Thank you notes

"I just received a box of books for my children and I wanted to say thank you. This box was mailed in December of last year, but due to a postal error, I just received it. My kids are enjoying looking at and reading the books."

"I got 2 boxes of books within 2 weeks. Thank you for sending me some books. When I'm done with some I will send them along."

"I received my first two shipments this week. My children are so excited when the boxes arrive they drop everything to see what they get in the new boxes. We are also sharing books with our neighbors on post & several of them are now OP recipients! A big thank you to OP & all volunteers! Lauren"

"Dear Gina B and Margot J Thank you so much for the books for the children. They were greatly appreciated. My daughter has to keep hers together and puts them back in her room in a special spot when she is done with them. She really loves the duck book. Thank you again, Jenny"

"Dear Beth B- The books you sent for me three children were perfect for them. The toys to go with the one book was a very thoughtful touch. You went above and beyond with what you did. My oldest and I are really looking forward to going through the lego idea book. Again thank you so much, Jenny "

" Thanks 4 the books, my 2 year old was so happy when we opened the box and she saw kids books, she jumped and said mom please read the books. thanks so much!"

"First off, I would like to thank you and all of your volunteers on behalf of the 819th ERHS! Operation Paperback remains one of the best morale programs out there, and it means a lot to us! That said, we have filled up (and overflowed!) our bookshelf here. As much as I hate to, I am going to have to ask that you stop shipments to both myself and Vernon M. We have more books now than we could possibly read, and hope that by giving up our places we can let somebody else enjoy such a great gift. Thank you!"

"I sincerely appreciate your outreach to myself and my fellow Soldiers here in Afghanistan. I am leaving soon and respectfully ask you to please stop sending books to my address. I thank you very much for your excellent program. "

"Have to share a good moment that came to pass because of you and your volunteers. A seasoned soldier with many hard deployments behind him was extremely depressed We could not get to him and then a special book fell into his hands and he has not let it go ever since. The book is the only one of it's kind that we have received so far and it was perfect. It is entitled The Forgiveness Formula (has a feather pictured on the cover) by Kathleen Griffin. He smiles now and is sharing good memories. Know that you have blessed this most deservant great man. The medication alone is not the answer. You are all so immensely appreciated :)"

"Today because of you and your volunteers I had the honor of witnessing a miracle that would not have taken place if it was not for you and yours!!! You and your good people are making a difference for some of our patients. The boxes of treasures were on our ward and our Major let me store them in her office until I could get to them . Between patient care and documenting...it gone done. We have a soldier with at least 5 hard depolyments behind him with repeated trauma from what he saw, did ... He kept isolating despite our efforts. ONE book stood out by title and somehow it felt like THE present for him. He accepted it and actually got up and out of his room and found me . He cried and said he was waiting for a sign. He was is his room and constantly looking out his window as he sat on the floor. He said he always had a little secret sort of with God and that a feather in his path reminded him he was in his Father's care. He said the sign was the book. The book was a hard cover with a papercover and it was a picture of a feather. He has been reading the words that will help him heal and was already on the 4th chapter when I finished my shift at 1515. YOU all are so marvelous! I always thought that if at least one soldier is touched by these books it is all a big success and many are voicing having found some form of counsel by your donations. I will forever be thankful to you and had to fightback some tears today when our soldier shared his feelings. It is a beginning for him that the medicine alone could not have started. Amazing Americans you are forever to be praised! Thank you!"

"Again you and your volunteers have come through! Some very much needed PTSD workbooks reached our ward and Brain Lock and Alcoholic's Anonymous: The Big Book and The Forgiveness Formula And Empty Arms and An Unquiet Mind... Each book has a destination and just today 2 of these treasures hit target. Both soldiers are already deep into the chapters. Amazing work you and your people are doing for our patients! A box of flip-flops also arrived and got a big cheer :) The folks whose names I was able to get from the packages are : Liz F from San Antonio Chris S and Family from St. Louis, MO. Victoria S from Milton, MA. Richard S , Jr. Anne F from Milford, CT. So very appreciative to each and every one!!! Tomorrow will have another opportunity to search for the right book for the right soldier and am honored to play even a small part in this. Thank you! "

"Just wanted to let yall know I have received the package!! It is greatly appreciated and I can tell you how nice it is to know you have support from people back home! Thank you again so much and I will spread the word to the rest of my platoon!!"

"I want to first thank you for all the great books and support you given to us. I understand the most precious thing one person can give to another is their time. I am happy to say that we have received enough books for our library and do not need any more books at this time. Thank you so much for your time and support."

"Hello, I have received three more shipments of books from different senders. Thank you!"

"Hi I am a medic, and like any good medic I know a soldier's health is not just a measure of his physical readiness. That is why after I received a link to your site from my state side pen pal I am requesting books for our troops. I have been completely surprised at how many people out there who are working to make a difference in our lives as soldiers while we are serving in harms way. Thank you and all the volunteers at operation paperback for all that you do."

"I just wanted to inform you that my first package of books arrived here safe and sound and let you know how grateful I am that there are people like you in the world capable of such kindness. This means the world to me thank you so much."

"Dear Mary Ann & all the volunteers at Operation Paperback: Just a quick note to say thank you from the XXth BCD Plans shop. We are deployed right now and the books you sent are absolutely what the doctor ordered! Even better is the quality of the selection and the fast time in which you sent the books. About half of the books have been snatched up already. I will be getting into the Simon Scarrow series on the Roman Army tonight! Thanks again, You are doing us a world of good! "

"We received all the Lemony Snicket books this week! What a huge surprise! The kids were ecstatic - thanks so much!"

"Thank-you for the generous gift of reading materials. The Marines and their families greatly appreciate the books."

"I want to thank you so much for the books. I can't even begin to describe the thrill we all felt when we received them. Thank you so much for doing this for us and other military families. "

"I Received my books !!!"

"I just want to give a shout out and say thank you very much for the books! my kids were so happy to have gotten a box of books in the mail!!!! Again Thank you!!"

"We just received our shipment of books. They are fantastic! And you included something for my teenagers and toddlers as well! The kids were so excited, they immediately started reading. It is very much appreciated. We will be sure to share the books with others when we're finished reading them. Thanks again for your support. It is very much appreciated."

"I received a box of books from Operation Paperback in Tallahassee, Florida and would like to thank them and all of you for this wonderful program."

"I received your book shipment yesterday and I wanted to thank you for it and for everything you do! I love sharing books with my friends, who are military as well.. What a great idea to spread love and joy! Thanks"

"hi, i would like to say i got my books in the mail and love them, thanks "

"I just wanted to let you know that we got the box of books and I took a picture of some of them and mentioned you on our facebook page. If you want to take a look it is USO FOB SHINDAND. Thank you all very much for the books and the job you are doing to help out our military."

"I just want to thank everyone who is involved in the donation/collection/distribution process of Operation Paperback. Reading is the only time that I could really relax and decompress. It doesn't matter what is going on around me, but for that one hour or even 30 minutes I pick up my book I can be anywhere I want to be. Thank you again for all the wonderful books. I have plenty to keep me occupied for a very long time."

"Dear Ms Burke, sorry for the delay in sending you a reply for the 32 books received on 8&12 March 2013. I have just arrived and it takes a few days to get access to the computer. We appreciate all the books we receive from you all, they are enjoyed by the patients, family and the staff here at DDEAMC. Thank you and have a wonderful week."

"On behalf of HQBN, we would like to send a special thank you for your support! We truly appreciate your kindness and generosity as the books pour in. Thank you so much! We will make sure that they are put to good use! Thank you again!"

"Thank you! You have no idea how much I love to read and when I come home from work, I like the idea of all these books waiting for me to be read. Thank you so much for your generosity and support. I really appreciate it."

"Wow, I had no idea your group had such a large amount of enthusiastic donators! I am overwhelmed with books in a good way! However, I am out of storage space, how do I cut off the supply? thanks"

"Thank you for the ongoing support that you continue to show to our troops. To date I have received five packages of books totaling over 50 books. Unfortunately, I must ask that you remove my name from your lists. While I sincerely appreciate your support, I was not prepared for the overwhelming generosity of your volunteers. I simply have received more books than I can possibly read. I will continue to let my fellow veterans know about your organization and the work that they do. Thank you again."

