on camp. 

The kindness of this program has been appreciated greatly by the soldiers here at Camp Virginia - God bless !
 
Chaplain Petersen
 
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Dear Ms. Jovenitti:  Thank you so much for all the goodies, letters, cards and support!  We truly appreciate your groups efforts and were truly excited to receive your boxes during the holiday season.  Thank you  from Iraq
Brandy
 
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Dear Mary:
 
I recently received your card for Christmas and just wanted to stop and say Thank you.  The efforts of the few can make a tremendous difference to the soldiers serving overseas away from their families and loved ones, especially during the holidays.
 
The selfless service that is often referred to when speaking of servicemen, often goes unrewarded and recognized for those who support us from home as well.  I realize that many people in the United States are not willing to dedicate very much time at all to help others, but the select few like you are willing to make life altering dedications to make someone else's day a little better.  Often soldiers are unable to reply to these cards and letters; however they do not go unappreciated.
 
As a Staff Sergeant, I see the spirits of our soldiers lifted when they receive mail from home, even that from a stranger.  Our soldiers battle the feeling that they are forgotten, especially as this war has progressed longer than expected.
 
Citizens like yourself represent the foundation of our United States and the values it was built upon, selfless service to others in need; I salute you in appreciation of your dedication. 
 
May God Bless America and it continue to be the beacon of freedom to the world.
 
Thank you so much,
 
SSG Jim
 
PS I love the picture of the ELK as well as the back-story on your card!

11/30/09

OUR PACKAGES HAVE STARTED TO ARRIVE!!!

 

Thank you all for all the wonderful things that you're doing to remind
 us that there are people who's thoughts and prayers we are in. Thank you
 for opening your hearts to those of us without our families and sending
 us the very thoughtful care packages.  We hung your cards on the walls
and put many throughout the battalion.  Thank you for all you do. 

 From all of us in the 412th AVN SPT BN.  We wish you all a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 Sincerely,
SPC Garcia
***************************

Hello,

My name is Matthew, I¹m one of the many soldiers that received your letters
of support and prayers. I would like to return the thanks. I greatly

appreciate your letters and support. Thank you so much for all you do for
 us, we can always can us a good letter of hope and encouragement. It is
truly life saving!

Again, thank you,

 Matthew
 Camp Bucca, Iraq

*************************


Dear Christine:
I am a soldier serving with the 229th MP CO out of Roanoke/Virginia Beach,VA in Baghdad, Iraq.

One of our sister units shared a package with us from the Letters from Home program.  I received a bag full of beautiful cards for Christmas, some ornaments, great hand drawn pictures and some treats.  I just wanted you and your volunteers to know how much I appreciate what all of you do and of course the most amazing citizens from home.  The package coming around the holidays puts a big smile on my face.  As you know being away from home is hard, its ever harder during this time of year.  thanks you for your support, Sgt Easter, Lisa

Christine:  Thank you and the folks of  the letters from home program for supporting my troops. may you all enjoy a great holiday season.  CSM Robert Wilson 3- 61 CAV

Dear Letters from Home,
 Thank you very much for the care package you recently sent to me. It was very thoughtful of you to think of me while I'm deployed.
 I am currently stationed in Kabul and have been here for just over three months now. Our deployments are back to one year so I still have about nine months to go before I return to Germany. Kabul is one of the safer cities in Afghanistan which is very nice. My last deployment to Iraq was fairly dangerous so I'm glad for the safer conditions here. I am an engineer. Our job is usually to clear bombs from the roads.
 Thanks again for taking the time to think of the deployed Soldiers.

 Merry Christmas.

Respectfully,

 Jason A. Meier
 Captain, Engineer


 

 I have received several boxes from you all over the last several days and have graciously disbursed them throughout my Battalion. (A good thing I looked through and found my "special" package! Thanks Mary and Andrea!) I wanted to send a heart-felt "Thank You" from me and all the Marines of Combat Logistics Battalion 46 for your generosity in the items that you've sent. It means a lot to know that family and friends support us in all our endeavors. Having grown up in the Johnsonburg/Wilcox area, it is especially gratifying to be able to say that this group, and the support you provide, comes from my hometown! I can honestly put a face to many of the names associated with the program. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Your efforts do not go un-noticed; I, for one, appreciate and applaud the program's success.

