Dear Neal and all your marvelous, generous, supportive listeners,

I cannot put into words the thanks and appreciation of all the parents, wives and loved ones of our guys in the Al Anbar province for your support of our troops. The Marines are putting in a very difficult deployment and the thousands of dollars your listeners contributed made it possible to send every one of them, over eleven hundred troops, a very special Christmas stocking.

It took 112 boxes weighing just under 3 tons to ship all the stockings to the base in Habbaniyah. The stockings were packed by dozens of volunteers of who gathered in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania on November 12th. There were Marines members of the Marine Corps League, the local recruiting office, a wounded marine from the 3/2 who lives in Pennsylvania, parents from a half a dozen states who flew in to help, and plain old U.S. citizens who wanted to show their support.

The boxes arrived safe and sound in Iraq in early December and Lt. Col. Desgrosseilliers personally delivered them to each of the remote outposts where our marines were spending their Christmas.

The idea to do something for the marines over there at Christmas was born out of a mother's love for her son and his love for his country. I hoped we could find a way for the people of this country to show their appreciation to the guys of the Marine Corp and what they are doing to keep the fight to protect us on foreign shores.

When we started this project we didn't even have enough money to ship empty stockings to Iraq. Your listeners not only covered the shipping but in one month contributed enough money to spend over 60 dollars on each stocking. They were stuffed with over a dozen items that we knew each Marine could use or would enjoy in the small amount of off time they receive while standing guard on the front lines against terrorism.

I must share with all of you the results of Lt. Col. Desgrosseilliers (AKA Santa's) Christmas delivering the stockings to the combat Out Posts. So many Marines and sailors were not only thrilled with the support of people back home sending their love in the gifts. They were in awe that the command would dress as Santa, the Battalion Gunner as the Grinch, and the Commands Jump team as reindeers and elves, albeit risking their lives, to bring a smile to these brave men.

The Christmas Convoy traveled hundreds of miles across the Al Anbar on Christmas eve delivering your stockings to dozens of outposts, firmbases and forward operating positions. There was an attack on the convoy but drivers spotted the hidden bomb and avoided it.

I started to receive calls early in the day Christmas Eve. The first mom calling, said she had just seen her son on computer video camera at his OP and he was smiling from beginning to end of their conversation! He started by saying "MOM you wouldn't believe this, an 8 ton truck just pulled up and reindeer jumped out of the back, Lt.Col. was Santa and they dropped off a HUGE load of stockings!!!" It made her day and mine too!!! She has not seen such a smile this entire deployment!

I continue to receive calls as the marines and sailors come in to the base for their few days off. Parents are hearing their stories of Santa and the stockings! I have NEVER have had such a great Christmas in my life, knowing the smiles and the lift in morale we brought to these brave men is the true meaning of Christmas!

I had to share with you and your generous, caring listeners what you all helped accomplish for 1120 men in Iraq. This would have NEVER been able to happen with out all of YOU!!!!

I continue to do what I can to help lift morale and support our men through redeployment and beyond. We have many plans for homecoming and a memorial for our Killed In Action warriors.

Thank you Neal, we couldn't have done it without you and your dedicated listeners!

God Bless you ALL!

Patty Lewis,
Battalion Parents Coordinator 3/2
President - Mom 4 R Marines