Thanks from Soldiers and Family Members

Letter from Chaplain (COL) Mike Hoyt, Command Chaplain, Multi-National Forces - Iraq

Letter from Chaplain (COL) Chester Lanious, 1st Sustainment Command (Theater)

Email from Chaplain (CPT) Smith, 2/504 PIR Battalion Chaplain

Other email feedback from Our Soldiers and Chaplains

 

Quotes
2/22/10 Dear Mary, God’s timing is perfect in receiving your email today. Just today, I got the most recent Army Times with the obituaries of 3 young men in Harrison ’s platoon. I want to send Harrison the Psalm 91 bandanas to pass out to his hurting platoon mates. You sent my son enough bandanas for his platoon at Ranger school over a year ago. When getting to his first duty post, my son Michael Noel began ministering to the young soldiers and ended up discipling 2 in his home, one was Harrison, a 19 year old PFC.  When another unit’s outpost was totally overcome on Oct 3rd with heavy casualties, Harrison volunteered to go immediately as replacements. Last week, an IED exploded and Harrison was miraculously saved and just shaken up. Praise God! 4 others died in the explosion, 3 were his platoon mates. Harrison is trying to find ways to minister to his platoon mates. I want to send Harrison the Psalm 91 bandanas to pass out to his hurting platoon mates.  These bandanas are perfect! My son deploys in March, so I will get another box then. Penny Noel Mother of Lt. Michael Noel *** Ms. Gray, Thank you so much for the bandana with the psalm.  Not only will I carry His words with me but use the bandana when the windy season returns.  You are very generous. God bless. Respectfully, Anne MAJ Anne K.E. Brophy *** I just wanted to say thank you for the Psalm 91 bandana. I am currently stationed at Bagram Air field, Afghanistan and assigned to the F-15 Strike Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Our Squadron received a package from the Pine View Baptist Church in Goldsboro North Carolina and it contained the Operation Psalm 91 Bandanas. I will now read it and carry it with me daily. Thank you for the constant reminder of God's love and thank you for making a difference in my life! Technical Sergeant John Coghill USAF Bagram, Afghanistan     *** THANK YOU!! the bandanas will be a major blessing, I got guys asking for them all the time, so I can assure you that they will be passed out and put to good use.  Thank you for blessing us!!! SGT Leslie King
1/30/10 Thank you's received by our Georgia Chapter of Operation Bandanas: Dear Mr. Landrum, CSM Guy Taylor left a very nice bandana on my desk yesterday afternoon with one of my all-time favorite passages from the Bible, and I hear that you sent them.  As a follower of Christ, I trust in His guidance and protection and want to thank you for your kindness and generosity for remembering us here in this land so far away from home.  But, it is kind of like being a Christian--we are foreigners, strangers here our earth as our real home is in heaven.  Until the day that we meet our Savior, no matter where we are, we are covered with his wings of protection and can take refuge in the shadow of His love...we shall not be afraid, for He is with us.  May God richly bless you with His loving kindness as you walk your daily walk with Him. Sincerely, MSG Mary McNair *** Mr. Landrum, I'm delighted that you sent bandanas.  I gave my last three to my wife, son, and daughter.  That is the one thing missing on this deployment for me.  You've filled that gap.  I had it in IRAQ.  I feel safer wearing it close to my heart in my left pocket. Again, thank you for your continued service to this country. LTC Victor Walton United States Forces- Afghanistan *** Mr. Landrum, just a note to thank you for the bandana and good wishes that come with it. It's always nice to know folks back home have us in their thoughts. Thanks again, COL PETER D. ZAMARCHI HQ USFOR-A, JFEC *** Mr. Landrum Thank you for the bandanas you sent to us.  We appreciate you taking time to send us something that can be useful and encouraging.  Sincerely, SSG Eric Moore
12/14/09 The 7th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade, here in Bagram Afghanistan wanted to thank you for the support and the bandanas! They are great. I’ve included a picture of some of our teams out here. Thanks again, all the support from everyone back home is greatly appreciated!  CW4 P.Q., Bagram, Afghanistan
