LCD Delivers Hometown Football to Troops
The members of the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 875th Engineer Battalion are part of a critical rebuilding effort in Iraq which includes the reconstruction of schools, hospitals, irrigation and sewage systems, creation of new recreational projects for children, and stabilization of neighborhoods overcome with violence.
With that in mind, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America’s Presentation Products Division is working with Altrusa International of Jonesboro, AR, a local chapter of the global professional service organization, to deliver a bit of hometown USA to the more than 500 troops from the 875th by sending an LCD projector to the unit, along with deliveries of weekly DVDs and tapes of local hometown Friday night football games.
The project, nicknamed Operation: Hometown Football and Fun! began with a donation of an LCD projector that broadcasts the game footage in full color and high resolution with a 300-inch screen size. This large screen image was necessary to allow the troops to enjoy the games together as a group and hopefully foster the friendly hometown rivalry atmosphere of attending a Friday night game.
“I was impressed with the particular insight and thoughtfulness regarding the morale of the 875th soldiers currently serving in Iraq,” said Captain Brian Mason, the unit’s Rear Detachment Commander, in Jonesboro. “As an officer who has been deployed to Iraq twice, I can attest to the fact that keeping the morale of the troops at a high level is a very challenging necessity. I envision a group of soldiers in a room together enjoying a local football game or a movie with each other, passing bags of popcorn, and temporarily shutting out the war that goes on around them and the animosities within. I want to thank everyone involved for such a thoughtful gift and their outstanding support of our deployed soldiers and their families.”
The projector and the first shipment of game films and football game treats shipped in early November and the Altrusa group has already received confirmation of receipt of the materials in Iraq from one of the battalion’s officers.
“We have set up the DVD/VHS player and projector,” wrote Major Michael Henderson. ” I have already had soldiers enjoy viewing some of the football game DVDs that you sent. The little touch of home was very much appreciated. Thanks to you and all the members of Altrusa group for thinking of us. Also please pass along our sincere thanks to Mitsubishi for their generous donation. We will enjoy this gift as we experience the holiday season overseas. It’s nice to know that we are appreciated and that our contributions are noticed at home.”
Outreach has also been made to areas in Vermont and Indiana with troops serving in the 875th for their games as well. Coach Tom Perry from Colchester High School in Vermont, who this year has the best team in the school’s history, is already onboard and has sent along all of his games played to-date.
The local Northeast Arkansas high school coaches have been contacted and have eagerly agreed to help with the project. The first to send in his team’s game coverage was Coach Tim Branum with the Marked Tree Indians.
“Any thing that we can do for those soldiers, we are glad to,” he said. “They have our respect for fighting for our freedom. It’s not much, sending along our games, but we’re glad to do it.”
The unit will continue to receive the games accompanied by boxes of popcorn, candy, and other game treats that are collected throughout the football season.
“If this works like we hope it will, and is well received, then the local basketball coaches should probably get ready for a call from us as well,” said Susie Cover, one of Altrusa’s Operation: Hometown Football and Fun! coordinators. “We’ll have to change our project name, but wouldn’t it be great to continue this effort throughout the sporting seasons until all of our troops can come home?!”