Operation Teddy Bear 2011
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Visit to the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at Bethesda (WR NMMCB) on Wednesday, 21 September 2011
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On Wednesday, 21 September, 2011, Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon, four Washington Redskins Cheerleaders and a former adoptee and current operating room nurse at WRNMMCB visited our Wounded Heroes. It was an emotional and inspirational day as always and we were able to see one of our good buddies, SPC David Bixler, as well as meet new Heroes, such as SPC Derek M, SGT Justin L and SPC Cory D.
Thanks to our Special Friends at EA and Microsoft, we handed out plenty of Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PSP games to the Heroes. We had t-shirts and patches, cookies from the Hackensack Pastry Shop and even CDs of an inspirational song "Believe" from 3D Rock Band that they donated to the Troops.
We went to the Therapy Center and the Cheerleaders had fun with the Heroes and signed teamed pictures and handed out Teddy Bears (thanks JB and team). We revisited with our buddy David and gave him some EA and MSFT goodies and cookies and a CD. Then we went upstairs on the ward and visited with our Wounded Heroes up there and handed out gifts.
After our visit we had lunch with Derek's Mom Siobhan and Girlfriend Krystina and had a nice fun chat. After our lunch COL Ges came by with some words of encouragement for the family. Then we returned to WRNMMCB and went to the Mercy House and gave away more goodies for the guys in the outpatient building.
Thanks to Craig and team at EA; Kyle and team at Xbox; JB our Metro Pilot; Jerry at 3D Rock Band; Jack and Kathleen at Hackensack Pastry Shop; Liz for homebaked cookies; Talmesha, Lindsey, Brianne and Jessica and all the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders for your steadfast and staunch support (you ladies are great!); CPT Amy for being with us; Howard, Yvette and team at WRNMMCB (and all the wonderful care givers to our troops); Gunny S; COL G for the really nice visit to Derek's family; and Holmes, Kim and Nancy for being part of this wonderful visit.
We got to see our Wounded Heroes, get a pulse on things as well, keep our eyes and ears open to see and hear their stories and come home feeling we had accomplished something and cheered up our Heroes!
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| The Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon Visit Team on 16 June 2011: John T, Abby D, Albee P, Ashley T, Alan K, Lindsey M, Roy T and Tecoya G, in the lobby of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. |
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Walter Reed AMC Visit: 16 June 2011
We had the opportunity to visit our Wounded Warriors with the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders in June 2011. The Cheerleaders have been our partners on this mission for several years now. We brought some special gifts to one of our new friends from the 101st Airborne Division, SPC David B, in the MATC (therapy room). The Cheerleaders met the other Soldiers and Marines and gave out some teddy bears, signed some team pictures and just talked with the men and one female soldier as well who had been seriously wounded. Then we went on Ward 57 and met some soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division -- from the very units we just adopted in the 1-32 -- SGT Shawn T, PVT David T, Will P and Jonathan M. We also met a soldier from the 101st Airborne -- Chas A -- in Ward 57.
It's tough seeing what war does to our great warriors. They are our National Treasures and we can NEVER forget them or the incredible sacrifices they and their families make in our behalf. WE'LL never forget them, that's for sure!
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Bethesda Naval Hospital, Thursday, March 3, 2011.
On Thursday morning, four of us from Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon (Holmes B, Kim D, Alan K and Roy T) met two Cheerleaders (Kristin K and Lindsey M) from the First Ladies of Football (Washington Redskins Cheerleaders) at the Marine Liaison Office at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. We brought Marine and Sailor bears and phone cards and Lindsey and Kristin brought team pictures to autograph and hand out to the Wounded Warriors, their families and staff. After we visited with some Wounded Marines and their families on the ward, we walked across the street to Mercy Hall to visit the Marine outpatients there and bring a smile to their faces and take a group picture.
We met Marines from the 3/5, Kilo Company; a sister company to Lima, where we have a couple of adoptees. One Marine from Lima Co. was in surgery and we were unable to meet him but we left him a Marine Bear, phone card and autographed team picture from the First Ladies of Football. Later, at the outpatient Mercy Hall, we even met a Marine from the 3/4, one of our units we supported back in 2009. So it was heartwarming to know we were bringing joy to units of our own adoptees, as well as other Marines.
Our Wounded Warriors are National Treasures! America can't do enough for these brave souls who put everything on the line for all of us. Everything! America owes a great debt to these Marines and we're doing our best to pay it down, one carton, one project, one email, one visit ... at a time. God Bless Our Troops!