11/09/09 "I'm with Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 133 stationed out of Gulfport, MS . We are getting ready to deploy to Afghan shortly. Our Chaplin gave me the Psalm 91 military edition, which I never knew about. As a new  Christian deploying to a hot zone this promise from God is very comforting. If your organization has any bandanna's, I know that my battalion would love to have them for our upcoming deployment. Please let me know if this is possible. Thanks for everything you do."   "I am in need of about 600 bandanas for our troops that are deploying soon.  I think it will be of great benefit if each of them have a bandana to assure them of God's presence and love towards them.  How can obtain the bandanas?  Your help will be greatly appreciated."   "Could you be kind enough to send me 1000 Psalms 91 bandanas for my Battalion Marines/Sailors?"  Thank you.   A follow up (excerpt) to the thank you note on the back of the Newsletter about the Carpenter's shop... "Our Carpenters shop, well the Carpenters shop is what we call a B-hut.  A B-hut is a small ply wood building with a tin roof.  Because Christ is a carpenter and the huts are made from wood we felt it fitting that our simple plywood hut is named the Carpenter's shop.  We have since painted the inside with "Stained Glass" and a local artist painted a beautiful mural of a shepherd and flock of lambs.  Above the Mural is the prayer from Psalms "The lord is my sheapherd I shall not want" We scavenged some of the old buildings here on the FOB (Forward Operations Base) for two by fours and built pews.  Mary's program [Operation Bandanas] is one of the better received ones here.  The bandana's are one of the fastest things that go out.  Next is the music and candies and the passages we get that are laminated."
10/27/09 I just wanted to take a minute of you're time to say Thank You for the Psalm 91 Bandana.  I am a civilian "contractor" who is embedded with the 82nd Airborne in Southwest Afghanistan and I went to my first service in several months tonight and as I laid the bible down after the service, I noticed the bandana.  It will be washed and carried in my pocket!
7/15/09 I attend the Carpenter's Shop chapel at Camp Wright Asadabad Afghanistan.  I wanted to thank you for all that you have done for our modest little church.  We have been blessed with a small church made of plywood and tin there at Camp Wright.  My coworkers and I often pass out the Psalm 91 bandana's and the small cards that give the guys and girls that are traveling between the bases some comfort not only from the Lord but they also let us know that we have not been forgotten back home.  Thank you again for all that you have done for all of us at the Carpenter's Shop. Sincerely, Jim White
7/15/09 Hi Mary, My Soldiers and sailors are thrilled by the bandanas! May God continue to bless you! Sincerely, CH James Watanabe TF Lonestar
THANKS FROM A SOLDIER'S MOM 6/10/09 Thank you for this wonderful ministry....I use it to witness to soldiers that I know do not attend Church.....my son folded his bandana and wore it next to him in his flak jacket....I had it framed for him for Christmas....he cried when he opened it!!  Now, he can hang it in his new home....God is truly using this ministry!!   In Christian Love, Vicki Meisterhans
4/21/09 Good Day, Our unit which is an Army Reserve unit in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, are currently preparing for deployment.  Our Chaplain, (CPT) William Kneemiller passed out a number of your Bandanas. This is a word of Thanks from all of us here at the 649th Regional Support Group, in Cedar Rapids. We have several Local organizations that do support the Troops and families very well and this is not our first time to SWA, some of us have multiple tours as do our Active counterparts. To see someone like yourselves that pour your time, effort and monies into ensuring that the Soldiers know that they are loved, supported, and respected all over our great country does more to improve moral than can ever be measured by graphs or charts. From all of us here, a very grateful, and Heartfelt THANK YOU,  for All That You Do. God Bless you and your organization. Very Respectfully   John K. Laborde Command Sergeant Major 649th Regional Support Group Cedar Rapids, IA
2/19/09 I just wanted to send you a note now that we are getting settled into our deployment. My chaplain, his wife, and I handed out bandanas to all of our soldiers that wanted one as we were waiting for our buses beginning our journey to Iraq.  We gave out about 150-200 bandanas that night, and had the rest sent to us once we got here.  We have been in Iraq nearly a month now, and we keep a stash of the bandanas in a box of goodies that we take around to our units as they prepare for missions.  The guys are always thrilled to see us, and most of the time all they want is the Chaplain's prayer and a bandana!  The bandanas get snatched up faster than the candy it seems!  I can't tell you how many people see me coming and come up asking if I have any more bandanas because they know someone who needs one.  It is really a beautiful part of our ministry!  Thank you so much for helping us better serve our soldiers!  God Bless, SPC Amanda Conway, Chaplain's Assistant
