Note: Veronica Johnson was dropped from this list on 23 Apr 2009 due to 60 days of no contact.

22 Feb 2009:
Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for all of the great Valentine's Day goodies! We had quite a great time at the party thanks to all of the donated items.

We will be starting a wonderful program on this installation and I desperately need your support. There are tons of people deployed at this location and I'm sure that as soon as it kicks off it will be extremely popular. This program is called United through Reading and it's an amazing way to connect deployed service members with the children in their lives. With this program the deployed family member reads a book aloud while being recorded on camera, then the DVD is mailed to the child back home. It's a great benefit for both the child and the deployed service member, especially if the family sends the deployed participant a picture of the child's reaction to the dvd.

United through Reading is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to unite families facing physical separation by facilitating the bonding experience of reading aloud together. You can help by sending the following materials:

Children's books for all age groups
Mini DVD's with cases
Padded mailing envelopes
Props: hats, noise makers, puppets, etc
Materials to create a theme background

For more information about this program, please go to www.unitedthroughreading.org there is tons of helpful information on this site, to include suggested book lists. Be a part of this wonderful experience and promote united families!!

SGT Veronica Johnson

27 Jan 2009
Hello to all!!

Thank you again for everything you do to make us feel appreciated. We are entering a whole new year with a lot of changes to everything as we know it. With that said I am planning on one of the corniest but definitely a fun celebration for Valentine's Day. I am making games with odd and end items (ring toss, pin the heart on the bee, bean bag toss, etc). It's activities like this one that even if for a couple of hours we remind Soldiers that there are some great things in life to appreciate. Planning to host events for any Holiday is challenging because funding is focused towards mission essential things...so it's thanks to all of you that this HUGE installation has had some great fun events to attend.

Please continue to send items like: assorted balloons, treat bags, candy, any decorations for ANY holiday, etc. For Valentine's specifically I was hoping for some mini bubble makers (as party favors), children's valentine card kits, Hershey kisses, conversation candy, anything with the Valentine theme. The theme for the party will be a carnival...with little booths set up for the games and as prizes they will get something silly like a toy or a sucker. Help me be creative, even Soldiers need to feel the kid inside em. Thanks again for EVERYTHING!!!

SGT Veronica Johnson

12 Jan 2009
Happy New Year everyone!

As the Holidays have passed, and the nostalgia of being away from home has gone away, it's time to re focus on the mission at hand. Thanks again to all of the wonderful care packages as they continue to bring smiles to all. I have started some new projects on our installation, one of them is getting an education center built so our Service Members can get further their education on their spare time. The projected date for this to get started is sometime in late February or early March. Many of our service members have never taken college courses and we are trying to encourage them to. If you would like to help, please send items that can be used to classes like: dictionary and thesaurus set; college ruled notebooks, small calculators, small staplers, paper clips, pencil bags, colored pencils, graph paper, drawing/sketch paper, highlighters, conversion charts, small planners, etc. What a great way to start a New Year by creating goals and with the energy to make a positive impact on others.

The weather is cold and windy right now, and will be for a couple of months. Once it starts to warm up though, I would like to host some outdoor events that will get people out of their rooms to get a breath of fresh air. I can organize some sports tournaments and come up with some fun games for everyone to have something to do, but I need your help with decorations! I was thinking of a LUAO theme complete with tiki torches and grass skirts. Every little bit counts just like at Christmas, I gather all of the packages and organize everything in categories so they can be used when the time comes.

If you have ANY ideas that you think the Service Members will enjoy, please forward them to me...I just want for them to feel appreciated every so often and with your help I can do so much more. Again, thank you to all who have been a part of my mission thus far and to those who are willing to continue to support my efforts.

13 Dec 2008
WOW!!! I can't even begin to explain how extremely overwhelmed I am with all of the wonderful packages we have received from all of you. I literally had to get help because there were days where I couldn't get through the boxes quick enough! I must say that not only did my group of Soldiers benefit from your gifts, but Soldiers at those isolated camps that I forwarded them to. I am sending some pictures to update you all on what is going on in our area, and will send more after the Holidays.

I have just changed jobs so I am now the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Coordinator for the installation so though I am 100 times busier, I love what I am doing. My job includes anything that can affect living conditions for the Coalition Forces on this installation, phone centers, fitness centers, cyber café, entertainment, sporting events, etc. My very first task was to host an alternative rock group called 'Catchpenny", and it was great! I incorporate my Soldiers in what I do and with the groups that I get so they get to feel the gratitude that comes from people that support us back home. My second group was Aaron Tippin and his band through a Stars for Stripes tour. This was a different kind of group but both drew in a nice crowd from their CHU's (Containerized Housing Unit). Now my focus is to get through the Holidays and establishing a program that gets Soldiers involved in more productive activities like taking college classes, playing intramural sports, body building, weight lifting, and planning various events that will reduce some of the stress of being away from home.

Please continue to write and sending anything that you think may be helpful. Staple items will always be basic hygiene items, healthy snacks, microwave meals, travel sized toiletry containers/bags. I have written almost everyone that has written us, and if you haven't heard from me yet please be patient, it's coming. I would love to say that emailing is easier, but it's not always and writing through the old fashioned post is my preferred method. The feeling of having "real" mail is always more exciting to me. Again thank you all for your great support, and God Bless!

