Thank You Letters

 

 

February 2006

Note from Patriotic Pen Contestant:

Dear Commander D. Harvey Cunningham,

Thank you very much for giving me the chance to compete in the Patriot's Pen contest. I enjoyed working on the essay very much. Thank you for the pins and the VFW wristbands. Lastly, thank you for the check. It was generous and kind of you. The ceremony was nice and I enjoyed the time I spent there.

Thank you for all you have done for this country and for me.

Sincerely, Kenneth (last name removed)
 

January 2006

Note of Thanks Sent In Care of Bill Self, State Surgeon from Captain Anthony D. Licari, Marine Liaison Office, Bethesda Naval Hospital:

Bill-

Please extend my heartfelt thanks to the VFW and its great members for the great lunch you sponsored at Bethesda. The food was awesome! Thanks again for your continued outstanding support.

Semper Fi!

Tony Licari

 

Dear VFW Members,

             I am writing to send you all my heart felt thanks for seeing soldieries off at the Baltimore Washington Airport. My son departed at 2300 on 26 June, 05. The first telephone call home, in great part was to tell us that so many Veterans had went to great lengths to see these soldiers, shake their hands and give them a care package! These soldiers had just unloaded from a bus from Lt. Bragg and had a long jouney (no flights for soldier transport leaving Pope AFB that day.

             My son is with the 82nd Airborne Special Ops. I believe his first call home from the Mid East was made with the phone and the VFW supplied –so generously supplied!

            As you all know the feeling of embarking on the unknown-you all brought generosity of spirit, time and moral support. It will be something  I know my son will always remember and pass on to others.

             Again specially as a “Blue Star Mother”-Than you all so very, very much.

                                                                         Sincerely,

                                                                         Susan (Name removed by Webmaster)

 

Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq

Visits to Bethesda Naval Hospital & BWI 

Operation Uplink

 

We have received 'Thank you'  letters and emails with expressions of appreciation to the VFW for the greetings, luncheons, Operation Uplink calling cards and service to our country as military veterans  Because of the work you do, these "thank you’s" are to all members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for their support and work in our organization.

The following letters are published with permission from the writers. Last names have been removed.

 

 Bethesda Naval Hospital

Recently, Commander Ron Dickens and our State Officers hosted luncheons and visited our soldiers at the Bethesda Naval Hospital. They have also been greeting our soldiers arriving and departing from/for  Iraq at the BWI Airport.
 
Email received March 20, 2005 
Thank you for the wonderful time today at the National Naval Medical Center.
It made the guys day to have visitors and lunch.
Email received March 30, 2005 

Gentlemen,

just wanted to thank you for the luncheon that was held 20 Mar 05 at 5th floor Bethesda NavHosp. It's great that Americans such as you take your time to put on something like that for the wounded. Your service past, present and future is truly appreciated by all you come in contact with. May your actions continue to spread patriotism across our nation and help us all to remember all who have gone before us to secure our freedoms. Please pass this gratitude to all the VFW members who were present that day. God bless, Semper Fi.

Sincerely,
Troy (Name removed by Webmaster)
Captain USMC

(my brother, Captain Chris (Name removed by Webmaster) was a patient there at the time, . He is now with his family in Indiana and doing well.)
 

 

BWI

Email received March 28, 2005 
 
Just a quick update...
My sons unit arrived to the home base in Nebraska Sunday at noon, greeted by wife's and children with signs, hugs, tears and much joy.

My son did tell us that Saturday night they all sat around in the lobby of the hotel in Baltimore and just took in the thought of being back on US soil. They said they were all overwhelmed with the VFW standing there greeting them as they walked through those doors. They expected some family members, but never expected strangers to greet them and shake their hands and welcome them home.

Thank you again for everything that you did and have done and continue to do, I know you made a difference in their life and they in turn will remember that moment and do the same thing.

Please know that everything we hold near and dear to us as a family, as a country is due to the bravery of a soldier past, present and future.
 

God Bless You All
 
Terri & Dave

How wonderful it was when I arrived at BWI to meet my son and granddaughter and saw you there greeting our troops on their arrival home.  I know as a mother, it has a wonderful meaning to me just to know there is someone there to welcome them back to American soil.

Great Job!

