Package Brigade volunteers send troops
a little piece of home
The Package Brigade is a group of volunteers — most of them current employees at First Command — who regularly donate their time and energy for the benefit of U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Package Brigade volunteers gather donations of money and items (snacks, candy, toiletries, etc.) to pack and ship packages to our troops overseas seven times a year.
The organization was started in 2003 by Vicky Rollins, whose brother was deployed to Iraq in the early months of the war.
Vicky wanted her brother and his fellow soldiers to have a little piece of home, so she and a few of her coworkers gathered snacks, toiletries, games and other items and sent care packages for the Christmas holiday.
When other employees at First Command heard about the initiative, the program took off.
Now, packages are regularly shipped to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq around holidays like Valentine’s Day, Independence Day and Christmas.
The Package Brigade has also enlisted the help of school children across the area and beyond.
The entire Laredo, Texas, school district helped gather items for packages, and schools in and around Fort Worth have also contributed notes, letters, donations and time to bring smiles to the faces of U.S. soldiers.
Another unique aspect of the Package Brigade is their efforts toward helping Iraqi children.
In their thank-you notes and letters to Vicky, soldiers pleaded for toys and school supplies for children in war-torn Iraq.
Many packages are now shipped filled to the brim with pencils, markers and toys for the children.
More than 500 packages have been mailed so far in 2008.
Last year, 350 packages were mailed for the Christmas holiday alone.
The Package Brigade »
Good Morning America
(July 4, 2008)
Package Brigade sends troops goodies »
Channel 8 Dallas/Fort Worth (July 3, 2008)
First Command Fields ‘Package Brigade’ to Troops and Iraqi Kids »