On the morning of Thanksgiving we were all a little down. Then later that day, we received your boxes. I can't begin to tell you the gratitude we all felt and the smiles that it put on the faces of all the soldiers here. But the thing that touched us the most wasn't the content of the boxes. The thing we were most proud of and what touched us all the most was the enclosed card with a picture off all the great Americans there waving and smiling at us. The entire mood changed and our Thanksgiving was Thanksgiving again. We all ate 'Army Food' for Thanksgiving and talked about everything you guys sent, but again the talk kept going back to the card and the obvious support and love and care that your group sent. We noticed young, old, disabled, moms, dads, sons, and daughters. And we could also pick out the ones that have even served themselves, they just have that look!! Please tell all of them from the bottom of the heart of many soldiers located in an isolated forward operating base in Iraq, we received their gratitude on Thanksgiving day when we needed it the most. We may be serving here in Iraq but you guys are the Heroes. Thank You Again with the deepest Respect. ~~Major K.O.
I just received your package. I wanted to take this time to thank you for your thoughts, and more importantly your time. We are doing a job that our country has called us to do and you are making that job easier. I am not much of a 'candy man.' However, I wanted you to know that I put it to good use. Today, on mission, I took the candy and gave it to as many children as I saw. You cannot imagine the smiles of these kids who have nothing and surely have never had candy. My heart nearly melted completely, when a little girl from Kirkuk blew me a kiss and said thank you! It is the little things in life that make the difference. Keep up the work and know that it is making a difference! Thanks again! ~~Specialist B.Q.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE GOOD AMERICANS WHO DID NOT FORGET ABOUT ME IN THE WAR ZONE. I FEEL PROUD TO BE IN THIS GREAT FAMILY WHICH IS THE US ARMY THE WORLD STRONGEST MILITARY.YOU MAKE ME FEEL STRONG. I SACRIFICE MY FREEDOM TO KEEP YOU SAFE FROM TERRORISTS. THANKS FOR ALL YOU DOING BY SUPPORTING US TROOPS. WE WILL FIGHT UNTIL THE END TO MAKE AMERICA THE FREE COUNTRY. ~~PFC ROMAIN ------, BROOKLYN, N.Y.
Thank you everyone for your support. All the soldiers greatly appreciate the things you do, including myself who is currently in Mosul, Iraq. ~~SPC Nathan ------ Army, Hot Springs, Ark.
I would just like to thank each and every one of you who show support day in and day out. It's really nice to hear from all of you. Everytime I deploy and I return, as I walk through the airport, I get thanks and handshakes from complete strangers. It brings a tear to my eye, knowing that people who I don't know would thank me for just doing my job. ~~Rock ------, SrA, USAF, Clovis, N.M.
I would like to say thank you very much for all your support and praise. If it wasn't for the GREAT citizens of the great state of Oklahoma, I wouldn't know what I would do. Keep the home fires burning. ~~SGT ------ ARMY, Mounds, Okla.
My Soldiers and I just recieved your 'Operation Gratitude' care packages. I can't explain how grateful we all are and how it changed our Christmas. We were in the middle of moving from one camp to another. We arrived here on Dec. 22 and had absolutley no communications during Christmas day to call back home. but on Christmas Eve, my soldiers received your care packages and they all had a smile from ear to ear. I could see that the packages made their Christmas complete. The items you pack in there are above and beyond. To all of you at Operation Gratitude on behalf of my unit, I want to Thank You for everything you do for us. You keep us going and give us the reason and purpose of why we are here: to fight for the freedom of great Americans like all of you at Operation Gratitude. ~~Sergeant First Class J.M.
