Good Morning, I just wanted to reach out and say thank you for the care packages that were sent to us recently! They are greatly appreciated and really increase morale, especially for our younger Marines here in Bahrain. Many of these young Marines have never left home before and your care packages brought a little piece of home to them. We're extremely grateful, God Bless and Happy Holidays! Jason

Good Morning, Thank you so much for the care packages that you have sent, it really brightens our weeks when we receive them! Gabriel E.

Good evening, Myself, and my marines are grateful to have organizations like yourself that go out of their way to support the troops, thank you! Respectfully, Sgt Carlos, Hart A USMC

To all the wonderful people at Support The Troops Hartford WI thank you for your care packages and support. It's patriots like yourselves that keep our country the best in the world. We greatly appreciate the time and thought put into the care packages you send. Thank you for the goodies they were delicious!

Hello Ms. Boudwine: I have received at least 2 care packages from you over the last week. I just wanted to take a moment to thank you and all the volunteers who kindly donated items! I have shared all of the packages with the rest of my unit. I would send you pictures but we are not allowed to have cameras in the facility where I work. Thank you again for your time and thoughtfulness. We truly appreciate all your love and support and could not complete our mission without you!

My unit recently received care packages from Support the Troops WI. It is a great feeling getting a care package from people that really care about us out here, its honestly like Christmas morning as a kid! I am currently in the process of getting a flag and flying it for you. I will have it out in the next few weeks.

Thank you from Afghanistan! Hello, just wanted to say Thank you for the care package. To have someone be selfless and think of us to send items is amazing. We were beyond grateful and excited to get your package. It is a great feeling to know we still have America's love and support. THANK YOU! Climb to Glory! Janneth - Army

Hi, I received one of the T shirts that were sent to us out here in sunny Afghanistan. Thank you for thinking of us! It is awesome to receive a package or anything from home. Your thoughtfulness and hard work in coordinating a donation like this helps the morale of the civilians and troops here and are very much appreciated. V/R Suzanne Gate

Hello LeAnn I am writing to thank you for the recent care package I received from Support the Troops filled with wonderful goodies!! I think your organization is doing such a great thing and I hope those who participate in all the donations know how much us soldiers appreciate all the work we do has not gone unforgotten by our home state Wisconsin and our country. My wife and I both served in the Army until recently she got medically discharged. I am recently returned from my third deployment safely back to my family in the US. My wife and I recently just returned home from visiting our family and friends in WI to find this wonderful care package wishing me well and an early 30th Birthday this month! Please note all the GS cookies and BS popcorn are great treats and I support your efforts and dedication!! With much appreciation Justin Schuett

Ms LeAnn Boudwine, I want to thank you for giving our address to the school of Hoover Elementary. There letters, packages and pictures have been a nice change of pace from our regular day. I also would like to extend my gratitude to you and your organization. I am glad to see there are people that still care about the soldiers. Your are a constant reminder of the reason we are over here and the good that we can accomplish with the positive support from back home. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. God Bless and be safe! Respectfully, Marc Peterman

I just want to say thank you for the care packages you have sent me for the last nine months. I shared them with many other soldiers. They really came in handy. The one thing we really enjoyed was the popcorn. Thanks, SSG Waldhart

Greetings From South Korea! Just thought I would drop you a line and say thank you for the Care Packages. Please inform the Boy Scouts that their popcorn made it all the way to Thailand. The picture attached is the CDR of the 2-9 Manchu BN, LTC Shawn Creamer, a native of Wisconsin, your popcorn, and other key leaders of the mission that unites the Armed Forces of Thailand and the Armed Forces of the USA for a month of training in Thailand. Your popcorn was a hit! Thanks again, CH Scott Kennis

Hi to Leann and everyone who supports the Soldiers, I received another package from your amazing group just yesterday. You put some really great items in there that make it just a little easier here, 7000 miles away. The weather is getting hotter and hotter here but when we go out on missions sometimes we have to sleep outside and the nights still get cold so the hand warmers are a nice touch. About two months ago I was lucky enough to make it to the PX and buy a microwave but unfortunately it wasn't compatible with the power here on the FOB (Forward Operating Base). A month ago I was able to acquire a power converter that was big enough for the microwave and we started popping corn. My buddies come in and ask "hey can we make some popcorn," even though we share everything, they really enjoy it but I think I go through the most of it. We appriciate what you do for us it must take a lot of your free time to do this for us. Attached are a few photos of me and some of my buddies. If everything goes well we should be heading home in four months or so. Thanks Again! Darren

A HUGE "THANK YOU" to all of you Great Americans for supporting our Nation's Sons and Daughters with your tremendous generosity! CH (CPT) Roland O. Geyrozaga

I received your package the other day and I wanted to thank you! It really helps us out here in Kuwait. Though we aren't fighting everyday and taking mortar rounds like my brothers and sisters in Afghanistan and Iraq, we are isolated to a small post and away from our family and friends. It really does a number with your head. But packages like yours keep our heads up and lets us know that there are great Americans out there that care about us and support us. Thank you so much and God Bless!

