Soldiers visit Mooreland group

MOORELAND –Two soldiers who served in the war on terror discussed their experiences in battle and the needs of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan at a meeting of the Mooreland Moms for the Military on Monday afternoon.

Jay and Pete Wright, brothers from Fargo, have served a combined three tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Jay is a private first class in the Army and served in Afghanistan from June 2008 until February 2009.

Pete is a corporal in the Marines and served his first tour in Iraq in June 2006. His latest stint in the country lasted from July 2007 until February 2008.

Both soldiers were on leave and decided to come home to see their mother, Kathy, and meet will some of the people who have sent care packages to them.

The Mooreland Moms for the Military started sending packages to troops in December of 2008. The group has sent 30 packages thus far this year.

Organizer Bernice Anderson said more packages are ready to send, but the group does not have the names of troops to send them to. She said troops do not have to be from the Woodward area to have a package sent to them, just as long as they want a care package.

The soldiers said there is a big need for care packages overseas. Travel pillows, batteries and junk food were items needed in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Socks and face scarves in gray, tan or olive were mentioned by Jay as needed in Afghanistan. Pete said eye drops and sling shots to ward off wild dogs in Iraq would be greatly appreciated by the troops.

“We appreciate all the work you put into it,” Jay said. “And it’s all worth it. Care packages were a very special time for the guys.”

Care packages typically take about a week and a half to reach the troops, although Jay said it could take longer due to weather.

Jay said he was stationed in a mountainous region of Afghanistan that was only accessible by helicopter. Sometimes the weather would not permit helicopter drops, especially when there was three feet of snow on the ground.

Included in the care packages are toys and hats for children in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As far as combat went, Jay said two hours after his unit arrived a fire fight started. Things eventually calmed down in his region of Afghanistan as his unit drove Taliban forces back far enough that they did not have to fire their weapons for two months.

Pete’s first tour in Iraq was much different. It occurred when things were turbulent in that country. His unit went on two three hour patrols per day on foot. The abandoned school house where he stayed was home to 212 Marines and had no electricity.

With temperatures in June running into the 140s Pete said laundry soap would have been a big help so the troops could wash their clothes that were full of sweet.

On Pete’s second tour in 2007, he said he did not pull his trigger at all. By then an Iraqi police force had been set up to do all the fighting. This allowed his unit to focus on building three schools and handing out water, toys and medical supplies to Iraqi villagers.

Each soldier said they were against troop reductions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“I don’t want to see people deployed or people killed,” Jay said. “But when they are deployed you best believe we are doing a good thing. To pull out now would undo all our good and be a waste of American blood.”

He said when his unit was being pulled out of Afghanistan the governor of the province came and begged for the troops not to leave. For the first time in a long time it had been safe for villagers to walk in the streets.

“It was worth it all to see the relief in their faces,” Jay said.

When Jay and Pete finish their leave they will be heading to opposite sides of the world.

Jay will be stationed in Germany where his unit will help prepare other units for the fighting they will see in Afghanistan. Pete will be stationed in Hawaii as a Marine rifle instructor.

Anderson said donations are always welcome by her group, especially cash for postage as prices have gone up.

The Mooreland Moms for the Military meets every week to work on putting together care packages, knitting stockings for children, and making hugs and kisses.

A hug is a piece of fabric that is filled with polymer crystals. When the crystals become wet, the fabric expands and can be used as a neck cooler for troops. A kiss is a similar combination of fabric and crystals, but goes inside a troop’s helmet to cool down their head.

Anderson said donations have come in from businesses and people from all over the area, especially those at the senior center.

“The people in the county have been so generous,” Anderson said.