More messages from the desert -- Send yours!

**THE NATIONAL TOUR ROUTE IS ALL SET, AND WE ARE CONTACTING THE 55 CHOSEN CITIES.  IF YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE AN OFFICIAL STOP, OR YOUR HOMETOWN IS ALONG THE ROUTE, LET US KNOW.  WE MAY BE ABLE TO FIT YOU IN AS A "HEART STOP".  (PIC 19)  We feel these messages to our hometown Heroes were important, so they are taking Journal priority.

The following are the latest messages coming in from our troops with words of thanks, and respect for our firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency responders who selflessly gave the shirts off their backs to show their support.

Journals limit word space, but we have no limit of space for these wonderful messages and photos from Heroes to Heroes ... Keep 'em coming, we will keep posting them as they arrive!

Here ya go ...

~**~**~

  My name is Sgt. Joseph Anthes. I  am a combat medic in  2-1 Infantry of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat team from Fort Wainwright, Alaska. We are currently forward deployed in Mosul , Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
    On Monday afternoon, I walked into our battalion headquarters and something caught my eye from the doorway of the office of our Chaplain. On the back of his chair hung an FDNY officers shirt, so I walked in and asked him about it. He explained the Hero to Hero program and asked if I had received one yet. I said that I had not, so he pulled the shirt off the chair and handed it to me. He knows that I will be entering the fire service after the completion of my enlistment, so it was a great gesture. It really meant alot to me. I am attaching a picture of me wearing the shirt.
    I want to thank Lt. O’Hanlon and the rest of the members of the FDNY for their support of our operations all over the world. I know they understand why we do what we do. I have carried a piece of paper in my wallet since before I deployed that sums up why I  became a medic. It reads as follows.
    “We knew the tops of the buildings would eventually fall. That was the worst case scenario. We didn’t expect the towers to collapse the way they did.  After the first tower fell, we kept searching for people. Was I wary of the second one coming down? Yes. But we don’t abandon people.”  --FF John Ceriello, Squad 18, FDNY
    It would be great to hear from Lt. O’Hanlon and any other members of his house or anyone from the FDNY. I would like to send some unit patches and hats and such to him if you could send me a mailing address. **As there was no contact info for Lt O'Hanlon, if anyone in the FDNY has a contact for him, or would like to communicate with the good Sgt, feel free to e-mail us and we will make the connection for you.  (THIS  message sums up why we do this!) lj  **Update ... LT O'Hanlon of FDNY has been contacted!  (Love it when a plan comes together!) lj

Thank You.

Sgt Joseph Anthes

~**~**~

THE 452ND ORDNANCE COMPANY AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US TROOPS OVER HERE IN IRAQ.  THE SHIRTS AND THE MESSAGES ARE AWESOME.  KNOWING THAT WE ARE THOUGHT OF DAILY, AND REMEMBERED, IS A GREAT MORALE BOOSTER.  TRUST US WHEN WE SAY THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT YOU AS MUCH AS YOU ARE US.

THANX AGAIN,  SGT. LEMING

 

~**~**~

THE SHIRTS ARE AWSOME,  THANKS AGAIN FOR THE SUPPORT.  ITS  NICE TO KNOW WE STILL HAVE TRUE AMERICANS BEHIND US....

 

THE GUYS FROM THE 505TH ENGINEER BATTALION,  GASTONIA, NC THANK YOU.  HOPE THE PICTURE HELPED !!!!!!

 

SPC WEAVER

SPC KILLOUGH

SGT BARRETT

SSG SPAULDING

SFC BLEDSOE

SFC FLOYD

MSG HILL

CPT LANE

~**~**~

Here are SOME of our Hero to Hero pictures. The Soldiers really enjoyed the shirts and hats. Now I have to try to keep them from wearing them all the time.

Thank you,

Captain SETH A. OWEN

Commander

21st Cargo Transfer Company

~**~**~

(The following came from one of our adopted troops ... I believe the support group he is referring to is AnySoldier.Com ~ one of our personal favorites ~ and a huge supporter of H2H.)

