You send packages stuffed with all the usual goodies — hand sanitizer, body lotion, beef jerky, peanuts, pre-moistened field towels, paperback books and chewing gum — and then you’ll add something like a cool tactical folding knife, a high-quality flashlight, gun cleaning supplies — not to a brother or a cousin, but to the fiancée of the girl working in the mail room at your business, or the son of the guy who tunes up your car — neither of whom you’ve ever met.

Then a couple dozen of you have walked into Veterans of Foreign Wars or American Legion halls and simply asked, “Who’s got a son or daughter deployed?” and found someone new to share your love of country and patriotism with, adding to their own outbound packages with gifts from your hearts. Yeah, so I suggested it — but you did it — and for that, I salute you all. The best part is when you’ve written to tell me about it. You’re good people, good Americans, and many of you have been there and done that yourselves, so you know how it feels when that package arrives from stateside. God bless you.

Now let’s look at some special goodies for your favorite fighting men and women,
shall we?

Among US troops the name “Maxpedition” is about as well known as “Department of Defense” because they see it on so much of their personally-purchased “Hard Use” field gear. And one of the company’s best-selling, highest-demand items is the unique Rollypoly folding pouch. OK, actually, there are three Rollypoly’s of ascending sizes from “Mini” to “Mega,” and the word “folding” doesn’t adequately describe what they do.

They really kinda fold in on themselves and then roll up and secure neatly so when the pouch is empty, it’s tucked outta the way where it won’t hang up on a branch, a buddy’s rifle or a piece of twisted re-bar at what we call “the very, very wrong moment.” That and the nearly bombproof durability of Maxpedition products makes ’em winners. The Mega Rollypoly is widely used as a dump pouch for empty rifle magazines, but they can be used for anything that fits into their big mouths. Be a good guy and send one of each size, OK?

When you do, send plenty of MALICE clips with ’em. Used to attach gear to MOLLE webbing, they are a vast improvement over the tinny, rattling government-issue ALICE clips they replace, providing a low-profile, high-security fit. If you can’t find ’em locally, order online.

Maxpedition Hard-Use Gear
P.O. Box 5008
Palos Verdes, CA 90274,
(877) 629-5556
www.maxpedition.com

SureFire’s rugged, lightweight, corrosion-proof G2 Nitrolon is a long-standing military favorite, no less for its bargain price than for its superb quality. When our troops suggested they could also use a brighter, more tactically blinding and longer-range light, but with the same strength and characteristics as the G2, SureFire answered with the G3 Nitrolon. This is essentially a “stretch” version of the G2, made by simply lengthening the polymer tube to accommodate a third lithium battery. The G3 throws 105 blazing lumens through its tempered Pyrex lens, and will step up to 200 lumens with an optional high-output lamp.

SureFire
18300 Mt. Baldy Circle
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(800) 828-8809
www.surefire.com

Let There Be A Little Light

Lots of troops have asked for a small, discrete light they could stick to a bunk rail, the wall behind their cot, the inside lid of a board game box, even on the “liberated” ammo can serving as their writing desk. QuiqLite’s Firefly adheres to any flat surface and provides just enough white light for reading, writing and opening other unexpected presents in the dark. It runs on two CR1620 button batteries, so be sure to send extras.

QuiqLite
P.O. Box 6942
Santa Barbara, CA 93160 USA
(866) 496-2506
www.quiqlite.com

Brigade Quartermasters continues to refine and upgrade their convenient “Soldier Relief Packs” which are pre-assembled collections of field hygiene and comfort items like insect repellent, sunburn relief preparations, waterless bathing and shampooing systems and armor fresheners in four escalating sizes. Any one of ’em, from the individual Soldier Pack to the Squad Relief Pack, makes a great gift by itself. But since you’ve got your credit card out already …

Click on Brigade’s “Top 100 Deployment Products” and go a little crazy, OK? Now stuff the sides of the box with packets of Java Juice Black Gold, a great-tasting organic liquid coffee extract. This is light years better than mil-ration coffee, and it mixes easily with hot or cold water — or, espresso lovers can simply grab a heavy-duty foil pouch and rip it, drip it, sip it. It’s the best, most convenient go-juice I’ve found.

Hey, I meant “heavy duty,” too. Each nitrogen-purged pouch will withstand 180 PSI bursting force, so your trooper doesn’t have to worry about rolling over or falling on it. Send lots.

Brigade Quartermasters, Ltd.
P.O. Box 100001
1025 Cobb International Dr. NW
Suite 100
Kennesaw, Georgia 30156
(800) 338-4327
www.actiongear.com

Hey, I already know what Ta-TANG! is. That’s the sound of a round passing through the skin of the helo you’re huddling in, and then exiting the other bulkhead — hopefully, without passing through you somewhere in between. If this happens at night and that round is a 12.7mm tracer, it’s a terrific and terrifying light show. But there’s another Tatang, and this one’s a big, tough, heavy-duty but quick multi-mission combat knife designed by Michael Janich for BlackHawk Blades. Check the features and you’ll see how a simple grip change shifts you from weight-forward for maximum reach and chopping power, to weight-back for controlled cuts and back-cutting using the sharpened false edge. Give this one to your brother in Basra, and he’ll have some instant mojo — and a big blade he’ll be proud of. But he won’t ever give it back.

BlackHawk Products Group
4850 Brookside Court
Norfolk, VA 23502
(800) 694-5263
www.blackhawk.com

Few knives can match the sheer slashing power of the aggressive reverse-curve Tanto blade Pat Crawford designed into his Triumph folder for Columbia River Knife & Tool. Available with or without CRKT’s lightning-fast Outburst assisted opening, the Triumph also features the Auto-LAWKS locking system which gives this folder the virtual rigidity — and safety — of a fixed-blade knife. Pat created this knife specifically for serious military users, and they’ve eagerly embraced it. The deeply grooved, nearly indestructible G10 scales come in black, or black and OD green.