1/5/09 Dear Ms. Gray and Operation Bandanas, My name is Mike Fellers, from Dallas Texas.  I'm currently stationed in Iraq to help provide security for logistical convoys throughout the country.  My Chaplain here handed out these bandanas to those who wanted one.  I think it is a great idea and I really appreciate the generosity of the people who gave to the cause.  I carry my bandana with me when I go on missions, so it is always in my pocket where I can pull it out to read the Psalm and draw on God's protection.  Thank you for making a difference for the Soldiers here.  The more times we read Psalm 91 the more we realize that if we just give our fears and worries to God, He will protect us from harm. Sincerely, 1LT Michael Fellers Tallil, Iraq PS  My Sunday school class back home has been asking how they can help me.  I'm going to let them know about your program so that maybe they can contribute!
12/29/08 (Handwritten note) Hello!  I am a Minnesota National Guard Soldier currently stationed in Joint Base Balad, Iraq.  I wanted to say thank you for your bandana operation.  I know I used it all through the summer and will do so in 2009 as well.  I love the message printed on the bandana.  Hope, faith and encouragement has never been so easy to carry!  It is people like your great group that make year long deployments away from family and friends so much easier.  Thank you for your time, efforts, and endless generosity.  God bless you and your families. Sincerely, Lynette Hoke SGT/MNARNG PS  There is something that makes the bandanas you give extra special…thank you again for blessing the troops.
12/25/08 I thought I would send this thank you on Christmas day, I just received one of your bandanas from my brother who lives in Durham. I live in Fayetteville, we are both Army brats and I thought it is funny how so far away, it was nice to receive something from home on Christmas Day.  Thanks for your service to the men and women of our Armed Forces… Merry Christmas.  BAB, MSgt Joint Base Balad, Iraq
10/18/08 Dear Operation Bandana, Thank you.  The desert camo 91st Psalm has been a highlight and encouragement throughout this tour.  I'm very happy to have a reminder of Jesus' promise in my life.  I also have enjoyed the privilege of passing out this promise to my comrades in arms.  Our/my Jesus is so sweet.  Thank God for people like you who love him!  Sincerely, SFC KW, US Army, Baghdad, Iraq
9/24/08 Dear Mary, I did get the bandanas, thank you and praise God.  I would certainly be willing to talk to anyone in response to your wonderful bandana ministry.  Here are some pictures with guys wearing the bandanas.  If there is anything else I can do just let me know. SFC Josh Bitle
9/23/08 Good afternoon Mary, Here are a few pictures of my Soldiers and me.  They really enjoyed putting on the bandanas and posing.  Front row: PFC Daniel Elorriaga, Me, Staff Sgt. LaToya Ruiz Back row: PFC Doug Frederick, Staff Sgt Tomas Vila, PFC Juan Miranda, Specialist Constantino Perivolaris, SGT Joe Hartley, PFC Chuck Burns, PFC Casey Jacobsen. I hope you like them.  Thank you again :) 1LT Vanessa L. Forbes, 69th Trans Co., 2d Platoon Leader
9/8/08 MARY, THEY JUST ARRIVED THIS WEEK, AND WE ARE PUSHING THEM OUT TO SOLDIERS LATER IN THE WEEK.  YOU KNOW, IT IS INCREDIBLE BUT TO THINK OF ALL THE THINGS THAT SOLDIERS DESIRE IN TIMES OF THEIR NEED FOR GOD - THEY USE THESE BANDANAS.   THEY DO SO MORE THAN JUST AS ANOTHER TA-50 ITEM.  MANY OF THEM READ THE PSALM DAILY AND FIND THEMSELVES MEDITATING ON IT.  V/R CH (MAJ) William "Chip" Nicholas, 3BCT, 4ID, Camp Taji, Iraq "And the God of all grace...will make you strong, firm and steadfast."  1 Peter 5.10 (niv)
7/26/08 Dear Mrs Gray, Your generosity and prayers are a beacon for us overseas.  I had the great blessing of receiving a bandana from a friend of mine shortly before coming here.  It has been a blessing to me and I knew that it would also bless others.  There are actually 80 in the entire company but we will be grateful for whatever you can send.  Thank you so much for your ministry and support of America's soldiers. SFC Josh Bitle, D Co, 2-7 Cav, 4 BCT, 1CD (Tallil, Iraq)
