Christmas deadline nears for sending items to the troops

Christmas is six weeks and 12 days away and I haven’t bought the first thing. Over the weekend I talked to someone who already has her gifts wrapped.
Over-achiever.

If you are like me and haven’t started shopping yet, then here’s something you need to know. If you are going to send cards and packages to military personnel, they need to be sent by Nov. 24 — that’s 17 days away. You can find more guidelines on sending packages to the military at the Post Office Web site: www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/

At the request of Fain Hamrick, whose son, Brad, is serving in Al Asad, and the Military Support Group, The Star has been collecting names and addresses of soldiers with ties to Cleveland County. The Military Support Group gets regular requests for addresses, but they only have the names of their relatives.

Last week, Royce Hamrick stopped by the office to pick up a copy of the list because his organization, Marine Corps League, Foothills Detachment No. 1164, usually sends Christmas cards and care packages to the soldiers.

Both Royce and Fain think the list should be longer.

If you know of someone who is serving in the military, please send their name and address to The Star so people in Cleveland County can remember them at Christmas. You can leave the names on the Random Acts of Kindness blog at shelbystar.com or e-mail them to jackiebridges@shelbystar.com or mail them to Jackie Bridges, The Star, P.O. Box 48, Shelby, NC 28151.

Here are the names we have so far:

SRMSG Dennis Pearson
29 Cedarbrook
Troy, Ill. 62294

Sgt. Marcos Pearson
C-3/7 CAV (MECH)
Unit No. 93422
APO AE 09303-8422

TSGT Bowen, Mitchell
JLTF 1144th
70 MTD USAF
APO AE 09366

Pfc. Skelton
Unit 5928, B. Company
2-325 Air 82nd Airborne Division
Camp Taji, IRAQ
APO AE 09378

SFC Wanda Ross
488th CSC Unit # 6510
APO AE 09375

PFC Clark, Samuel R.
70th EN, HHC
OrgunE
APO AE 09354

SPC. Ross, Derek
Unit# 5972
HHT 3-7 CAV
APO AE 09378

Sgt. W. Scott Richard
146 Sig. Met SPP
CMR 467 Box 641
APO AE 09096

SSG Manning, Mervin L.
BO 72nd Sig B
CMR 435 Box 297
APO AE 09086

S.Sgt. Jeffrey L. Brackett
VMAQ-2 Unit 78011
FPO AE 09509-8011

LCpl. Thomas Burke
VMAQ-2 Unit 78011
FPO AE 09509-8011

LCpl. Cody Ford
VMAQ-2 Unit 78011
FPO AE 09509-8011

Cpl. Cory Lotspeich
VMAQ-2 Unit 78011
FPO AE 09509-8011

1Sg. Arrowood, Rodney W.
DFST 5/7 CAU
1 BCT 3ID
APO AE 09387

Mologne House
Sgt. Johannson, Tim
Room 221
6900 Georgia Ave NW Building 20 Washington, DC 20307

Spc. Simmons, Louis
26th BSB 3ID
APO AE 09321

Tiffani Lawter
380th ESFS/ SFOB
APO AE 09853

Renita Hutson
380th ESFS/SFOB
APO AE 09853

PFC, Stroup, Jonathan T.
E. Co. 1-2 AVN Regt.
Unit 15008 Box # 393
APO AP 96297-5008

AIC Adam Greene
455 EAMXS/336
EAMU-F15E
APO AE 09354

SGT Louis A. Barber
1132nd MPCO.95th MPBN
FOB Rustamiyah
APO AE 09390-2402

SGT Abernethy, Cole
C Co 2-22 IN HQ 1/10th MTN
FOB Warrior
APO AE 09338

Major Derek M. Vinson
HHC 7th Sustainment BDE
APO AE 09331

Lt. Bradley Hamrick
F Co. 2-504
PIR Unit No. 73312
Al Asad Air Base
APO AE 09333