Mother of a member of the United States Air Force

 

Operation Uplink
To learn more about Operation Uplink, click here
Introduction to Letter from Lt Col, Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq

Letter from Pat McGonigle, Post 2632

Comrades,

   Recently I contacted Chuck Goodrich about getting some Operation Uplink Phone Cards for one of the units in Iraq.  I support the Program Office (PMA-263) for Unmanned Air Vehicles at NAVAIR, one of the units from Cherry Point VMU-2 is on their third deployment to Iraq.

    On June 16th, I had the opportunity of presenting the phone cards to LTCOL Vic, who is the Department Head for Tactical UAV's at PMA-263 (photo attached), who then had them forwarded to VMU-2 by the Fleet Support Team.

   Below is the email that I received from LTCOL Vic, Commanding Officer of VMU-2.  I will keep you all posted on further correspondence from VMU-2.

   Pat

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq

Commanding Officer

Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron Two.

Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq

              Mr. McGonigle,

The Operation Uplink calling cards arrived yesterday and were delivered to me.  My Sgt Maj is working with our Senior NCOs to get these out to the troops.  We'll be getting a few photos and plan to email those photos back so that you can get them in a timely fashion.

 Please give every one at Post 2632 a heartfelt thank you from all of VMU-2.  The Marines here are proud to serve for you and all other veterans that have served before us.

 

 

Letters received by Operation Uplink Chairman Chuck Goodrich, and Hope Rhue, Operation Uplink Chairman, Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
 

This is my 2nd tour in Iraq and nothing helps more than to know that there people out there that care enough to help support us with free phone cards.  –LCpl USMC

 Thank you very much for the pre-paid phone card.  As soon as I arrived in Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom, I used the card to call my wife to let her know I made it safely.  Once again, Thank you for your outstanding support!!!  - CE-1 USN Reserve

 I was able to call home to talk with my two boys on a phone that you could actually hear.  Thank you for your support!  -Sgt US Army

 I am currently in Iraq.  I used the Operation Uplink phone card to stay informed of my wife’s pregnancy while I was enroute for R&R leave to witness the birth of my 8lb 3 oz son.  Thank you VFW and all your sponsors!  -Sgt Army National Guard

Thank you, thank you! & the VFW. He received the phone card. He called here last night. His dad was home by himself. He may not admit it to many but he broke down twice while on the phone with his son... Christmas came early for this family. Again, thank everyone for their kind efforts and support. God Bless

From a mother of a soldier in MD stationed in Iraq, Nov 2004 to a MD Auxiliary

13 Apr 05  From a Chaplain, US Army,  Served Iraq

Just a quick note to thank you for your wonderful support and phone cards. I and my soldiers have returned to Hawaii and are now enjoying time with our families. Thanks, for all you and your organization do for our service members.   

Letter from pilot & crew serving in Iraq – Apr 2005 [Copy Given to Hope by an Auxiliary]

April 2005

Thank you for thinking of me and sending the phone cards. We are all very familiar and very appreciative of Operation Uplink. The VFW has provided many of these cards to members of my unit and they are scooped up quick. The day I got your letter, I flew a marine from Fallujah to Qatar. He had a 96 hour pass out of Iraq for doing some extra duty. Ironically, he mentioned that the phone card he got when he deployed had run out and if I knew where he could purchase one. I told him it was his lucky day and gave him mine.  Thanks again, 

1/03/05    Serviceman, Iraq

Thank you very much for the calling card. At times, especially during the holidays, it’s hard to remember why we’re over here. Then something as simple as a letter and phone card comes from a stranger “Just to say we care” means a lot. My unit is scheduled to be home sometime in late March. Our year of fighting will be over then Your support is greatly appreciated by all of the 3rd platoon, A Co., 227th Inf.

P.S. Happy Belated Holidays 

 Soldier, Iraq  Nov 2004

…I wanted to thank you greatly for the cards and letter that you sent. It was greatly appreciated. Although we manage to stay pretty busy around here using the phones is like opening Christmas presents. It also seems like it only comes once a year for some of us as well, so when we do get to use the phones your card has helped greatly. I thank you for your support. When we are over here doing these things it makes myself and others feel better to know that we are still welcomed for what we are doing. It is people like your organization that keep us going in troubled times and long nights. It makes it easier for us to do our jobs. 

Sincerely,

12/8/04  Soldier, Iraq

Thank you for the cards. Your gestures no matter how small you feel they are mean the world to us…without people like you all what would we really be doing this for. All this makes our jobs much easier. For my unit the phone cards have helped so much. … Again, thanks. Yours truly,