AWP has adopted a US soldier!

Dear AWP family,

First of all I must say thank you and apologize for not finding the time to write sooner. I very much appreciate everything your doing. With all the madness going on in the country, some soilders own families do not support them, let alone total strangers, it says a lot about each of you! And it is greatly appreciated. By adopting me you have in fact adopted my entire team, we run an entry control point (ECP).

Here on Camp Liberty I am one of the three leaders for our team which includes 10 US soldiers and 20 coalition brothers who are from Uganda. They really are a great bunch of guys trying to save the world on day at a time :) (thats a slogan we use to stay motivated). We have our good days and our bad days, but overall we actually do feel like our work here is making a difference.

When I recieve a package I take it out to the ECP and divy it up to a few dozen smiling Joe's and I really wish you could see how such a simple thing could make such a monumental difference over here. Please forgive me if I ramble a bit, there are a lot of thoughts bouncing around in my head. I did some training at Fort Hood (near Kileen) so I know what you mean by hot it is in Texas. The weather here isnt so bad, its been averaging around 100 degrees the last few weeks, though we did have a day where it was 118 degrees (that was rough).

Summer is coming so we are bracing for the heat and drinking plenty of water. Let me tell you a little bit about myself; I am married and we just had our 4th wedding anniversary on the 13th, I have two wonderful children, my daughter is 3 going on 20, and my son is just over a year old, we also have a baby on the way (due Nov 21st). I am hoping to make it home for the birth, this is my 3rd deployment and my second to Iraq, I've yet to miss my kids birth's and God willing I wont miss our third. I call Colorado Springs, CO my home, I am stationed there at Fort Carson and we just bought a house last year, originally I am from Michigan and will someday return. My troops are from; Missouri, California, New York, Texas, Montana, and Utah so we are a pretty mixed bunch.

You asked if there is anything I need or like? I would have to say im thankful for anything you send (Thank you). If there were a life at risk and I had to be specific I would ask for snack food, handkerchiefs (for sweat doo-rags), body wash, mens deoderant, power drink mix, etc, etc. But please do not feel obligated to send this stuff, as anything you send at all would be more than enough. Please continue using my name and address, but if I could ask a small favor? If you could address any letters to: Soldiers of ECPS so I could then post your well wishes for all to see, that would be awesome.

Also I know you adopted me as an individual soldier but I dont believe there are any "individuals" here, so you are stuck with the team. :) Please do not feel the need to increase quantities of anything you feel like sending as we are most happy to share what we do get. If you decided to send nothing more, I would still fell proud to know there is a group of proud Americans running a wedding planning business in Austin, TX.

I could send you pictures of the team if you like, but would have to do it via e-mail, and would need an address. Closing, there aren't words to describe the amount of gratitude that comes in knowing that so many people care about you, simply out of pride in country.

From the boys at ECPS, Thank you