In an effort to Support Our Troops the Westchester County Veterans Service Agency is
sending care packages to Westchester County residents who are currently on active duty
overseas. If you would like to send  a care package or know someone from Westchester
who is overseas, please call our office at (914) 995-2145/6 for further information.


The following letters are from soldiers who are currently overseas.
 

AL ASAD, Iraq (June 29, 2005) --  On Sept. 11, 2001, Lance Cpl. James Connolly was a senior at Walter Panas High School in Westchester, N.Y. While the horrible events of that day took place only 40 minutes away he felt helpless as he watched the news on television.

His father, a member of the New York City Police Department, was at ground zero as the terror unfolded and his brother, also a member of the NYPD and a Coast Guard reservist was called to guard a nearby nuclear power plant.

Feeling angered and annoyed, Connolly waited until he graduated from school and was able to join the Marine Corps in 2002 to do his part.

"I wanted a challenge," said Connolly, a runway crewman with Marine Wing Support Squadron 271. "Marines are the ones who fight so that is what I wanted to do. Joining the Marine Corps was a way for me to do my part for the events that happened on 9-11."

Joining the Marine Corps was not what his family had in mind for the recent high school graduate. His parents tried to convince him to think about a different service, if any service at all.

"When I first told them I wanted to enlist in the Marine Corps they were shocked," Connolly said. "But since I left for boot camp they have been really supportive of my decision."

After attending aircraft recovery school in Pensacola, Fla., Connolly began working as the Marine wing liaison Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, giving him the unique opportunity to work under an Air Force command for seven months.

"It was a great opportunity," Connolly said. "I was able to work with different types of gear that I would have not ever had the chance to use and see how another service operates."

After serving in Kadena and four months aboard Camp Foster in Okinawa, Japan, Connolly reported to the Work Horses of MWSS-271 in June 2004 located in Cherry Point, N.C.

 "I wanted to join the squadron because I knew they were preparing to deploy to Iraq," Connolly said. "I had been sitting in Japan for a year and wanted to be a part of what was going on here. Now I get to directly contribute to the war effort which is what I've wanted since I signed up."

With the expeditionary airfield section of MWSS-271, Connolly works 24-hour shifts ensuring the arresting gear used here is ready for use at anytime. In addition to the gear maintenance, the EAF team makes small repairs to the runway as needed.

"We spend our day working on the airfield's lighting and preparing our gear for the next arrestment from incoming aircraft," said Connolly.

Since arriving in Iraq, Connolly has proven himself to be a welcome asset to his crew. With his initiative and positive attitude he only makes things easier on his superiors.

"He is the best Marine I have had work under me," said Cpl. Joshua Mull, Connolly's crew leader. "He makes my job easier knowing I can give him a task and it will get accomplished without thinking twice about it."

"Being here is a great experience for me," Connolly said. "The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is help make a change in the lives of the Iraqi people and being able to play a small role in that success make me proud of what I'm doing here."

AL ASAD, Iraq - Lance Cpl. James Connolly, a runway crewman with Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 and Westchester, N.Y., native tightens a bolt on the arresting gear here. Connolly has been with the Work Horses since June 2004 and was excited to join them because of their scheduled deployment here this year. Photo by: Cpl. C. Alex Herron

AL ASAD, Iraq - Lance Cpl. James Connolly, a runway crewman with Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 and Westchester, N.Y., native operates arrestment gear and gives signals for the when the machine is ready to catch an aircraft. Connolly was in a high school classroom 40 minutes outside New York City when the Twin Towers collapsed. That moment is what drove him to join the Marine Corps in 2002 after his graduation from Walter Panas High School. Photo by: Cpl. C. Alex Herron

 

The following picture is Captain Thomas Kenniff, a county employees who is deployed

 in Tikrit, Iraq. This picture is of Captain Kenniff at a Christian Church in Iraq.

 

 Captain Thomas Kenniff is an ADA in the District Attorney's Office. He has worked there since December 2002. He is serving with the 42nd Infantry Division of the New York National Guard, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate (JAG), at Forward Operating Base Speicher, near Tikrit, Iraq.

 

The following picture is Maj. James Heuberger, a county employee with the Department

of Social Services. He's married with three children and we would like to say Welcome

Home, Major Heuberger.

 

 James is a Major and an Army Nurse in the U.S. Army Reserves.  For the past 13 months, he has been stationed in Wuerzburg , Germany with the 348th General Hospital.  His duties included being the Chief Nurse of the Department of Outlying Clinics.  There are 10 clinics affiliated with the Wuerzburg Army Hospital. 

 

 

The following link is to an email from Captain Robert Riti who works for the Department of

Corrections for Westchester County. Below is a recent letter from CSM Robert Riti to the

County Executive,  Andrew Spano.

 

www.westchestergov.com/currentnews/2005pr/Iraqletters.htm

 

Department of the Army

3rd Iraqi Infantry Division

Al Kisik, Iraq

APO AE 09334

 

CSM Robert Riti                    3 April 2005

CMATT 3rd Div/Al Kasik

APO AE 09334

 

  Dear Mr. Spano,

  I just wanted to give you an update on my tour of duty over here in Iraq.