"Thank you so much for sending all the books! My husband was shocked at the generosity and has been distributing them. I told him to anticipate getting a box from your organization and he got three! He was so surprised that there were books he wanted to read. Most donated books,while well meaning, are not what your average infantryman wants to read (re: a lot of romance novels). Thank you so much for brightening his day! I have passed along the information to others and hope will be as happy as my husband. Again, thank you so much!"

"I am writing to let you know that I recently received a shipment from you of several books. I also received another delivery of one gardening book and a third shipment with two more gardening books in them. I wanted to thank you very much for sending these to me. The gardening books in particular are greatly appreciated. I am a small local grower who sells at the local farmers markets on the weekend. The books arrived at an opportune time as we are just getting geared up for the upcoming growing season. We are always looking for a way to improve our knowledge base, yields and profits whenever possible. The books I received are all new reads for me. It is so important to remember that physical injuries aren’t the only ailments that need attention. Many of us forget how important it is to keep your mind active as well. This program is a fantastic way to provide access to vast amounts of enrichment materials for a group of individuals that may not otherwise be exposed to such a wide variety of subject matters. Since I am receiving such a benefit from the program, I wonder if it would be possible to help out with a donation of reading materials that I no longer need. While there are a few coveted titles in my collection of books that I could never part with, others might certainly find at least a temporary home with a new owner. Please let me know if there is a way that I can donate some of my reading materials. "

"Thank you Operation Paperback team just wanted you to know, that we received the two shipments yesterday and we love the books you chose for us! cannot wait start reading them.. thank you!"

"I just wanted to let you know we received our shipment of paperback books. We really appreciate the kindness of sending us these books. Thank you so much."

"Thanks so much for your amazing program, I am overwhelmed with the support shown by the American people even after 12 years of war."

"Thank you so much for sending my family the books. Since my husband is deployed reading and activities is a must with the little ones ;) We are always excited when we get surprise packages in the mail, my kids were very excited to receive new books. Thank you for taking time to send them to us. We appreciate it and everything yall do!"

"Thank you so much for the books sent to us!! We just received it yesterday. We really appreciate it and especially the time volunteers took to send it to us. This is great!"

"We received our books a few days ago and are so glad to have some new reading material! I plan on giving a few to my husband to leave on the boat for the sailors to read while they are out to sea as well as sharing with the other boat wives. I've found the best way to pass the time while our husbands are gone is to read a few good books and this year is a deployment year so we need them! Thank you for supporting the military and their families, it is GREATLY appreciated!"

"Attention: Margot J & Gina B WE RECEIVED OUT FIRST SHIPMENT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH- WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT! THE NELSON FAMILY"

"Thank you so much for sending my family the books. Since my husband is deployed reading and activities are a must with the little ones ;) We are always excited when we get surprise packages in the mail, my kids were very excited to receive new books. Thank you for taking time to send them to us. We appreciate it and everything y'all do! Fort Sill Oklahoma"

"Just wanted to thank you for the boxes of I have been receiving. My family will have a blast reading through these excellent selections of books. My package arrived promptly after my request and everything was presented professionally. Once again I would like to thank the staff for this awesome treasure of books."

"We got our first couple boxes today and i was so thankful to have gotten them especially the Dr Seuss books i just love reading them to our little girl "

"Just received our first shipment today! We are so happy with it and can't wait to see what arrives next! Thank you so much!"

"Thank you so much for sending my family the books. We are always excited when we get surprise packages in the mail and my girls were very excited to receive new books. Thank you for taking time to send them to us. We appreciate it!"

"Many thanks, my son is enjoying the many many books he received. I will share the books with his preschool as well. I leave within a week and having such a small gesture will help him; as we would read almost every nite before having to move for this deployment. "

"Hi, I just wanted to let you know I received the books that you sent. They were much appreciated and have helped build what is now becoming a very good library. The folks here at Consulate Basra Iraq use the library frequently and the books seem to fly off the shelves. Thank you so much and I just want you to know that they are appreciated not only by me but by Basra personnel."

"I wanted to thank you for all the books that you sent us. My boys are so thankful and we have been reading 1 book a night. My boys love story time and these books have given is a fresh start on new books to read them. Thank you again."

"Hello there! We received out box of books today!!! Thank you so much! My little girl loves all the books and now we can start the collection for my 3 month old ;) this was very generous of you ! Thank you again"

"I would like to say thank you for your outreach to myself and my fellow Soldiers here in Afghanistan. I love to read and your program boosts the collective morale of everyone here. Thank you for the great program you provide."

"Wow we got our first box of books today. what a nice surprise to find when the kids got home from school. Thank you! Such a wonderful gift of reading."

"Good morning Operation Paperback! I cannot thank you enough for your books that you have sent me. I appreciate the time and effort you have put in to sending me this box. Rest assured I have already cracked open 'The Kennedy's and Cuba' and they will all get read. Thank you again, Hope you have a Happy New Year!"

"Thank you so much for everything!!! Your services are much appreciated by myself and my fellow troops! Keep up the great support, it helps us more than you know!!!"

"Thank you so much for all the books. We received another box of books today. We love the books. This is the third box of books we have gotten. We really appreciate everything your organization does for us overseas. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Thanks for everything you do!"

"I would like to send a sincere thank you for sending me books here in Afghanistan. I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule and support the troops downrange. Thanks!"

"I just wanted to say thank you for sending the box full of books and coloring books for my children and myself. My son was so excited to receive the box and we have been reading the Handy Manny Book and coloring with Go Diego Go daily. I can't express how much I appreciate the gesture. Hope you had a great new year!"

"Thank you so much for the amazing books that were delivered to my family! It's such a great blessing to have people who are willing to do nice things for complete strangers. My son is only 9 months old, but he loves the pictures and colors in the books he received. It makes his face light up when he sees new books and especially when we read to him. My wife also enjoys getting new books to read (for the few times that she has a quiet moment to herself). Again, thank you so much for supporting my family and Operation Paperback. To Operation Paperback, You offer such an awesome service to the people of the military! please keep up the great work that you do!"

"I wanted to take a few minutes to thank you for the wonderful gift of books that you sent to us here in Djibouti, Africa.\r\nWhile I am wrapping up my deployment and getting ready to return to my family in the States, there are others who have just arrived here. \r\nYour gift of books is a life-saver in many ways. Thank you for your continued support of the troops!"

"I am one of the last Americans left serving in Iraq on a military mission. We are steadily scaling back and plan to close our last FOB (Forward Operating Base) by the end of September. That will leave the US Embassy as the final U.S. controlled area in Iraq. Your efforts have benefited service members for years as the books you sent have remained and been reread dozens of times by thousands of people. This is my third tour and I have directly benefited from your thoughtfulness each time. The enjoyment your efforts provided have been sincerely appreciated by a generation of soldiers, marines, seamen, airmen and civilians serving in this endeavor. Before when we leave, I will make sure the remaining books are transferred to the US Embassy library where they will continue to be enjoyed by the next generation of Americans serving their country in a diplomatic capacity. Hopefully, they will know an Iraq at peace. Thank you again with our sincerest appreciation and heartfelt gratitude."

"I'm a soldier deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan and I just want to say thanks! I've been enjoying some Robert Ludlum books from your organization in my downtime the last couple weeks and am grateful for your support to the troops."

"TWIMC, Thank you very much for the first shipment of books sent to TI ANCOP. Already you've made some very happy soldiers. On behalf of Co F 51st IN REG, 1-1AD Thank you for your support."

"Dear Nancy and to all the volunteers are Operation Paperback, My name is Scott W. and I am an Army soldier currently deployed to Afghanistan. We are near the city of Herat, in the west, at a NATO base called Camp Arena. We recently received a large shipment of books, and I just wanted to say thank you very much for thinking of us! We are putting the books to good use and could not be more grateful for the support you have shown us. God bless you for your time and effort in suppporting us and our mission here. I hope your program will have continue to have success, so that others may benefit even as we have"

"I emailed with you this past fall, I think around September, regarding sending my husband's troop in Afghanistan books. He has recently moved, and his troop has broken up and moved to various other locations. There are no longer any American troops where he was located. Please remove his name and location from your list of recipients. This service has been wonderful, and they all appreciated the books tremendously. Your charity is simply fantastic! His name is LTC K*** and he was stationed at FOB Gardez. If you need any more information to stop his shipments, please let me know. Thank you again for this fantastic service for our troop"

"I just want to let you know that we received 5 boxes of books from your organization. I want to say thank you for your support!!!"

