Departing Troops

As a quick reference here I am posting a summary of the troops who are no longer "in theater" and are back in home base. Be sure to check often if you are not sure about your soldier or sailor. Remember also to review the status of the "back-up name" given to you for your Customs Forms. In the left column, under "Grouped Topics", you may find several postings for your soldier or sailors' unit with more specific information.

For those of you with soldiers still in Iraq: It's time to send out those 4th of July packages! A card at least, although some fun "party" decorations would add to their cheer!

Leaving in May and June 2008:

• 1LT Fukuzawa & unit
• 720 MP
  
• USS CARNEY returned to home port in Florida on June 4th
• 972MP, FOB Freedom
  

Left Iraq April 2008:

• D COMPANY, 1-181 INF BN

Back home in February and March 2008:

• CAMP LIBERTY soldiers of A CO, 1-64 AR, UNIT #43435
• MNC-I PAO, CAMP VICTORY
• K-9 Unit: SGT James Hazelton & SGT Stone. I did receive some replacement names.
• Tom Reed, CPT

January 2008 departures:

• 293 Military Police
• Sean Burke & unit

December 2007 departures:

• 97th MPs
• FOB Freedom (Note: a 2nd group stationed here -- the 972MP -- came in to me in early 2008, and are leaving in June 2008)

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Troop Updates - many changes

The Troops we are supporting in "D COMPANY, 1-181 INF BN", are leaving Iraq this month. No further mail should be sent.

1LT Fukuzawa and his unit will be leaving Iraq in June.

The sailors on the USS CARNEY will be cruising back into their home port in Florida in June. I think they may be heading back out to sea a month later.

My notes say the CAMP LIBERTY soldiers of A CO, 1-64 AR, UNIT #43435, are going home.

Also: MNC-I PAO, CAMP VICTORY, troops are back at home base now, I believe.

In mid-June, our troops at FOB FREEDOM, the 972 MILITARY POLICE COMPANY, will also be going home. Cheerful notes from their sponsors would be nice as they endure their last 2 months.

Since the 720 MILITARY POLICE are returning to home base next month, their mail should stop soon AND if you were given a 720 APO address as the "back-up" name for your Customs Declaration form, you should no longer use it. I can assign another.

If you have different re-deployment dates for the soldier unit you are corresponding with, please send me a correction.

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USS Carney receives award

Our sailors on the USS Carney just received this award for their ship! Congrats fellows!

The Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund was established in 1917 by the Tribune Association in Brooklyn, NY after a 13 year old girl named Marjorie Sterrett offered her weekly allowance of 10 cents to help build “a battleship for Uncle Sam.” Marjorie knew her country was on the eve of war and she was aware of the importance of battle readiness, even at age 13. “I read in your paper every morning a lot about preparedness,” Marjorie explained. A fund was started and children from all over New York began to donate their dimes.

Prior to WWII, income from the growing fund was used to award annual cash prizes to turret and gun crews making the highest scores in short-range battle practice, and to submarine crews making the highest scores in torpedo firing. Since then, the Navy has used the fund to promote battle efficiency by its payment to ships which stand first in the intra-type battle efficiency competitions.

Every 4 years, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (4-Star Admiral) selects one CRUDES ship from the Pacific Fleet and one from the Atlantic Fleet to receive the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award. In 2007, 54 LANTFLT CRUDES ships competed for this award and CARNEY was selected as the Atlantic Fleet recipient. That’s right; CARNEY was the best for 2007 out of all 54 LANTFLT CGs, DDGs & FFGs.

There is no special ribbon or medal for this award, however by instruction COMSECONDFLT is required to present a cash prize to CARNEY on behalf of the CNO at an appropriate ceremony. We’ll let you know when that is. We’re not sure what the amount will be this year, but ships before us have received $25,000 directly into their MWR fund!!!

Congratulations to all CARNEY Warriors past and present who have worked selflessly to make our ship the best she can be!

HOO RAH!

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The Navy!

The USS Carney & crew are the newest members of "Aunt Nancy USA" troops! I could use a few new sponsors for some of the guys, just until June. Most get on email daily.

Update March 18: no new names came in, yet. I have a waiting list of about 20. As soon as I receive some new troops I will get them out to you who are waiting.

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The USS Carney is out to sea for 7 months.
Here's the ship's website: http://www.carney.navy.mil/
Click here for some history!

Here's some of what they do for fun:

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NOTE:
June 4, 2008 -- The USS Carney reached home port in Jacksonville, Florida!

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