 "Whatever you dream you can do, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now." ~ Goethe NOW HERE IS THE COOL PART!  when he was on his first deployment to Afghanistan. Every care package sent through Operation Hooah! has been delivered directly to the FOBs by him or his fellow Chinook helicopter pilots. With this DIRECT LINK, we can be sure that our packages go straight to the trusty chopper pilots who fly them directly out to the valiant soldiers at remote FOBs. My son informs me that he and his fellow pilots got really "PUMPED" (his word : ) at the chance to bring some cheer to their fellow soldiers out in the isolated FOBs. NOTE: I'm not saying our soldiers are not being taken care of -- our Military is the best in the world! BUT, though they do receive regular deliveries of supplies, these run out VERY quickly out in the FOBs, outposts and firebases. And of course, official deliveries have nothing fun or delightful or personal or yummy or pretty or cool or nifty or entertaining in them!  Landing supplies in abandoned poppy field
FEMALE SOLDIERS NEED:
Most important: White ankle socks, feminine hygiene products, both tampons and pads, chapstick, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, scented lotion, air freshener, wet wipes-type moist towlettes, (PLEASE send some in every package!) . Also desirable are detergent, birthday cards/greeting cards, notecards, stationery, pajamas, thermal underwear, tan or brown long & short sleeved t-shirts, panties, hair ties and bands, tooth brushes, toothpaste, Q-tips, cotton balls, combs and brushes, deodorant, neosporin ointment, eye drops, bobby pins, razors, manicure items, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, bath powder, anything, that would help them feel more feminine. Just because these women are strong capable soldiers, does not mean they can't be girly-girls at heart! Good inexpensive sources for many of these items are dollar stores if you are on a tight budget but still want to support our soldiers.
Trying to wash that sand right outta her hair?
COOL THINGS TO RELIEVE THE BOREDOM:
New or used DVD movies (Drama, Comedy, etc) New or used CDs, used CD players for music, VHS Movies, frisbees, footballs, water balloons, silly string, gag items, board games, video games, handheld video games, puzzles such as rubiks cube, etc., paperback books, books for inspiration and encouragement, magazines, (fashion, decorating for females; cars, video games, and sports for males; current events, US, People, Reader's Digest, Discover, for either gender) Here's the nicest way to clear out all your stacks of magazines! They don't have to be current, but current issues are more appreciated. Sudoku, crosswords, newspapers, small portable artist kits, e.g.: colored pencils & small sketchbook, watercolors and small pad of watercolor paper, felt-tip pen set and small sketchbook, workout resistance bands, ab wheel, pull-up bars, (down range teams don't have workout facilities)....small rugs, things to decorate dull and drab living areas, holiday themes at the appropriate times, postcards, posters, artwork, ..anything to brighten the living areas. Nothing offensive or obscene!
Supplies often fly in a sling load and can drop with a thud!
THINGS NOT TO SEND:
1. Illegal copies of anything. No copied CDs or DVDs. These violate copyright and are illegal.
2. Dangerous Items - Flammables, corrosives, toxins and other dangerous goods are not permitted. Prohibited items include perfumes, colognes, hairspray, matches, butane, aerosol shaving cream, and other aerosols, some cleaning agents, paints, etc. 3. Flea Collars - Some soldiers in Iraq were using flea collars to control insects. These are toxic. Send pump spray or lotion insect repellent instead. 4. ANYTHING THAT MELTS! If sending chocolate, best to send in Winter, or send M & Ms. OUR SOLDIERS TRULY DO NEED YOU!