"Ms Balla, The puzzle books never even made it to our shelves. They were immediately grabbed up by the residential facility and the TBI unit here in the hospital. Many thanks for your dedication and support of the troops here at Eisenhower Army Medical Facility."

"Hi there…I submitted my name to receive a care package since I am deployed here in Afghanistan. Today I received your package and I would like to say thank you very much. Without great Americans like yourself to remind of us home things would definitely be harder. Thank you so much for taking the time and consideration to send packages to us out here. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you and everyone there helping support us."

"We Received the Box of Books Today! Thank you. Came just in time for Christmas. A Awesome surprise for us. I forgot about these until I saw the box. I will let you know how the Kids like their books."

"I again want to send my thanks for the generosity and also the thought that people still see our military members as men and woman who make sacrifices so others wont have to. WE appreciate it and feel that although we can not fully escape - it is a nice break to step into a book that gives you a break from knowing your loved ones sometimes cant be with you- It also is heartwarming to see how happy my daughter and son are when they see books!!! They are very young but I read to them all the time and my 2 1/2 year old excels already in her use of words and discovering stories. Thank you so much."

"Thank you so much for sending my family and myself the parcel of books! We appreciate you kind gesture!"

"We just received the box of books and I was so happy when I opened it. I knew at the sight of the Lego Ninjago books that my son was going to fall over from excitement, and he did! He was so happy to look through all the books, and I was overjoyed to see his expressions. We love reading books everyday, and this was such a great surprise. I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart. My son would like to send you a thank you drawing, so if you don't mind, we will be doing a craft next week for you. Thank you!"

"Thanks for the books!"

"Hi, My family and I received a shipment of books today. We were so very excited. Thank you so much."

"I received a wonderful package from Shannon & Fred G. :) in Dunstable, MA. Thank you SO much for the wonderful books. I have received so many books, it is incredible. I cannot wait to pay them forward. Thank you, again."

"Dear Lisa H, Thank you SO much for the wonderful package of books that you sent me--I am very excited to read them all! I definitely have so much fun reading ahead of me thanks to you and your generosity. I cannot wait to pay the books forward. Thank you from the bottom of my heart--your package was wonderful!"

"I recently received three boxes filled to the brims with books from: Peggy from Wilmington, DE No name was attached on this letter The Library at Venable LLP Thank you so much for this program--it is so wonderful! I cannot wait to pay these books forward. "

"Dear American Legion Greenlawn Post 1244, I want to thank you for your incredible gift of books that you recently mailed to me. It means so much to me that you would take time out of your lives and mail such a wonderful package for me to enjoy. Thank you for serving America--and continuing to do so! "

"We received the two boxes of Operation Paperback books you sent us!! Thank you so much for your support of the military & their families! Our two year old son LOVES to look through books, and we make sure we make time every day to read to him at night. Additionally, on his (very limited) free time, my husband loves to read historical books like the ones you sent! I am sure he will love the selection he has now! Thank you soo much & God bless!!"

"Thank you for the selection of books for the Veterans at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center."

"Dear Mrs. Faxlanger & Volunteers Words cannot express how much your kind gesture means to all of us out here in Afghanistan. We acknowledge that you have found the time to lift the spirits of the Marines through the power of a simple book. Thank you very much for taking the time to support us; we truly appreciate it. I We have a lot of Marines that unfortunately haven't received any mail at all. Being away from friends and families especially with the holiday fast approaching will be quite a challenge for many of our young Marines; however, it means a lot to everyone that people have taken the time for such a kind gesture. We greatly appreciated. Thank you and God bless."

"Thank you for the package of books that was sent to the John D. Dingell Hospital in Detroit, MI from David G. We are looking forward to the next shipment of books."

"Thank you for the package of books that was sent to the John D. Dingell Hospital in Detroit, MI from Susan & Robert L. We are looking forward to the next shipment of books."

"Your box of books safely arrived at our FOB today. The support from Operation Paperback has been outstanding. We are on one of the smallest US bases in Afghanistan, and when my team arrived there were almost no morale supplies for the 24 US personnel on our base. Thanks to Operation Paperback, we now have several hundred books and need to build more bookshelves to hold them all. Your support is truly appreciated. I have no idea how many donated paperbacks I have read in my multiple deployments, all have been a welcome escape from the day-to-day grind of operations. This is my first time working to get the books from groups in the US and I am overwhelmed by both the quantity and quality of the books that have been sent. Our soldiers will get even more use out of the books as winter sets in and we spend more time on the base. Thanks again."

"Hi Operation Paperback! I have to thank you for the abundance of books that my family has received. The generosity of the donators is truly amazing. I've received packages from: Anne M Bertha H Diana C Bertha H Clay and Donna E Holy Trinity Lutheran Church I believe that is all (but I could be wrong!). Again, thank you for this program. The books are a much welcome smile for my children's faces as well as my own during this time of year when my husband is deployed overseas. "

"Thank you so much! We received our shipment of books, and are already enjoying learning some new words in them. Your program is amazing and such a blessing."

"Thank you so much for the box of paperback westerns. They are so appreciated. Our veterans love westerns and we so appreciate your sending them."

"Hi! We received our first box of books from operation paperback today!! We are very excited to start reading. Thank you so very much!"

"I would like to give my personal heartfelt thanks to your organization. My team is deployed in eastern Afghanistan far from our higher headquarters support and the response of books, magazines and media has been overwhelming and most welcome. The books and letters provided by all the volunteers has made a significant impact on everyone. Unfortunately, mission changes and the fact we do not have space for anymore books has made me realize that we can no longer accept shipments of books from your wonderful volunteers. Please remove our address from the list. Thank you for the great things that this organization has accomplished!!!"

"Thank you so much for the package of books!!! I am sorry we did not write earlier! We have been so busy with the holidays and now that I am waiting for the little ones to fall asleep before stuffing the stockings I have a free moment to let you know how great it was to receive all of the books. My husband is stationed overseas and the package was a total surprise. Reading is a huge part of our kids academics so they were able use them right away. I am going to recommend your program to our deployed parent counselor at the school I teach at. My kids were super excited with the selections. Now that I have a break I am going to begin reading some as well. Thanks again."

"Thank you so much for the books, and all of your hard work. A good book helps the mind escape. All the best"

"I would like to give my personal heartfelt thanks to your organization. My team is deployed in eastern Afghanistan far from our higher headquarters support and the response of books, magazines and media has been overwhelming and most welcome. The books and letters provided by all the volunteers has made a significant impact on everyone. Unfortunately, mission changes and the fact we do not have space for anymore books has made me realize that we can no longer accept shipments of books from your wonderful volunteers. Please remove our address from the list."

"I just wanted to find out if it was possible to cancel the book deliveries for Operation Paperback. My husband has gotten more books than he could read in a lifetime and for that he is very thankful but he wants someone else to be able to receive the amazing gift that you have given him. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help support the cause or if you need more information to take him off your mailing list. He is so appreciative of all you have done for him though."

"Hi Operation Paperback, I just wanted to let you know we have received our box of books. Thank you so much for the books, we really appreciate them! > God Bless and Happy Holidays!!"

"Hello, I just received a shipment of books (and other awesome stuff!) from the Eagle HOG Chapter. I wanted to say thanks ever so much for all that you sent! It really has made this week very special for me. I've already started reading one of the books, which will help to take my mind off of things over this holiday season. Also, a very special thanks to Sean L. for his very inspirational letter. I hope you all the very best, and have a wonderful Christmas!"

