To Bake Sales

Lifespires Bronx Comprehesive Services Center recently hosted a “Bake Sale for Body Armor”. On Wednesday, May 7, 2008 staff and program participants baked and sold cakes, pies, cookies and muffins in order to raise money for Bake Sales for Body Armor.

The staff, administration and participatns of the Bronx Center were all actively involved in this successful event.

We are pleased to announce that we raised $284.00 for the campaign.

Enclosed please find our money order for $284.00. We would love to hear from you and receive an update.

Barbara
Facility Director

Dear Barbara and all at the Bronx Center-

Thanks so much for your efforts. These funds will purchase a set of drop leg armor for a soldier in Iraq. This armor is much sought after to protect the femoral artery and the upper thigh of soldiers who do multiple patrols seeking IED’s. This is a piece of armor that is not supplied at all by our military.

We purchase the armor from BulletProofMe out of Austin. Each set costs $213.00 unless we purchase the additional ballistic plates, which makes the cost $422.00. The extra plates are sent for gunners whose legs are exposed through the windows of the vehicles they ride in.

The troops that sign up on Bake Sales appreciate the armor that we are able to send them, and thus, they appreciate those of you who make the effort to raise the money that makes it possible.

Tammara

Bake Sales has to extend its most grateful thanks to the students of Oklahoma City Community College, who have recently held their 4th Bake Sale. They raised $2500.00 in their most recent sale, which is much appreciated by us, as I just wrote a check to our supplier for $1670.00 for 6 pairs of drop leg armor, 2 with special plates for gunners for a unit who has just shipped out to Iraq and will be on missions to locate IED’s. We expect some more sign ups from this area- once the others in the unit realize that they can get help from us. We also have an order pending from a group that is getting ready to go in 3 months, and we are yet unsure how many pieces we need for them.

Jed Green who has led the Young Dems for the last several years has been very dedicated to our troops and to Bake Sales, and we owe him and all the students who are members of the Young Dems at Oklahoma City Community College more than we can ever express. There are some moms, wives and other familiy members out there who think the students at OCCC are angels, and in truth, they are.

OCCC, YOUNG DEMS ROCK

Some time back, a LCpl was signed up on the site for a helmet liner and a set of drop leg armor. We had the funds, made contact with his mother who had signed him up, and got the items shipped out to him. We got a thank you from both the LCpl and his very grateful mother.

A short while later, his mom was back.

This time, she wanted to sign up all the members of his unit for the helmet liners. That’s a lot of money Mom! She set off to find it. My last calculation was the the family and friends of the LCpl have raised $1689.00.
The helmet liners are on the way to Iraq.

Why do I think she’ll be back, trying for the drop leg armor?

Answer: She’s a Marine Mom, she loves her son and her country. She knows that the troops don’t have all they need, and if she can do anything about that, she is gonna. Because, just like me, when I knew my husband was safe, it wasn’t enough. All the rest of those troops are someone’s kid, brother or sister, nephew or niece, father or mother. All of them have someone back here, praying for them to come home whole. If there is a way to up the ante that they will come home whole we’ll do it.

Special thanks to the LCpl’s Mom, for not stopping at just her son. Special thanks to his family and friends for helping him to help his marines.

So, a couple of high school boys emailed me and asked if we were still buying armor. See article below for that answer. Once assured that we were indeed still in operation, they set off on a project for credit at school, and to raise funds for our troops.

They petitioned some family and friends, and sought out a corporate donation for $1000.00 and then on a rainy day here in Texas, they held a sale and made $941.00. A couple of days later they mailed that to me,  then a few days after that, another check for $55.00.

They told me that their sisters helped with the baking. Thanks ladies.

A most special thanks to Preston and Buck, for having decided to help Bake Sales help our troops. Their contribution buys nearly 37 helmet liners, or 9 sets of drop leg armor without plates. And don’t we know just where that equipment is needed.

Some folks have asked if we are still sending armor to Iraq. Answer: Unfortunately yes. We would rather not need to, we would rather know that our troops all have everything they need to protect themselves, but… we know otherwise.

Thus, this month we have sent drop leg armor to several soldiers and a marine, to protect their femoral arteries in case of IED. We have sent helmet liners to protect them from Tramatic Brain Injury due to concussion from explosions.

We are currently raising funds for 19 pairs of drop leg armor, for a single unit. These cost $219.00 a pair. We also need 6 sets of extra rifle plates (ceramic inserts for the drop leg platform) for the gunners in the unit, because their legs are exposed through the windows of the vehicles as they patrol, while the seated members of the squad are protected by the doors of the vehicles. Each set of the rifle plates cost $213.00.

So, I’ll do the math for us all, 19 x 219 = $4161 + 6 x 213 = $1278. That’s $5439.00 folks. It is a lot of money, but… if many of us give just a little, it will be done, and we can move on to the next group of our troops.

We also have group of Marines, whose LCpl got a set of our leg armor because his mother signed him up. She is now on a drive to get helmet liners for the rest of the Marines in his command, and two more sets of leg armor for them as well. This drive totals to $2800.00.

Meanwhile, a couple of Dallas High School kids held a Bake Sale last week, and sent out a contribution letter as well. They did the project for a class, and will have totaled donations and sent them in by Dec 10.

