Operation 'Touch our Warriors' brings cheer to deployed Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman Stacy Sanchez
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Bringing joy to loved ones far from home, Operation "Touch our Warriors" and Team Edwards pulled together to collect donations to make care packages for our deployed troops at the Edwards Base Exchange and Commissary Nov. 21 and 22.

Operation "Touch our Warriors" is determined to ensure all deployed troops that they are not forgotten while deployed. The program also aims to educate those new to the Air Force of the importance of the deployments mission by including them in the gathering, sorting and packing of the items, said Master Sgt. Michael Brown, Control Tower chief controller.

Items collected for the deployed troops ranged from energy drinks and cookies to DVDs and paperback books, all in an effort to send more than 200 care packages to airmen who are currently deployed.

The Company Grade Officers Council, the First Sergeants Council, Edwards Top 3, the Air Force Sergeants Association, the Middle Tier Association and the Enlisted and Officers' Spouses' Club set up booths in front on the Base Exchange and the Commissary with a list of items needed by the deployed troops, said Master Sgt. Shawn Aldridge, 95th Air Base Wing superintendent.

"Through the generosity of the Edwards community we received several donations," Sergeant Aldridge said. "As people walked into the facility to buy what they needed, they were kind enough to buy a few items that we asked for and donated to Operation "Touch our Warriors."

Operation "Touch our Warriors" collected about $3,500 worth of items, enough to fill about 200 care packages to our deployed airmen, Sergeant Aldridge said.

"Hopefully, this will bring our deployed Airmen a little holiday cheer," said Sergeant Brown. "This is 'one team, one fight.' They may not be here but we are still all one team who needs support one another."

The operation will be packing the Airmen's care packages Saturday in the conference room of building 3000 at 10 a.m.

"All Airmen should be involved with this project because this is what we are truly about; supporting each other," Sergeant Brown said. "We need to make sure that we have our new troops involved so they can begin to understand what it is to be part of a team that makes positive things happen for each other."

Sergeant Aldridge said he wants to continue this next Air Expeditionary Force rotation making this event an even larger success.

"In fact, I told an Airman who was helping me pack up, 'I want you to remember 15 years from now what you're doing today, and I want you to repeat this so we can continue to take care of our Airmen down range and in the future,'" Sergeant Aldridge said.

Operation "Touch our warriors" hopes to get their care packages sent by Monday so deployed airmen can receive them in time for the holidays.

"I know I was gone over the holidays last year," Sergeant Aldridge said. "So I think it would be nice for them to get a holiday care package that has a little taste of home."