RAFINO Report #28 Summer 2002 - OPERATION FINANCE CARES

The U.S. Army Finance and Accounting Center (now U.S. Army Finance Command) launched Operation Finance Cares. It enabled those of us back here in the states to send cards, letters, and/or care packages to those troops that were deployed worldwide.

I would first like to wish you and your co-workers at the U. S. Army Finance & Acctg. Command a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I would next like to thank you and everyone for the tremendous support you provided during the Holiday Season. I can assure you that my soldiers had a wonderful Christmas despite the fact that they are so far from home.

Most of the soldiers started the holiday by attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve or services on Christmas morning. At 12 noon, we had all the members attend a party/prayer gathering at the 50th Finance Bn (Fwd) Hq. on Eagle Base. The soldiers from Commanche base made it to the gathering but the soldiers from Sarajevo could not due to road conditions. With a foot of snow on the ground, we all gathered and exchanged gifts among ourselves. Our Eagle Base CCO 1LT Donna Sims led us in prayer after which each soldier lit a candle and dedicated it to someone special to him/her. Many soldiers dedicated them to family members, but several dedicated their candles to fallen soldiers past and present, victims of the WTC and our fellow soldiers deployed through-out the world. I personally dedicated mine to police officers from New York and New Jersey.

I was quite impressed with the sincerity of my young soldiers during this solemn moment of prayer. After all the prayers and dedications, we distributed the goodies from the numerous packages that we received from our friends and supporters at DFAS.

The soldiers were like young children, yelling in amazement at the "Excellent" gifts they received. I could see where most of the candy and cookies went during our PT exercise this morning at 0600 hours. I too had some trouble running after all those sweets.

I was quite impressed with several of my young soldiers during this Holiday season. Many received "CARE" packages from home for the Holidays and quite a number of the soldiers donated them to two local schools in the area. Several soldiers convoyed to the schools and displaced persons camps and distributed the items to the children there. Many of the soldiers played games with the children and helped them with arts and crafts. The Battalion Commander and XO took the lead on getting additional school supplies from schools and Boy Scout groups in New Jersey. Somehow, the Battalion Commander was able to secure a promise of future school supplies from the Sophomore class of the West Point Military Academy.

These young soldiers never seem to stop amazing me at times with their actions. I thought they would be down in the doldrums for Christmas but they surprised me. They were laughing and singing and having a merry time for themselves. The members of the Battalion that attended the prayer gathering then went to dinner together at the DFAC. The dinner was excellent and the mood was joyous. Afterwards, a variety group from the West Coast put on a show for the troops which was quite impressive to me. Unfortunately, many of the young soldiers did not know the words to many songs because they were produced long before many of them were born.

Again I would like to thank you and your coworkers for their gifts and their messages of support and hope. We will be sending pictures of our soldiers from Christmas as well as the web address to access more pictures of our soldiers. God bless you, your family and your friends for your generous gifts and your prayers.