Mail equals love
It’s 1458 on a sunny Monday afternoon, and a line begins to form outside the Brigade’s mail room with Soldiers checking to see if they received any mail that day. Promptly at 1500, the doors open and mail is given to those patiently waiting.
“Getting mail is one of my favorite parts of the day, it really feels good to get something from home,” said Spc. Todd Robins, Headquarters, Task Force 34 Human Resources Specialist. “It shows that someone took the time to send something to me, they were thinking about me.”
The Brigade mail room is run at the company level by Soldiers Spc. Jamie Eccles and Spc. Troy Vance.
“There have been good reactions and bad reactions, depending on what exactly they get,” said Spc. Troy Vance, Task Force 34 Headquarters Mail Room Clerk. “A bill gets less of a dramatic reaction than a package, of course. Cards are a welcome Birthday or holiday greeting.”
At 1500 Monday through Saturday, a white board is posted at the mail room desk with the names of Soldiers who have mail. Many Soldiers take this board as the “They Love Me” board.
“My theory is, if I receive a package sometime this week, about a week ago, someone loved me enough to send me a package,” said Cpl. Zachary Gardner, HHC Task Force 34 Signal Support Specialist.
If you receive mail that day, you’re loved. If you don’t receive mail that day, you aren’t loved. Many Soldiers come into the mail room in hopes of seeing their name on the mail board for the day.
“Mail is definitely a morale boost. Soldiers here need a little bit of home brought to them when they are so far away and in these conditions. It helps to maintain a sense of stability and balance at home and here in Balad,” Spc. Vance said. “Whether it be in the form of something they ordered from Amazon or something a family member has sent, it is a little bit of home in every piece of mail.”
By SPC Jamie Eccles, HHC Task Force 34 Unit Public Affairs Representative
Dec. 20, 2008
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