"I found your email address via the Operation Paperback website. I wanted to send you an email to thank you, your organization, as well as the Columbia, South Carolina chapter of the Colonial Dames of America. My Team and I arrived here to Afghanistan at the beginning of November and there was a box of books left from the previous unit. Many of my Soldiers have been reading and enjoying those books. This is my 3rd deployment, 1 in Iraq, 2 in Afghanistan, and each deployment I have read at least 2-3 books provided by the generous donations of a very supportive country. Please pass a thank you out to whomever you can....my Soldiers and I REALLY appreciate the support. "

"Please Let Debra M know how much the Veterans appreciated her donation!! Thanks"

"Thank you so much for the books my boys love them and look forward to them every month. My daughter will be happy to get hers too. "

"To the volunteers of Operation Paperback, and especially to Tillie N. of First Presbyterian Church, Royal Oak, MI, I'd like to send my appreciation from Okinawa, Japan. My family and I just saw several boxes of your lovingly packed books at the Seamen's Club in Naha, Okinawa, and we would like you to know that your efforts are greatly appreciated. Thank you for your patriotism and your generous support!"

"I wanted to take a minute to write you to tell you thank you so much for the books and card it really meant a lot to us. My kids were so excited to receive the box they thought for sure Santa came early. And we would like to say a special thank you to Rennick for taking time out to write us a little note for our box we appreciate that you took the time to send us books to read together :D Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. With Much love, The K Family "

"Thank you again for all the books you send and the kind words that you sent along with them but I must ask you if I can have my squadron taken off the list of books owing to the fact that our library on the ship can't support the amount of people that did it on the ship they are still over stocked from last deployment a year ago so if possible they request that. I personally love the books you send but can't read so many so quickly so if that's possible or if you can tell me the route I must go to do that. I thank you for supporting the military diligently as you do and it makes me fuzzy to know that people care."

"I just wanted to say thank you again for everything. The books definitely helped morale throughout our deployment and extension. We're finally on our way back and will be home soon, hopefully! Have a great holiday season. "

"Thank you for the package of books that was sent to the John D. Dingell Hospital in Detroit, MI from Norma J. We are looking forward to the next shipment of books."

"Thank you for sending the Dvd’s and puzzles to the John D. Dingell V.A. Hospital in Detroit, MI. We are looking forward to any future packages that you have to send to us."

"Good day and would like to thank you all for your support and generosity to Riverine Squadron Three. The books and gifts you sent were much appreciated and I can tell you that the smiles and happiness in the sailors faces were many. Many books brought a sense of home and feeling that Americans do think about their military members and all supporting the war on terrorism and there nation. It is in Americans such as yourself and Kiwanis Club of Oceanside,NY that make this country great. Thank you for your hard work in Operation paperback. I think this program is one that we all can benefit from and in do so maybe I can get involved to help. On behalf of LTJG Misitano and all of the Squadron I want to say thank you!!!!! "

"My platoon and I received two care packages filled with wonderful books for this organization. I wanted to take a moment and tell you how thankful I am for your program. As winter approaches more and more, our mission tempo slows down and we begin to have more and more personal free time. It is so wonderful to have all this great books to help fill our time, especially since we can all get pretty tired of the movies we have. It is nice to just lie down in my bed cruise through an enjoyable book. Thank you so much for your support in this way. "

"Hello, thank you kindly for the books that you sent us. My people are very happy to have more reading literature and eagerly await to finish these books and continue onto the next ones you send."

"On behalf of my Company, I will like to thank you all for your last shipment, God bless you all."

"Thank you so much for having regular shipments of books to our ship, we are very appreciative. At this point, we have received plenty of books and no longer have storage capacity. Our library has very limited space and personal stowage is full. Please place stop on the shipments. Again, thank you so much for providing complete supply of books for leisure reading. "

"I am writing to say Thank You for your donation of books to the John D. Dingell V.A. Hospital in Detroit, MI."

"Thank you for the books we received (3 boxes) for the Veterans at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System the first week of October."

"Just wanted you to know that we got the books and really appreciate it!!"

"Thank you for the books. We have received them and will be putting them in the newly constructed MWR building on our compound. We have also passed the information to our other units, so they may be contacting you soon."

"hello! I have only just subscribed to your service about a month ago, but I've already received about six boxes! that's pretty incredible, but I'm going to be pretty busy with the books i already have now for quite a while. Do you mind taking my name off the list so i don't receive any more books? Thanks so much!!!!"

"My boys had just received the box of books from operation paperback. My oldest loves them and cant wait to read them. He is my reader. My ten yr old has not put down the book about Tractors. He carries it everywhere he goes. We live in the central valley n there are many farms and dairies and we see tractors every where and he loves them. My husband is currently deployed and this is our first deployment with our little ones. We also have a 16 month old daughter. Thank you so much for the books my boys love them so much. "

"I've gotten a few boxes of books in lately. I apologize for not acknowledging it sooner. I want to thank Jane G from Elmwood Park, the folks in Dunstable MA, and Mary in Chanhasssen MN. Please pass along my thanks to them. These books are very popular and get taken off the shelves very quickly. Thank all of yall for supporting us. The books are very popular. "

"I want to send my thanks to you and let you know that you have helped both my family and two other military families . Our community shares with great pride knowing the generosity of people such as yourself knowing sometimes books are the best escape. My daughter has made you a card, she is 2 1/2 - so its a little interesting but I wanted to make sure it was alright to mail it to you- "

"I am the grandmother of Elijah, whom you sent books for him to read. I wanted to say thank you so much. Elijah is a big reader at home and school. He is in the top ten of his school for AR reading points. He is in the top of his class with excellent grades. This package was deeply appreciated by him and all of us. People like you have made a big difference in children's lives with your kindness and generosity. We can't thank you enough. When Elijah is done reading the books, do we send them off to another child or do we send them back to you? This would not be a problem for us to pass them on if needed. Again thank you."

"Each day I am at work exceeds the previous day in amazement at you and your wonderful volunteers! Today I lost count of the many boxes of goods for our heroes. Thank you all! The soldier/patients all took notice and got their new boxers,t-shirts, flip-flops and hygiene articles sent from those that love them. One package included single stars that are part of the American flag. Oh how sacred! ALL our patients took one even the most depressed. I truly believe that you are all helping to heal so thank you! The books are wondrous and are being used specifically for each individual. The workbooks on TBI and PTSD are going to be used in therapy groups. Our psychiatrists and social workers and nurses and aides are as taken by your great deeds as are our heroes. I continually sing your praises and am in awe of you! We have some soldiers that were admitted after suicide attempts or because they shared their suicidal idea and someone alerted command to intervene. All are active duty and most are very young and lower enlisted. The majority have served in war zones and return with haunting memories. Nightmares and poor sleep are issues. Depression is present. We hold them on our ward for safety first and treatment. After they are stable all are discharged to their command with temporary profiles and scheduled appointments for follow up. You are touching hearts and minds! They look in awe as the many gifts arrive and see that they are cherished and remembered. This is such a morale booster as well as an opportunity to change mind sets. A warm embrace to each! Your tangible acts of gratitude for these young warriors will remain forever in my heart and theirs! "

"Just sending more heartfelt thanks for the generous contributions you and your volunteers are sending to America's heroes on 11 WEST. Words can't express the emotion that was created in seeing the many deliveries of literary treasures! The sorting and storing and selecting for the present population of patients started immediately. We had a soldier with anger issues and a book that arrived, just before her discharge back to duty, was like hitting the nail on the head. The book was entitled something like " Good Women Can Get ANGRY". She took it with her and sends her thanks as she returns to serve our country armed with new coping skills and continued therapy, and now pages of wisdom. :) You and your fine folk are doing more than you imagine and helping to heal those that deserve every kindness! May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving! The t-shirts and boxers and hygiene articles as well as the coloring books and crayons are all extremely well received. These go fast so if you and yours wish to send more of these they will be used by our warriors staying on the ward. The population we serve are active duty soldiers only. Most of them were in either Iraq or Afghanistan or both and many deployed multiple times. They are young and male for the most part. All are showing signs of depression and many are haunted by memories of trauma. Our facility takes only those who may be a danger to themselves or possibly pose a threat of some sort at the time. You see they are in a crisis situation and either come to us voluntarily or are sent by command for safety and treatment. Their length of stay varies and all continue to receive counseling once they discharge on an outpatient basis. Again, you all astound! I am honored to have a small part in your grandness. "

"Thank you I have received my shipment of books. It is awesome thank you very much. "

"Hello, I'm a scout/sniper with 3/8 Marines, I'm on my third deployment to Afghanistan and I picked up a few books from leathernecks mwr before I left out to my area of operation and I realized I've never thanked anyone for this and for that I am truly sorry. You have no idea how something so simple as a book can take your mind off of the awful things you can see out here and I can't thank you enough for that,please let everyone who has a hand in what you do know I am truly touched that you people could take the time out of your lives to provide us with these books."

