05 Jan 2009:

To the Friends and Supporters of 3/7,
Once again, I'm guilty of being tardy with my update; hopefully you'll forgive me--we've been extremely engaged with our operations over here.
We were completely blessed with the overwhelming show of affection and care during the holidays; I can't say enough to express our appreciation and gratitude. Our lives here have most definitely been touched by your warmhearted generosity. 1stSgt Elvis Tate has done an outstanding job with getting care packages to the Marines of our unit and will continue to do so. I'll be withdrawing myself as a collection point for other Marines as this duty is currently under good hands.

I've attached a picture of us so you can see how handsome we are :) I'm the fourth in from the left, the most handsome one. Also, after several months of receiving packages, I'd like to relay some of my observations on what items are most needed and used. I've been told that this is very useful information, so I hope it helps:

-Candy: sometimes boxes break and loose pieces of candy will spill out. If you send candy, choose the kind that comes individually wrapped and are contained within a bigger bag. This way, there is less chance of spillage and contamination and a Marine can take a bag with him and pass out individual pieces to his buddies; and since the pieces are individually wrapped, they can be stuffed inside cargo pockets or packs. This is a good time to send chocolates because the weather is cold. Chocolate is not a good item in the summertime.
-Beef jerky: this is a big favorite; all Marines love beef jerky.
-Canned foods (fruits/vegetables/soup): not in demand because we don't carry can openers or Tupperware or all have access to microwaves. If you send fruit, send dried fruits. If you send soup, send the type where the container is heatable.
-Socks: Marines are authorized to wear two types of socks; boot socks and physical training (PT) socks. Boot socks must be black or brown, and need to be longer than the height of the boot top. PT socks should be white and be low-cut around the ankles.
-Hygiene items: this is a tricky one since every Marine has his own preferences of brands and products. My suggestion is to send hygiene items after you've corresponded with a Marine and have learned what he prefers. Now this will be difficult because most Marines are humble and won't ask for anything or admit that they want anything, so you might have to be persistent. What I've noticed is that a higher quality product will get ooh's and ahh's while the more obscure items are usually the last to be plucked from a box.
-Magazines/Movies/CDs: recognizable magazines are picked up and read because they're familiar. The more unique "hometown" publications are not as popular. I've noticed that CDs in general are not very popular because it is hard for Marines to carry discs around and have a device to play the CDs. With DVDs, I suggest sending a movie that is requested versus sending the latest popular release. Or send a rare movie that is not likely to be already floating around.
-Closed-toe shower shoes: we recently received several pairs of rubber shoes designed with holes in them. These are great but the sizes were too small. For footwear, most Marines wear sizes 10-12. 
-Protein powder: Marines exercise a lot and consume a lot of protein powder. If protein powder/bars/weight gainers are sent, I suggest finding products that are lactose free for those Marines who are allergic to dairy.
This is all that I can recall at the moment. Feel free to contact me anytime for input on any questions you may have. 

I want to thank the following individuals for their continued support and kindness:
Angel E., Kathleen S., Sandy D., Mama Jodi, Mary Jo F., James S., Jennifer C., Rosalie G., Darrell and Carol H., Cindy C., Carolyn B., Boyle, Barbara W., Peggy V., Nancy J., Prayer Angels for the Military, MOMS for the Military, St. Mary Magdalena School, and Cub Scout Pack 362. I apologize if I left anyone out...I'll make it up to you next time! Thanks so much!

Humbly Yours,
Lenny Tran