 ...I wrote this a while back but wanted to share it with you. Sorry it has taken so long to foward it. By the way, I am the one in the photo squatting. (Pic #15)

21 February 2006
I arrived at this place in my life by influence of one single event. It was a typical sunny September morning and I was brewing a fresh pot of coffee as I sat down to thumb thru the Kinston Free Press. I remember being excited about the day because I was in the process of developing a housing subdivision and I had meetings with potential homebuyers later that afternoon.

 

All of a sudden a coworker stormed into my office and turned on my television and we both watched in horror as the events unfolded before our eyes. I remember feeling many emotions in the following weeks. Having previously been a soldier after high school, I wanted to run out and reenlist but at the time I was married with children and there was no way I could afford our lifestyle on the salary of a soldier not to mention the disruption that would cause in their everyday lives.

 

My wife and I later separated and I remember watching a video of those who died in the World Trade Center and all those emotions came
back again.

 

I reenlisted in March 2003 and have been deployed under Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and now Iraqi Freedom every month since. When I return home in November or December I will have spent nearly 4 years away from my daughters and other loved ones, with the exception of a few weekend visits here and there. It has been tough but I hope they understand one day why daddy was gone for so long.

Do you remember in the days following 9/11 when Democrats and Republicans put aside their differences on national television and joined together with American pride? Do you remember when people drove into town with American flag decals and ribbons in the back window of their cars? Do you remember the choked up feeling you had every time you heard that patriotic song on the radio as you drove to work or carpooled the kids to and from school? I remember this time well because everywhere you went you could feel American pride in peoples voices and actions. Upon every home hung an American flag with great pride and defiance against those who threatened our land. What happened to all of that? I began to notice things slowly change back to the way it was prior to 9/11. I drove by peoples homes and saw a tattered and worn flag where a strong and bold looking one used to hang with pride. I noticed sun faded decals either poorly removed with a scraper or just covered with some humorous bumper sticker. I noticed the radio stations changing back to their original formats. Our lawmakers began to bicker once again as if small children searching for anything to complain about just so they could hear themselves complain. I began to feel that most Americans had forgotten or given up on their display of daily patriotism. It saddened me to see this happen.

All that changed last week. I began to receive letters from people all over that found my name and address on a website that supports troops serving in combat areas. They wanted nothing more than to let us soldiers know they supported us. I received a letter from a 12 year old girl that said she would try to save up some money to send us things like movies, baby wipes, etc. I sat there reading it with that same choked up feeling I had several years ago when I would hear that patriotic song on the radio. I started getting more letters as the days passed and now everyday we gather around the mail truck at noon to see where the letters are coming from.

 

Getting mail from our loved ones is one of the best feelings a soldier can have over here but to get mail from a total stranger really shows how powerful compassion and pride can be and it helps motivate us all. Without people like that 12 year old little girl supporting us we could not do what we do everyday. I only wish our Vietnam Veterans had received this kind of support. Then and now we are all Americans and as Americans we must answer a call to duty to protect our way of life.

I hope by writing this I have in some way inspired at least one person to stop and take a closer look at the flag the next time you walk by and remember the blood that was shed to protect it and what it stands for. Maybe you will even shake the hand of that elderly man in the grocery store that’s wearing a WWII Veteran hat. Trust me, it would really make their day. Maybe you would just take a moment out of your day to pray for the families of those that have fallen. If you do one of these things, that means you have done your part as a patriot and I thank you.

SGT John Smith
~**~**~

 

My name is Staff sergeant Chris Sandoval, and im a Medic serving in Mosul, Iraq with C Company 505th Engineer Battalion. I recently received a T-shirt from yall through the Hero To Hero program and I wanted to say thank you for your support. This is by far the best show of support I've seen in my 3 combat tours. Thank you so much and God Bless each and every one of you.

 

~**~**~

 

Greetings from Tikrit, Iraq
I am the Commander of a unit you sponsored with your Hero to Hero program. Those t-shirts are so popular and a huge hit with my Soldiers and leaders alike. I have taken many photos and will begin sending them here this morning. I just wanted to take a few minutes and thank you for your efforts. We play sports here, and those Hero To Hero shirts have become our team shirts. Our teams are fairing well and claim that is because they have the strength of two heroes instead of one in each person.

