'Operation Care Package' supports troops overseas

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dillon White
  • 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  "Operation Care Package" provided people from Great Falls the chance to provide deployed servicemembers with care packages by making donations at the Montana Veterans Memorial in Great Falls, Aug. 27. 

The care packages include a pre-paid international phone card, a deck of playing cards, a disposable camera, a "hacky-sack," an edition of "Reader's Digest" and various snacks. 

"We had a nation-wide goal of 10,000 care packages," said Bryan Thies, Waddell & Reed financial advisor and event volunteer. "We are currently just shy of 14,000 care packages." 

Event volunteer Roger Hoadley said the care packages had an overwhelming impact on some of the people who arrived to donate. 

"The community reaction is tremendous," said Mr. Hoadley. "We had some Vietnam veterans donate in Houston who had tears in their eyes. They received care packages when they were in Vietnam and [the care packages] meant a lot to them." 

The Montana Air National Guard's Honor Guard raised the American flag, the Montana state flag and a POW-MIA flag to kick off the event. 

The Montana Army National Guard brought a climbing wall and a few weapons for display including an M-249 machine gun, M-4 carbine and M-2 machine gun to the event. 

The Montana Veteran's Memorial Committee raffled off a $550 grill, and was selling T-shirts and sweaters. The proceeds went toward maintenance of the living memorial.
Malmstrom Air Force Base brought in their explosives ordnance disposal team to perform a demonstration with an F-6A robot designed to disarm improvised explosive devices. Several local-area youth got a chance to control the robot and ask the EOD team questions. 

"This would be a fun way to pick up your room," said 11-year-old Bryce, after he watched the robot pick up a plastic bottle. 

Malmstrom's K-9 unit also arrived to perform aggression demonstrations for all in attendance. Senior Airman Bryan Tarantella and Staff Sgt. Josh Lewis, military working-dog handlers from the 341st Security Forces Squadron, went through various exercises to show the capabilities of their 9-year-old Belgian Malinois, Brenda. 

Also on hand at the event was the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. The ESGR erected a booth to educate Guard and Reserve members about the legal rights of employees who go on deployments, and took the opportunity to award the event sponsor with a Five-Star Statement of Support. 

To learn more about "Operation Care Package," or to make a donation, go to www.usocares.org. For more information on the Montana Veteran's Memorial, visit wwww.montanaveteransmemorial.org. To learn more about the ESGR, visit www.esgr.mil.