"I wanted to thank you again for all you've done. My time is finally up here. Please take me off your mailing list that some other deserving Soldier may benefit as I have during this last year. "

"I wanted to thank you as I just received my fourth package of books from Operation Paperback. The books have been a hit with my department and have been donated to my ship’s library for future use. At this time, would you please remove me from the mailing list as I have so many books now that I could not possibly get through them all during my deployment? Our ship’s library is not very large and I am afraid that soon they won’t be able to take more donations because of size restrictions and I want to ensure others can benefit from your incredible program. Thank you for all that you do to support everyone deployed. "

"Thank you very much for all of your boxes of books during this deployment. We very much appreciate all of your support. We will be redeploying soon and I just wanted to let your organization know. Thank you again. "

"Hey, I'm back home! Thanks for all the books you sent. "

"To the Employees of the Northwest Radiology Network, P.C., Thanks so much to your volunteers, your consistent effort and thoughfulness have contributed positively to my mens' morale. As soon as I receive your boxes of books, I put them in our makeshift library and send the rest to my other firing points where the rest of my Soldiers are. I have read a few of the books you have sent, although I don't get much downtime to myself., due to planning and other requirements. Your program has proven to be a great organization with a dedicated group of volunteers. But our time here is coming to a close, so I'll ensure to pass the word to the unit that is set to replace us. Our mail here was stopped a couple of days ago, so if you send anymore to me, there is no guarantee that it'll make it over here, and will all likelihood get lost in the black hole of Army mail. We appreciate it."

"I would like to say thank you so much for your support myself and my team and really the entire FOB have been able to enjoy all the reading material that has been sent our way. You forever have our thanks. On both a happy and sad note we will be leaving this location effective 20 OCT 2012: If you would please remove me from your mailing list I would greatly appreciate it so that your resources may go to brightening someone else's day and provide that little time away from everything to enjoy some down time. Once again I really appreciate everything your organization does. Thank you "

"You and your wonderful people astound me! Today between patient interventions and the hectic norm your packages of caring started to pour in! Our soldiers were amazed as is the staff! I thank you each from the bottom of my heart! Each and every item is proof of caring and that is exactly what these young soldiers have been aching for. Never will your kindness and generosity be forgotten. These are the folks who so expeditiously came through; Keith E from Vista, California Shirley A from Reno, Nv Linda L from Indian Harbour Beach, Florida H. Bressler Mary Jane D from Greenpoint, Brooklyn, N. Y. May your touching letters and charitable gifts help diminish and maybe erase some emotional scars. Bless you all a thousand fold. A warm embrace to each of you"

"Donations of books and personal items arrived on 11 WEST! Thank you so much! Those books are pure treasures. The flip-flops and the soaps and the toothpastes, toothbrushes and deodorants are all being put to good use. You are answered prayers for our soldier/patients. We have packages from the following: Sandy M Emily Q Janet T Topeka KS Volunteer Elizabeth R Shirley A You are all appreciated greatly. The soldiers read your enclosed letters and were happy to see that they are not forgotten."

"I want to thank the folks at OP for their box of books. I have been getting steady boxes recently from different volunteers and it is much appreciated. The books fly off the shelf so the constant donations are always just in time. They didn't leave an email so just thank them for me."

"First of all, thank you for what you do! As a sister of a soldier, it warms my heart to see such support for our military. My brother contacted me to see if I could stop the shipment if books. He has already received three boxes of which he is very grateful. However, he does not have any more room to store more books at this time. "

"Dear Brody Family, Thank you very much for the box of books. Our service members are enjoying the productive diversion. We are working very hard, long days, seven days a week. Hopefully, our efforts will mean that everyone will be home soon. Thanks again."

"This message is to Thank you and notify you that the paperbacks sent to us at Chillicothe VA have been received. The Veterans really enjoy reading them."

" I have been receiving books from Operation Paperback for about three months now. I would like to say that the support from your organization and the people who donate to us is greatly appreciated by all the Marines and Soldiers who I am currently serving with. Unfortunately, I am departing from this deployment earlier than expected. I am requesting that we can cancel the book shipments coming to me since I will no longer be in country. I am hoping that I can find someone who may be staying longer and refer this program to them and they can sign up for it in my place. Again thanks for all the support. It's great to know that there are so many people out there who support our efforts. "

"On behalf of the Washington D.C. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Veteran patients and staff, we would like to extend our gratitude for your donation of books. I can't begin to convey our appreciation of your generosity and the value it will have on the lives of the American Heroes we are trusted to care for. Your thoughtfulness reflects the concern that you feel for our Veterans and for the sacrifices they made for all of us while in service to our Nation. We are pleased you have adopted the patients of this medical center as a cause worthy of your support. We really appreciated your kind collaboration, commitment and efforts to brighten up the lives of some of our Washington D.C. veteran patients. Thank you for your continued support."

"Thank you all so very much for thinking of us...we deeply appreciate your support!"

"Hi! This note is way overdue but with this past year we have had tragedy and happiness in our lives. Your books have made more than my family happy - but I shared them with 3 other military families. I thank you so much for the books - my daughter loves them and now her new brother will love them also. I was wondering about the school the books where shipped- I would like to send a card but I know I am way behind- is it still possible to thank Canyon Vista Elementary?"

"Thanks for all the books. Its been a good run. Could I please be taken off the mailing list so others can enjoy these books. I have more than enough of these books then i know what to do with. Thanks for your support."

"I would like thank everyone for their support! I've received four boxes of books so far and the guys are enjoying them in their down time. Thank you for all that you do!"

"Hello Gary and the rest of the supportive Americans of Operation Paperback, Today I received two large boxes for the Soldiers of my unit that contained some very good paperbacks and comics for our Soldiers to enjoy during their off duty hours. We are currently relocating some of our operational facilities and once we are complete with them within the next week or so, our next project is to take a few tents and turn them into an MWR facility for our unit where our Soldiers can go to read books, play games, watch movies, and call or email home. Your gift of so many good books will help make our MWR facility possible and well-stocked. I really appreciate the support that you and Americans like you have continued to provide to the men and women who have answered our Nation's call. On behalf of the Soldiers of Task Force Bowie (3rd Battalion, 144th Infantry of the Texas Army National Guard), I truly thank you all for your support. Thanks again and God Bless."

"I would like to say thank you for all the packages of books I have received. I have been reading like crazy. However, I would like to ask that you please stop sending as I currently have many books. I have been sharing them with many people in the unit and in the area but there is many still. Thank you again for taking the time to send these great things and for allowing not only myself but many other escape for even a brief moment the reality of where we are. Thank you."

"Thank you very much for all of the books you have sent to us. My guys greatly appreciated them. We are scheduled to redeploy soon so you can start sending the books you would normally send to us to some troops that will be here. Please let me know what info you need from me to cancel our books. Again, thank you so much for your support!"

"I received your package today with the books. I want to say thank you very much for your donations. Right now I have more books than I need and I'm handing them out to some of the other soldiers in my platoon and company. I will no longer need any more packages but I do appreciate you all for your gifts, I just don't want to deny anyone else any books since I have plenty now. Thanks again and take care."

"Good Morning! First off I would like to thank you for your endless support in helping our troops to read. I truly appreciate your dedication to this project. I am going to redeploy pretty soon and would like to cancel the books shipment. I will also like to know how I can contribute once I get home. Thank you"

"I am a danish officer working in CJ5 branch in ISAF Headquarters, Kabul. You may wonder why a danish officer is writing to you, but I want to thank you and your organization for supporting the troops in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. In the CJ5 branch officers from 9 different countries are working long hours together with our american comrades to achieve the mission of ISAF. Our common language is english, however, there are many different accents and sometimes we are teasing the americans claiming that they do not speak english but americanish. Despite the differencies we are one big familie sharing the same losses and missing our love ones back home. Then it feels good to receiving a package with books from the citizens back home. I know that US is not my home but in the CJ5 we share everything disregarding our nationality. Kindly give my best regards to all the voluntary members of Operation Paperback and their efforts to support us. And thanks to you, Kathy, for your personal note on the letter."

