Elayne Boosler

Bio
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/contributors/bio.php?nick=elayne-boosler&name=Elayne%20BooslerThis is an actual email I received from a friend. Shame on our government.
7 January 2007
Dear Family and Friends -
It is with great urgency that I send this letter to you today. As you might know, my partner Peter's family has a long, proud history serving our nations military. His father Brigadier General D.W. (Retired) is a decorated war hero and P.O.W. from the Vietnam war.
His mother M. along with Sybil Stockdale started the organization that united the families of P.O.W's. and M.I.A's and was in fact responsible for the original P.O.W. bracelets many of us wore during the late 1960's and 70's. Currently his two nephews are in the military: C. W., a Marine Troops Leader fighting in Iraq, and A. W., an Air force fighter pilot flying reconnaissance between North & South Korea.
C.'s troop of 35 soldiers is assigned to what is considered one of the most dangerous missions - They advance in light armored vehicles in front of heavily armored vehicles scouting for hostile activity. Think of the parakeets that miners use prior to entering a mine and that pretty much sums up their job.
We were recently contacted by C. regarding the lack of life saving equipment his troop requires that is not being provided by the U.S. government. As many of you know this is unfortunately more the rule than the exception despite the billions of dollars being poured weekly into this war. There are thousands of articles attesting to the inferior nature of flak jackets, body armor and shielding for Humvees. Families from all over the United States are sending their loved ones everything from Night Vision Goggles and radios to metal shields for gunner turrets. The lack of sufficient padding inside helmets has led to the extremely high level of head injuries suffered by our troops (10% for frontline troops and 20% for in-front-of line troops - Higher than the Vietnam War.)
C's requirements are simple, not terribly expensive but can be the determining factor between life and death. His troop currently requires the following:
1. 7 Nomex Fireproof Gloves with Leather palms @ $25.00 each.
2. 20 "Headlamps" - An LED headlamp that straps to the forehead for helmet @ $12.50 each.
3. 35 Leatherman "Wave Knives" - Think of a Swiss Army knife on steroids - A multipurpose tool that attaches to a soldiers web belt. 35 @ $53.00 each.
The prices quoted above are the wholesale prices negotiated with the manufacturers by A.W., C.'s wife. The total cost currently to keep this troop safe(r) is $2,280.00.
If you are willing and able to make a donation, we would greatly appreciate your contribution. ANY AMOUNT IS APPRECIATED - NO AMOUNT IS TOO LITTLE. By no means do we interpret this as a statement by you (or us) for or against the war in Iraq. It is strictly our personal mission to keep a family member safe as well as those who are bravely serving with him.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! We would like to have all of the equipment in Iraq by the end of this month.
We are unsure as to whether this donation qualifies as a charitable write-off because we have not formed a 501C3 Corporation. However, I am in the process of checking this out.
We appreciate anything you can do.
Sincerely,
S.
No jokes today. This is one of the saddest emails I've ever read. Really, how does this government sleep at night?
More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elayne-boosler/fireproof-gloves_b_38851.htmlSee also:

OPERATION HELMET provides helmet upgrade kits free of charge to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as to those ordered to deploy in the near future. These helmet upgrades do three primary things:
http://www.operation-helmet.org/