'Hugs from Home' brightens Dagger days

Photo By Sgt. Dustin Roberts | San Diego native Pfc. Jamie Mannion (right), 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team 'Dagger," 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, films Dagger Soldiers, to include Dearborn, Mich. native Col. Joseph Martin, commander, 2nd HBCT and Command Sgt. Maj. Donald Battle, a native of Greenville, N.C., senior enlisted leader, 2nd HBCT, saying "thank you" to a group in the state of Washington for supporting the Soldiers with care-packages at Camp Liberty, March 12. Every Soldier in the Dagger Brigade received a gift box from the group, which named their project "Hugs from Home."  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

03.14.2009

Story by Sgt. Dustin Roberts 

Multi-National Division Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Thanks to a project back home in the states, Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldiers recently accepted a huge show of support and appreciation in the form of thousands of care packages.

A group of volunteers in Washington state, taking part in the "Hugs from Home" project, sent 7,000 gift boxes to Soldiers serving with the 2nd Heavy "Dagger" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, MND-B, which the troops received, March 12, at Camp Liberty.

"This is an example of people taking time out of their schedule. You are talking about 7,000 boxes that people took time to pack and made sure every Dagger Soldier got a box," said Greenville, S.C. native Command Sgt. Maj. Donald Battle, senior enlisted leader, 2nd HBCT. "When you look at things like that, you know there are people who are absolutely all about supporting our Soldiers."

The Washington state participants in the project included ministers, university students and other regular everyday citizens, who took the time to label the boxes and fill them with candy, snacks, books, children's drawings and support letters.

"This was great because we are about half-way through our deployment and I feel that this boosts Soldiers' morale," said Pfc. Joseph Jacques III, a supply specialist working with the logistics section of the brigade who hails from Beaufort, S.C. "Not all Soldiers get packages or mail, so I know these packages are well appreciated. The boxes didn't just have candy or snacks, but also letters or notes that can really give a piece of home to each Soldier."

He added that the idea of the project showed just how much the American people care for the men and women in uniform.

"For every Soldier to have a care package from a group of people is amazing to me," he said. "Just the thought of 7,000 Soldiers knowing that they are supported means so much to me."

Because the boxes were shipped from Washington to Fort Riley, Kan., which is the home station of the Dagger Brigade, the shipping was funded by a variety of groups in Kansas.

The groups included the Junction City, Kansas Police Department, the veterans of foreign wars (Department of Kansas and National Headquarters) and the Kansas American Legion. The packages were then shipped from Fort Riley to Camp Liberty, Iraq.

"I appreciate the support from them and all of the American people; this shows that they are really looking after us, 'said Jacques. "They dedicated time to us because they feel we dedicate our time to them."

Battle also showed much appreciation due to the fact that he represents every warrior in the brigade.

"This truly made a difference in our Soldiers' lives here," he said. "You couldn't ask for anything better to boost the morale."

• Date Taken: 03.14.2009
• Date Posted: 03.14.2009 09:01
• Story ID: 31110
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