What’s the best care package you ever personally received while deployed?

Before my last deployment with 24th MEU, I had been denied leave for operational reasons, for most of three years at my previous post. I was ordered to report to 2/4 Battalion that was in the last 4 months of MEU(SOC) workup and certification. 2/4 was just back from Desert Storm and Desert shield and had 5 months to turn around for a MEU(SOC) Med float. So no leave prior to deployment. At the end of the fiscal year I was going to lose about 18 days of leave. We finished the training exercise with the Portuguese. The BLT was going to spin holes in the ocean for 3+ weeks before going to Italy where we would conduct an exercise with the Italians and Greeks. The final planning conference was in two weeks. And the BLT would disembark in Naples a week later .

As I was getting ready to get on the Helo to go back to the USS Inchon, the BnCO and the MEU CO called me and one of the Rifle Co Commanders over to the Portuguese CP. The company commander was in about the same boat as me. He had also been on MSG duty for his previous tour. They told us that it was going to be easier to get us to the planning conference in two weeks, if we went back to the Portuguese Barracks and took civilian transport to get to Monte Romano, (Italian Base for Field exercises in the vicinity of Rome,) then met the MEU when it disembarked in Naples. They said our liberty bags were already in the Portuguese staff car. The Portuguese CO would give us a ride to Lisbon, and that the Portuguese had arranged expediters to get our transport and accommodations lined up to Monte Romano.

When the staff car pulled up, the Portuguese CO helped both of our wives out of the staff car and said "Here are your expediters." The BnCo's wife set the whole thing up.

Does that count?

I sent a CARE package to a Soldier; whose personal effects had been blown up in an IED. I sent a Bible, underwear, T shirts, etc.; to him. CH (MAJ) William Beaver

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