Help is needed in Kandahar

Good Morning, My name is Karan Hancock, I have done several Quilts Of Valor. My husband is a Navy Seabee that is presently deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Recently, his unit Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 18 (NMCB18) found out something disturbing that I think you could help with.

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 18 (NMCB 18) is a reserve Navy Seabee unit that has been deployed to Afghanistan. The base where they are living is also the place where wounded Army personnel are brought for treatment. These are the service members that are not urgent enough to be transported to Germany, but are too injured to go back to their unit. The wounded warriors can be at this camp for a couple of days or a couple of weeks. It all depends on how fast the Army can get orders for them to go home or to go back to their unit. During this time the wounded warriors are given a cot in a huge tent. All they have are the clothes on their backs which are often dirty, bloody and cut open from getting medical treatment. As a result, many stay in their tents, in their battered clothing, with nothing to do.

When NMCB 18 saw this, they jumped into action to help. They built shelves, chairs, and a deck and requested that the folks back home send toiletries.

Here is a list of things that are needed: soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste; blankets; bedding; small towels; socks; Crocs(footwear men’s sizes 9-11); t-shirts; underwear; sweat pants; sweat shirts; and books. They request clothing sizes to vary in sizes from Medium on up. The colder it gets the more important the warm clothing will become. Try to keep things unisex in color.

All the items can be shipped to:

UCCM Ralph Hancock,

NMCB 18 Main Body,

FPO AA 34099-1701.

He will make sure that all the items reach the wounded warriors. If you use the “large Flat Rate Box for APO/FPO addresses” the post office will give you a discounted rate for shipping, only $12.50. You will also be required to fill out a customs form.

If you have questions please feel free to contact Karan Hancock, NMCB 18’s Family Readiness Group president at nmcb18airdet@aol.com or by phone at 503-524-5648 (Pacific Time).

Karan Hancock is a Navy spouse and a quilter of QOVs. You can check out NMCB 18’s Wounded Warrior Program on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/notes/nmcb-18-deployment/public-affairs-office-update/162899177056429.

Please, help the Navy to help the Army’s Wounded Warriors.