Photos are on the way. I just wanted to personally thank you first. It really means alot to all of us.

CPT Ali Masson

 

~**~**~

Headquarters Support Company, 505th ENGR BN,
Willing & Able!, ESSAYONS!!!
In Iraq

EL DORADO HILLS FIRE DEPARTMENT;
Thanks for continuously protecting the hills of El Dorado Firefighter Ferlini,

Chief Kennedy & Chief Fry!  God Bless you all!

~**~**~

 

To the folks at HeroToHero-
The entire 54th Military Police Company, currently  in Iraq, would like to extend a huge thank you to all the supporters who sent us the wonderful t-shirts.  The Soldiers appreciate being reminded that their efforts and sacrifices are noticed back home.  Fortunately, the company's deployment is a short one and we will return to Fort Lewis next week.  The Soldiers have performed well in the challenging detainee operations mission and are looking forward to returning to their family and friends.
Thank you again for the effort and support.

CPT Jennifer Steele
Commander, 54th MP Co
Dragon Maulers!  <<WELCOME HOME DRAGON MAULERS!~**~**~

 

I would like to thank all that were involved with the Hero shirt project.  On behalf of Headquarters Support Company, 505th Engineers, we appreciate your organizations support and letting Soldiers know that folks care about what we are accomplishing abroad. 

The attached picture is of the members of my company headquarters.  First row:  members from left to right are 1SG Donnie Loftis and CPT James Ross.  Second row: members from left to right are SGT Lisa Dumire and SPC Brittany Hull.

Sincerely, CPT James Ross

 

~**~**~

 

 

We have more pictures coming and my soldiers are very thankful for all the support from folks back home. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to collect, size, and box the shirts for us. It was like Christmas when we got the boxes open and we sorted them by sizes and went down our roster filling the bags for each section. Being away from home is a commitment we all make because we’re doing what we want to do. But knowing the folks back home support is critical. We see the things we’re doing is making an impact for the people here and that makes it worthwhile. Thanks for all you guys do to support us here, and taking the time to share your shirts.               

 

First Sergeant Donnie Loftis                                                                                   

505th Engineer Combat Battalion                                                                      ~**~**~

We have received the t-shirts and are verythankful for the support the American People.  We want to give a special thank you to all the individuals that provided a t-shirt.  This was an outstanding motivational tool for our soldiers.                           1SG Mauney                                                                                                     

 

~**~**~

Greetings,

Attached to this email is the HSC 505th ENGR BN, Company Supply Section.  (*pic 81) We would like to thank you for sending us your HeroToHero shirts.  You do not realize how much it means to us that you support the troops.  These shirts came at a great time because morale was getting lower but these shirts put a smile on our faces.  Thanks again for all of your support and keep up the good work.

SSG Heineman
Supply NCO
HSC 505 ENG BN

***

PS ... If a member of the Hodge Hall group could, please contact me at HeroShirts@aol.com

 

Shirts have begun arriving in the desert!!!

Shirts have made it to their new owners ... not all of them yet ... Some groups are away from their home units and will get them upon their return.  Some units have received partial deliveries and are waiting for them all to get there, and one unit came home early and their boxes have begun returning to us.  Not great for us, but wonderful that they are home!  And we are very happy for them and their loved ones.

We're beginning to receive pictures and messages as they arrive, and look forward to more of the same ... Which we will post here for all to read and enjoy.

The first units responding were two of our all time favorites, the very responsive 555th MEB, and right after was the 44th CSB.  Both assure us more photos and messages are coming.  And we're really excited for them to arrive!

So here are the first of the messages and photos.  Please enjoy and share.  And to all of the recipients of these wonderful gifts, even if you responded to the person donating the shirts, etc., we would love to hear from you!

One of the first messages we received was from the wife of the 555 Cmdr who told us how their softball team had come across enough La Crosse, Wisconsin PD shirts that they were able to "outfit" the team and were really enjoying having new "uniforms" ... You gotta love the creativity out there!

~**~**~

On behalf of the men and women of the Triple Nickel, I want to thank you so much for all of the hardwork and dedication to bring together the Hero to Hero project!  What an undertaking!  My soldiers will be absolutely thrilled with the t-shirts and we will work hard to get our thank yous and photos back to the fire and police stations that donated so much to us.
We are doing well here.  Morale is high- but it is very important for the soldiers to know that they continue to have the support of the American people.  This Hero to Hero project is an absolutely superb way of doing that and the t-shirts will make a noticeable difference.

Thank you again for all you do for our soldiers.

Sincerely,
COL Bill Rapp
Commander, 555th Combat Support Brigade (Maneuver Enhancement)
~**~**~

Dear HeroToHero.us,

The members of Alpha Company,"FIDO," 14th Combat Engineer Battalion, "RUGGED," would like to thank your organization for your kind words and support.  The tee shirts are great!  We have attached pictures of our Soldiers sporting a new look.

Thanks again,

FIDO!

Joe Whipple
A/14 CBT EN BN 

~**~**~

Our shirts have arrived and we are distributing them.  They are wonderful.  Thank you for thinking of us.  I will be out of the loop for several days, but when I return, we will try to get some pictures made to send back.

Thanks again for thinking of our CSH and for your prayers and support for all the soldiers.

CH (CPT) Rick Stevenson

~**~**~

We received the t-shirts a couple of days ago and are sorting them by size and hometown.  Pictures will follow in a bit as it is hard to get many of us together at anyone time.  Thanks to you and all those who have put time and effort into a great program!! 

CPT Moore-Brown
508th MP BN (I/R)

~**~**~

We received your package with the T-Shirts (HHD, 44th CSB) and I just wanted to write a quick note of thanks.  We’re compiling the photos we took and will put it on a CD and send it to you.  In the mean time I attached a couple of pictures.  Once again, that you so much for your program!  It was a tremendous boost in our morale and really made our day.

LTC Herting

Commander

44th Corps Support Battalion

~**~**~

I just wanted to say a big "THANK YOU" for the t-shirts. I've never seen anything like this before and it was quite welcomed.  There are many soldiers who don't have a strong support system but, knowing that there are people back home who support what we do, makes it all worth it. 

 

Thank you, Chief (Hillsboro, TX) and thanks to all the others who made this campaign possible.  Thanks for your time and thanks for caring.

 

SSG Clery

~**~**~

 

Sir / Ma'am,

I am CPT Aubrey Semien and I am the commander of the unit that you recently sent some shirts.  I would like to take a minute to thank you on behalf of my company for your efforts.  It feels really good to know that there are people out there that really support what we are doing out here.  Currently, I haven't handed out any of the shirts.  I have received 4 of the 7 boxes.  However, once I receive all the shirts, I will distribute them out.  I will be sure to provide you pictures of the soldiers and their shirts.  Once again, I would like to thank you for everything that you have done and continue to do. 

 

V/R
CPT Aubrey Semien
HSC, 84th ECB(H)

~**~**~

 

The soldiers of Bravo Company 505th En Bn wanted to extend their thanks for the shirts we received. We truly appreciate your efforts in supporting us. Please extend our gratitude to all who contributed. Here is a group picture we took.

 

Thanks,

SGT Kimberly Walker
Admin Specialist
Co B 505th En Cbt Bn (H)

~**~**~

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SHIRTS.

Hello this SSG Barnes, A CO 5TH ENG BN.  You have adopted my platoon to take part in this years HeroToHero and we just recieved our box of shirts.  You brought many smiles and excitement to our faces.  The shirts were wonderful and we appreciate it very much.  They meant a lot to us and we enjoyed them.  Most of the soldiers now have them hanging on their walls.  We want to thank all of people who support us and who took the time to donate their shirts, we hope they know how much it means to us over here.  We appreciate all the hard work and effort that you do everyday and we consider all of you our angels.  Once again thank you so much!  If anyone cares to email you can email me anytime. 

(*emails will be fwd'd if sent to our address for SSG Barnes ... lj)

~**~**~

 

Hey Good Morning!
I don’t know who specifically to thank, but we received your shirts and they are a great gift.  They were initially requested by SSG Grandchamp for our unit, 335th TSC FWD here in Kuwait.

 

We are planning to get everyone together with the shirts and get a picture for you.

 

We all again thank you for your kindness and appreciation!

CW3 Debbie Potter

335th TSC FWD - Kuwait

~**~**~

 

Hero to Hero,

I received a t-shirt from you today.  Thanks so much.  It made my day.  I am stationed in Kuwait on a 12 month tour supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.  It's great to know that the folks back home support us. 

 

Thanks again, you're all great Americans!

 

Proud to serve,

Roger E. Wright
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army

~**~**~

 

Dear HeroToHero.us,
    My name is Second Lieutenant Michael Bennon.  I am the platoon leader for the EM platoon, Bravo Company, 84th Engineer Combat Battalion.  We are a horizontal construction unit that conducts missions such as road building and heavy construction, and we are currently stationed in Iraq.

    I would like to personally thank you for the shirts and well wishes we received from your organization just a few days ago.  Your unique form of morale support gave my soldiers something comforting and different, and was a wonderful respite from the day to day missions of wartime reconstruction. 

    There is no shortage of work for construction units here in Iraq.  My soldiers have been quite busy over the past few months, with any rest time slowly being squeezed out of our schedule as missions continue to come down.  That being said, it is always wonderful to stop, take a breath, and realize that someone is thinking of us and our well being. 

    Most of the soldiers began bartering and trading Tshirts for one close to home or another with a better logo.  The messages on the shirts were inspiring.  I took this picture of the platoon after we passed them out.  Thank you again for all of your love and support.  I cannot express to you how much it is appreciated.

Second Lieutenant Michael Bennon
EM Plt, B Co., 84th ECB(H)
Platoon Leader
Dig Deep!

~**~**~

 

Thank you for the T-Shirts. I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as we
enjoyed your gesture.

Thanks, from all of us here at HHC 14th Engineer Bn. stationed in Iraq.

-SPC Johnson
HHC 14th EN BN

~**~**~

 

I would like to send thanks from my section S4 47th Combat Support Hospital Iraq to all the Policemen, Firemen (persons) and others that sent us the signed shirts and heartfelt messages. I’m a man of few words but that act speaks volumes and renews the faith that we are doing the right thing. Once again thank you.

 

David Cameron 

~**~**~

 

Howdy y'all im Staff Sergeant Chris Sandoval I'm a Medic with C company 505th Engineer Battalion. Im writing to say thanks for the fantastic support. I've been here in Iraq and Afghanistan for the last 27 of 36 months, and have seen a lot of stuff come from great Americans like y'all, but this is by far the coolest display of support for us ive seen. Y'all didn't just send shirts, y'all sent a big piece of home and there's really no way for me to express with words how much it means to me. I've always believed that Firefighters, Cops, and EMS were all cut from the same bolt of cloth, and it's nice to see that y'all think the same way.Yall have helped raise the morale of the company and I just wanted to thank you for your support. God Bless You and God Bless America

~**~**~

I love Vacaville, California, their fire department, and my T-shirt!  Thanks!

LTC Matt Russo
Commander, 505th Engineer Combat Battalion - Iraq

~**~**~

I received the pkg a few weeks ago but because of time constraints and missions coming up daily I have been unable to get a group of my guys together for a photo. Today I was able to get 5 of us for a photo. The others are spread out at various locations so it will be months until we could get a larger group photo with the shirts you sent. I will email the photo we took today ASAP. I just want you to know we all really appreciate what you do for us. God bless you

Sgt John Smith
694th Maint Co.

~**~**~

(MORE MESSAGES ON NEXT POSTING)

Thanks for the responses so far, please keep them coming.  A simple message and pictures from you all, can really help "up" the support from departments across the country!  They are all very interested to see where their shirts ended up this time around. 

You can send your messages and photos to HeroShirts@aol.com

Wear them with pride ... they were sent with pride and respect! 

Be safe ...

( ; 

Liz & the Angels of H2H

 

Part 2 -- Pack-Out Sponsors, prizes, and more

 There was so much going on during and after the Pack-Out.  The whole day is almost a blur, but overall a good one!

We have so many sponsors and donators to thank.  This is the list of merchants and people who donated merchandise, or services for the drawings.