Please remember them. They are doing a good work.  These are the GOOD GUYS! They are out there enduring long hours, cold weather, unpleasant living conditions, loneliness, fatigue and danger. For us. For our Freedom. For our cozy warm beds and our peaceful return to top of page
Please print off the LISTS OF NEEDS / WANTS so that you will have them when you are out shopping. And be sure to read the IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS and the MILITARY MAILING RESTRICTIONS below. OPERATION HOOAH! FOR SECURITY REASONS, PILOTS' ADDRESSES
 OTHER IMPORTANT CAUSES RELATING TO THE
Adopt a PlatoonCARE AND SUPPORT OF OUR VALIANT SOLDIERS! The Band of Mothers Beanies for Baghdad Cell Phones for Soldiers DET 3 Foundation Give 2 The Troops Homes For Our Troops Injured Marines Fund Laptops for the Wounded Military Family Support Group Operation Care and Comfort Soaps for Soldiers Soldiers' Angels Special Kindness Support Our Wounded SW Washington Red Cross Troops Need You With Love From Home Yellow Ribbon Support Group MESOTHELIOMA VA CLAIM ASSISTANCE BLUE STAR MOTHERS operation home relief PTSD HEALING : MILITARY MINISTRIES HELP SOLDIERS KEEP THEIR HOMES! HOUSE LOGIC.COM! US FORCES- AFGHANISTAN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM - CJTF-82 MILITARY NEWS NETWORK SUPPORT OUR MEN & WOMEN SERVING DVIDS OPERATION HOMEFRONT A MOMENT OF SILENCE THANK A SOLDIER SUPPORT OUR TROOPS JACKS' SNACK PACKS EMAIL OUR MILITARY THE GRATITUDE CAMPAIGN SUPPORT HOMELESS HEROES WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT Oct 26-- DAY OF THE DEPLOYED ANY SOLDIER.COM SOLDIERS' ANGELS DON'T TEAR ME DOWN: SAVE THE MOJAVE DESERT MONUMENT OPERATION WE ARE HERE TOBOGGANS FOR WOUNDED SOLDIERS MILITARY DUTY STATIONS.COM MILITARY.COM VETERAN'S REPORT PleuralMesothelioma.com www.MesotheliomaPrognosis.net MESOTHELIOMA.COM http://www.mesotheliomasymptoms.com/ http://www.mesothelioma.as/ return to top of page
| A grassroots effort by mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, and friends to bring cheer and express gratitude to our brave soldiers serving in Afghanistan with OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM Dear
Friends of our valiant Soldiers ~
We have started a little compassionate service project for our soldiers deployed to outposts in Afghanistan. We have named it OPERATION HOOAH!" This exclamation is used by US Army soldiers for many things. Much like the word "Aloha", Hooah! has many meanings, some of which are: Outstanding! Well done! Way to go! All right! Thank
you! Amen! NEED FOR OPERATION HOOAH! Thousands of brave soldiers are deployed to Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in pretty rugged and primitive conditions. Some in remote outposts live in dugouts or hand built fort-like structures of timber, rock and mud sandbags. In the WINTER, it is very cold and wet, and in SUMMER it is beastly hot, dusty and dry over there in Afghanistan. Soldiers deployed to outposts and firebases are often dirty, hungry, bored, lonely, very cold, or miserably hot, and much of the time, in harm's way. Many do not have any laundry facilities; the only water is what the Chinooks helicopters can deliver, so some only get a shower once a month. Often, sanitary conditions are quite dispiriting.  Though
the platoon FOBs and outposts are resupplied by helicopter it is no
small task to keep them completely supplied and able to function and
keep morale high when their surroundings are unsanitary, crude,
hostile... and... WAY in the HECK out in the wilderness so far away
from comfort, safety, and loved ones! The basic supplies dropped by chopper run out very fast.
There are many hundreds of soldiers down range at hundreds of FOBs
(Forward Operating Bases) so we have our work cut out for us! Many are often in need of basic things to help them keep warm and clean. They will appreciate ANY hygiene items or treats you can send them. But nothing is as cheering as news, thanks or encouragement from "home". A handwritten note or postcard is a prize. HOW TO PARTICIPATE--------------------------->>>>>>>> LISTS: WANTS AND NEEDS - FOR ALL SOLDIERS: MOST NEEDED IMMEDIATELY IN THE NEWLY WON AND ESTABLISHED OUTPOSTS: HYGIENE ITEMS!! ( picture yourself out in the desert... what would you most wish for? ) AND ANYTHING TO HELP KEEP WARM or COOL! ALWAYS NEEDED: moist towelettes. AA
batteries, notebooks, pens, stationery, pocket tissues, hand
sanitizers, cough drops, vitamin c lozenges, multivitamins, zinc
lozenges, gum, tic tacs, certs, dentyne, toothpaste and toothbrushes,
