Officers' Corner
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Deployed Members of the U.S. Armed Forces FALL 2012 NEWSLETTER Committed to Our Courageous OFFICERS’ CORNER All of us at OTA hope your With support from our donors received are featured in summer was filled with great fun and volunteers, OTA provided this newsletter. and that you enjoyed activities immediate relief to the many men in good health, safety, and in the and women serving on those As we move forward to the company of family and friends. bases. In response to the attacks, upcoming holiday season, we thousands of pounds of food, know that you’ll be there ready This summer, OTA worked hard hygiene, nutritional supplements, to support us as we answer the to make life a little better for some and personal care items were call from our troops. And we are troops in rough circumstances. quickly packed and shipped to happy to share the letters and The 2012 spring offensive in the troops, giving them a much- pictures from the troops you’ve Afghanistan marked some of needed morale boost and access helped. We are likewise happy to the worst conflict our military to critical supplies while the provide information on exciting, has faced in the War on Terror. military focused on rebuilding upcoming events you can par- Knowing the United States has a the bases and insuring the safety ticipate in to make a significant planned drawdown of troops over of our troops. difference in their lives. the next two years, the Taliban launched many attacks, intending Just as our military faces one of We thank you from the bottom to inflict as much damage as the most significant challenges in of our hearts for your continued possible as our military ventures the War on Terror, this initiative support and generosity. into remote locations to bring marked a significant challenge in stability to the country. OTA history and we are proud that you all answered our call Several bases were attacked, for help! the most significant being FOB Salerno. In early June, a suicide With the support of our partner bomber drove a truck loaded with Walgreens, we held two “Stuff A Left to right: Kristen Holloway Querriera (Founder and CEO), explosives through the perimeter Truck” events that re-stocked our Monica Orluk (President), Amanda Thompson (Vice President) of the base, destroying the dining shelves and garnered significant hall and military exchange store monetary donations to purchase (PX), and damaging many of the specialty items and offset our Inside this Issue troops’ living quarters. Tragically, shipping costs. Local media N N N N N N one US soldier was killed in sponsors, WTAE-TV, CBS Radio What We Do the attack. and Root Sports spread the word Officers’ Corner ..............................................................................1 about our organization and our We are Committed to Our Courageous ........................2 We also received a number of events, and the city responded OTA Helps Local Pittsburgh Troops of requests from troops who are in droves! 316th Expedition Sustainment Command ...............2 now fighting on combat outposts in new areas of Afghanistan, Our morale was boosted from From the Front Lines ..................................................3 building new bases and the outpouring of support we The End is Only the Beginning for These Soldiers ....7 performing missions in the most received from our community and austere conditions imaginable. that support was transferred to N N N How We Do It N N N Living conditions are harsh and it the troops we serve — from those Mark Your Calendar ...................................................8 is critical that we do all we can to on the front-lines in Afghanistan, Out and About With OTA ..........................................9 boost morale and let them know to a unit providing humanitarian how much we appreciate relief in Honduras. Some of the Save the Date .......................................................................10 their service. most poignant letters we’ve Collection Drive Success........................................................ 10 Donate to OTA through United Way And CFC ...............................................11 We are Committed to Our Courageous... Operation Troop Appreciation Our mission is to build and sustain (OTA) is dedicated to members of our the morale of deployed troops, OTA Voted TOPS Armed Forces serving and sacrificing enabling them to complete their for our country. missions with the assurance that of Pittsburgh Charities the American public supports and OTA is thrilled to have been named By providing them with “wish list” appreciates their selfless service one of Pittsburgh’s Top Five Charities, items to raise their morale and to aid and daily sacrifices. as reported by GreatNonProfits.org. in the success and safety of their missions, we present a united front Selection criteria was based on user to our deployed military by ratings and postings. Over 50 people supporting them as individuals. We