On behalf of the aircraft maintainers of the 176th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, THANK YOU! The popcorn was wonderful, thoughtful and very much appreciated. Even better is the support from home. It is a privilege to serve and an honor to be thanked. Thank you and On Wisconsin!

Thank you so much for your wonderful and generous gift of popcorn that came in on the mail plane yesterday. I can tell you it barely lasted through two turnover meetings! The variety was wonderful, the popcorn tasted great and it means so much coming from someone we don't even know! Appreciation from home, especially when accompanied by good food, makes what we have to put up with well worth it. It is truly a privilege to serve and honor to be thanked.

Hi LeAnn. My name is Rob Smith. I am a member of the 8th Forward Surgical Team (Airborne). We are currently deployed to RC North Afghanistan as part of a NATO contingent and serving in a German Role III Field Hospital. I wanted to take a minute to just thank you for your very generous gifts. The care packages you sent will serve my team well in this time away from our homes. I really appreciate the time and effort you put forth in making sure we were not forgotten as we serve so far away from home. You took the time to include something that will fit everyone's tastes and needs.

LeAnn, Hope all is well back in the States and Hartford? I am sorry it has taken me sometime to get back to you but it seems all we have been doing is moving since we got here. A few of us are finally settled into what is called a BHUT, basically a plywood shack that keeps you dry and the dust out of your face. Thank you very much for the packages! I distribute them among the troops and it puts smiles on their faces. We are doing well. If you don't know, most of us will be coming home earlier than we all planned. Should be home early Fall. We plan on returning to Hartford as the community has been so good to us. Thanks again! COL Darrel D. 'AJ' Feucht

Ms. Boudwine, I recently received a care package full of a myriad of different items. I greatly appreciate the effort everyone involved put into sending this package. I’ve placed it where it can be shared by others in my Unit, and I know it’s more than appreciated. Thank you for supporting not only the Airmen of my Unit but the Soldiers, Sailors and other Airmen your organization reaches out to as well. Very Respectfully, JOSHUA A. CLARK, SSgt, USAF

LeAnn, I just wanted to let you know your packages arrived last night. Thank you! Everyone here was very excited to get them and they are very much appreciated. I've attached a few photos of some of the team opening them up. Please tell all that contributed thank you as well. v/r, 2nd Lt. Stephen Montgomery

Dear Pastor Sisti and LeAnn, On behalf of the soldiers of the Security Force Platoon assigned to the 82nd WI Agri-business development team, thank you for the care packages that recently arrived. It is always nice to receive little reminders of home in this little corner of Afghanistan, on the other side of the world. We will certainly make use of the toiletries and snacks as there is no PX on our post. The toys and trinkets will be given to the Afghan elders to distribute to the children. It's impossible for us to give stuff to the kids because there are too many of them for us to do so safely and in a controlled manner :-) Please tell your parishoners and staff that we all appreciate the kindness and contionued thoughts and prayers. Kind regards, 1LT Ryan McCullough

LeAnn, Thank you VERY much for the care package! My cousins Mary and Joe gave you my address. The snacks are great and all my soldiers were very appreciative! Your organization is a great thing for us Soldiers over here. Its always nice to receive a little something from the States, it reminds us of all of you who love us and who are supporting us from so far. Please give a special thanks for us to CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL, SLINGER MIDDLE SCHOOL, SUPPORT THE TROOPS SLEIGH RIDE, and HARTFORD WI ROTARY CLUB. Hooooooah! Respectfully, SSG Cutting, Derek

Ms. LeAnn, On behalf of our men and women in uniform here with Naval Special Warfare Unit Three(NSWU-3) and Joint Special Operations Task Force – Gulf Cooperation Council (JSOTF-GCC) in Bahrain, I would like to thank you and your staff for sending us these care packages. We really appreciate it. Thank you very much and God bless America! Take care and have a nice day. Very Respectfully, HMC(EXW/FMF) Jerry Juan