SGT Veronica Johnson
Garrison Command
MWR NCOIC

22 Oct 2008
Hello everyone!

I wasn't sure what the page needed to look like but now that I do, I thought it only fair to give you more insight as to who you are supporting. I have a small Section comprised of different Military Occupational Skills in which we all cross-train to carry out the mission and are often tasked with five things all at once. For most of my Soldiers this is their first deployment and are still in their first enlistment in the Army. Luckily the COB that we are stationed at offers a variety of recreational activities and the facilities, in comparison to many in theater, are not to complain about. It is important for me to keep my Soldier's morale up, not only during the deployment, so I try to come up with ideas that can help in that department.

I am planning a Holiday Party for the entire Company so that the ones that won't have the opportunity to be home with their families, don't feel forgotten or as homesick.   I am incorporating the Soldiers in the planning and organizing so that they feel like it's theirs to begin with. There will be food, games, raffles, music, a White-Elephant gift exchange, and a slideshow with Holiday wishes for the Soldiers. At least that is my vision for the event! Not everyone in our unit will be able to take part in the celebration due to mission requirements or because some are tasked out to isolated camps in which there is little to nothing set up. I would like to be able to provide those Soldiers as well some Holiday spirit, and I'm hoping that with your help, it will be possible. Those Soldiers don't have electricity and poor sanitation facilities, their living areas are still tents and they sleep in cots. I'm not sure on the number, but maybe 20-30 Soldiers both male and female. In support of that effort, my request of you is to send the following as a suggestion, but knowing that anything you send is greatly appreciated:

Decorations, candy, stockings, Santa hats, reindeer antlers, little toys, stocking stuffers, Holiday music, Holiday movies, gift wrap, scented Holiday candles, Holiday cards that they can mail back home, and some from you of course, colored construction paper, fake snow, coffee mugs/thermos, hot chocolate, hot teas, instant coffee (variety of flavors), prizes for the raffles, raffle tickets, "Winter" decorations such as table cloths, plastic plates, cups, plastic ware, small Christmas trees, door wreaths, the more creative the better keep in mind that all Soldiers are not Christian and that's why I am using the term "Holiday". We have some Jewish and Muslim Soldiers as well.   

The winter here will be colder than these guys think so any ideas you have to keep them warm and comfortable away from home. Cold meds will be in high demand as we all know that the infamous flu shot is not as effective as we'd like. Suggestions are: decongestants, thera-flu, day quil/ny quil, cough drops, Vicks Vapo rub, individual Kleenex packs, honey, mucinex, cough suppressants, warm comfy socks to wear in the room, throw blankets to use on missions or for naps, individual soups in a can, heating pads (electric or adhesive temporary ones), Humidifiers (small 110 or 220v) warm pajamas (males are all M to XXL and females are SM and XS).

I've included some pictures and vow to keep you all posted with more. If you would like, please send your email address with your package and/or a good mailing address. One of the pictures has my Section when we first got here, at that point they called themselves "The Killer Mob Squad" they had 10 minutes to agree on a name and that's what they came up with! Another of the pictures is of some participants in the first ever Memory Walk in Iraq!   When I went around organizing a Battalion team and I told everyone the distance (10k/6.2mi), they thought I was crazy. For many it was their first time doing something of the sort but they had a great time. Now we have a great turn out at our periodic "Fun Runs", the most recent being the infamous Army 10-miler. The last picture is self explanatory, and no that was not the beginning of construction for our swimming pool, that is the finished product! LOL! I can't wait to hear from you all and thank you for being a part of such an amazing support organization. It means more than you will ever know to feel appreciated by the people we defend!

19 Oct 2008
We live in Containerized Housing Units much like a small trailer that we share with one other roommate. There are laundry facilities availbale for Soldiers to wash their own or they the option to turn it in depending on missions. Most of my Soldiers go out on long missions during off hours and are not able to eat in the dining facility because of the hours of operation, so any microwavable meals they will appreciate. We do have a refrigerator to keep drinks cold, and a microwave to warm up meals. Things that we can always use are dry snacks, flavored drink packets (individual), travel size hygiene products, travel hygiene bags, throw blankets in case a mission is long and they have to sleep in the vehicles, flip flops to use as shower shoes (varied sizes), toothbrushes, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, twin size bedding, bath towels, wash cloths, magazines, disposable food containers (varied sizes), oxi clean, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, chapstick, Shampoo/conditioner, bodywash, body lotion, candy, gum, tampons (playtex varied sizes), panty liners, body spray, hair ties (brown), hairspray, bobby pins, barrets, stationary, assorted greeting cards that they can mail home. For the Holidays, gift wrap (assorted), balloons, contruction paper, poster board, hot chocolate, assorted hot teas, honey, assorted chips, beef jerky, dried fruit, body loofahs/shower puffs, plastic toothbrush holders, face wash (neutrogena/clean & clear, face moisterizer (neutrogena/clean & clear), old bay seasoning, chocolate powder, cinnamon powder, grill accessories (fork, tongs, spatula) Jasmine rice, Goya products (assorted) crackers (assorted), peanut butter, almond butter, assorted nuts, almonds, Kashi snacks/cereals (assorted), any type of decorations for varied holidays. Air fresheners (not electric), coffee pot (220v), rice cooker (220v), blender (220v), coffe thermos cups, ziploc bags (assorted sizes), febreeze, clorox wipes, q tips, hand cream for dry skin, multi-media speakers