1st Letter from Afghanistan! The Impact Our Cigars Made!

[DocRKS]

31 March '04
Sir/Ma'am
I thank you and your family and Dr., a special thanks to your CW Internet cigar forum, for all of your support for both me and my soldiers. We have been working at a gruelling pace here over the last three months. Your packages of cigars and all of those goodies and magazines was just what we needed to remind us that our hard and all to often, frustrating efforts, are appreciated by the folks back home.
Your packages arrived at the ideal time. We had just returned to our base camp following an operation that involved a string of sleepless nights, and let me tell you, sleeping outside in Afghanistan is no easy thing, I have never seen one place with so many rocks - I don't think we found a smooth surface out here yet ! In talking to my Mom by email, she said not much is heard on the news about our Army here in Afghanistan - most of the news is about all of the trouble in Iraq with our Troops taking fire on a daily basis. Well, it probably isn't as intense over here now, but we get to hear the sound of bullets coming over our heads here as well - especially when we are on a multi-day operation and are a distance away from base camp.

I really smiled when I saw some of the items in the pack were from the great State of Alaska !!!! I came to Afghanistan from Ft. R********* which is on the Northern edge of Anchorage, AK. I found it amazing that so many of the items in our care packages had an Alaskan theme. The items were all greatly appreciated and each of my men's thoughts turned to their friends and family left in the USA. I hope to look up your friends from Alaska upon returning to the States. I expect very little trouble in finding them as I live only 10 miles from them. Also, my wife is a school teacher and has attended workshops at some of the same Elementary schools their children attended.

It may take me a little while to somehow get over to NJ to visit with you, however, one of my goals is to come back to West Point and see another Army Football game - perhaps we can meet there like old times and get together at the post game picnics and tail gate parties.
Until then, please accept this Note as my grateful appreciation for your sincere and unexpected generosity and that of all of your friends who added to these packages for us. You all contributed to my Platoon's joy and brought a touch of "back home" to all of us.
Thank You Again......1LT D*********