In conjunction with the California National Guard Joint Task Force Vista, the packages will be distributed by Operation Gratitude volunteers to the service members at the National City Armory in San Diego during the Task Force's Holiday Party. Volunteers will also go to a Border Patrol Station to give personally addressed packages to ten troops serving at that particular station.

Operation Gratitude's ( www.operationgratitude.com ) mission is to put a smile on a service member's face, lift morale, and express the appreciation of the American people for the sacrifices of the men and women defending our freedom.

Operation Gratitude packages are filled with Flash Drives, Sports Calling Cards, DVDs and CDs, Candy, Gum, Cough Drops, Cookies, Hand Warmers, Skin Care Products, Coffee and Flavorings, Greeting Cards, Batteries, Energy Drinks, T-Shirts, Socks and assorted Snacks.

Included in each package for the California National Guard will be a personal note from California's First Lady Maria Shriver as part of her Military Family Initiative to help support California families through community volunteer efforts.

All products for the packages have been donated by individuals, organizations, schools, community groups, businesses and more than three dozen Corporate Sponsors (companies that have donated 10,000 items or more). Overall expenses of ~$10-15/package are covered by tax deductible financial donations from citizens across the country.

Operation Gratitude obtains names of troops from their loved ones or from comrades who previously received a package. The vast majority of names are provided by commanders and leaders in the field who have seen first-hand the positive impact of the program on the morale of their Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors. The organization will send it's 200,000th care package on December 16, 2006.

MEDIA ALERT:
WHAT: Distribution of Operation Gratitude care packages to California National Guard Soldiers and Airmen deployed on the California-Mexico Border
DATE: Tuesday, December 12, 2006
TIME: 10am-2pm at the National City Armory
TIME: 2:30pm-3pm at the Brownfield Border Patrol Station
LOCATION:
National City Armory
303 Palm Ave
San Diego, CA 91950

Brownfield Station Directions provided at the Armory

WHAT THE TROOPS SAY:

""Thank you" from the bottom of my heart and soul for the absolutely wonderful package that I received last evening. Was not able to open it until this morning and WOW! All of you really do a "fantastic" job-we appreciate everything that all of you do for us who are deployed. And everyone of you are in my prayers and thoughts, too!" Thank you. Always, R.

"My Marines and I received the packages that your group put together for us. I want to thank you very much for taking the time to send such great care packs. You have certainly improved the morale in my small unit and I am sure in many others. That is an impressive picture in the card you put in the pack. We are very thankful to have so much support from people back home. It really does mean a lot to us. Thank you again." Sincerely, J.F.C. SSgt USMC

Learn more...

Operation Gratitude ( www.operationgratitude.com ) is the California- based 501 (c) (3) non-profit, all-volunteer organization that assembles and sends care packages of snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile regions such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and on military ships at sea. It is a special honor to support troops deployed at the California border this holiday season. Operation Gratitude's mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service member's face and to express to all troops the appreciation and support of the American people. For safety and security, all assembling of packages occurs at the Operation Gratitude headquarters in Southern California. Since its inception in March, 2003, Operation Gratitude has shipped more than 185,500 packages to deployed American troops.

Operation Gratitude is featured on the popular video site, YouTube. To view this short, informative video, check out Operation Gratitude Video

Joint Task Force Vista/Operation Jump Start

The California National Guard organized TASK FORCE VISTA in response to the Governor’s support to the President’s request for assistance to the US Customs and Border Patrol agency. There are over 1,300 Army and Air National Guard volunteers currently supporting this mission in eight general mission areas, to include operations, air support, ground transportation, command and control, base operations, maintenance, civil engineering, and ports of entry augmentation.