I was delighted to get a care package from you this week, it was extra special when I saw it was from the Boy Scouts. I was a scout way back when and have fond memories of belonging to a special organization such as the scouts, working on projects with my dad like the pinewood derby car and some of the excursions we took with our scoutmaster. I have served in the Air Force for 28 years and have had the good fortune of having scouts come out to our base for tours, when I welcome them and give them our unit mission brief I always reflect with them how my membership in scouting was my foundation for a very successful military career. The values that scouting instilled in me also has lit the path for success my personal life, like the strong family bonds with my wife and kids, actively involved in making my community a better place to live, and acting as a role model as a leader in our local 4H club. I am proud to be an American, and even prouder yet to be afforded the opportunity to serve in our nation’s military, defending what this great nation stands for. So, when I am overseas and a fellow American sends well wishes it is received with great appreciation. I leave you with this from my memory: “I John Capra promise to do my best, to do my duty, to god and my country, to help other people, and obey the law of the pack” Thank you for supporting me and my brothers(and sisters)-in-arms. God Bless America, Captain John Capra Public Affairs Officer

My name is TSgt Jamen Berry. I’m currently deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. I received a care package from you over the holidays and greatly appreciate it. There were so many goodies I couldn’t even eat them all. Once again, thank you very much and God bless.

As I enter my 9th month of this year-long endeavor, I'm thankful for the continued support from phenomenal organizations and partnerships such as yours. In 3 months I'll leave here...head back home and be part of a support structure, similar to the one you've created, and know first-hand how important getting a box from "home" is...it is a great morale booster!　 Attached is a small document which provides a snap shot of the "day in the life" of our organization...plus some others which I thought you might find interesting. Please pass on a special "THANK YOU" to Maddie for the card and kind words, and a "SHOUT OUT" TO Rachel and her Girl Scout Troop--Troop 2118, and Megan.　 Megan drew a picture of an American Flag with the following note (which I will keep with my deployment book forever)..." America means a lot to me It's where I live It's a place where you can play with friends..."Her words are why many of us decide to be part of the United States Military - it is wonderful to receive words like that from a child!Your organization's dedication to support the TROOPS is a huge testament to the American Spirit and the long lasting desire for American's totake care of their troops abroad! Please pass this note on to the Starbucks Coffee at 443 W. Paradise Drive , West Bend , WI - Thanks again.

I just wanted to thank you for the care package that I received over the last year during my deployment to Afghanistan. I’m not sure that I can put into words what it means for me and my fellow soldiers when one of these packages come in. The simplest things that come in the boxes that even we forget about from the real world make us all smile and enjoy what we have just a little bit more. SSG Bryan Tate

To all the people involved with the care packages, we all appreciate the time and consideration put into them. It means a lot to know people care and would take the time out of their lives to do something generous for us. Thanks again. Steven Patterson

I just wanted to say thank you. Today I received my first care package and it truly was a great feeling. Everything that I received was most needed. Please pass along to the contributors as special thanks from me. It truly makes the military personnel receiving these packages extremely happy given the circumstances and living conditions we are in over here in theater. I’m looking forward to the next one. Thanks for making my day! Joe Brewen

Thank you so much for the care package!!! It was really nice to receive everything that you had sent. It is awesome to know that there are people like you that try as hard as you can to help out the military as much as you do. Keep up the great work that you are doing!!! Thank you again. Garrett Degler

SUPPORT THE TROOPS! Hi, Cory Paul here. I am currently in AFG working as a logistics partner for the Afghan National Army. It has been a valuable experience in many ways. This country is very interesting and beautiful. There are many snow caps within eye's view. It is starting to warm up here as well. I will take the cold for as long as i can because my last deployment was Iraq and it was long and miserable hot + I'm from Iowa so i am partial like you to white winters and a little frost. Our mission is going well and we are learning alot about our partners. They do well with what they have but are constrained by technology and also corruption. The later makes everythig twice as hard. Communication is key and we have a long way to go. Spring is bringing many new chanllenges and operations. Just wanted to extend my thanks to your organization STT, Milwakee Police, dipatchers, Lutheran work group and all others. Your generosities make our day. We have good food but these "snacks" are great as we don't have any place to purchase these types of items on our base as we are too small. We share all that we get through community corner! Please know that you've made soldiers happy! I salute you. I thank you for your service and devotion to city, state and country as many say it but very few "do" it or live it. I will cc you guys in future mailings and hope that my repsonce and updates provide a portion of the warmth that came this way. thanks. Sincerely Cory A Paul

