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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Nov 20, 2008 - 8:44:25 PM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| A sign created by Marty Armstrong, a Veteran of Foreign Wars supporter, adorns the Soldiers' Blessing Store and greets the Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers as the enter the facility at Forward Operating Base Prosperity in Baghdad. The facility is stocked full of donated items - and provides the erstwhile visitors with "a little PEACE of home." (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Whitney Houston, MND-B PAO) |
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Few people understand the hardships that U.S. Soldiers endure in a combat zone, away from everything familiar in a foreign land, far away from the support systems of Family, home and friends.
In an attempt to counteract the effects of being deployed, many devout patriots have stood up and have been the means of providing Soldiers a taste of home through donations to the Soldiers' Blessing Store, located on Forward Operating Base Prosperity in Baghdad
Capt. Tim Reynolds, a native of Beaumont, Texas, who serves as chaplain with 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, has collected donations from charitable individuals and organizations across the United States and consolidated them in the store in an attempt to bless the lives of Soldiers.
"It's hard for me to quantify, but we've received donations from 20 to 30 states," Reynolds said. "It's a great way to show Soldiers that people back home care for them, and it's also a great reminder for them that there are a lot of people that support them back home."
The idea behind the Soldiers Blessing Store was to provide Soldiers who aren't close to a post exchange with a perpetual care package, giving them home-baked goods, reading materials and essentials such as hygiene products.
"A lot of Soldiers don't receive care packages on a regular basis, and in this case, it's a continual care package from the people back home," said Capt. Jonathan Hilton, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo., who serves with the 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
"In addition to that," he continued, "there are a lot of Soldiers who are at joint security stations or forward operating bases where there isn't a PX, so when they come here they can come in and get stuff like hygiene products and morale things like books and homemade brownies."
Not only does this boost Soldiers' morale, it also helps them a little economically as well.
"It's just a great thing to be able to do something like this. It's a practical thing to save Soldiers some money," Reynolds said.
This huge operation requires a lot of coordination, explained Reynolds. Members of his Family and many others have worked tirelessly to get the goods, which have an estimated value of more than $40,000, to the store so far.
"There are a lot of individual groups - and my wife," he said, in talking about those who have so lovingly given their time to make the program such a success.
"My Aunt Merna in Bay City, Texas, has a lot of connections that she works through to get this stuff over here," Reynolds said. "It's like we're doing (those who give) a service by taking their donations. To me that speaks volumes. And believe you me, they get very excited having the opportunity to do this for the Soldiers."
Putting his efforts aside, Reynolds modestly explained that the people back home who have given their time are the true champions of the operation.
"I'm not the hero," Reynolds said. "The heroes are the folks back home. All I do is facilitate and provide an avenue for the folks back home to do their part in supporting our Soldiers. Without their help and support, it couldn't happen."
Outside the store hangs a sign that greets the Soldiers with the words: "Soldiers' Blessing Store." The second line of the sign reads: "a little PEACE of home."
Each time a Soldier enters, the program's goal is met through there mere entrance to the facility, which offers a little bit of love and peace from home.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| Religious materials adorn a table in the Soldiers' Blessing Store located on Forward Operating Base Prosperity in Baghdad. The store is stocked with donated items for Soldiers to take as needed - and provides the erstwhile visitors with "a little PEACE of home." (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Whitney Houston, MND-B PAO) |
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| Capt. Tim Reynolds, a native of Beaumont, Texas, who serves as a chaplain with 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, sits in his chair at the Soldiers' Blessing Store Oct. 2 where he has facilitated and consolidated donations from many people and organizations for Soldiers living at Forward Operating Base Prosperity in Baghdad. The facility is stocked full of donated items - and provides the erstwhile visitors with "a little PEACE of home." (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Whitney Houston, MND-B PAO) |
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