"I received a box of books from you today. I want to thank you for that. Our people here at Basrah really like reading from my MWR library. They pretty much pick the shelves as quickly as I put them up. The Ugandan troops particularly favor our books. Thank you again."

"Just a note of thanks for a recent donation to the VA hospital in East Orange, New Jersey. We received 2 boxes of paperback books. They will serve our veterans well as they are always looking for reading material. Thanks again."

"Thank you again for the great box of books! It is like Christmas in September. The box arrived from the Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church on Long Island. I look forward to many hours of enjoyment after long days at work. I really feel fortunate to be able to serve with my fellow service members here in Afghanistan but being able to mental go places back in the States through a good book is a welcomed treat. Thanks again."

"Just wanted to say thanks for the books. They arrived safely and are much appreciated."

"On behalf of the crew members of USS Benfold, I would like to express our gratitude to the volunteers of Operation Paperback. We received several shipments of literature and greatly appreciate the time and effort put forth in gathering the items and sending to us. Our Sailors are very thankful to have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of reading selections that we have added to our ship’s library. Thank you again! "

"Just wanted to let you know the box of books you sent has arrived. I have already read a couple of them and look forward to delving into many of the others also. Thank you for providing a little diversion from the long work hours and the mission at hand while allowing us to recall memories of home in the process. Thank you very much!"

"Greetings from Okinawa... Please advise Colonel David W, U.S. Army (Ret), that we have received a shipment of books from him. We invite him to follow us on www.facebook.com/seamenclubnaha and see how both merchant seafarers and U.S. military personnel are beneficiaries of our shipments. "

"Eleanor and the members of Dei Lutheran Church, Coos Bay, OR Thank you for the books we received for the Veterans at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System the week of March 21, 2011"

"I would personally like to thank you for your book donation. It is not easy to get books ordered out here and we appreciate all the help/donations that we get. All of the books you sent are already being distributed amongst the troops. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to keeping in contact. P.S. Our donation was received by a Ms. Clark and a Ms. Openshaw. Please extend our gratitude."

"Ms. Fuller, On behalf of Kadena Base Library, we would like to thank you for your donation ( Operation Paperback) through Mr. Cummins for our troops. We received hundreds of paperbacks and hardbound books donation locally and we are no longer need of donation overseas. We appreciate and thankful for your thoughtfulness towards our men and women in military. Thank you."

"To Whom It May Concern, I would personally like to thank you for your book donation. It is not easy to get books ordered out here and we appreciate all the help/donations that we get. All of the books you sent are already being distributed amongst the troops. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to keeping in contact. P.S. Our donation was received by a Ms. Lexlanger (I apologize if I misspelled the name, it is hard to read the signature). Please extend our gratitude."

"To Whom It May Concern, I would personally like to thank you for your book donation. It is not easy to get books ordered out here and we appreciate all the help/donations that we get. All of the books you sent are already being distributed amongst the troops. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to keeping in contact. P.S. Our donation was received by a Ms. Lees. Please extend our gratitude. "

"Dear Janice, Thank you for the box of puzzle, Sudoku, crossword books. It is very much appreciated"

"Greetings to everyone. Just received your latest package of paperbacks.... best package yet. The selection of classics was great. thanks for everything."

"Got the books! We really appreciate it. Thanks."

"Your wonderful organization has been supplying books to us. We are sovery grateful to everyone who is involved in the process of sending out the books. Unfortunately my husband doesn't have any more room left in his dorm to fit all of the books he is receiving!!! I think it is so wonderful that I have to write to ask to stop sending the books:) We can't believe the amount of support! If there is anyway that your organization could send the books that you would be sending to Wade to another soldier who is more in need we would appreciate it. We are so amazed and so touched by the kindness of this country. Please let me know if I can help your organization in return. Thank-you Again"

"I have received more books than I could possibly read and I am also running out of room for these books. I do appreciate the citizens who have taken the time to send books, but I am literally being swamped with books! I would like my name to be taken off the list as I am sure there are other military personnel who would enjoy receiving these books. I now have plenty! You have a very impressive operation! Thanks for everything!!!"

"It is with great honor and appreciation that I send this letter. The impact deployment has on each young soldier is always unknown. Supporters, such as you, provide comforts of home that ease this impact and make for a better deployed life. You gave and blessed the lives of the soldiers in order to make the deployment much more comfortable. The care packages we received were wonderful, but knowing there is someone supporting us and supporting what we do strengthens our resolve. We are better because of your support. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You will be blessed for what you have done. Stay safe and keep America true!"

"Weekend greetings from Okinawa, where we're hunkered down with a SuperTyphoon making its way toward us. Thanks to Operation Paperback, as always, for the support. Books received this week from Friends of the John F. Germany Pubic Library, and another couple boxes from your organization direct. "

"Just got a book care package from you and we really appreciate your love and support. We will read, read and read. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. You are our real heroes. God Bless. Godspeed. Train to fight."

"I wanted to let you know that I received your package with the books and I'm very thankful. I have many of them and now I'm passing them out to friends and co workers of mine and also telling them about you all's organization. I'm burning through them as often as I can :) and I do have my favorites. Can you thank the other individuals who also send me books. I don't know their names off bat but I wanted to extend a thank you to them and you for supporting us and providing moral for me and the troops that our out here. It's hard enough as it is but knowing that there are people back in the rear that loves and supports us enough to do a act of kindness as yawl really helps. Thank you again and take care."

"We received your latest package of books. Thank you so much."

"Thank you for the books we received for the Veterans at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System the week of August 12, 2012."

"Wow! I just signed up about two weeks ago and I have already received three book shipments, about 40 books all together and a vast majority are books that I am very eager to get started! Thank you for your support of the troops! I know that for me, reading a great work of fiction is a wonderful escape from the very real situation at hand. Because of the great response from your organization, I think my reading list is full for the duration of my deployment. If you would like, you can turn off the shipments to me and save the books for another Soldier! Thank you again for the great service you provide, and the outstanding response I received! Please know that the support you provide is greatly appreciated! Thank you!"

"First of all I just want to say Thank You so much for all that you do for all the troops and their families as they are deployed! :) We have greatly appreciated all the books that you all have sent, unfortunately some of our troops are going home sooner and to different locations and we are currently being flooded with books and do not have enough people to read them. You can take us off of your list, again Thank You so much from all of us over here in Afghanistan! :) "

"Thank you for all the packages of books and goodies to 3d Supply Battalion. The Marines/Sailors love to read and receive packages. We can't thank you enough. We think this program is great. We appreciate all your efforts. Thank you"

"I just got fifty shades of gray in the mail today thank you so much, I really appreciate it."

"thank you so much for all the books that have been sent! The books help so much and the troops love them. They take their minds of what we experience over here. We can tell you how much it means to us that organizations like your are amazing! thank you thank you thank you. "

"I wanted to take a few minutes to say thank you to all of you that have contributed in sending us deployed soldiers books to read. I have been deployed eight months. In the time I have been in Afghanistan, the one sure thing that has been consistent, is the receipt of your books. Thank you! It has been a blessing. We are in the middle of no where and have little American amenities. Anything we receive is greatly appreciated. It is people like all of you that make it bearable. Again, thank you all and God bless. "

"Shalom aleikhem! Thank you for your continued support. I made sure to share the many packages of books from George and Kathy F in Lubbock, TX, and Kathy D in Owaneco, IL and many others with my friends here. I took many packages to our community center to be shared with the entire base. Please extend the love of Christ to all Volunteers of Operation Paperback!"

"I wanted to say thank you to all of your volunteers for all the amazing books and goodies we have been receiving here. Today, I received 5 more boxes of books from 5 different volunteers across the United States. Tallnie C from Monterey, CA Donna R and the First Presbyterian Church of Avon from Avon, NY Maggie R from Springfield, VA Merrell C from Marietta, OH Beverly T from Aldie, VA Thank you all again so very much for your thoughts and gifts to us over here. Thank you,"

"I wanted to just let you know your books got here for us. Thank you very much. People have been requesting Stephen King and you gave us several. We have a small base and a small library with 5 book shelves. I guess they hold maybe 2 or 3 hundred books but they go quick. I guess we have a lot of readers especially the Ugandans. They are hungry for American literature. Anyway if you can send us more in the future we would appreciate it. Thank you and God bless."