dental floss, toothpicks, soap, eye drops, eye care products, lip balm, hand lotion, also in pocket size, wet wipes type moist towlettes, the more heavy-duty the better (can't have enough of these!) pump spray or lotion insect repellent, neosporin ointment, chapstick, carmex, shampoo, non-aerosol shave cream, razors, laundry soap. Soldiers are usually issued plenty of sunscreen. GOODIES: Packaged snacks of any kind welcomed. Instant coffee, hot cocoa, and tea, pringles, pop-tarts, candy bars, crackers & tuna, ramen noodles, more healthy snacks: tuna packs, protein bars, protein powders, trail mix, dried fruits, beef jerky, hot sauce, condiments, microwave popcorn, gatorade mix, girl scout cookies, anything you would consider putting in a sack lunch. Anything exotic or gourmet is a real prize. Chinook heads out after dropping supplies  NOTE: Even if some things you send cannot be used by a particular soldier, they can be shared with buddies, or bartered for things that CAN be used by that soldier or at that soldier's post. There is a thriving barter system among soldiers. Absolutely NOTHING goes to waste, and soldiers with extra goodies suddenly become very popular! Operation Hooah packages arrive in Afghanistan ready to go out to FOBs
REQUEST FREE POSTCARDS I have been working with
postcard companies to arrange for donations or bulk discounts, that our
HOOAH! Angels can request for their packages. Three companies have already donated postcards! Please CLICK HERE
to request some of these postcards. I will send out batches of 20 or 30
if you send me a large (at least "4 x 6") SASE with three
stamps on it. (Self-addressed stamped envelope) Email me here to get
my mailing address: IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS & PERTINENT INFORMATION! : 1. Best and simplest way to send is in the Post Office's very reasonable PRIORITY MAIL FLAT RATE box. Ideally, pack items for an individual soldier into a small package. Make sure your box is strong and secure, and pad anything breakable. GLASS must be padded, and its a good idea to put it in a baggie. Click for official USPS page: USPS FLAT
RATE BOX INFO You can order free flat rate boxes in sets of 25 and priority address labels (with your return address pre-printed) in sets of 100, free from the post office. I just ordered 50 of each size box to keep me going for a while. FREE USPS MAILING SUPPLIES WITH FREE DELIVERY TO YOU 2. It is best not mix food items with scented
things in a single package. Even factory sealed cookies taste awful when they have been in the same package with bath soap or bug repellent for a couple of weeks. Especially during the hot summer months. If you double baggie each item, it helps to keep smells from ruining food. 3. ALL items which contain liquids and pastes PLEASE put in a zip-lock bag, and then in a second one up-side-down from the first one. Packages are often off-loaded in a cargo net with a thud! If an item can leak, it will. 
6. It can take 7-14 days for a package to go Priority to Afghanistan. It takes longer during peak shipping times. So if you want to get something to the soldiers for a particular holiday, keep that in mind. Peak mailing times can add 7 - 10 days to the usual delivery. 7. PLEASE NOTE the "Things NOT to send" and the
"Military Mail Restrictions" listed on the next pages below.
8. CUSTOMS FORMS: The complete delivery address must be typed or legibly written, with
ink, in English using ALL UPPER CASE LETTERS and Arabic
numerals — and should appear lengthwise on only one side of the
package. Complete USPS info is here: (NOTE: The online form asks for a destination phone number, Enter your own phone number, or just put all '1s'.) A detailed description of contents is required on the customs form. Don't list items as "food," "medicine," "toiletries," "gifts," or other general terminology. Be more specific. For example, list the toiletries and the food items: 1 Hygiene Kit, (can cover all toiletries, personal care items) 2 pkgs AA batteries, or: 3 boxes cookies, 6 candy bars, 2 pkgs candy, 1 box stationery.)
9. Certify that this is a "gift, for
personal use only". US POST OFFICE
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS MAILING INFO
http://www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/welcome.htm
The following are prohibited in the region of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM: (Afghanistan) PROHIBITED:
Obscene articles (prints, paintings, cards, films, videotapes,
etc) Any matter depicting nude or seminude persons, pornographic or
sexual items Pork or pork by-products. Bulk quantities of religious materials contrary to the Islamic faith. Items for the personal use of the addressee are permissible.
