Some Holiday Cheer for Those Far From Home.

In the early days of autumn and with Thanksgiving approaching, the associates of Richardson Printing decided they would enjoy their own holiday even more with an expression of gratitude to members of the armed forces far from the roast turkey and baked yams being enjoyed back home. The company decided to adopt another military unit to whom to send a variety of gift items for the 2009 holiday season.

That’s how a picture of members of the 121st Support Battalion, a logistics sustainment unit assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division made its way to the cover of the company’s annual Thanksgiving card. This group of over 1,100 troops is located at Combat Operating Base Adder in the southern province of Dhi Qar, Iraq. As they have done in similar previous efforts, the associates designated the 121st and the newest “Richardson Raiders.”

Eight cartons of items ranging from playing cards, candy, lens cleaners and other items deemed to be of use to young service personnel were sent to Iraq and arrived a day or two after Thanksgiving.

According to MAJ John Hotek, Battalion Operations Officer, the closest city to the base is Nasiriah, which is about 35 miles to the north. “Otherwise, there isn’t much around other than camel herds and tons of sheep,” he reported.

The newest group of “Richardson Raiders” represents expertise in over 38 separate military occupational specialties. The depth and breadth of experience provides them with versatility, flexibility and reach to support and provide electronic maintenance, fuel support, water purification, field feeding, preventive medicine and ability to man and operate a medical facility with emergency surgical capability.

They also provide training and assistance to elements of the Iraq Security Forces that are comprised of the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Police, Highway Patrol and Division Border Enforcement.

When the “Raiders” are not providing support to sister units within the brigade, they are busy conducting training with the Iraqi partners. Each unit within the brigade is asked to perform some sort of partnership mission and completes a minimum of three days of training per week with its Iraqi counterpart.

While the items in the eight cartons did not provide fully for the needs of such a large unit, just knowing there are those at home thinking of them and caring brought an additional touch of holiday cheer to these fine young Americans.

Click here to download a letter from Major John A. Hotek