"Hello Tom & Dorothy, Wanted to thank your organization once again for supporting our Soldiers out here. As of today, we have received 3 boxes of books, which we have included in our MWR library and Morale Corner. Your books serve as a way to find distraction for our Soldiers when they want to escape from reality. Would like to thank you again for your support."

"I wanted to say thank you for the books and that I did receive them. I want to especially thank you for the three that I really love and that's the George C book "when will jesus bring the pork chops" and the two by the author who wrote the book "girl with the dragon tattoo"."

"Just wanted to say thanks so much for all the books we’ve received. So far we’ve received packages from Mt St Dominic Academy Key Club, AHRC-Suffolk, Velma Clinton Books, and Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church. It’s almost overwhelming, but we love to open the boxes and pour through the variety of books. Thanks so much for all of your support!"

"We have received the books you sent to us and are grateful for your support of the veterans at our medical center. I have placed the books out where the veterans have access to them. Thank you."

"To the volunteers of Operation Paperback I am so thankful for every package that you guys have ever sent out. I am stationed in Ft. Richardson but my hometown is Charleston, South Carolina. Things are not very easy down in Charleston so the last time I received a package from home was February. I share this information to express my gratitude because it was a great feeling to receive mail more often than I was. I thank you guys so much! Sadly, I am on my last few weeks here in Afghanistan. I leave towards the end of the month to head back home stateside, can you guys please remove my name off the list. I will miss you guys, and my library will always remind me of such great kindness!! "

"I've been away on leave for nearly a month, but upon my return back overseas there was a package waiting for me. I see that it was donated by BNSF Railway in Topeka, KS. That made me happy, as I'm a model railroader who fancies the BNSF trains. Thanks again. "

"Thanks to Diana P for 3 books donated on 7/31/12!"

"Good afternoon, I recently put in a request for books, and our little compound has been overwhelmed by your support. I would like to ask that shipments be suspended until I can better organize the books we currently have. I only have limited space, I quickly received 5 large shipments of books. I love the support, but space is running out and I am trying to find a home for each one you sent. Will follow up with another request in the future when I have additional space. Have a great day"

"Thanks to Ellen H for the large donation of books to our facility!! Our vets are the best."

"I am currently receiving books from yall but I am on a COP and we don't have enough room here and my time is almost done here I am going to be heading home within a month or 2 so thanks for all the books they are appreciated "

"The books have made a great addition to our MWR facility for our soldiers stationed here and future. We can't thank you enough for your recent care package and all that you have done in supporting us. People (Even Soldiers) take the little things for granted-- until they find themselves living in uncomfortable conditions. Please know how much you've helped our soldiers morale and how much we all appreciate it. WE ALL THANK YOU for your generosity and for taking personnal time to support us. It's great to receive the little pieces of home even when we are so far from it. God Bless "

"Thank you for the support you're showing to our troops. I have now received 7 boxes. This will be much more than enough, so thank you, but please don't send any more."

"My wife signed me up for this program for my current deployment to Afghanistan. I am pleased to inform you that I received six boxes of books yesterday, and I am looking forward to reading each one of them. I received so many books that I was able to share them with all the soldiers here on cop Nerhk with me. I very much appreciate what you and your organization is doing for soldiers deployed to combat zones. It gives us a well needed break from all the stress that we face in this line of work. God bless you and all the people involved in your organization, and if there is ever anything that I may be able to do for you, dont hesitate to email me at this address! Thank you again and have a great day! "

"First I want to thank you for the outstanding service you provide in sending books to me and my fellow soldiers. In the past three weeks, I've received three packages each with 6-10 books. I am extremely grateful for your service and these will should last me until the end of my time here in Afghanistan. As a result, I would ask that you please remove my address from future mailings. Thank you so very much again for your service and generosity. "

"Thank you so much for the reading material. It reaffirms that there is so much goodness in humanity when so many people come together to support those who are in harms way. I have received 5 boxes of books and have made sure all of the Soldiers around me are able to enjoy them as well. My heart will always have a place for those who give to those who serve. If possible please let the wonderful volunteers know that I will not be in need of more shipments in the future and it would be great if they could redirect their generosity to another Soldier or group of Soldiers who are in need of reading materials. I intend to pass on the generous gift of reading to those who follow on and have worked with me up to this point. Thanks again for the generosity. "

"I am currently deployed in Afghanistan. I have been receiving books from your organization ever since I arrived here. My platoon would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who has donated books to us. We now have a very extensive library in our MWR. Due to this I would like to request to take our address off the mailing list now as we have totally run out of places to store all of these books. We have already filled up the shelves and have boxes of books behind them now which are also filling up pretty quickly. I'm sure there are already more books on their way to me so I understand I am going to receive more. We are all very grateful for everything that everyone has done for us. Again thank you"

"Thanks for the books and the support. :) We are coming back home next month, please cancel our shipments "

"I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for all the books that I have received. It is so wonderful to have the support of people at home. I have received some really great books too, ones that I will keep for many years to come. some of them were signed by the authors, I was floored, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It is amazing to be in a country where I can find a bookstore and all the books are in a foreign language,(its heartbreaking) then I go to the post office and there are books waiting on me! With some of my favorite authors and ones that I haven't discovered, it makes my time over here go by so much quicker. And not only that I received an entire package of comics, those came to work with me and the guys were thrilled! I am not much of a comic fan but the guys so glad I am not, they were so glad to get them. It has been great to get packages and be able to share with my coworkers. I cannot thank you enough for your support and dedication with this program. Thank you so very very much!"

"Thank you to the volunteers in Dunstable, MA. I appreciate you sending me these books today. I'm sure the troops will enjoy a new round of things to read. Again, your support is invaluable."

"Thank you so much for the great reads. I look forward to enjoying these books during my downtime and appreciate your willingness to send them. "

"I just wanted to say thank you for all the books I have received for you. I have deposited a majority of them at the USO so that other soldiers could appreciate them as well. Once again, thank you for making my time over here more enjoyable!"

"Just wanted to say thank you so much for the books and the snacks. This is the 4th package I have received from one of your volunteers in the past month or so. We often work late at night just watching and waiting for our missions to come in-sometimes having a good book helps pass the time and keeps us awake when we needed!. Thank you so very much to Fred and one other person (sorry, I can't read the name) for the two packages we got this past week. Thank you!"

"Good afternoon: Thank you for shipping books to our team. We have received several shipments and wanted to extend our sincerest gratitude. We should have more than enough books to read for the reminder of our deployment. Thanks again from the 416th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) with PRT> Kunar in Kunar Province, AFG! AIRBORNE"

"Just wanted you to know that I received a second box of books from you today. From all the Soldiers here who enjoy these books in their off-time: THANK YOU! For your support for our continued mission here away from home. Thank you!"

"I have just received the box of books you sent to us. The assortment was perfect, especially the westerns. I’ve placed them out for our veterans; they are always appreciative. Thank you for this wonderful service."

"Thank you for the books. They are much appreciated. I have given away over 200 books to Marines and Sailors and the Ship Library. Thank you, but now we have plenty of books. We have a pretty big pile of books. I think more book would come to better use to other troops. Thank you. "

"I do not want anymore books to be mailed to please. Thank you everyone for sending so many. They were much appreciated."

