Major Dennis McCool-Request Support for Troops

E-mail from Major McCool | Aug 10, 2008 | rongkirby, kbrui

[rongkirby]

MAJOR McCOOL REQUESTS SUPPORT FOR TROOPS AT CAMP ARIFJAN, IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

FReeper's and GOE just received an e-mail from Major Dennis McCool requesting items that our troops can use immediately. He recently led the Resolve to Win march from North Carolina / South Carolina to Washington, DC. He is now the Director of Installation Support at Camp Arifjan (Kuwait). Camp Arifjan is where troops deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Major McCool is a 60 year old Army retiree, (10/65 – 11/85), a Vietnam Veteran, who was voluntarily recalled to active duty, and served in Iraq from December 06 to December 07. During his 20 year career he served in Vietnam as a Company Commander with the 101st Airborne Division's, Charlie Company, 326th Engineer Battalion. He is a member of the American Legion Post 53 (Sanford, FL), and the VFW Post 8207, (Longwood, FL).

E Mail From Major McCoolMOST SOUGHT OVER ITEMS

Hard candies, (pre wrapped) or sealed Wash cloths, soap( all types-hard and liquid-if sealed to prevent leakage) Toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouth wash Various types of shampoos, conditioner Various assortments of body washes and lotions for females Combs and brushes of various types. Different levels of Sun screen lotions. Wet wipes, anti-bacterial moist wipes Various types of anti-perspirants & Deodorants for both male & females Q-tips, Razors and shaving creams for male & females. Reading materials such as “soft back books” and Puzzles. I would ask you to send packages directly to the Red Cross address below and Calling Cards to me, to ensure equitable distribution around the various Camps. Our Red Cross office address: American Red Cross Attn: Station Manager Camp Arifjan APO AE 09366 CALLING CARDS- Most Important Calling Cards should be sent to me to ensure equitable distribution around the various camps. My address is: MAJ Dennis McCool Director of Installation Support ASG – KU DIS / DPW APO AE 09366 dennis.l.mccool@us.army.mil, (AKO address), or dmccool@cfl.rr.com . (civilian email) I would like to add that one thing which is appreciated as much as the items you send, would be cards, letters, notes from all the supporters back home. If you send a box, put a big folded poster board with all the names of the folks in your organization, so we can hang it in the hallway. The Troops love to read them. Thank you for your support. Very best regards, Dennis MAJ Dennis McCool Area Support Group-Kuwait Director, DPW/DIS

PS: We are supporting America’s Finest. They deserve our very best effort and continual improvement of the level of support we provide. Anything less is unacceptable.

A Look at Camp Arifjan From Major McCool

Just wanted to give everyone an update on how things are going here in Kuwait. Today marks my third week and my first day off, so far. I am keeping very busy, but really enjoying my many jobs. Each day I am finding it more and more incredible that a job like this exists in today’s bureaucratic military and government. It seems that I have an incredible amount of responsibility but have an equally incredible amount of authority and resources both money and staffing support. Much of the staffing is contractor provided, but that is fine as long as they want to work and do a good job. I did not realize until I got here and got into the jobs that my responsibilities encompass the entire country of Kuwait. I am assigned to Area Support Group – Kuwait (ASG-KU) which is the permanent US infrastructure which facilitates all the temporary OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom and OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom) manpower and materiel movement. As the DIS (Director of Installation Support) for ASG - KU, I have supervision of all Morale Welfare and recreation activities like libraries, gyms, pools, community centers, Red Cross, Education Centers, and PX (AAFES) on all the installations in Kuwait. I am also the DPW (Director of Public Works) for all the military installation in Kuwait. All the northern camps are under supervision of the Deputy at Camp Buehring and all the camps in the south are supervised by the Deputy out of Camp Arifjan. I have signed over $800,000 in contracts for air conditioning equipment, service contracts and various electrical and maintenance equipment, just in the past 2 weeks. Don't worry, I am trying to spend your money wisely. If it wasn't so darn hot, I could really get into this. The temperature is in the mid 120's most of the day and hits 130 occasionally. It will stay that way until about mid September. I am the Fire Marshall also, by virtue of being the DPW. Fortunately there are regular Fire Departments with a Chief at each station who is responsible for Fire Protection. The Fire Prevention folks work in concert with the Fire Chief and DPW. I am just the Green Suiter (Army) guy that gets pinged when there is a problem, like everytime a Dumpster catches on fire. I am also the Director of Housing, which is a function of DPW as well, but really takes up about 50% of my time because we have many different types of quarters and many different types of orders and durations of assignments here. Generally the longer you will be here the better your housing. But that creates all kind of inquiries and animosity, and consequently a lot of phone calls to me. We are short handed in all areas, but the people here both Military and civilian all see to want to be here and want very much to do the BEST they can. It is very inspiring to work with such a great group of people. I feel very fortunate to be in a position to make a difference in the Quality of Life of our young men and women in the Military, who are assigned to or just pass through Kuwait. It is an incredible challenge, but I believe I am prepared for it. Hope everyone back home is doing well. Still “Resolve to Win” and to continue attempting to make a difference. Very Best Regards, Dennis McCool

[maine-iac7]

Wet wipes, antibacterial moist wipes For many of our troops in the remote mountains of Afghanistan - and seeing the heaviest and daily fighting - they go for weeks at a time w/o running water or cooking facilities - no PX's, for certain. No showers - carrying up to 100 lbs in full gear - up to 130 degrees and tramping up and down mountains like goats, in ground so dry it resembles gray talcum powder that swirls up and sticks to their sweat-streaked faces.

