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Letter from our Troop:
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Charlie Company

We call ourselves “Team Charlie.” We created this name back in Salem, as we are more than a company-sized element. In Oregon we have parts of two other companies that live with us at the facility, those are the Maintainers (D company) and the Fuelers (E company). As one large unit, we do not segregate the companies thus we call ourselves Team Charlie to include all of our family from home.

Here in Balad we have successfully flown well over a thousand combat hours, while doing so we have moved over 500 patients. These patients vary from routine patients that are being moved in order to get to an appointment, or have minor injuries that can wait until the MEDEVAC assets have the availability to move them. We usually conduct that mission nightly, moving anywhere from two to twenty patients in a night. We also move patients that are classified as Priority or Urgent. These patients suffer from such things as gunshot wounds, to vehicle roll over’s. Sometimes, these missions even include the movement of blood for hospitals that may have patients on the table in need of more blood.

As an example, on an Urgent mission, we respond, get to the aircraft, and took off within 15 minutes, with a normal average of 10 minutes. Priority missions have a little more time for response, but we try to treat all patients as urgent and get to them as quickly as possible.

We fly the UH60 Blackhawk with one crew chief and one medic in the back. The crew chief often aids the medic in simple care and loading of patients. The aircraft is piloted by two pilots who during transportation of patients try to focus on being quiet on the radios as to give way to the medics needing to talk to their patient and of course, pilots are focusing on getting the aircraft safely from place to place.

We have the best mission in the country, but also the saddest. We know each time we launch there is someone that is hurt somewhere. This may be a simple injury, a heart attack, or an injury from enemy fire, but we are always prepared for the worst. The worst that most of us have had to encounter here is meeting a small 3 year old that was shot by a family member, and an 18 year old girl burned by her own parent because she was found to be pregnant. The tragedies that we as Americans do not have to face on a daily basis within normal society are the hardest to handle. When an American Soldier is injured, it pulls at our heartstrings but we know they were doing their job and it was something they volunteered for. These local nationals that are being hurt by their own family members makes us remember why we are fighting to help these people and why we are fighting to save our own freedom. We are proud of what we do and very glad to have your support.

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WHY and HOW to SUPPORT our TROOP
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The 158 service people are currently stationed in Balad, Iraq. Many of them do not receive mail or packages, which mean so much to those serving far from home. The most important way you can show your support is with personal letters of appreciation and encouragement. Please bring as many as you can and enlist friends and family to write them to bring to the meeting with you. However, we also want to send yummy and/or fun goodies. Select from the list below, or use your imagination. Bring items to each monthly meeting, and we will ship them. If you prefer, you many donate funds for the purchase of items and to pay for shipping.

WRITE A NOTE: <click here for a note page to write on>

FOOD ITEMS: Strong coffee beans; flavored coffee syrups (Carmel, Vanilla, etc); Chai tea in individual packets (regular tea not needed); smoked salmon and beef, turkey or salmon Jerkies; packets of nuts and cans of mixed nuts; hard candies, red Twizzlers and jelly bellies; round bubble gum—various flavors; dried fruit (no sugar added); organic sea salt; Fritos, Cheetos, Pringles, etc.; prepackaged soup cups, including Raman noodles. The temps range from 120 to 150 degrees during the day and 89 to 100 degrees at night, as such, things melt.

HOMEADE COOKIES: favorites are chocolate chip (substitute M&Ms May-October) peanut butter, oatmeal-raisen and snickerdoodles). BE SURE TO UNDERBAKE THEM! Bring cookies or bars in zip lock bags, and Sue Hewson will package them properly for shipping. Favorite recipes will be posted soon on the website.

If you have any questions about items please contact
Sue Hewson at 503-703-1979 or shews92NOSPAM@yahoo.com