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Dean Cork: Care packages

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, the people of Steamboat and the Yampa Valley. I am a private military contractor stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan. I have been embbeded with the Army’s 10th Mountain Division and 118th Airborne Division.

Today, I was informed that I had two large pieces of mail. I wasn’t expecting mail, so I was a bit surprised. The boxes were from the Yampa Valley Community Foundation and were filled with all sorts of snacks, games, clothing, magazines, toiletries, etc. These items are very hard to find here in Afghanistan because it can be weeks between visits to a camp that has a PX. Often, the PX will be out of many items because of the logistical problems in a war zone or many military units shopping the PX at the same time.

Most military teams are deployed out of Forward Operating Bases or Combat Outposts. Very few FOBs have a PX, and COPs are primative — usually without running water and, of course, no PX. The items sent certainly will brighten a few days and bring many smiles to the soldiers serving in my area.



Once again, many thanks to the people of Steamboat and the Yampa Valley for their generous donations and to the volunteers and staff at YVCF for making this all possible.

Happy holidays.



Dean Cork


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