They also love tuna fish (comes now in perfect soft packs) ,

corned beef hash,

peanut butter,

canned/dried fruit (helps combat constipation caused by MRE's)

Juicy Fruit gum (sweetened with SUGAR only (the artificial sweeteners can cause problems in the heat)

peanut butter power bars,

zip bags of all sizes to help keep out the bugs and all pervading sand dust,

Tooth POWDER - far less messy

insect repellent to help keep them from being bitten by some very nasty bugs/mosquitoes,

AA and AAA batteries,

- REMEMBER = NO aerosol cans can be shipped! Nothing flammable!

You can get boxes from the PO free - made especially for shipping to our troops - with a much reduced postal rate. You can get them direct at the PO or can go online and have shipped - also free, including free shipping, from the Postal Service.

These boxes are the best morale booster - not to mention suppling vital commodities - to our troops that we can give them...and the least we can do -

also include letters and cards.

You can start a local "Adopt a Platoon" in your town by going to your local paper -and get donations from your local VFW's , schools, etc. You'll be amazed at how generous people will be.

[maine-iac7]

‘rather disheartening to see that this thread has been up over an hour with nada response -

It seems this way on most threads re our troops.

Sad.

It seems, even in FR, if the title doesn't include “Paris/O.J./Jessica/” and the like, there's not much interest.

[kburi]

PING LIST - DC Chapter!

Let’s hear it for Major McCool!

[kburi]

Maine-iac7

I think this will start the ball rolling.

Let’s get a few more PING lists involved... FReepers.

I had to do a search for rongkirby to find it. So I don’t know where it posted.

Thanks

[concretebob]

Thats because most of us already have comittments to deployed troops in Afghanistan, beginning last September with the 2-503 and now with the 3/1 and 6/4 who took their place.
Don't read anything into the lack of response on this board.
I am on Major McCool's email list, so I already knew about this.
I also have an adopted soldier serving in Iraq with the 1/87, Spc Eddie M., who most of the DC freepers and GoE are supporting.

See my profile.

[concretebob]

Also see this site Tankerbabe

[mathluv]

We have had a group supporting our troups on FR for a long time. Numerous boxes of materials have been sent. More are sent on a frequent basis. tooth POWDER is something that I have not sent before.

[concretebob]

The Resolve to Win crew, minus Gunny, at the VA state line. Thats me on the left. You wouldn't know it but Carl is actually holding me up.

[RDTF]

Is there not a PX where they are?

[maine-iac7]

Not even running water...the high mountains of the Hindu Kush in north eastern Afghanistan - so remote from the rest of the country that the locals don't even speak Afghani, but Pashtu.

The troops there have had the worst fighting of the WOT - last year - and it increased by 40% this year - the Sky Soldiers of the 173rd AIRBORNE that just left after 15 months there, averaged about 2 firefights a day...month in month out...living on tiny outposts they pickaxed out of the mountain sides, outside the wire on patrols, climbing around the mountains like goats - that are constantly being ambushed.

There has already been an ABC documentary on one of the units that had the worst of it - BATTLE CO. - and a Vanity Fair article and a NYTimes Magazine cover article on them.

When medals for valor were given to 12 of them last month, shortly before they ended their deployment in hell, Admiral Mullen, himself, went there to present them. There will soon be another documentary on them. Watch for it. (The other ones can be found on line...) The country will know what these incredible troops have been through and accomplished...and suffered - the 173rd lost 42.

[3D-JOY]

Just getting to the computer for the first time today...almost tomorrow.

I am stretched pretty thin sending things to the troops and those at Walter Reed.

I will see if I can get some things together and will write some notes and get them on the way “pronto”.

[3D-JOY]

Nice to see that picture again. That was when the “feet” were giving out, I think?

[beachn4fun]

Please have Major McCool use America Supports You at

http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/index.aspx

He can find numerous organizations to help them out without putting undue strain on one particular group.

[patriciaruth]

People are watching the Olympics, and maybe don't want to send via the Red Cross. Here's our ongoing troop support thread for those interested.

Merry Band of Patriots troop support thread

I'll be sending out 4 more boxes tomorrow.

[rongkirby]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. Maj McCool was not requesting FR directly but had e-mailed his many supporters (From his resolve to win . us march to Washington )that had asked him “what can we do to help.” He retired after his tour in Iraq, completed the Resolve to Win 400 mile march and has now rejoined the service to support our men and women in Kuwait, staging base for Iraq and Afghanistan.

[BroncosFan]

I knew the Major a bit over in Iraq. He was sorta famous for his poolside smoking habits (and being a wee bit long in the tooth for a Major). Nice guy. As for stuff to send, I’ve seen a billion of these lists after 30 months there. My modest suggestions: easily portable reading material, (paperbacks, magazines — NO hardcovers), Underarmor t-shirts, and drugstore.com gift certificates and items. Drugstore.com must have some epic logistics people since they seem to be able “to git there firstust with the mostest.” :)

[KYGrandma]

How did you “adopt” your serviceman?

[Caramelgal]

I saw your post and just saw that this tread was started back in August. But I’m glad you brought it back to my (our) attention.

Another good source for sending care packages to our troops overseas is

Operation Komando

There are a lot of good suggestions listed and info on how to order the USPS free mailing packages.

[concretebob]

The system was in place when I was asked to help, but anysoldier.com is as good a place as any to start.
Marty does some good work.