(See below for pictures from the event.) If you'd like to help us with Teddy Bears and goodies for our wounded warriors in the future please let us know! This group of bears was donated by the American Red Cross in Fairfield, NJ.
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Earlier Visits for Operation Teddy Bear
On Wednesday, 8 December, 2010, Operation Teddy Bear continued at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC). Four Washington Redskins Cheerleaders and Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon President Alan Krutchkoff, co-founder Holmes Brady and Roy Tutunjian handed out "All American" Teddy Bears, pillows and large candy canes to wounded warriors from the 101st Airborne Div (AASLT) and the Special Forces. It was an incredible day being with our wounded warriors. All that we visited displayed the spirit, strength, determination, loyalty and patriotism that are the highest examples of mankind we could hope for.
We met warriors from the 101st Airborne Div (AASLT), 10th Mountain Div, Special Forces, 4th ID and Marines. The battering they took in war has not diminished their spirit. We should all look to them as examples of the best a man could be facing adversity.
These are all national treasures and our admiration for these men know no bounds! God Bless America and God Bless our Warriors, one and all!
Thanks to John Bates, NYC Harbor Pilot; Liz Hackett, Operation Jersey Cares; and Nancy D'Uva for providing the goodies we are delivering to our brave warriors. And, of course, thanks to: Abby, Barbra, Donna and Sheridan for donating your time to these brave men and women. Also to COL P, Dick W, MSG B, Caleb, Holmes and Roy for being part of this amazing day.
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| Warrior SPC(P) Kevin G of the 1/320 FA with Abby, Donna, Sheridan and Barbra at Walter Reed AMC on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010. All warriors are all treasures and an inspiration for all of us. They endure FOR US, they fight FOR US and they all deserve our admiration. They are indeed national treasures! Thank you Kevin and thank you all warriors. This picture was taken for the soldier and his permission has been granted for its use on this website. |
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| Operation Teddy Bear started with SPC Walter L. of the 4ID who asked for bears (but really didn't think he'd get them!) He not only got bears, he got Redskins! And a whole project began to unfold and it now continues on! (Photo approved by Walter, his Mom and Walter Reed AMC.) |
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Operation Teddy Bear
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC
A special project for the Wounded Warriors and their families.
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On April, 2, 2010, Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon's president Alan Krutchkoff had the opportunity to visit Walter Reed AMC for a Welcome Home Ceremony for one of our adoptee nurses there. That same afternoon, he was able to visit some of the wards and meet some of the brave warriors recuperating from war injuries.
One soldier he visited (Walter L. from the 4th INF DIV) had a special teddy bear in his room - an "All American bear" that played the song "Proud to be an American." Walter asked if we could get some more bears for his buddies in the 4ID coming home that had children of their own (Walter has two young children). So we went on a mission, announced it in our update and put it on our facebook page.
Several supporters sent bears. One of our Special Friends, John B of Adopt a Battalion and a Metro NYC harbor pilot, also got involved. "JB" is good friends with the FDNY and some of the NYC firefighters also wanted to be involved. They started raising money for bears. Then the local VFW got involved.
Then the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders got involved and gladly agreed to join us to hand out the bears! Thanks to Melanie, Barbra, Donna, Talmesha, Tracey and Sheridan (also active US Air Force) for joining this worthwhile project to bring joy not only to soldiers but their families as well!!!
On Tuesday, April 27, we arrived at Walter Reed AMC (Alan and Nick, JB, Billy and Rich). You should have seen the eyes light up when the First Ladies of Football arrived! After our guide Rosie was able to clear the lobby of soldiers wanting pictures with the Cheerleaders, we went directly to Walter's room and surprised him with not only bears but Redskins Cheerleaders as well! Then we distributed the rest of the 100 bears in the therapy area and some of the wards. We plan another round of bears in the summer.
If you'd like to contribute a bear for this project and help put a smile on the face of a wounded warrior and his/her family, contact us through our Join Us section.
Thank you to the following supporters for bears: JB of Adopt a Battalion and Metro NYC harbor pilots, FDNY Capt. Billy B, VFW Commander Rich M, Nick K, Robin G and Amy U, Roy T, Lee Ann and Dave, Linda P, Sheryl J, Carol L, Kim and Don D and of course the Washington Redskin Cheerleaders!!
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