Remember, that the majority of our troops leave the equipment that we donate to them behind with others who replace them. Thus, our gear keeps on working. We applaud those troops who make this choice.

We recognized just how difficult a choice that is when we received a request from a young national guard member who we gave equipment to in 2005. If he had selfishly kept what he was given, he would be protected today, instead of waiting for us to raise funds while he risks his life every day. My heart was torn when I saw him on the list for the 2nd time.

Thanks to your help, we’ll get him covered… so please, be as generous as you can… and thanks so much for every dollar. Even the smallest amount helps.

The Bake Sales for Body Armor Staff is proud to announce that Oklahoma City Community Young Democrats will hold their third Bake Sale for Body Armor this week!

 The sale will be held in the Campus Union from 9:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M. Tuesday and Wednesday, October 2 and 3.

Imagine my surprise.  I was paying some bills and listening to the television when my phone rang.  The connection was bad and I struggled to hear the person on the other end.  After several attempts to understand the garbled message on the end of the line I was about to hang up when the words, “I am in Iraq right now” came through loud and clear.  I sat up, my bills and paperwork forgotten.  We struggled through several minutes of static and garbled transmissions, I understood that he is a Marine serving in Iraq who has been trying to get the latest version of issued body armor for several weeks.  Only his command will not receive the newest, most comfortable armor until he gets home.  He has tried to buy it on his own, but he was having logistical problems in achieving this.  He wanted to know if we could help.

In less than two hours, I had found what he needed, ordered it and sent him an email about his new armor.  It should arrive in Iraq in about a week.   As always, it is an honor to provide comfort and care for the men and women in Iraq.  But I have to, once again, shake my head and wonder why is it necessary?  Isn’t this the Marine Corps’ Job?

Charlie

This is an article I wrote for another Blog a few months ago.  In light of recent comments on the Dragon Skin article, I feel it is relevant now.- C
On May 20, 2007 NBC Nightly News aired a report on the ongoing controversy over the body armor American troops are currently issued. The report was the result of months of investigation and alleged that perhaps, America’s armed forces are not issued the best equipment available.

In response, the Army made a bold move: it released documents showing the results of ballistics tests. Next, the army held a series of briefings and press conferences.

“The Bottom line is, we feel that it’s important to clarify, give some context and certainly present facts about the body armor issue, primarily because of the two NBC news pieces,” Brigadier General Tony Cucolo recently told a Blogger’s Round Table conference Call. “We are most concerned that it might have shaken the confidence in the current body armor being worn by soldiers in combat, shaken the confidence of spouses and parents of those soldiers,” he said.

It seems logical that the army should make public statements to clarify the record and release crucial facts so that military families and service members can be confident that the gear issued to our military is the best available.

Yet while this is the first time the Army has attempted a full disclosure policy, it is not the first time that concerns over body armor have been voiced. On January 16, 2006, Major General Stephen Speakes, then the Army’s Director of Force Development, pronounced that when he was in Iraq in the spring of 2003 it was his job “ensure that every soldier who went north had the right body armor to go up into Iraq.” The general made this statement after being told by a member of the National Guard that his unit had not had appropriate body armor.

In March 2006, the Army issued a “Safety of Use Directive” banning privately purchased body armor.

“Because there were reports that soldiers and their families were starting to collect money to buy other armor solutions other than Interceptor body armor,” said Brigadier General Mark Brown.

Far from clarifying the facts surrounding the Safety of Use Directive, the Public Affairs office began making ridiculing statements about the organizers of the Bake Sales for Body Armor campaign. According to one report Pentagon officials accused the organizers, an Army-Wife and an Iraq War veteran, of waging a “mis and dis-information campaign” perceivably against the U.S. Army. Another official callously quipped “I’m sure that the U.S. Postal Service will enjoy the profit that they make.”

Now, thanks to NBC News, the body armor issue is once again in the spotlight. Perhaps, General Brown and General Cucolo are being candidly honest with Military Families, Soldiers, and the American People. But their new candor is a hard sell. In light of the Army’s past deceptions, why should anyone believe them now?

The following arrived in my mailbox this morning.  It is from the much relieved mother of a Marine currently in Iraq.  We were approached by this family to get the newest version of tactical vest when his unit was not going to get them until they return from Iraq in the fall.  However, the equipment he had did not fit properly and was uncomfortable.  As always it was our duty to provide this Marine with the gear he needed to complete his mission and come home.  It makes it easier when they don’t have to worry about their gear.
Charlie

Hey Charlie.  Finally heard from Chris last night after about 3 weeks!!  He got his armor!  He sounded a bit surprised that he got it already.  He was so happy.  He said it covers him much better than the old one and is much easier to deal with  and much more comfortable too.  He also said that there were many guys in his company who still had the very old vests.    I told him to contact you and tell you the situation.  I gave him your email and phone number.  They got phones put in recently so maybe he can call or email.  I told him he would have to give him names, etc.  If he can’t get you I will try to get the info.  All of those guys need this armor.

We really appreciate your helping Chris get his vest.  Its folks like you that make this all bearable.  You care about our guys!!  Thanks again.

[Name withheld for privacy]