While troops in Iraq continue to fight, some University students are working to make soldiers’ lives a little easier and provide one critical provision that is in short supply — letters from home.
Junior religious studies major Caitlin Sills recently established the Oregon Troop Supporters group to sponsor letter-writing to soldiers overseas, focusing especially on Iraq where Sills said “the troops have been forgotten.”
The organization will also ask local businesses to donate items such as DVDs, CDs and reading materials to include in care packages to send to the soldiers.
Sills said she was inspired by a friend who is currently stationed in Iraq.
“I didn’t realize how uplifting letters could be,” Sills said. “It’s a really big deal over there to get letters.”
Seven people attended the first meeting Wednesday night. While the meeting was sparsely attended, those who did attend appeared fairly adamant in their support for the troops.
Sophomore political science major Anthony Warren said the group’s mission is becoming increasingly important.
“The fact of the matter is that there’s troops over there and they’re putting their lives on the line every day,” he said.
Portland resident Richie Hayes, a former University psychology major who recently left the Army with an honorable discharge, was also in attendance. Hayes said his experience in the military, particularly in boot camp, compelled him to get involved with the organization.
“The environment (in boot camp) is extremely stressful,” he said. “Going through all these trials creates a brotherhood between all these guys from all over the country.”
The connection he feels with troops in Iraq is a personal one, he said.
“That would have been me at this point,” he said. “It’s hard being separated from your family.”
Sills said the organization is apolitical and that people should consider joining regardless of their views about the war.
“This is not in any way a pro-war club … I just want to make it clear that it’s totally non-political,” she said. “It’s really about supporting the individual … it’s just compassionate to do it.”
The sorority Pi Beta Phi is sponsoring a similar letter-writing effort, dubbed “Operation Pi Phi.” Freshman English major Megan Ticer, who started the campaign, said she was inspired by a friend, much like Sills. Ticer also organized care packages of books and magazines.
“My friend was fighting over there,” she said. “I decided that there were probably a lot of men that were lonesome.”
Ticer said that the letters usually just contain descriptions of daily happenings.
“We want to provide a way for (the soldiers) to get away for five minutes a day,” she said. “We give them hope.”