Thank You Operation Gratitude

[RNajarian]

If there is any doubt in your mind about the greatness of the United States let me reassure you, it is truly the Greatest Country EVER. That greatness is founded in people from different backgrounds and cultures who come together as one for the common good of everybody.

Today I had the privilege to work with Operation Gratitude to get care packages out to deployed members of the 146th Airlift Wing who are on the front line in the fight against COVID-19.

Operation Gratitude delivered a truckload of “goodies” for our heroes in the field who are administering vaccines, distributing food, and supporting California’s fight against this terrible pandemic.

With the help of First Sergeants and members of the Wing, we assembled 500 care packages to distribute to our deployed members. Among the many items for our dedicated Airmen and Soldiers were snacks, protective equipment, Girl Scout Cookies and hand written letters from grateful citizens from throughout the country.

Having received an Operation Gratitude package myself when I was deployed, I cannot tell you how much it meant to know that my efforts were appreciated back home.

If you have a chance visit the Operation Gratitude Webpage and support their noble cause.

https://www.operationgratitude.com/

Thank You Operation Gratitude for supporting our Airmen and Soldiers whose sacrifice and dedication are helping our State and Country rise above this terrible pandemic.

[flatbutt]

That's good stuff!
One of the best things my former employer did was to provide a team of employees with the means to send care packages to our warriors in the sandboxes. We filled these plastic cylinders with all kinds of stuff and sent them off via the USO.

[Baz]

Fantastic! A worthy cause if there ever was one. Our warriors deserve as much care and love as we can muster. Thank you for sharing and doing this, RN!

[Baz]

Back to the top......well deserved too...

[Nostril Cheese]

Very cool.

[RNajarian]

I am very touched by the positive response to this thread. Thank You!

We’ve begun the distribution process and hope to have some photos of the troops in the field receiving their care packages soon.

In each of the care packages is a Paracord Bracelet, hand made by Operation Gratitude volunteers. Here is a little info on these bracelets. . .



HOW CAN A PARACORD “SURVIVAL” BRACELET BE USED?
All who serve use paracord, which gets its name from parachute cord and can hold up to 550 lbs. of weight. The bracelet provides 7.5 feet of cord in an emergency. Paracord “Survival” Bracelets can be used to:

-Secure camouflage nets to trees or vehicles
-Build a makeshift shelter
-Extend a security strap or rope to reach and haul heavy objects
-Create a harness to extract an injured person from a bad location
-Make a sling or splint

And those are just a few of the ways to use the full paracord! Cut the paracord and remove the 7 to 9 individual nylon strands inside it (the “guts”) and now you have finer strong string to use as:

-Sewing thread to repair gear
-Emergency sutures to close a wound
-Fishing line
-Trip line to secure an area
Our hope is to include one Paracord “Survival” Bracelet in each of our Deployed Troop Care Packages, and in the First Responder and Recruit Graduate Care Pouches.


Here is a photo from the Operation Gratitude Website of volunteers making the Paracord Bracelets.




https://www.operationgratitude.com/express-your-thanks-virtual/paracord-bracelets-virtual/

[RNajarian]

I received a great email today. My niece who is on mission received her Operation Gratitude care package today. I’m pretty sure she is smiling under that mask.

We’re proud of all the troops.