6/15/08 Thanks for replying back. The 2nd BCT, 1st Infantry Division ("Dagger" Brigade) from Schweinfurt, Germany, just moved to Grafenwoehr and reflagged as the 172nd Infantry Brigade ("Blackhawks".) You may remember hearing stories about them in Iraq last year; they lost a whole lot of soldiers during their last deployment, and just returned home this past November. [Click on this link for the Stars & Stripes newspaper article about this brigade] http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=55439&archive=true Since I believe so strongly that scripture is powerful, I'd really like to see them all armed with it this time around! A brigade typically has about 4,500 soldiers, but I'll try to come up with a more accurate count as soon as I can. Let me know what our community can do to help and I'd appreciate anything your organization could do to help these soldiers deploy again armed with God's Word. Thanks--Haila Hill Grafenwoehr Chapel Annex
Thank you for the Psalm 91 bandanas to distribute to my Battalion.  I had my two girls, ages 8 and 6, to draw on the bandana with a marker, and write stuff for me to read later. It is really nice to have something like that. I guess you could say the bandana has more than just one purpose: It can protect from the sun, provide a canvas for the kids, and remind me of the protection that God gives to His children. I heard another report from another soldier. He said his kids put paint on their hands and made handprints on the sides of the bandana. That way their daddy could remember them well in Afghanistan. Chaplain Kevin Guthrie Task Force Eagle - FOB Orgun, 1-503rd, 173rd ABN
...One “tradition” you may or may not be aware of that’s developed on the part of some Soldiers is having their fellow Soldiers / friends “sign” these bandanas as a keepsake before headed home to remind them of God’s Protection and those who shared it with them . Blessings, CH (MAJ) Jeff Hawkin 2nd Brigade Combat Team Chaplain, 82nd ABN, Camp Taji, Iraq
I have attached a picture for you from a memorial service for one of our soldiers. You will notice one of the bandana's framed and placed on the memorial display. Two others are used in each of the boots, to make them look nicer and add a ceremonial touch. Many soldiers also carry them with them on a daily basis. My prayer, as I'm sure yours is too, is that those that know the true meaning of God's Word would constantly be reminded when they see them, and perhaps those who have not surrendered thier hearts to the Lord would be gently nudged by His Spirit one day while looking at the Words of Scripture on the bandana. Either way, each of us does a small part planting seeds, and God does the rest. Thank you for being a co-laborer for Jesus Christ, and support the troops. (Link to picture) God Bless. Chaplain Davis, USASOC
I received a Psalm 91 bandana from a Army Chaplain. I wanted to tell you I read Psalm 91 every night. I carry the bandana and it will never leave my side. Thank you for your thoughtful, inspired, and beautiful gift. God Bless you. You are in my prayers. God Bless America, Tony Sutter, LTC, US Army
A GIANT THANK YOU! You are the best, I have been giving out your awesome bandanas and the soldiers love them. The book and study are on my bookstand. If you could send more of those I would love it! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you and your generosity. The work here is long and tiring but when I have goodies to hand out to soldiers, especially items like your bandanas it really makes a difference! God bless and I look forward to hearing from you! In Christ, CH (CPT) Lenny Siems, HHC, 1-68 AR, 3BCT,4ID
What a HUGE blessing to receive the Psalm 91 bandanas.  They are being offered at our convoy prayers and at chapel services and are always well received.  Thanks so much for your generosity and faithfulness! In His Care, CH Jeff (Maj) Hawkins, 2nd BCT Chaplain, 82nd ABN Also from CH Hawkins: Thanks again so very much for the wonderful bandanas.  Rest assured that they have found their way all across Baghdad in our units with some of the most intense duty.  A wonderful ministry!!  Hope to thank you in person at home in 2008!
Thanks so much for the bandanas - we need them and much appreciate them. If you can send more, please do. The soldiers love them and are begging for more. CH(LTC) Harlon Triplett Division Chaplain, Third Infantry Division	Thank you so much for your support of our deployed soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines and especially the camo bandanas with Psalm 91 printed on them.  They are a great reminder of God’s constant care for us. Please keep us in your prayers and know that we in the field appreciate your support. CH (MAJ) David Bowerman, 1st BCT, 3rd Inf Div

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