| Important Links HOME INSTRUCTIONS JOIN ON FACEBOOK! COOL CHINOOK FACTS! OPERATION HOOAH LABELS NEEDS LISTS PASS-ALONG CARDS REQUEST FREE POSTCARDS SHIPPING LABELS CUSTOMS FORMS SUPPORT OUR TROOPS MAILING INFO USPS FLAT RATE BOX INFO FREE USPS MAILING SUPPLIES OUR ORIGINAL INTREPID PILOT VIDEO CLIP: WHAT DO PUT IN YOUR PACKAGE CONTACT US: OPERATION.HOOAH@GMAIL.COM FOR SECURITY REASONS, PILOTS' ADDRESSES ARE ONLY AVAILABLE VIA THIS EMAIL: operation.hooah@gmail.com  HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Two very simple ways to help: with a proper address, and THIS designation in the lower left hand corner of the package: "OPERATION HOOAH!" (generic for any soldier) or "HOOAH! BLUE" (specific for male) or "HOOAH! PINK" (specific for female) OR, if you would rather: * 2. Pack several individual boxes, each securely packaged and labeled, "OPERATION HOOAH!" (generic for any soldier) or "HOOAH! BLUE" (specific for male) or "HOOAH! PINK" (specific for female) into a BIG box (please, no larger than 40 pounds per large box) properly addressed to one of our pilots,
(available via email: operation.hooah@gmail.com)
with THIS designation below the address on the BIG box : FOR OPERATION HOOAH! With these designations, your care packages will be
secure until they are received by
individual
soldiers out in the nether
regions.
........................................ FOR SECURITY REASONS, PILOTS' ADDRESSES Be sure each individual package is well padded and packaged. Where territory is too rugged to land, supplies are delivered in a drop, and often land with a thud!  Stacks of Operation Hooah packages loaded up, ready to go out to FOBs  DOWNLOAD & PRINT OPERATION HOOAH!  We have a nifty shipping label to use on your packages if you desire. Print them, cut them out, and tape them to your packages, making sure to cover them completely with clear tape. Most printing inks will run if wet. CLICK HERE to go to shipping labels. IMPORTANT NOTE FROM OUR INTREPID PILOT: From one of his emails: "One thing you might want to do Mom is make one of your Operation Hooah
labels that doesn't have any address or names on it. You've made such a
lovely logo to go on the boxes but I have to take it off before I
deliver it. The last thing we need is for the Taliban to dig through
our trash and compile a list of names and addresses of thoughtful
people back home"
I have made a page of OPERATION HOOAH!
labels to affix to your packages, that can be left on them when they
are delivered to the soldiers. BE SURE to put your return address
INSIDE each package so that the soldier can write to you, as all
personal info on the outside of the package, THOUGH NECESSARY for
initial shipping, will be removed before they are delivered to
outposts, for security reasons. OPERATION HOOAH LABELS: AFFIX TO PACKAGES IN ADDITION TO ADDRESS LABELS  Chinook offloading supplies and packages GOOD TO SEND: PREPAID PHONE CARDS!
Military Exchange Prepaid Calling Cards
The
Department of Defense Military Exchanges have been authorized to sell
prepaid calling cards to individuals and organizations who wish to
purchase these cards for our troops serving overseas in Operation
Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. NOTE: Soldiers in remote
field areas have no access to pay phones, but return to post on a
rotation basis. Many are in posts that do have some infrastructure.
Phone cards should be sent insured. Click here for the official website for purchasing these phone cards: Military Exchange Prepaid Calling Cards
Chinook with triple sling load
 PACKING TIPS FROM THE POST OFFICE FOR MILITARY PACKAGES There
are certain factors to consider when sending packages to our troops overseas. To make sure package contents arrive in good shape, take these into
consideration.
Extreme Temperatures: Desert temperatures typically exceed 100 degrees. The Box: Select a strong box with room for cushioning. On recycled boxes, cover all previous labels and markings with a heavy black marker or adhesive labels. Cushioning: Cushion contents with Styrofoam or bubble wrap to keep items from shifting. We recommend fragile items be double boxed, with cushioning inside and between the boxes to absorb shock. Batteries: Battery powered items will sometimes get turned on during shipment. Remove and wrap the batteries separately. Sealing: Tape the opening of the box and reinforce all seams with 2 inch wide tape. Use clear or brown packaging tape, reinforced packing tape or paper tape. Do not use cord, string or twine. Include a card describing the contents: Improperly wrapped packages can fall apart during shipment. Including a card inside, listing the sender's and recipient's addresses plus a description of the contents, helps in collecting the items. THANK
YOU FOR CARING! GOD BLESS YOU! THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY! GOD BLESS OUR SOLDIERS!   |