Columbia River Knife & Tool
9720 S.W. Hillman Court,
Suite 805
Wilsonville, OR 97070
(800) 891-3100
www.crkt.com

Our troops in combat must have the highest per capita possession rate of iPods of any social or occupational group in the world. The iPod is often their only personal source of entertainment and relaxation — a critical link with home. The trouble is, our troops must also have the highest rate of busted iPods of any group, anywhere. OtterBox has the solution.

OtterBox makes waterproof, dustproof, shock-suppressed and interactive protective cases for all iPod models from the teensy Nano to the mega-capacity iPod Video, which stores 100s — or 1,000s — of photos and songs, even feature-length movies. Thanks to a touch-sensitive membrane and sealed plug system, the iPod can remain in the case while your soldier plays it, throws it, floats it, whatever. While on their Web site, match the selected case with a set of H2O Audio waterproof headphones — great sound quality, and very durable.

Otter Products, LLC
1 Old Town Square
Suite 303
Fort Collins, CO 80524O
(888) 695-8820
www.otterbox.com

Among mid-size “utility infielder” fixed-blades, SureFire’s Delta is an MVP playing several positions well. The guard of its tough crucible CPM S30V blade forms a strong driver for flathead screws while a contour-protected cord/ harness cutter zips through line and fabric. Inside the frame is a self-seating hex nut wrench, and a built-in wire and flex-cuff snipper bites off plastic restraints and wire up to 12-gauge size. The included sheath positions at a variety of angles on belts or MOLLE gear. Go ahead, think of an excuse to buy two and keep one …

SureFire
18300 Mt. Baldy Circle
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(800) 828-8809
www.surefire.com

Whether they’re operating in mudflats, mountains or Baghdad’s back alleys, our troops clean their weapons thoroughly before even thinking about cleaning themselves. Now, thanks to Otis Technology, they can “git ’er done” anywhere and do it right, cleaning from breech to muzzle.

The DeLuxe Military Cleaning System is a 31-piece tool set designed to clean military weapons from handguns to subguns and shotguns to rifles, from 5.56mm to .45 caliber and 12-gauge. Everything is included, even 8", 12" and 30" Memory Flex cleaning rods, to maintain barrels, receivers, trigger groups and bolts — and it’s all packed into a pocket-size 11-ounce softpack case. Here’s the bonus: This kit is so well-designed you don’t even have to be an 8-year old with a Masters in Engineering to get all the components back in! Get one for your M4-packin’ sister and her Battalion Armorer will be jealous.

Otis Products, Inc.
Laura Street
P.O. Box 582
Lyons Falls, NY 13368
(800) 684-7486
www.otisgun.com

Fisher House

Fisher House, a unique public-private joint program, builds and donates homes on the grounds of major military medical centers, providing free or very low-cost housing for families visiting their wounded or seriously ill veterans, some coming from great distances to be with their loved ones. Fisher house uses only 3-percent of its income on fund raising and administration. If you specify your donation for a specific purpose, 100 percent of the donation is allocated.

Fisher House Foundation, Inc.
1401 Rockville Pike, Suite 600
Rockville, MD 20852
(888) 294-8560
www.fisherhouse.org

Hire A Hero

Hire a Hero is a free listing service to both employers and applicants. You can help place a returning veteran in a job or, if you’re a returning veteran, you can post your skills and bio here for review by prospective employers. Running the Web site costs some dough, though. Send them some help if you can.

Hire A Hero
2386 Faraday Avenue, Suite 105
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(866) 440-4424
www.hireahero.org

Wounded Warriors

Wounded Warriors, started by Col. John Folsom, USMCR, owns resort condominiums in Orlando, Florida, and Galveston, Texas, for the express purpose of providing quiet havens where war-torn families can reunite and become stronger. You need only to visit their Web site to truly appreciate what they do. Wounded Warriors posts its financial statements on its Web site.

A note from Col. John Folsom, USMCR about the picture: Wounded Warriors recently hosted Sara and Elissa Beery at the Bahama Bay condominium in Orlando, Florida and tickets to Disney World.

Her husband, Staff Sergeant Brock A. Beery, was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor Regiment based at Bowling Green, Kentucky. Staff Sergeant Beery was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Habbaniyah, Iraq on March 23, 2006 during combat operations.

Your generous donations make retreats like this possible for the Beery family and other families of those who have been killed, wounded or injured during combat operations.
Dear Wounded Warriors,

I wanted to share a special picture from our week at Walt Disney World. I want to thank you for sending us there. Elissa had a great time! Elissa got to meet all of the princesses plus a lot of other characters as well as see a lot of cool things built out of Legos at Downtown Disney. We are planning to go back next year with all of our family.

Thank you again for giving us a week to get away from it all!

Sara & Elissa Beery

Operation Helmet provides free high-tech helmet suspension systems, designed to better protect our troops from traumatic brain injuries, while DoD’s supply train catches up to new technology. The troops love ’em, and they work, reducing injuries significantly. Operation Helmet is 100 percent volunteer, non-partisan, charitable organization and 99.5-percent of all contributions are used to send upgrade kits to our troops. They use less than 1/2 percent for overhead . The charity has no salaries or payroll. At press time, 36,457 helmet upgrades had been delivered to our serving soldiers.

Operation Helmet
www.operation-helmet.org
E-mail: ophelm@operation-helmet.org