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    Cintas sponsors HHC, 16th Engineers

    BAGHDAD, IRAQ

    01.10.2010

    Story by Sgt. Brian Johnson 

    Ohio National Guard Public Affairs

    BAGHDAD – Many people have made a difference to Soldiers stationed in Iraq. For Sgt. Dean Os-borne, of the Ohio National Guard’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 16th Engineer Brigade, it has been hundreds of people that he has never met that make a difference.

    Osborne, from Cincinnati, Ohio, is a Fire Service Technician with Cintas Fire and Safety, when not serving with the Ohio National Guard. Last summer, a few weeks after he had notified Cintas’ military liaison of his impending military leave, Osborne received a response he was not expecting: Cintas shared the news with Osborne that they would sponsor his National Guard unit by assisting with any needs they may have.

    By providing items including floor mats for increased safety, games, movies, letters of support, specialized cooling collars and toiletries, Cintas has helped raise the morale of the Soldiers of the 16th En. Bde. The uniform division of Cintas has also donated more than 500 t-shirts to the Soldiers of Osborne’s brigade.

    “Cintas has provided out-standing support to both my unit and I since my arrival in Iraq six months ago,” said Osborne.

    Chris Hallenbeck, General Manager for a Cintas First Aid and Safety branch in Houston, Texas, has worked alongside his administrative assistant, Leona Shinert, to send items to Osborne and his unit. Neither Hallenbeck and Shinert have ever met Osborne, but they were put in touch with him through the Cintas military liaison.

    What unites Hallenbeck and Shinert with Osborne is the fact that they each have a military back-ground. Hallenbeck was prior service Army; Shinert’s husband is a retired Marine, and her son served in Iraq and is now in Afghanistan.

    “A lot of our Cintas partners in the Houston area have a military background,” said Hallenbeck. “We were able to contact our other Cintas branches around the area to get additional participation.”

    Garnering support from over 400 Cintas employees and outside sources, Shinert and Hallenbeck have worked to support the HHC 16th Eng. Bde.

    “Six months ago, we started our support by sending care pack-ages,” said Hallenbeck.

    Knowing firsthand what kind of a positive impact that care packages can have on Soldier morale, Shinert reached out to other Cintas branches in the Houston area for donations.
    As more people became involved, including Hallenbeck’s daughters’ Girl Scout troop and elementary school, additional items were gathered for care packages for their adopted Soldiers.

    After the initial care pack-ages were sent, Shinert began corresponding directly with Osborne on a regular basis to learn what, if any, additional items the unit may need.
    One of the most impactful donations that Cintas made was safety helmets and protective eye-wear.

    After visiting a joint U.S. and Iraqi Soldier construction site, Osborne noticed the Iraqis had a lack of safety equipment. He then reached out once again to his friends at Cintas, who were glad to help.

    “I understood the need based on my military experiences,” said Hallenbeck. “I was happy to reach out to our partner branches in the area to try to help.”

    The safety equipment will be used in future construction operations that may involve U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers working together, and that equipment will ensure everyone is outfitted with the right personal protective equipment.

    Brig. Gen. Glen C. Hammond, III, Commander of the 16th En. Bde., expressed his gratitude to Cintas in a letter of thanks, on behalf of the brigade Soldiers.

    “We are overwhelmed by your patriotism and support for our Soldiers,” wrote Hammond. “We would like to thank you for the bounty that you have shared.”

    Osborne agrees. “I cannot possibly express the gratitude and appreciation I have to my employer for supporting me,” he said. “They have been willing to support not only me, but my fellow Soldiers, our families, and our partners, the Iraqi Army engineers.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.10.2010
    Date Posted: 04.24.2015 22:00
    Story ID: 161228
    Location: BAGHDAD, IQ
    Hometown: COLUMBUS, OH, US

    Web Views: 74
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN