Support for troops very appreciated

My name is Ashley Ritchey, and I am a first lieutenant in the Army currently in Afghanistan with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

I have been the incredibly grateful recipient of many packages from Fox Valley Troop Support. When I told them I had a platoon of 48 soldiers and NCOs, they sent a package for each and everyone, no questions asked, even though only one of my soldiers is from the Fox Valley area.

They have been so generous, and I am glad to see that they are getting positive public attention for the wonderful things they do for those of us over here.

I am starting my 13th month over here and cannot tell you how excited I am to eventually make it back home.

But while I'm here, there are organizations like Fox Valley Troop Support, Operation Support Our Troops Illinois, the church I grew up in (Geneva United Methodist), Katie Clark's class at Pleasant Hill Elementary School, Ralph Gebes and the Batavia VFW, and others that have shown an outpouring of generosity and care that I am incredibly grateful for.

So, thank you for letting your readers see just what sorts of wonderful things that people are capable of. My older sister has also been receiving packages from these same groups. She is a captain currently deployed with the 10th Mountain Division in Iraq, and I can say that Fox Valley Troop Support and sister organizations mean the world to us and all deployed soldiers.

Thanks for your kind article about these great Americans.

Ashley Ritchey

Batavia By way of Afghanistan