Care packages offer boost to area soldiers

Care packages offer boost to area soldiers

Lansing State Journal
Published October 23, 2003

Marine Pfc. Jerome Smith can tell you exactly how many care packages his platoon got during his four-month stay in Iraq: 11.

And the most cherished items: beef jerky and baby wipes.

Smith, 21, of Charlotte, said the baby wipes helped troops stay clean while the jerky was just plain tasty.

"We looked forward to that," he said.

Smith, a heavy machine gunner who returned home Oct. 5, said the boxes also were stocked full of necessities, as well as items such as candy to remind them of home.

"Every time we heard we got mail everyone would go around looking at who got what," he said. "It made you feel good when you had boxes piled up on a rack and it had supplies that you needed."

Maybe half the time for these guys and let the big wigs move to the tents.