Day 4 - Mail Call

There are many things back in the States that are taken for granted, one of them being the routine mail delivery. Here in Iraq, mail is something that is looked forward to by many, shared amongst all. Around the same time everyday, seven days a week, every section receives a call, hearing those three magical words: you have mail.

As the holiday season pushes on and we near Christmas, an influx of mail deliveries is sure to be seen. On this early afternoon in December, the mail call came in as usual, this time with a little more urgency than usual. Advised to bring a vehicle, I drove the typical 2 blocks I’d normally walk.

Entering the mail room, I saw why a vehicle was needed. For my office alone, there was a large stack of packages, ranging in size and weight. Not only were the holidays approaching, there were several Marines celebrating their birthday in the coming days. Small Christmas trees, lights, gifts, decorations, online purchases, and care packages full of snacks and entertainment, Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases beginning to arrive. Truly a sight to be seen in such an environment. Making three trips to the worn down pickup truck, I carefully loaded the packages in the back, smiling and quietly singing “Its Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas”.

Back at the office, as I opened the back door I was bombarded by awaiting coworkers. As care packages were opened, gifts marked “Don’t Open Until Your Birthday” set aside, grown men and women reverted back to childhood memories of sitting around a Christmas tree at the first sight of dawn. Laughter erupted as items were removed. The sharing that took place, the ideas that lingered in the atmosphere as decorations were unpacked. We were one step closer to bringing a touch of the holiday season to the desert, one light closer to a “Silent Night”, one day closer to returning home to loved ones.

What an amazing impact a care package can have. Filled with beef jerky, granola bars, bags of chocolate-coated cadies, powdered drink mix, magazines, movies, and a wide array of other items. Each box was more than enough to satisfy one person’s needs, leading to the true meaning of the holiday season: giving. As boxes were passed around, each person took a few items that would satisfy their cravings, instantly reconnecting them to life back home. Those deployed the longest were always first to have their pick. Items that remained unclaimed were placed in a community location for all to share until everything was gone.

There are those who have been deployed for weeks, even months, without receiving a single package, letter, or card. This has proven to be where the bonds of service member’s and the support of a caring nation shines brightest. Random packages often arrive from well-wishers, elementary schools, churches, anyone and everyone looking to make a difference in someone’s life here in Iraq. Typically addressed “To ANY Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Marine”, boxes pile up daily in public gathering areas for warriors to rummage through. Not only are items delivered for the troops here, but also supplies for us to connect back to the loved ones left behind. Teddy bears, holidays cards, postcards, envelopes and blank paper are often scattered about. Letters from middle schools and banners from kindergarten classes illustrated with pictures cover the walls of many buildings. Though we are not home for the holidays, home has found a way to send the holidays to each and every one of us here.

The greatest piece of mail I’ve seen to-date came in the form of a letter from a 1st grader living in California. His father was serving in Iraq earlier this year when he was injured by a roadside bomb. Tragic as it is, the event seemed to make the 7-year-old stronger than ever. The child noted he was writing because it was something he did while his father was deployed. Now that his father had returned home recovering from his injuries, the two of them sit down together every night and write a letter, hoping it will reach someone who needs it most. That child’s father had returned but for thousands of others, mommy and daddy would not be home this Christmas. Thousands would not have the opportunity to enjoy the firm hug on a cold morning, gazing through frosted windows as the first signs of winter approached.

As you wait for your holiday deliveries of fruit cakes and cookies, shopping purchases, and cards from distant family members and friends, I urge you take a moment to remember those in the line of fire, in harms way. At the end of the day here in Iraq, nothing can soothe a heart or comfort the soul more than a piece of mail. Family and friends contribute tremendously to the boost in morale, but it is also the love, kindness, and compassion of complete strangers that make the difference for some here. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines await a taste of home, arriving in envelopes and boxes from across our nation.