News Article

“Letters to the Troops” campaign kicks off

The Cosby High School Library Club is challenging all other school-related clubs to participate in the Family Readiness Group’s Letters to the Troops. Seated, from left, are Steven Leatherwood, Brittany Spriggs, Daniel Sutton, Norman Thomas, and Maggie Holt, who brother is training in Camp Shelby. Standing, from left, are Beth Sutton, West Stuart, and Mary Clark. ©2004 NPT PHOTO By STEVE BLANCHETT

By: STEVE BLANCHETT
Source: The Newport Plain Talk
08-26-2004

NEWPORT–The Family Readiness Group (FRG) of the Tennessee Army National Guard Troop E 2/278thArmored Cavalry Regiment of Newport is kicking off its "Letters to the Troops" campaign in hopes of enlisting the aid of the students and other citizens in Cocke County.

FRG President Cyndi Seaman said on Wednesday that if people would take just a little of their time to send a letter to one of the soldiers, it would help to raise their morale.

"That is what they need more than anything else right now," said Seaman. "They are going through a very difficult time because their training is so intense and they are so far from home."

FRG Representative Mary Anne Shults said the FRG is starting the campaign to help increase awareness in the community that the soldiers need more mail.

"I’ve been trying to write all of the soldiers as often as possible because some of them aren’t receiving very much mail," said Shults, who is the wife of SSG Charles Shults. "Some of them are getting mail almost everyday and that makes it harder on the ones who don’t." Shults said that the Cosby High School Library Club has agreed to be one of the first to join the campaign.

CHS Library Club Sponsor Judy Webb said there a lot students that she has taught throughout the years in Camp Shelby.

"They are the parents of our present students," said Webb. "We want them to feel like the are cared about and comfortable in the fact that we remember them and won’t forget them while they are doing what they were called to do. That is very important at this time that they feel loved." Library Club Member Maggie Holder, who is the sister of PV2 Jason Holder, said it is very important to send letters to the soldiers because they are getting home sick and they need to know their family and friends care.

"They need to know we haven’t forgotten about them," said Holder. "I love my brother and all of the soldiers and I want them to return home safely and I want everyone to send them more mail." Holder said she is issuing a challenge to all school-related clubs to help with this project.

"We must support the Family Readiness Group’s 'Letter to the Troops' campaign," said Holder. "It will let them know we care." Library Club Member Steven Leatherwood said by sending letters, it will give them encouragement and let them know what they are doing is important.

"When you don’t have anything, a few good kindhearted words of encouragement from home can help a lot," said Library Club Member Norman Thomas.

Webb also said the club would also try to send the troops gifts for the holidays to let them know everyone at home is thinking about them and loves them.

The members of the library club include Holder, Leatherwood, Thomas, Mary Clark, Joan Clelland, Kelly Gray, Linda O’Sicky, Annmarie Ruch, Brittany Spriggs, Wesley Stuart, Beth Sutton, Kayla Webb, Leah Naillon, Jessica Goolsby, E. G. Jenkins, Wes Sparks, Tiffany Layman, and Tiffanie Hartsell.

There were 104 soldiers deployed from Newport on June 20 and now only 65 remain in intensive training in Camp Shelby, Miss.

"The other 39 soldiers have returned home, but some of them will still have to go to back to the unit," said Shults. "The soldiers that had to come home have done so mostly for medical reasons."

"The soldiers look forward to receiving letters and the Family Readiness Group would greatly appreciate the support of the community on this project," said Shults. "We are asking the students as well as anyone else who can to become involved. It’s very important to keep up the morale of the troops so they don’t feel alone and this is the best way we can think of to accomplish that goal."

Shults said the troops will be leaving Camp Shelby in late September to finalize their desert training at Fort Irwin in California before being deployed to Iraq.

Letters to the Troops can be sent as follows:

Rank and Name of Soldier
Troop E 2/278thACR
2490 25th Street
Camp Shelby, Miss., 39407-550

Soldier names were deleted from this article.

The FRG meets the third Saturday of each month at 2 p.m. in the Armory at 7055 Armory Road.

Shults said on Sept. 18, the Support Group meeting will have a quest speaker and everyone is invited to attend.

"The meeting help provide support for the families of the soldiers who have been deployed," said Shults. "I’m not the only one going through this. There are a lot of us and we need you support. We miss our loved ones. We are a family and we need the support of our community to help us during through this difficult time." Shults said the FRG will be attending all of the upcoming festivals and "Support the Troops" stickers will be available for $3 each.

Gregg Martin, of Mariner Health of Newport, said that Mariner is offering its facility as a drop-off point for donated items, as has Ryan’s Family Steakhouse. Martin said he is a retired military person.

"I’ve been on a few six-month deployments and there’s two things that devastate a serviceman’s morale," said Martin. "The first is no communication from home. They need any kind of communication, be it letters from loved ones, from churches, articles from the newspaper, and care packages from nursing homes, so you get the point. The second is knowing their family is in trouble and there’s not a thing they can do about it. This is the real killer. Sometimes literally."

Martin said the stress of deployments alone, not to mention combat, results in nervous breakdowns, suicides, and divorces.

"They will need all the support this community can muster if these families are to make it," said Martin. "Our community needs to be galvanized behind this effort. These service members are not just National Guardsmen—they’re neighbors, co-workers, and relatives.

"These guys in the National Guard, they joined ready to serve, but figuring the odds would be against it. As a result, their lives and relationships are for the most part civilianized," said Martin. "Wives and children never expected husbands and fathers to go, and husbands never expected to leave their families. They had lives, jobs, and household projects in various stages of completion. Now they’re gone for a long time."

Martin said his esprit de corps runs deep because you can take the man out of the military, but you can never take the military out of the man.

For more information or for family support contact the armory at 623-1266 or contact one of the FRG officers, Seaman at 487-2469, Vice-President Marlene Denton at 625-1235, Secretary Missy Mathis at 608-2903, or Treasurer Brenda Southerland at 623-9456.

Donations may also be brought to Newport Ace Hardware at 237 East Broadway or phone the business at 623-2161 for more information, as Southerland is employed by the hardware.

Tennessee National Guard Maj. David Willis recently announced that the 278th will deploy later this year in northern Iraq to replace the 1st Infantry Division.

Officials said the region being patrolled by the ast Infantry Division includes the hotbed of Tikrit and portions of the Sunni triangle.

Willis said the 278th will primarily be assigned to foot patrols and convoys.

The 278th is an armored cavalry regiment and has not seen action since the Korean War, so this will be a new experience for the soldiers of the 278th.

Click Here to return to Troop E Homepage.

Click Here to return to 2/278th ACR Homepage.