Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Edward Vasquez | Service members from Naval Support Activity, Bahrain help to fill holiday gift boxes...... read more read more
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By Petty Officer 2nd Class Edward N. Vasquez
Mass Communication Specialist
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY, BAHRAIN– Dozens of Sailors, Marines and Department of Defense civilians showed their support for forward-deployed service members this holiday season by volunteering to help fill gift boxes at Naval Support Activity Bahrain Nov. 27-29.
Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) has teamed up with several corporate sponsors to provide gift packages to forward-deployed Sailors and Marines in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR).
"We are expecting to send about 10,000 boxes to our Sailors down range in the 5th Fleet AOR," said James Shipp, a representative of Commander Navy Installations Command (CNIC) with Forward Deployed Forces from Millington TN.
The gifts will be delivered by Naval and Air Force air assets to Sailors deployed to Kuwait, Djibouti, Fujaireh, Al Udeid, Bagram, Baghdad and the oil platforms. Many of theses boxes will then be delivered to outlaying forward operation bases in each country.
"This reminds our Sailors with boots on ground and at sea that other people know they are out there doing dangerous jobs, in many highly volatile areas," said Master Chief Cryptologic Technician (SW/AW) Dale K. Arnold, U.S. 5th Fleet Command Master Chief.
Sailors at sea will also be the recipients of gift boxes. In conjunction with CNIC, the Bahrain volunteers are also packaging 10,000 T-shirts to be delivered to afloat Sailors in the next few weeks.
"The process has been in the works since April or May and the pallets started to arrive in August," said Shipp. "Over the last two months, they have been coming in from the states, and today we are assembling them."
Along with the gift boxes, 110 fresh-cut live trees will be delivered to deployed Sailors. The trees were donated by an Indiana grower and cordinated by the Christmas Spirit Foundation, Chesterfield, MO.
"I think there will be a significant impact on the holiday spirit from all of these people helping out," said Senior Chief Master at Arms (SW) Robert Beffa of Naval Security Force, Bahrain. "I certainly think that this will help the morale of the Sailors. If you look around this gymnasium, it's full of people with smiles on their faces because they are helping out. I just wish that I could see the faces of the people who are going to receive these boxes."
Master at Arms Seaman Apprentice Aaron Harold Delbeaux with Naval Security Force, Bahrain Harbor Patrol Unit was one of the many volunteers helping out.
"It's pretty good coming out here; we have a lot of volunteers. I personally just wanted to help out. It's got to be hard for the guys over there," Delbeaux said.
"Numerous corporate sponsors have donated thousands of pounds of merchandise to ensure that Sailors who otherwise may not have an opportunity to celebrate during this holiday season are able to have some gifts under their proverbial tree," Arnold said.
| Date Taken: | 11.28.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 11.28.2007 11:28 |
| Story ID: | 14257 |
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| Web Views: | 352 |
| Downloads: | 318 |
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