From the Commanding Officer Greetings from Iraq. We have now passed the halfway point in our deployment and we’re on the downhill slope to getting back to our family and friends. I must report that the Marines and Sailors of 2d LAAD Bn have established an incredibly positive image and reputation for the Battalion. We have a fantastic family of Marines and Sailors. As I move about to see the Marines and Sailors in their various missions, I am greeted with motivation, teamwork and professionalism at every stop. There’s nothing more motivating for me as a commander than to pull up to an entry control point in 115 degree weather and be greeted by a smiling face of a Marine, just pouring sweat, who loves what he’s doing and is motivated about coming to his post everyday. I get the same positive feeling at every stop – guard towers, patrols, entry control points, motor transport maintenance bay, the chapel, the Battalion Aid Station – everywhere I turn. I would like to assure you that our Marines and Sailors know what they’re doing and they do things right every time. They take no shortcuts and conduct themselves professionally in every scenario. We have a phenomenal bunch of Non-Commissioned Officers in our Battalion who take charge and carry out their missions flawlessly. Every time I talk to them, I am reassured by their confidence and proficiency. I need to pass along my special thanks to the families and friends of 2d LAAD Bn. We’ve had great support from all of you while deployed. I have personally received multiple care packages,coffee donations, and letters of support for our warriors. I know the Sergeant Major and many others are receiving the same or more. It makes a difference. When I receive packages, I usually take them to the coffee shop and set them out for the Marines. Morale in that area is always high. Thank you all for your support. Keep those letters and emails coming – communication with our loved ones is the top morale booster we have. We’re all looking forward to our return after completing our mission successfully. Semper Fidelis, Matthew M. Sieber LtCol USMC

Hello my name is Eric Dick. I am stationed over here in Korea and have received gift boxes from you. My father, sister, brother and family all live there in Hartford. I thank you and everyone that has donated stuff for me over here as it is all being used by myself or fellow soldiers. Some of the soldiers over here would also like to start receiving stuff as gifts from you. Their names are Bryan Hodkins and Ryan Jones. UNCSB-JSA Unit 15162 APO,AP 96205. We are stationed in Pan Mun Jom South Korea. It is the most northern unit stationed next to the North Korean border at the 38TH parallel. We are 400 meters south of the southern most border of the demilitarized zone the DMZ. It is very hard for us to get down south to get supplies that we need so when you send us stuff it is used by the whole batallion. We are a small group of soldiers up here with about 55 U.S. personnell. Thank you for all your help and support of the soldiers out there defending our beautiful country. Some of the stuff you all send we cannont find here in Korea so it is very nice to get stuff from the states that we all love. Thank You for all your support and gifts that you send, PFC Dick,Eric UNCSB-JSA

LeAnn, My name is Lieutenant Commander Zaradhe Yach and I am a Family Nurse Practitioner stationed with the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Ghazni, Afghanistan. As the Senior Medical Officer for our unit, my team and I take care of our unit (sick call, medical support on our convoys "outside the wire", etc.), augment our Forward Surgical Team during MASCALs (mass casualities--when many are injured and the staff of the FST need help), work with the health care system of Afghanistan to improve care to the people, and run a local national clinic on the base. At our local national clinic, we have an Afghan doctor and midwife who see about 50-100 men, women, and children per week for all sorts of illnesses and injuries. The people who come to this clinic often can't afford health care, medicines, or transportation to doctors let alone things like shoes, toys, hygiene items, etc. I have been working with my commander, CDR Philip Kapusta, to obtain and distribute donated items to the men, women, and children who come to the clinic. It is so rewarding to bring smiles to their faces with even small items that show that we care and that we understand how very little they have and what a struggle life is here day to day. The Beanie Babies you sent are perfect! It really is a small world...I am originally from California but I went to Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and my husband, also a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, is from Stevens Point, WI. Thank you so much for your support of the military here in Afghanistan and thankful for your thoughtfulness in keeping the children of Afghanistan in your hearts. Please feel free to continue to correspond and I would greatly appreciate any future care packages with items for men, women or children! With Warm Regards, Zaradhe

Ms. Boudwine, My name is Sean Jones and I'm currently deployed to Iraq. I recently received your popcorn packages. My Soldiers and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It brought a smile to their faces. It let them know that they're not forgotten. Thank you, SSG Sean R. Jones

To all who helped make our troops Christmas a little brighter, We cannot thank you enough for all the care packages you have donated, taken time to assemble, and mail to us in Iraq. The Soldier's at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bucca greatly benefited from your generosity and thoughtfulness and appreciated the many snacks, personal hygiene items, writing supplies, books and many other items provided by you. Please accept the attached certificate of appreciation as a thank you from our Facility Engineering Team located at FOB Bucca. V/R, SSG Jessica Becker Project Manager Camp Bucca, Iraq

