Heroes Waiting
for Adoption
Wounded in Afghanistan
Roger Godskesen, who works closely with deployed military medical teams, writes this week about the tremendous needs in Afghanistan...
Casualties in Afghanistan are very heavy and mounting. Emergency Angel help is needed to supply every injured American with a Soldiers' Angels First Response Backpack.
We just received this thank you email from a wounded soldier.....
I just wanted to say thank you. I was WIA on 24sept09. when I got to Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, there was a [Military Order of the] Purple Heart/Soldiers' Angels bag in my ICU room when I woke up. It is so nice to know that after what I saw, what I did, and what me and my crew went through, there were people who already had us in mind. I sleep with the fleece blanket I got, [and] the hygiene bag was wonderful, especially since mine burned to the ground with my vehicle. And the letters and cards from Karate for Kids in Utah made me smile. On behalf of myself, the medic for my team, my TC, SGT W, my gunner, SGT S, and most of all, my driver, PFC K, who had the worst injuries of our crew, thank you so much.
SPC Helen R.
For the next few months, we urgently need your help to fill our First Response Backpacks. We have enough empty backpacks, but we need Angel Power to help fill them by sending supplies directly to the Combat Support Hospitals.
For complete directions, please email me at rgodskesen@soldiersangels.org with the subject line "BACKPACKS." Tell me what you can send and how many of each item, and I'll tell you where to send it.
NOTE: The following items are the only items that we need right now. All items must be new and unused. Please do not send clothing sizes small, 2X, or 3X.
Clothing and Blankets:
- Sweatpants and Zippered Hoodie Sweatshirts (L, XL - grey, black, dark blue)
- Lounge pants/sleep pants/pj bottoms (M, L, XL - any color or pattern)
- Plain T-shirts (M, L, XL - crew neck, any color)
- Men's Boxerbriefs or Boxers (M, L, XL). Please do not send "briefs".
- FlipFlops to wear while showering (men's large sizes)
- Twin-sized fleece blankets (any color) or Blankets of Hope (click for details)
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste (any size)
- Bar Soap or Body Wash (any size)
- Shampoo (any size)
- Dental floss
- Body Powder
- Body lotion (any size)
- Lip balm/chap stick
- Nail Clippers (large or small)
- Disposable razor
- Shaving cream (travel sized aerosol cans or tubes of shaving gel)
Roger Godskesen
Medical Support Director
rgodskesen@soldiersangels.org
From a chaplain at Bagram: Yesterday was one of the busiest days yet and we had one of our Purple Heart Warriors coming back in from the Operating Room to the ICU for recovery, the ICU was cold and this poor guy was lying on his side shivering. As God would have it, I entered the ICU with his Purple Heart backpack at the same time he was being wheeled in. When they parked his bed in his room, I opened the backpack and laid his new warm blanket over him to keep him warm. This was one of those moments that would have made you cry if you were there, this was the love of a grateful nation laid over a young Army Soldier who placed his life on the line in defense of freedom. The blanket kept him warm as he healed from his surgery and I know he felt the love that went into the packing of that blanket and the sending of that backpack. His name is Chez Carter and he is from the Virgin Islands. I got his permission to take this photo this morning and send it to you. You can still see he has the blanket and backpack with him.
Teams & Projects - How to Help
Adopt a Soldier - Individualized support throughout deployment
Angel Bakers - Homemade treats for the deployed
Blankets of Belief - Showing deployed troops, "We believe in you!"
Blankets of Gratitude - Handcrafted love for hospitalized veterans
Blankets of Hope - Handcrafted comfort for the wounded
Cards Plus Team - Extra TLC for soldiers & families
Chaplain Support Team - Help chaplains support the troops
Community Team Leaders (CTLs) - Representing Soldiers' Angels at home
Eagle Cane Project - Handmade canes for the wounded
First Response Backpacks - Supplies for wounded in-country
Hero Packs - Care packages
Ladies of Liberty - Extra TLC for deployed females
Letter Writing Team - Personal letters for the deployed
Living Legends - Remembering the fallen and their families
Memorial Portraits - Drawings for families of the fallen
Operation
Birthday Cake - Shipping gourmet birthday cakes to deployed troops
Operation Outreach - Supporting families waiting at home
Operation Phone Home - Calling cards
Operation Top Knot - Handmade gifts & virtual baby showers
Scarves - Handmade heat and sand protection
SA Germany - Supporting medevac'd wounded/ill and medical staff at Landstuhl
S.A.V.E. - Supporting the employment of veterans through the Angel warehouse
SOS:Kids - Helping deployed soldiers help local kids
Tank Support - Helping Veterans Travel to Medical Appointments
Valour-IT - Adaptive laptops for the wounded
VA Crochet & Craft - Handmade comfort & dignity for hospitalized Vets
Veterans Support - Assisting veterans facilities
Wounded TLC - Letters and care packages for the wounded
Since my husband is military, people are always telling me they want to do something to give back. Recently I discovered "Soldiers Angels" and all that they do. I will be telling everyone that if they want to make a difference to donate their time or money to this wonderful program. You all are amazing! - Brenda
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On May 7, executives from Chrysler Group LLC, Zac Brown Band and Soldiers' Angels stood wingtip-to-wingtip to announce the launch of Letters For Lyrics, a massive, nationwide effort to send one million letters to support our U.S. troops stationed across the world. More... |