We thank each and every one of you ... You made the day so much fun for so many who won prizes all day and night!

A British Affaire -Seattle

Advance Laser Clinic - Tacoma/Federal Way

Angels of HeroToHero.us

AnySoldier.com - Marty Horn 

Big Horn Brewing Co & Ram Restaurant - South Hill

Borders Books - Puyallup

Brown & Haley - Tacoma

Build-A-Bear - Tacoma Mall

ColdStone Creamery - Olympia

Cookies by Design - Lakewood

Costco - South Hill

Dan Lockyer              

Destination Harley Davidson - Fife

Discountwristbands.com - Dean Bryson, South Hill

FedEx Kinko's - Lakewood

Fort Lewis Museum

GI Joe's - South Hill

Hair By Louise - Puyallup

Heavenly Touch Massage - Kimberly Phelan

Hertz of Fife

Holiday Inn Express - Puyallup

Home Depot - South Hill

Hooters - Tacoma

Jensen Lee

Joann Fabrics - South Hill

Kasey Kahne, Inc

Kinetic Concepts Hair and Nail Design - Lakewood

Krispy Kreme - South Hill Puyallup/Tacoma

Lakewood Post Office

Lover's Package - Tacoma

Macy's - South Hill

Mary Kay - Fay Tibik

Massage Envy - South Hill

Military Memorabilia Shop - Lakewood

Morford's Hallmark - Puyallup

Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad - Ron Tessier

Mountain Mist

Northwest Territorial Mint

Office Depot - Bonney Lake/Puyallup

Operation We Do Care

Pacific Fabrics

Papa Johns - Lakewood

PatrioticPastime.com

Pet Pantry

PitRow Northwest - Fort Lewis

Rite Aid - Lakewood

Safeway - South Hill

Seattle Firefighters Pipes & Drums

Springtime Greenhouse

Sprint

Starbucks - Lakewood

State Farm - Bob Olson - South Hill

Storman's Inc. - Ralph's Thriftway

Subway - Lacey Walmart

Tacoma Boys - South Hill

Tacoma Fire Dept Honor Guard & Pipers

Tacoma Fire Dept Local 31

The Puyallup Fair

The Toy Box - Kristen Tibbets

Top Foods - South Hill

TreatAnySoldier.com

Valerie's Therapeutic Massage

Wild Waves

WSCFFA Burn Calendar

 

So many have helped make this possible for the past 3 years, & have committed support for the duration.  It's fitting that most all of them have said they want no personal recognition, and that is the proper thing.  H2H is not about furthering any one person. We salute each of you!

We honor people who have gone above & beyond, at the Pack-Out.  Even then, most don't want recognition.  Look closely at the photo of Karen whispering in my ear with the saber in her hand.  If I remember, she may have been suggesting that she would "run me through" if I publicly acknowledged her again!  Ouch!

lj & the Angels

PACK-OUT '06 WAS A GREAT SUCCESS! Part 1

Over 5,500  shirts are on their way to our deployed Troops! 

 

The following are our some of our adopted units for HeroToHero.us 2006 who will be receiving shirts in the next few weeks.  We look forward to seeing their smiling faces and posting their messages right here for you all to share.

 

HHC 555th CSB  
HHC 14th EN BN
122nd CSE CO, 14th EN
A/14th EN
C/14th EN
A/878th EN
B.CO 505th EN
C.CO 505th EN
HSC 505th EN
2-1 INF 172nd SBCT 
3/212th MP CO
506 AEG/ECES/CEF
A Co. 3-141 INF 36th DIV 
HHC 51st SIG/TCF
21st CTC
186th QM CO 
542nd Maint. CO

HHD 44th CSB
265th MCT
528th QM CO
508th MP BN

96th MP BN

54th MP CO
452nd OD CO
47th CSH
TF 47th CSH
JTF- NPGB

84th EN BN

SCOUT PLT, HHC 1/6 IN

JAMESON CTC

694th MAINT CO

A CO, 5TH EN BN

TF MED FALCON

542nd MED CO

1-172nd ARMOR

1-140th AVN BN, 42nd ID

 

Camp Murray's Fortson Armory was completely packed with Firefighters, Law Enforcement, Troops and Loved Ones in a common goal that honored not one person, but all of our Heroes.

