Soldiers send special Happy Birthday wishes

Photo By Spc. Amanda McBride | Staff Sgt. Kristy Smith, supply non-commissioned officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team, and Soldiers from the brigades personnel security detail hold a signed 3rd Infantry Division flag and a U.S. flag for Jason Overfield May 15 on Forward Operating Base Kalsu.  

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ

05.19.2008

Story by Spc. Amanda McBride 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

By Spc. Amanda McBride

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – For one young man's 24th birthday, this year's celebration will be very hard to top.

Jason Overfield, a 24-year-old autistic man from Port Orchard, Wash., is a devoted military supporter who makes sure certain Soldiers receive special birthday cards from him every month. Over the last five years, Overfield has sent around 100 to 200 birthday cards and letters monthly to Soldiers.

Staff Sergeant Kristy Smith, the supply non-commissioned officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, began corresponding with Overfield more than two months ago through the AdoptaPlatoon program, and kept contact on a daily basis.

The AdoptaPlatoon Soldier Support Effort is a nonprofit organization that provides deployed U.S. service members with letters, cards and care packages from communities and volunteers.

"(Jason and his mom) had my name, so they sent me a card and an e-mail," said Smith, a native of Laurel, Miss.

Throughout the last few months, Smith corresponded with Overfield and his mother about the day-to-day happenings in their lives.

"I let them know the things that are going on here," Smith said. "Jason tells me things that are going on in his video games and the stuff he does to help his mom out ... Everything they are e-mailing to me is just like I am family. They are just keeping me up-to-date with everything that is going on."

Smith said corresponding with them boosts her morale every single day.

"It helps the time go by because I know that every morning when I come in, I'm going to have an e-mail from them," Smith said. "It's good to know that there are people out there that think about you."

After she found out that Overfield would be celebrating his birthday soon, Smith knew she had to do something special for him, something like he'd never experienced before.

Working with other Soldiers from her company, Smith went around to every single office to get Soldiers to sign a flag and make personal birthday video comments for Overfield.

"This is just something special to do for someone who has done so much for others," Smith said.

"Really, all of it is (memorable) because it's the way that they correspond with me; the way they talk to me," Smith said. "It really makes me feel like I am part of their family. I'm deployed over here but it feels like I have known them forever."

• Date Taken: 05.19.2008
• Date Posted: 05.19.2008 20:34
• Story ID: 19603
• Location: ISKANDARIYAH, IQ