  I want to start by first thanking you for your thoughtfulness in sending my family to the circus at the Westchester County Center. It was probably one of the biggest highlights of my son’s life especially when he was called to the center ring to be part of an act. Each time I call home I am reminded of it and just the sound and excitement in my son’s voice is such a great feeling. I can not thank you enough.

  Our mission here is to train, mentor, advise and conduct combat operations with the Iraqi Army to a level where they would be confident in assuming complete responsibility in the defense of their country. Our Iraqi counterparts and us have fought in many battles together. As advisers we train, work, live and fight side by side. In the five and a half  months I have been here, we have built solid relationships and a mutual respect for one another.

  Prior to the Iraqi elections, we spent a lot of time doing reconnaissance missions to identify polling sights in northern Iraq. On 30 January, we provided security to several locations where thousands of Iraqis had come to exercise their new right to vote. After they had cast their vote, almost every one of them approached us holding up their fingers which were covered in blue dye to indicate they had voted. Then they shook our hands and thanked us. The most impressive part of this was we received many notifications, as well as the Iraqis did, that the insurgents had threatened to kill anyone seen near a polling sight. They risked their life for something they believe in and we as Americans have taken advantage of.

  My tour is scheduled to end by October and after a couple of weeks of out-processing and debriefings I should be home by early November. I am looking forward to returning to my family, my friends and my job.

  Thank you again for all your support.

 

 

SSG.  Avila has received many care packages and well wishes from Westchester County
Employees and Westchester residents. The letter below is his Thank you.

 

I've received the packages from the County and the lovely letter from the Budget. Please give them my warm thanks and appreciation for their thoughts. I definitely am making use of all of these items. They could not have come at a better time. We have been warming water when outside the wire and wishing to make soup, so the soup is a blessing. The chocolates, snacks, batteries, pens and paper is ideal. Again most of all, the thought.

Thank you SSG.
Eddie Avila

 

 

This is a thank you note that Matt Robbins sent to his Dad, Jack Robbins, Deputy
Commissioner of the Parks Department.

 

Dad:

I have been receiving the “House Hold Goods” packages, and I want to thank you and the entire Westchester County Government. Please provide me with an address, where I may write a letter and it will be distributed across the participating sections. I would also like to have an address for Troop 73, someone I could contact and let know that we received the goods, and are very thankful. I love you and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Your son,

Matt

SPC Matt Robbins thanks County Executive Andrew Spano for the "Thank You for Serving" Video and Care Packages sent from Westchester County Employees.

Matt is home for two weeks leave and returns to Iraq in a few days.  Matt said that the DVD and the posters with messages was a great moral booster to him and his unit.

 

 

This letter is from Major J. E. Langlois to the Commissioner of Finance and the Finance department.

 

Dear Mr. Pucillo,

I want to thank you for the care packages you sent my team and; we really appreciate it. We are happy to serve here knowing that it makes America safer and each day we continue to root out the terrorists here in Iraq. The motivation of the Marines is high, even through the holiday season. It helps a lot knowing that people care and are in support of the job we are doing over here. Please let every one at Westchester County Department of Finance know how much we appreciate the support and the goodies you sent us, they are being put to good use. Thanks for the thoughts  and prayers, we all hope you had a safe and merry holiday season. Semper Fi, and God Bless.

J.E. Langlois

MAJ USMC

 

 

Thank You note from CW4 Thomas McGurn, Tom is a Sergeant with the Westchester County

Police Department, written on a piece of cardboard that contained a Meal Ready to Eat (MRE).

 

 

 

This is a postcard from MST. Richard Michaud to County Executive, Andrew J. Spano.

MST Michaud is currently overseas in Iraq.

 

This is a letter from Major Kevin Kugel, to the Westchester County Veterans Service Agency.

 

 

REMYTO ATTENTION OF

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

68" CHEMICAL COMPANY, 1-21s'FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION (MLRS)

lst CAVALRY DIVISION

APO, AE 09310

68 th Chemical Company

January 3, 2005

Westchester County

Veterans Service Agency

12 East Post Road

White Plains, New York 10603

To My Friends at the Veterans Service Agency of Westchester County:

 

I received your holiday package yesterday and I can't thank you enough. The cleaning pads will come in handy and I've placed the posters up in our company common area so that all my soldiers could share in your well wishes. I especially want to thank you for the video. I haven't seen my family in person in over five months and to see and hear them this holiday season meant more to me than I can tell you. I'm sure the other soldiers that you sent videos to are equally appreciative.

Although I haven't lived in Westchester in over 14 years, I still consider myself a resident and always will, no matter where the Army sends my family and me. Events like the rally in Lasdon Park make me even prouder of where I'm from. It is hard to be so far removed from the life you have come to know, but knowing that people back home support us and are proud of us makes it a little easier. It is also comforting to know that my family is not alone and has the support of the community, because as hard as it is on me, I know that my deployment is even harder on my family. Not only does my wife deal with the same feelings of separation and loneliness that I do, but she also worries about my safety and must still take care of the thousand little tasks that all families deal with every day--only she is forced to handle them alone. The support that the community has provided her has been overwhelming. Knowing that she is not really alone, but surrounded by a caring, supportive community has made this deployment a little easier for both of us. Thank you again for everything.

Sincerely,
Kevin R. Kugel
Major U.S. Army Company Commander