Hometown Heroes

Editor's note: The following was in a newsletter sent to the families of members of the 639th Quartermaster Company of the Montana Army National Guard. Some members of the 443rd Quartermaster Company based in Havre and Chinook have filled vacancies in the 639. The newsletter is being reprinted with permission from the Montana Army National Guard.

Greetings from Camp Virginia, Kuwait, to all family and friends:

The 639th fuel platoon has made it here without incident, although a bit tired after a long flight. Our first day here in Kuwait was very dusty and a bit on the cool side. However the following days have been anything but cool, not to the extreme we Montanans would expect. The average temperature has been at about the high seventies. So far we have managed and trudged through the few days we have occupied Camp Virginia.

Our days here start with PT in the morning, so far consisting of volleyball, football, and excursions to the gym, of which the camp has a nice facility. In the afternoon we have classes and training over different areas affecting our stay here.

Our accommodations here are first class 50-man tents with all the conveniences of electricity and air conditioning. A few soldiers have taken up constructing a clothesline for us, which helps after hand-washing our clothes.

Chow here at Camp Virginia is not at all too bad. We get three meals a day of great Army food. If one does not desire dining in at the chow hall there are other options. Here in the camp there is a PX, a small diner, Baskin Robbins, and a coffee shop. We are not too bad off here in Kuwait.

Overall the troop morale is high; everyone is in good spirits. We are having a great deal of fun under the sun in the wide-open spaces of Kuwait.

The address when we get to Iraq will be:

639th CS CO

Soldier's rank, first and last name

Tallil, AB Iraq

APO AE 09331