 Donald R. Allegretto Master Sergeant 

United States Marine Corps 

Al Asad, IQ.

wow. thank you sooooo much!!!!!  I got all the boxes of stuff today.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!  I gave all the stuff to my First Sergeant and she was like, WOW!  

**************

Thank you so much for your support...we got your boxes...thanks so much!

Unit 78007

 07/09

I just wanted to thank your organization for brightening my day.  My name is Tom Winkler, I’m a Master Sergeant with the United States Air Force, and I am currently deployed  to Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq.  Just about an hour ago, someone handed a coworker and I two care bags.  I don’t think I have ever received one, so I thought it was a nice gesture.  After I opened the bag, I was shocked to see letters from two towns that were named Johnsonburg and St. Marys.  After reading the letters in the bag I received, I immediately grabbed my coworkers bag to read his.  There were two letters written by school children discussing life in rural Pennsylvania.  It really made my day because they brought back warm memories I once lived while attending St. Mary’s Area High School.    I grew up in Force, Pennsylvania and graduated St. Mary’s Area High School in 1987.  It’s something that I was able to find a little bit of home 8,000 miles away from where I grew up.   

Thank you,

 Thomas Winkler, MSgt, USAF

 

I wanted to take a moment to thank you.  I received two boxes today with CDs and DVDs for our troops!  I can't tell you how excited all of us are!  How nice it will be to have a choice to see something other than the movie that is pushed out on AFN

 Once again, I really appreciate it and the troops do, as well.

CPT Bill 

 

05/09

I want to start off with telling you how much all the soldiers appreciate all the support people like you and your organization give to us.  It lets us know that there are still people out there who think about us.  Everything that we do over here fighting for our country and the freedom of people around the world could not be done if it was not for the support from the rest of the USA.  I really hope that you do know how much everything means to us. 

Soldiers of the 9th Eng Bn, FOB Kalsu, Iraq

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My name is Kevin ***** and I am a Technical Sergeant in the US Air Force deployed in Iraq.  The other day I went by our chapel and checked out the "Airman's Attic".  The "attic" is a small area where there are all kinds of snacks, toiletries, stationery, etc.  I noticed a few bags in the room and peeked inside and found your pamphlet and some goodies along with some beautiful cards.  While I can say I am familiar with your organization, as I have heard about it before, I just wanted to say thank you for all you do.  I appreciate it and it makes our day  to know someone cares. 

*************

Thank you to the Patriots of "Letters from Home" It is so good to know such fine Americans appreciate the job we are doing.  The encouragement and provisions you send are awesome.

Matt

*******

Tell all we are very safe and plan on coming home safely, Thank you for the great care packages.

PA -ARNG

 

Hello and Thank you for the cards, letters, thoughts. prayers and goodies.  Your program, "Letters from Home," comforts soldiers who are so far from home and family.  Thank you!  Please keep up the good work.  Soldiers see the support behind them from programs such as yours.  

04/09 

I received your package from you an would like to thank you for the package.  It was very motivating to read the cards that were inside of it.  Thank you for the snacks and other essentials that were in the box.  I would like to thank you for all that you do for the soldiers that are away from home.  It has been a true blessing to have received this gift.  Brian F.

*****

My Name is Ryan and I am currently stationed in Iraq.  This is my first tour and we deployed 2 wks away from Christmas.  It was a tough holiday season but knowing I will be home for next Christmas keeps me smiling.  My family is very proud of me and thinking of them always makes my days brighter.  However, today I received a care package from your program which was sent by children from schools in Pennsylvania and I got to read about 4 or 5 cards along with some very nice artwork.  This truly made my day even better knowing that we have your support and that people take the time to write a short and quick note with a thank you.

******

I just wanted to let you know your program is awesome!! I did two tours of duty in Iraq in 03 and 05.   I was hurt in 05 that caused my left arm to be amputated.  Enough about me,  I am pushing a program at the company I work for.  It is a grocery store chain located in southern Alabama, Mississippi, and western Florida.  We are going to have tables set up to allow people to write cards to the troops and want people to know that holidays are not just about BBQ and the pool.