09/05/04

No letup in support of deployed Marines and sailors

By Anne Riley-Katz
Staff Writer

Banners, balloons and tears have marked the arrivals of Camp Pendleton Marines returning from Iraq, with images of happy homecomings gracing the pages of local newspapers and television screens.

But the troops are sometimes sent back overseas within weeks of their return, often with far less fanfare than their homecoming.

Once sent to war, troops vanish from the public eye, and that's why many local organizations, including churches and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, have kept up efforts to make sure they are not forgotten.

A steady stream of packages containing everything from candy and coffee to prayer pamphlets has been flowing from North County to Iraq since troops have been stationed there, and the flow doesn't show any sign of letting up.

Faith Lutheran

Faith Lutheran Church of Vista started sending quart-sized Ziploc bags filled with shampoo, mouthwash, soap, toothpaste, shaving cream, razors, gum and prayer booklets to troops this spring.

"Originally, we were sending them for wounded soldiers, but since fighting has died down, we mostly use the packages as a supplement to supplies they have or are waiting to receive," said Chris Coletti, director of the church's youth ministries. "There's still a pretty good need for them."

Coletti said donations have increased since the collections started, and other churches have joined Faith Lutheran's efforts, including parishes in Escondido, Carlsbad, Palm Springs and New York.

"The church in New York sends Starbucks coffee to them, which is something I would have never thought of," Coletti said. "You don't think about it, but something that they probably need, since I don't think there's a Starbucks in Iraq."

Donations of toiletries and money have continued to come in since April, and the church uses the cash for shipping costs.

"When people hear about it, there's a tremendous outpouring from community," Coletti said. "The sacrifice they're making is just an amazing thing."

Coletti said the church is committed to continuing the effort.

"As long as they're there," Coletti said of the plans to continue sending packages.

VFW

Local veterans have kept efforts alive as well.

Operation Care Package, a Poway-based program, began this summer when the city of Poway adopted Marines from the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.

The city coordinated efforts through Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7907, which had adopted a unit of its own. The post collects donations of baby wipes, toiletries, paper and pens, games, books and snacks.

Local groups such as the Poway Chamber of Commerce also have been channeling donations through the post, and local individuals and businesses have made monetary contributions of as much as $500.

"It's really taken off," said Bob Anderson, a quartermaster at the post. "We've sent at least two truckloads over to the base so they can ship it."

The Marine Corps picks up the donations and ships them with equipment headed to Iraq.

"We got a letter back about two weeks ago from people who received our first shipment," Anderson said late last month. "It's just great to know all this effort is reaching (troops)."

About 20 people from the post are coordinating the donations.

"A lot of people remember what Vietnam vets went through coming back, and its a different culture now. People want to support this."

Operation Interdependence

One local effort in particular has taken off on a large scale.

Albert Renteria, a retired Marine Corps veteran from Fallbrook who served in the first Gulf War, founded Operation Interdependence in 2001.

The nonprofit North County-based organization delivers 50,000 packages a month to deployed Navy and Marine outfits. The organization has 15 branches in places such as Austin, Texas, Louisville, Ky., and will soon launch a branch in Alaska.

"It's amazing the outpouring we're received," Renteria said. "It has not tapered off at all, but has become more organized."

The organization now has volumes of volunteers packing and donating all over the United States, with 2,000 to 3,000 people on its list of volunteers in Oceanside alone, according to Renteria.

"These are even people just take the time to write notes," Renteria said.

Operation Interdependence sends about 50 boxes out of its Oceanside distribution center each week, with each box having provisions for about 50 troops.

Donations pay for shipping costs, and all Southern California-based boxes are sent from the group's Oceanside distribution center.

"I can tell you from personal experience, no matter how patriotic you are, you're going to think when you get there 'what did I get myself into?'," Renteria said. "This is not about supporting war or a cause, it's about sons and daughters and telling them, 'We're thinking about you.' "

Renteria said the notes and letters contained are often the most meaningful.

"People always ask, 'what do they need?'," Renteria said. "Well, they need to know you are thinking about them."

Post Offices

Individual efforts haven't tapered off, either ---- just ask employees at area post offices.

Fitz Dore, a clerk at the Fallbrook post office, said that with Fallbrook's high military population and proximity to Camp Pendleton, the stream of packages to troops has remained constant.

"There's always the same amount in this town," Dore said. "I handle about 20 (packages) a day, and that's just myself."

Debbie Marzan, an employee at San Diego's Point Loma post office, sees a large number of packages due to the post office's proximity to the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot. The flow of packages has been "steady," she said.

"There are troops coming home, but a lot of them turn right around and go back," Marzan said. "The (packages) may have slowed down a bit from a year ago, but people have not forgotten the troops over there."

Marzan said that the bulk of the packages she sees contain nonperishable snacks such as candy or beef jerky or reading materials.

"It's stuff to keep them busy and remind them that people at home are thinking of them," Marzan said.

Contact staff writer Anne Riley-Katz at (760) 731-5799 or ariley-katz@nctimes.com.

To contribute to one of the programs sending packages to troops overseas, contact:

- Faith Lutheran Church of Vista:

700 E. Bobier Drive, Vista, Ca 92084

(760) 724-7700

- Operation Care Package, Poway VFW post 7907

858-748-7907

www.post7907.com

- Operation Interdependence

P.O. Box 339 Fallbrook, Ca 92088

www.oidelivers.org

Tips on sending items to military overseas:

- Fill out required customs forms before you get to the post office to save time. The forms are required for anything that weighs more than a pound.

- The U.S. Postal Service recommends using Priority Mail, which takes seven to 10 days, rather than Parcel Post, which can take six to eight weeks.

- If sending food or snacks, send nonperishable items that will keep, as it may take time for packages to be distributed to troops.

- Do not send any alcohol.

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