Marine.mil article

One more article found tonight by a spouse.

Marines launch Operation Khanjar in southern Afghanistan

Photos below are Black Hawks

More Articles Surfacing...

Here are a few more articles/links that the spouses have dug up tonight:

I don't know about you guys, but those helicopters look pretty "Ugly" to me!!!

FOX NEWS
U.S. Military Launches Major Afghan Offensive

NAWA, Afghanistan — Thousands of U.S. Marines and hundreds of Afghan troops poured into Taliban-infested villages of southern Afghanistan with armor and helicopters Thursday in the first major operation under President Barack Obama's strategy to stabilize the country.

Officials described the operation, dubbed Khanjar, or "Strike of the Sword," as the largest and fastest-moving of the war's new phase and the biggest Marine offensive since the one in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004. It involves nearly 4,000 newly arrived Marines and 650 Afghan forces. British forces last week led similar, but smaller, missions to clear out insurgents in Helmand and neighboring Kandahar provinces.

Transport helicopters carried hundreds of Marines into the village of Nawa, some 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, in a region where no U.S. or other NATO troops have operated in large numbers.

Pelletier said troops in Thursday's operation were sent in by a mixture of aircraft and ground transport under the cover of darkness.

NEW YORK TIMES
U.S. Marines Try to Retake Afghan Valley From Taliban
WASHINGTON POST

Preparing to Deploy
U.S. Marines launched a pre-dawn mission in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand Province.

*There isn't anything specific to the squadron in this article, but there are some really neat pictures.

Photo from Nick

Nick is in the helicopter closest to the camera.

Marines with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment (Reinforced) arrive at their forward operating base after holding key terrain within a hostile mountain pass in the Farah province of Afghanistan June 16. The Marines are the ground combat element of Regimental Combat Team 3, whose presence prevents enemy movement in an effort to maintain peace for the local populace.

More details HERE.

Quick Update on Nick

Nick was able to get a few minutes on the computer yesterday and email me a decent sized email. He was trying to answer all my questions I've asked him in the past few days in my emails to him! Poor guy!

The heat is coming back up again, and he said that is pretty tough. They had no outgoing communications for a couple days due to an incident in the area (not related to the Ugly Angels) as well as continued struggles with their network....and they also have NO PHONE. The software for the phone apparently isn't working with their new server?! So that is interesting...

Nick says he is good on snack foods for a while. His little snack locker is overflowing!!!

Thanks to all of you who have sent him things. He mentioned receiving several care packages this past week! I know that there are still a few that have not arrived yet, but should any day. He tries to send out emails or let me know when he gets them, so that you all know your care package made it. But, sometimes, he just doesn't get a chance at the computer.

The squadron is pretty much up and running and Nick said they are really keeping busy. Seems like the end is almost in sight! We are almost to the 5 month mark! Can you believe it?!?

More Ugly Angel Articles in circulation:

Theodore's World Blog- "Ugly Angels Deply from Iraq to Afghanistan
This has some neat pics I hadn't seen yet. And I swear the Marine at the base of the steps boarding the plane looks like Nick... but that could be wishful thinking?? I think he has Sikorsky wings on his helmet...I'll find out if it really is him.

Spreading Their Wings: "Ugly Angels" Deploy From Iraq to Afghanistan

Article on Camp Bastion: Camp Leatherneck
*This is just an article on the Base that they are at, and the areas surrounding it. It doesn't reference the Ugly Angels specifically. Just a little FYI on Afghanistan. Camp Leatherneck is a part of Camp Bastion... I believe it's the nickname of the base where the Marines are located.
**The statistics/facts are a little uncomfortable to read in this article... FYI.

Help the Uglies Beat the Heat

After talking to Nick the last couple times, I have been trying to find out what I can send him to make his life a little easier out in Afghanistan! He doesn't complain much, as he understands he's 'at war'... but he always comments on how they just can't get any relief from the heat.

So of course, I think personal fans.... ice.... cold.....ICE PACKS!! But for some crazy reason, the military doesn't have deep freezers in their budget.... so I was thinking there HAD to be something out there that didn't require a freezer....

My mom had mentioned seeing a product on the Today Show a while back but couldn't remember what they were called. I googled and searched, and even emailed the Today Show, but came up with nothing....

My super fabulous amazing sister in law, Julie, found an organization that has a product called "HUGS" cooling ties! They are filled with cooling crystals and just need a few drops of water to activate them!!! They can be placed around the neck, head, wherever and help cool down our Marines!!!! She made a phone call to the founder and got some details on how we can send these to our Uglies. Read her blog post and all the details HERE!

The Hugs Project: http://www.thehugsproject.com/index.html

Long story short, today, The Hugs Project is mailing out 200 cooling ties to the Ugly Angels!!! But, as a non-profit organization, they depend on donations to help cover the costs of supplies and shipping. Amazingly, she said $200 (that's only $1/cooling tie) would be a good start. We've got half covered, so if you are wondering what you can do to help our Uglies out in the blistering heat of Afghanistan, which, very soon will be topping the charts at 120+ degrees F., you can donate to The Hugs Project and help keep an Ugly Angel cool!!!

If you'd like to help out, you can mail donations to:

The Hugs Project

PO Box 6761

Edmond, OK 73083-6761

You can even include your name and address for them to put on the mailing slip so the recipients know who to thank!

They also accept payments through paypal if that is more convenient for you!

Thank you for all of you who have already sent packages and items to Nick and his squadron! They thank you with all their hearts! When they receive these "Hugs"... I'm sure they will be even more grateful!

Thank you to my mom for getting the ball rolling, and to Julie for finding this fabulous organization and making the phone call!!! You both rock!

Toby Keith flies with the Uglies

Toby Keith (the "other" love of my life) was in Afghanistan on a USO tour and was the honorable guest of the Ugly Angels a few days ago. They got to fly him around and enjoy a little concert in the desert, as well as grill out with "Big Daddy".

Here, the pilots are fighting over who gets to fly Toby...
Kelly Attwood won because he was the section leader.
Attwood on left, Nick on the right

Toby under the shade hanging with the Uglies

Prepping for a picture with the flag

Toby signing the flag box (that is being shipped to me!) as Nick tells him: "You know my wife said she'd leave me for you"....Toby's response: "Aw shucks man, you gotta take better care of your woman!" I'm all giddy typing this out because Nick and Toby talked about me....EEEEEeeeeee!!!

Posing for a pic with Toby, the flag and the helo. Nick is just to the right of Toby.

On stage getting ready to sing.

Attwood and Nick enjoying a post concert smoke.
Nick flying 'home'

Afghanistan
(the green fields are either poppy or wheat)

Kiss Me I'm UGLY

The squadron got together this evening for a "Kiss Me I'm UGLY" party. We had baked potatoes with all the toppings you could imagine. Plus, a lot of other sides. AND, some super amazing desserts. I was asked to bring some cupcakes, so I colored some white cake batter green, made cupcakes, and topped half of them with some shamrock cookies!

One of the gals made a banner for us to kiss and write a message to our Marines!

I found some bright lipstick and brought it along. I did a quick practice smooch...

...and then kissed the banner and wrote Nick a little message. Don't worry, I signed it with all our names after I took the picture!

Trevor enjoying some dirt cake...

Addi enjoying the rocks...

and Kenzie enjoying the breadsticks!

One of my new plants bloomed today, so I had to snap a picture of it! The flowers are all pink, then they open up to expose a gorgeous purple flower inside. They called it FUSHIA.