Support LH Adopted Marine Battalion

Support Laguna Hills¡¯ Adopted Marine Battalion
With Valentines, Cards, Letters & Packages
Laguna Hills, CA, Jan. 19, 2009 ©© The Laguna Hills 3/5 Adoption Committee is
making a special request to residents, schools, churches, organizations and businesses in
Laguna Hills and surrounding communities to please send Valentines, packages, cards and
letters to the Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment based at Camp Pendleton,
but currently deployed.
3/5 deployed to Okinawa January 11 and is expected to return around August 2009.
While some Marines do receive packages from family and friends, others do not. It¡¯s
important to show the Battalion how much the community supports their service not only
on holidays, but year©round, so there is no need to worry about having packages arrive
prior to February 14.
Packages can contain anything such as various packaged candy, toiletry items,
games, books, magazines ¨C even small toys for children so the Marines can help build better
community relations world©wide. Please note that the Battalion has no females so only
items for males or children are appropriate.
It doesn¡¯t take a lot of money to help support the Battalion. Letters and cards with
news from the area are always welcome, as are photos, newspapers, jokes, etc. Other
popular items are decorations for all holidays, so they can have a touch of home throughout
the year.
For those who do send packages, the Committee suggests using the flat©rate
shipping boxes available at the Post Office (or they can be ordered online). Specific
guidelines for package contents, packing and shipping are available from the Committee
(darkhorse92653@cox.net or 949©632©8395). There is also helpful information, including a
list of restricted items, at the United States Postal Service website at:
http://www.usps.com/.
Residents are encouraged to develop interactive relationships with the Marines
through cards and letters. However, until a resident has received personal correspondence
from a specific Marine with his own name and address, 3/5¡¯s Chaplain will receive and
distribute the cards, letters and packages to all Marines of the 3/5, especially to those who
don¡¯t regularly receive mail from family and friends.
Items should be addressed as follows with a brief note to Chaplain Blair to distribute
the items to any 3/5 Marine:
LT JOSEPH BLAIR, CHAPLAIN
3/5 H&S C0
UNIT 40380
FPO AP 96609©380
About the Adoption
The Laguna Hills 3/5 Adoption Committee was formed following a unanimous vote
of the Laguna Hills city council to adopt the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division on August 28, 2007.
The purpose of the adoption is to generate community support for the Battalion¡¯s
Marines, sailors and families on an on©going basis, both when 3/5 is at Camp Pendleton
and/or when all of 3/5 or elements thereof are deployed. The adoption encourages
mutually©beneficial interaction between the residents of Laguna Hills and the Battalion in
order to render such support and to create strong and lasting ties between 3rd Battalion,
5th Marines and the residents of Laguna Hills in the years to come.
About 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment
An infantry battalion with the call sign ¡°Darkhorse,¡± 3/5 was originally activated on
June 1, 1917 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and deployed that summer to France to
participate in World War I offensive campaigns. More recently, 3/5 has served in
Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Battalion was deployed in 2003
for the push to Baghdad to oust Saddam Hussein. The Battalion was again deployed in 2004
to capture the city of Fallujah from insurgents¡¯ control. In November 2004, the Battalion,
along with several other units, participated in Operation Phantom Fury and was part of one
of the biggest battles in Iraq thus far. They deployed to Iraq again in October 2007 for a 7
month duration and recently deployed to Okinawa. 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, because of
its pride and professionalism in combat, has accumulated seventy©seven decorations,
which solidify its battle tested colors. The Battalion continually trains to maintain combat
readiness in the event their nation requires their combat services. For more information
about 3/5 visit their website at: www.i©mef.usmc.mil/div/5mar/3bn/default.asp.
More Information
Residents and businesses interested in more information about the Formal
Adoption Ceremony may contact the City of Laguna Hills at (949)707©2680. Please contact
Debra Allen at (949) 632©8395 or via the Committee¡¯s email at darkhorse92653@cox.net
for more information about the Laguna Hills 3/5 Adoption Committee, donations and
providing support for the Marines, Sailors and families of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines.
WHAT AND HOW TO SHIP TO 3/5
DURING DEPLOYMENT 2009
3rd Battalion, 5th Marines would love to hear from you while they¡¯re deployed. Cards and letters are a
great way to brighten a Marine¡¯s day. Packages with necessities and items for leisure time that are not
available are also welcome. A list of suggested items follows.
Current procedures do not allow us to provide individual Marines names, however the Battalion Chaplain
will gladly receive all mail and packages and distribute them to the appropriate 3/5 Marines.
Packages should be addressed to 3/5¡¯s Chaplain as follows:
LT JOSEPH S BLAIR
3/5 H&S CO
UNIT 40380
FPO AP 96609-0380
Use customs form 2976-A and itemize everything in your package. We highly recommend using the flat
rate shipping boxes available at the U.S. Postal Service. More information on shipping and a detailed list
of forbidden items is available at the USPS website.
PACKAGE SUGGESTIONS FOR 3/5
Fun Stuff:
Books (new or used)
Board games
Card games
Comic books
Electronic Games¡ªPSP, X-Box
Magazines (Newsweek, People, Maxim, sports and men¡¯s magazines, etc.)
Tabloid newspapers (they are fun to read)
Playing cards
Poker chips
Puzzles
Word Puzzles, Sudoku
Footballs
Nerf Balls, Hackey sacks, frisbees
Soccer Balls
DVDs
Music CDs
Disposable cameras
Portable CD players/headphones
Yo-yos
Health and Hygiene:
Aspirin
Antacids
Band-Aids
Chapstick
Cough Drops
Dental floss
Disposable razors
Foot cream/powder
Hand sanitizer
Hair brush/comb
Kleenex
Mouthwash
Neosporin
Q-tips
Soap (bar)
Shampoo/conditioner
Thera-Flu
Toilet paper
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Wet wipes
Sun block & Sunburn remedies
Deodorant
Eye drops (moisture/allergy)
Nasal spray
Lip balm
Loofah sponges, Buff Puffs, Washcloths
Bug spray
Hand and body lotion/cream
Aftershave lotion
Miscellaneous:
Batteries¡ªespecially AA, AAA and C
Can opener
Boot socks (gray, green, black only w/ thick soles) Wal-Mart has them
White tube socks
Envelopes
Gloves
Journals, pocket calendars
Pens
Plastic utensils
Stationary, unused greeting cards & stamps
Tobacco products
Phone cards
Holiday decorations
Small flashlights
Air freshener
Share who and where you are:
Your local newspapers/comics
Photos of you/your family/your city, town or state
Jokes you know
Our Marines love any news from the outside world
The following items are not allowed: Illegal substances, alcoholic beverages, explosives (including
fireworks). Offensive or obscene materials, including photos, drawings or any other material which may
have the potential to offend members of the opposite sex, members of another race, background,
nationality or ethnicity; anything which would make uncomfortable, someone who is deeply religious,
conservative or modest.
LAGUNA HILLS 3/5 ADOPTION COMMITTEE
949-632-8395
darkhorse92653@cox.net