 

We began at 11am and closed at 5pm, processing over a thousand shirts an hour!  Every shirt was stamped with the official HeroToHero.us stamp, and the contact card was attached.  The final total was 5,501 shirts, 172 boxes shipped, with a shipping cost of over $4800!

 

In the midst of it all, there was drawing after drawing of prizes provided by amazing sponsors andsupporters.  The grand prize for the day was a 32 inch flat screen TV! 

 

Military and civilian agencies stepped up to provide an outstanding combined force just outside the Armory doors.  The static display included a Stryker vehicle, "Godzilla" the TFFT rig, a 1946 restored engine, McChord AFB FD's Crash truck, ladder and engines from local Fire Departments, King Co. Sheriff's, Tacoma PD, and more.

 

For the first time, we "married" units to cities ...

~Olympia FD/PD & the 44th CSB

~Seattle FD/PD & the 47th CSH

~Tacoma FD/PD & the 555th MEB

...Great departments, great units!  We anticipate some great activities between these fine folks.

 

BG Toney & BG Hillman came by to share the day with us, and even played the Left/Right game with us.  It was fun to see all the laughter, and we appreciate their support.  Thank you both!

 

Military Police from Fort Lewis supported us with a great group of K-9 handlersand their amazing dogs.  They did shows throughout the day demonstrating the power and capabilities of these teams.  It was extremely impressive, and their pride was evident, and well earned!  We thank them!  Oh, and word of advice ... Don't ever try to outrun one of these dogs!  Dang!

 

The WSCFFA Burn Calendar Firefighters gave up their time to come out and represent.  They signed calendars and posed for photos, and when they gave away calendars to the wives of deployed troops, the smiles and laughter was a joyous thing to experience.  The ladies loved it!  We had calendars for the guys from the Florida Female Firefighters, too!

 

As if the day's events weren't enough, Tacoma FD Local 31 hosted a post Pack-Out party at their Union Hall later that evening.  A.D. Vickery kept his promise and arranged for the Seattle Firefighters Pipes & Drums to play for us.  It was the perfect end to a year of hard work for so many.  We thank TFD & SFD for their support!  Y'all rock!  And the Pipes & Drums were awesome!

 

There are so many photos, and so many sponsors and winners that to accommodate everyone, this post will need to be done in two parts.

 

We would like to give very special thanks to Sue & Marty Horn of TreatAnySoldier.com & AnySoldier.com  Once again they stepped up for us and helped with funding to get the shirts out.  We will still need to raise funds to cover the difference of their donation, and others, and the final tally.  To this goal we have the official HeroToHero.us T-shirts and polos available in limited quantities, if you are interested, email us at HeroShirts@aol.com

 

On the whole, it was a great day and everyone who stayed with us was there for the right reason .. our Troops.

 

We thank everyone who joined for the day, and every department and agency across North America who gave so selflessly this year!  Canadian shirts were included this time ... nicely done, Sarnia!

 

You are all our Heroes ... We salute you!

 

Mark your calendars for the last Saturday in February annually til the troops come home for good!  We'll be there!

 

**We did have an issue of some unauthorized contact letters being attached to shirts, and ask that you NOT reply to any messages that are not addressed directly to the department providing the shirts. 

 

The official contact card was attached to most of the shirts, it is a business card size message.  Responses & photos may be sent to HeroToHero.us at the following addresses ...

 

HeroShirts@aol.com

or  

HeroToHero.us 

PO Box 98954

Lakewood, WA 98498

 

These are the only approved contacts for HeroToHero.us responses, outside of a direct Fire/Law Enforcement department, or agency contact. 

 

We remind participants in the HeroToHero.us Troop Morale Campaign to follow all of our program guidelines, which have been set in place for the security of our troops, and all agencies involved.  We take our promises and commitments to our participating agencies, and military units very seriously, and apologize for this glitch.  It WILL NOT happen in the future!

 

Enjoy the journal and the photos!

 

lj & the Angels of H2H