I would like to take a moment to thank you for the care package I received today. I have had it on my desk for less than an hour and have already enjoyed a bag of popcorn and a good portion of the chocolate covered peanuts. I have already utilized the fitness magazine to help make a good healthy workout for my section. With things shutting down around us, as the war draws down, it is increasingly difficult to find a lot of items we used to have access to. It is a blessing to have organizations like yours to provide us with the comforts we are missing out on. Thank you again for keeping the members of our wonderful military on your mind and in your thoughts. Lt. Jacob L. Stephenson Sather AFB, Baghdad, Iraq

Words can not describe the thanks and gratitude we as Soldiers feel from all of your efforts ensuring we have a taste of home. Your packages are uplifting and always brings something comforting to a Soldier walking by. Your service and dedication in sending packages and including your entire VFW Post is exactly what Americans need to continue. I am very humbled you choose myself and have thought enough of me to send such a nice gift. I tell everyone back home who supports our Soldiers that they are the Heroes' in this War. Without support from great Americans such as all of you, it makes our days, months, and our long 15 month deployments all that much longer. Again, thank you for your generosity, selfless dedication to surrounding communities and Soldiers such as myself. I have three boys and just while I have been here we had our daughter , born in November. I have only seen her in pictures, she is beautiful. I am stationed in VA where my family resides until my return as we originally are from Wisconsin ; attended school at Hartland Arrowhead and spent many years working at the Golden Mast on Okauchee Lake for Hans Weisgerber. My wife is amazing to handle all the kids, two dogs and manages to keep a tight home. I have it much easier out here,however she disagrees with me. I wanted to get this letter out in the mail but mail from here to the US takes at least 14 to 18 days. Please know I do appreciate your kind gestures and it has made my week. Life Member of the VFW Post #8252 ( Gloucester , VA ) and Life Member of the American Legion Post #45 ( Elkhorn , Wisconsin )

Dear Family and Friends, I would like to thank you for your continued support throughout the last 15 months.　 The love, prayers, letters, emails and packages were more than I ever expected and were truly appreciated by myself, the patients I cared for and those I work with.　 As my deployment comes to a close, I just wanted to let you know that I am on my way home shortly and if you could please hold on to any care packages and letters you were planning on sending.　 If you have care packages you would still like to send, please address them to the Chaplain instead of myself.　 The Chaplain always makes sure care packages and items get to the people who need them. Love, Patty

I know you said you were looking for new names to send care packages to and I think I have one for you. My mom sent me a whole box full of sugar cookies today and I knew that there was no way the guys in my shop and I could eat all of them. There are only seven of us, so I walked up to the place where we go to pick up mail and left them up there for people to eat. Anyways I told the guy that works there that my family keeps sending me all of this stuff and I almost don’t have a use for all of it. I loved the sox and soap and stuff that you sent me though thanks again. But anyways he said "you must be really loved I still haven’t got a care package" I couldn’t believe it I guess I take all the wonderful people in my life for granted a little because I get so many I thought that everyone got at least a couple. So hear is his info I know that a care package would really brighten up his day and I know that he would greatly appreciate one. I’m telling you there is no place like home there are really some wonderful people in Wisconsin and you are definitely one of the best. Again thank you so much I can’t tell you how awesome you guys are!! Happy Holidays

My son is stationed in ..Air Force Base. Hopefully, he will be home in Feb. You never know, they are constantly changing the date.　 He tells my husband more than me of course. He knows how much I worry about him. My niece's Girl Scout Troop sent cards and pictures to his flight. For some that have no families it is a precious gift. I just want him to come home the same person. I know he has seen and done horrific things. I deeply feel for your granddaughter. There is nothing quite like a Mother's love! Your family sounds so courageous. Thank you to your family for protecting our country and again thank you for all you do. Have a wonderful holiday!

Greetings and salutations. Please accept my heartfelt thanks for the boxes of snacks and other "goodies" you have provided for me and my fellow Airmen deployed in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. The Girl Scout Cookies are a huge hit...many folks have longed for the spring time ritual of thin mint cookies or Samoa's and you have provided a touch of "home" for many of us. There's nothing like sitting down in the evening with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate, a box of Girl Scout Cookies and good company to wind down after a long day - we are very thankful for your support!

I just received the care package that was sent to me. I have been here for just over a month and haven't gotten any mail since I have been here. I also recently fractured my wrist. The care package you have sent me put a huge smile on my face and I love all the kids art work! Thank you for brightening my day and my deployment!