reviewed OTA and every one of them do this because each and every one rated us Five Stars out of Five. This of them: was the highest ranking of all the • Memorializes our nation’s past charities in Pittsburgh! Thank you to • Sacrifices to maintain our nation’s culture and freedoms all of our supporters who put OTA in • Ensures the safety and freedom of the Number 1 spot! our nation’s future generations OTA Helps Local Pittsburgh Troops of 316th Expedition Sustainment Command Photos and story written by Sgt. Peter Berardi, 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command and 354th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. Operation Troop Appreciation sent Operation Troop Appreciation for soldiers of the 316th Sustainment their tremendous kindness and Command (Expeditionary) stationed generosity for the wonderful care at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, over 250 packages we received,” adding, “I care packages to welcome them as was a recipient of the great support they started their deployment. afforded my battalion when OTA first got started in 2004. They have Being a Pittsburgh-based organization not wavered in their cause and their and having many contacts inside continued acts of kindness keeps the unit, OTA wanted to do something us connected to our loved ones and for the troops of the 316th when they thoughtful friends supporting us first arrived in Kuwait to let them from home. Thank you all for keeping know we are thinking of them and us in your thoughts and prayers. We supporting them. truly appreciate your undying support.” Items were donated through many Spc. Jacy Mozingo, a resident of means, including churches, schools, Ambridge, PA and member of the companies and individuals. 316th command group, said, “This was a very nice gesture, it was nice of Soldiers from the 316th were very them to send packages to us and to appreciative of the care packages. know they are thinking about us.” Col. Bruce Hackett, a Pittsburgh resident and the 316th deputy “I think these are great,” said Sgt. commanding officer said, “On behalf John Howe, a resident of Carnegie, of Brig. Gen. Jameson and the soldiers PA and member of the 316th. “I’m of the 316th ESC, I’d personally like always thankful when family, friends to thank Kristen Querriera and and supporters back home think of us.” OTA Fall 2012 Newsletter | 2 FROM THE FRONT LINES From: Knotts, Jason K SGT MIL USA FORSCOM To: Kristen Holloway Subject: Re: wish list items on the way from OTA! - Knotts (UNCLASSIFIED) Dear Kristen, From: Salazar, Jose M Thank you to you and everyone with Operation Troop To: Kristen Holloway Appreciation. We have received our wish list items and have been Subject: Re: wish list items on the way from OTA! - Salazar (UNCLASSIFIED) put to good use already. The Care package arrived while I was home on R&R. I let my roommates know the contents of the care package and told them to go ahead and open it in my absence. I Ma’am good morning and I hope that this e-mail finds you in should have given them instructions to take pictures as they good health. First of all, I apologize for not responding to you sooner. I opened the care package. Unfortuantly they didn’t think of it on have been trying to send all the care packages that we made for our there own and now we have no pictures of there faces lighting up frontline soldiers, and we are attempting to get pictures from them. We are like a kid on Christmas. When I returned from R&R I was able to witness quite a few guys enjoying the x-box as they were having a still awaiting more pictures and will send them to you once we get them battlefield 3 tournament. I will try to get some pictures of the guys (some soldiers are in smaller FOBs). enjoying some of the great gifts that you have sent us. Again I would like to thank you and all of Operation Troop Ma’am, allow me to start out by saying that, I am seated in front of this Appreciation for all that you do. computer, and thinking about how I can express to you the sincere gratitude Thank you that our troops have shared with me in response to your overwhelming SGT Jason Knotts generosity. I am sure that I could spend my entire tour here in Afghanistan looking for words that could accurately define our appreciation, but none would be precise. In fact, it was the way the package was delivered and the letter that you took time to write that has made this gesture a true blessing. I will give you a short example, in your care package there were letters From: Dickey SSgt Morgan G from students that (oh my GOD) really touched the heart and soul of our To: Kristen Holloway troops. You might think it is silly to say this, but let me tell you, from Subject: RE: wish list items on the way from OTA! - Dickey the little girl who spelled washing machine (Washing mosheen, cute by the way) to the young gentleman who said he was inspired by the work our troops Kristen, are doing here in Afghanistan, all of these tremendous little gestures were We received the boxes today.