Heartbreaking. If we had to sum up the situation in a word, that’d come the closest. Though even “heartbreaking” fails to adequately convey the conditions our service members are facing. This story was brought to our attention by TroopsDirect, a non-profit group that’s made it their mission to deliver aid to our soldiers.
TroopsDirect got its start when Aaron Negherbon, the founder, sent a simple care package to one of his friends. When the Marine received the package he expressed gratitude but conveyed the need to share the contents with the 150 Marines under his command. Negherbon quickly discovered a growing trend of service members that were making due with inadequate equipment.
The site lists some of the horrifying conditions these troops have suffered through, we’ve included them below.
- When our service members were drinking impure well water pumped out of the ground in 130 degree heat, TroopsDirect shipped over 50,000 units of hydrating drink powder.
- When medics in a combat zone were waiting over 4 weeks for additional stretchers, stethoscopes, syringes and gauze from their own military supply lines, TroopsDirect filled their request for help in less than 3 hours.
- When several units had no protein in their diets and were eating less than one meal a day, TroopsDirect was there with over 5 tons of nutritional supplements, energy bars and protein powder.
- When one battalion was resorting to using bottle caps to mark where land mines were emplaced, TroopsDirect was there with over 50 cases of chalk powder for marking these areas and saving American lives.
- When our troops were going over a month without bathing or brushing their teeth, TroopsDirect was there with over 10,000 packets of body wash & 2000 tubes of toothpaste.
- When one unit was waiting over 12 months for parts to fix a broken down generator, TroopsDirect acquired and shipped the needed parts. IN 72 HOURS.
- When an elite team was deploying from the U.S. to a critical ‘hot spot’, TroopsDirect got them all the requested items that were unavailable to them here in the States. OVERNIGHT.
- When an infantry unit of 150 service members was without gloves and replacement socks in the dead of winter, TroopsDirect shipped a full resupply of these items.
It’s truly stomach-turning…that this administration would rather spend money elsewhere as opposed to supporting those fighting for America’s freedom. Be it gun bans, bailouts, or Obamacare—these issues apparently mean more to the president. Even Guantanamo gets soccer fields for detainees, while our soldiers make due with faulty metal detectors and chalk powder for IED identification.
TroopDirect is trying to send a message, that if these supplies make a difference–no matter how small–then they are just doing their part to ensure troops return home safely to friends, family and especially their parents. And that’s a message we can always show support for.