Soldier Responses

Soldier Response

Hi everyone!

My name is Nikki and I am a member of the Female Engagement Team -
your generosity reached us here in Musa Qal'ah District, Helmand
Province, Afghanistan and I had to email to say thank you so much!
The Christmas reminders and ornaments are awesome - I have them hung
up on my wall next to my bed.
   The Female Engagement Team (FET) is a unit of all women; we have
the opportunity to connect with the women of Afghanistan like our men
are not permitted to - if I had to be deployed, away from my family, I
don't think I could pick a cooler, more rewarding mission.  I am a
Navy Corpsman (medic) stationed with the Marines (the Marine Corps
does not have a medical aspect, so the Navy provides all medical
support for the Marines - we're pretty awesome, haha!); there are
three of us on the current FET.  Our FET is comprised of more than 40
women, and we are broken down into small Teams, and assigned to Marine
Corps infantry battalions - we work with the "grunts"; we live, eat,
sleep, and work where they do.  We go on many of the same patrols,
engaging with any women we can.  It's awesome - we've gotten to know
many of the families in the area and have a grand old time socializing
with them.  We try to implement progressive, sustainable projects for
the women in the area, attempting to affect areas such as health,
education, women's governance, and economy.  This poor nation.  There
are many pictures on the internet of Afghanistan only a few decades
ago, before Russia and the Taliban came here...women were allowed to
contribute to their country then.  Now they are seen as little more
than vehicles of child-production; the villages even say that women
are the equal of the goats, cows, and sheep, and that their brains are
so small they are housed in the women's heels.  So!  We try to help
any way we can!
     Apologies for the long explanation - just wanted to let you know
a bit about us!  Thank you again, for sending some Christmas cheer our
way!  It's VERY appreciated!  God bless you all, and merriest of
Christmases to you!

Most sincerely,

HM2 Nichole Mieir
Helmand Province,
Afghanistan

Soldier Response

PFC Douglas James Wilson writes:

your prayers are greatly appreciated. however the real hero is my wife who is enduring this war alone at home, far from family. suffering through great challenges and over coming them. thank you for our support. i see you are from my home state, that makes this even more heartfelt. maybe we can maintain correspondence. this is my second deployment so i know that i am protected. talk to you later Doug

Soldier Response

I thank you for forwarding the wonderful and caring messages of hope, love and well wishes. As an Iraqi War Veteran from 2003-2005, it fills my heart with so many indescribable feelings of enlightenment. I told my Father when I came home in Jan 2005 that I am receiving the honor and support that he too, should have received from his two tours in Vietnam. I am sharing these emails with my fellow brother and sisters in arms. It means so much to receive the thoughts of encouragement from everyone.