"Greetings from sunny Okinawa... Thank you for the books provided through Operation Paperback. Our United Seamen's Service Center provides these books to both U.S. military personnel and families, and to merchant seafarers. "

"Hello John, my name is Rob S. I am a member of the 8th Forward Surgical Team (Airborne). We are currently deployed to RC North Afghanistan as part of a NATO contingent and serving in a German Role III Field Hospital. I wanted to take a minute to just thank you for your very generous gift of comics and paperback books. The books you sent will serve my team well in this time away from our homes. I really appreciate the time and effort you put forth in making sure we were not forgotten as we serve so far away from home. You took the time to include something that will fit everyone's taste in reading. I see that you are requesting a unit patch. I honestly would love nothing more than to send you one but unfortunately we all have literally just enough to cover our uniform needs at this time. The reason for that is that the unit switched brigade affiliation literally and immediately before we deployed. The switch was made but no one was prepared with new patches for everyone. So, we find ourselves needing patches also. I am truly sorry. I would love to be able to send one. However, once we get back home and can visit the big PX, I would be happy to send one to you. Please stay in touch and I am certain we can get that patch to you. Best of luck to you in your scouting endeavors. I can see evidence of your leadership abilities already. Keep up the great work!! Thanks again for making home seem not so far away. Happy Birthday America and God Bless the U.S.A.!! "

"Thanks so much to you Mrs. J Hart for the wonderful books, donated in the memory of your husband, Charles! And to the organization! Thanks "

"Yesterday we received many books from an unknown donor. Each book has an “Operation Paperback” sticker on the back. We were wondering if the books were meant to be passed out at our facility or if this was a mistake. If you could just let me know, that would be great. Thank you "

" wish to thank you for your recent donation of books to our library through the Operation Paperback program. They are very much appreciated. "

"I wanted to thank Operation Paperback for all the support and paperback books that were sent to me. I greatly appreciate all the hard work your> organization has done. Luckily, my unit is getting ready to redeploy soon and won't be able to receive any more books. Please stop book shipments immediately. Thanks again!"

"I just wanted to say thank you for sending us a box of books. Anything we receive here is appreciated and books are a hot commodity in our down time. Your organization is great; thank you for doing this for us. "

"I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for the gift box of books. I am sure you probably do not get a lot of thanks for your support to the troops here as they are usually pretty busy ensuring the USA has enduring freedom, something earned and given freely by the country as a whole.\\r\\nYour book box arrived here at Camp Leatherneck in the Helmand Province and specifically at the Robotics Lab here on base. That way you have a little insight as to where your hard work ended up and will be used for leisure accordingly.\\\'\\r\\nI am merely here for a few months doing some specific things and work in DC. I happened to glance down at the open box and saw the letter inside and decided to reply , as it should be all over so as not to think your time was just given for naught. \\r\\nI see the letter is signed by Carrie L of the Dunstable MA Volunteers office so please pass along our immense thank you as our Memorial Day is tomorrow for 2012 and the freedoms you have are absolutely ensured by the Marines here at this camp and all over. Please have a safe holiday and our thanks is given to you from here. \\r\\nOh, a bit about me. I am retired Navy EOD (bomb disposal) so that\\\'s how I ended up here. Once again, pass our thanks to them specifically as there was not direct means to do so. As the explosions of mortars continue here from our end, rest easily, The Marines are in charge.\\r\\n \\r\\n"

"I just want to take the opportunity to express to you my gratitude. The fact that you continue to send box after box to the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Civilians serving here in itself is worthy of appreciation. We don't have much here at FOB Farah so what you all do is not taken for granted. Being away is hard enough but not being able to get the things that you need or just want makes for an even greater challenge. I know that you cannot see them, but you have brought many smiles to a lot of faces. May God's richest blessings be upon you and yours. That is our prayer. "

"Thanks for shipment from “Family Book Shop” of Deland, Fl. "

" Lee & David, received your latest shipment of books yesterday. They are going like they're out of style. Thanks again. "

"Thanks so much for the shipment of books. A special thanks for volunteer Chris K for getting these together."

"I received two boxes of books that were wonderful! I made sure to pass them around to everyone. Thanks for being so thoughtful and for all your support!! I will also send cards to the individuals who sent the packages."

"I just wanted to take a moment to thank all the volunteers of Operation Paperback for their continued support. My unit is located in a remote and snowy corner of Northern Japan and while maybe not the danger zone of Afghanistan, we still get lonely for home. The books that you send us every month keep us occupied and help remind us that people back home are thinking of us. Special thanks to volunteers Patrick M., Katie S., Jay E., and the Johnstown Public Library. Thank you, Seth I."

"Thanks so much Sue Oliver for sending me part of your book collection! There was a great variety and I shared some with some other friends of mine. I'm donating the rest to the library, as I don't have time to read all of them. God bless! "

"I apologize for the delayed response, but I just wanted to send a big thank you to everyone who has been sending books my way for the last month or so. The response has been amazingly overwhelming- so overwhelming in fact, that we have run out of room in our small break room to fit any more books! (We are a handful of Americans at a NATO base and don't have a ton of room, but now we have a great library!) As soon as we figure a way to make a bigger library, I will let you know, but for now your donations have been more than sufficient. I appreciate everything that you volunteers have sent, I can't thank you enough. Take care. "

"I want to thank you for all the support you've shown me during my deployment to Afghanistan. We went from having a few books we passed back and forth to a full library in a matter of five months. I am very appreciative for you've done to help morale here at FOB Torkham. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. The books you sent brought great stress release for people who just wanted to crawl into a book fr a while and "escape". Please pass my thanks to all the wonderful people who helped, and who continue to remember the men and women downrange."

"Thank you so much for sending the wonderful books."

" Dear Gina B and Margot J (ITW Signode Packaging Systems My unit just opened a box of books last night from Operation Paperback. I just wanted to thank you for your appreciated volunteer efforts and for thinking of us out here in Afghanistan. Entertainment is sparse and resources are austere, so it’s nice to find a good book to help pass the time along. Sgt Lundeford didn’t even realize that an organization like yours existed and he was pretty happy to see a book about the Civil War. Thanks again for your generosity. "

"Dear Friends, just received a nice package from you. We have become avid readers here and enjoy your support. Thanks again."

"Dear Nancy, I would like to personally thank you for your shipment of books to us here in Operation Enduring Freedom. They were received with thankful hearts and eager eyes! Organizations such as Operation Paperback remind us that there are people back home that still have us in their thoughts and prayers. This is a comforting thought and it encourages us daily to do our mission. Again, thank you for your generous donation to the troops in Operation Enduring Freedom."

"It's been great! We've set up a nice bookshelf/library for the service members here. We're looking forward to our Grand Opening in a week! Thanks much! "

"I recently started receiving donations from your organization. I really appreciate your support, however I never signed up or requested the books. I would appreciate it if I was removed from your donation list. I am receiving support through other channels and I would hate to take your efforts away from people who could use them more than myself. The books that have been received will be distributed to people that can use them. Thank you for supporting the troops! "

"Dear Sandy M of Operation Paperback, Today your blessings arrived to our soldiers. Thank you so much! The foot powder was quickly distributed and the flip flops were "practically " fought over. Everything was appreciated and well received! You are proof to these young, sad ,warriors that they are remembered. "

"Dearest Supportive Citizens, On behalf of the 11 WEST Behavioral Health inpatient soldiers I extend my deepest appreciation for the literary treasures you provided. These active duty members are coping with struggles and burdens of the mind and your books are providing a fine service to distract and even to learn. The many chicken soup for the soul books and the inspirational writings are being put to good use. There were some partner relationship and anger management books that our social workers and psychiatrists were especially happy to be seeing our patients reading. IF you have anymore books on forgiveness, anger, addiction, relationship therapy...please keep them in mind. The plumbing books were "fought over". So you see all is welcome! We are still in need of the ever elusive flip flops as they share the showers and may- be sharing althete's foot afterwards. We have a disinfectant but not all heroes are compliant. Again many thanks and our medical folks are also in awe of your works! Thank you Sherry H, CHRISSY H, Susan B, Terry N, Sandy M and Veronica !!! "

"Thanks for the books, this is an outstanding program and I will surely spread the word. Thanks for all your support for our troops currently deployed in theatre. "

"Thank you all so very much for the books received the end of May and 4 June 2012. The inpatients and outpatients really do enjoy the books and our Sailors who volunteer to take the book cart are pleased to do something for their friends."

"I would like to thank everybody at Operation Paperback for the great support you have shown us. Everything you do is greatly appreciated by our Soldiers. Fortunately, we have acquired more books than what we can handle. Therefore I ask that we stop receiving books. Thank you again for so much dedication and support! Have a great day."

"I received the box of books that you sent me. Thank you. It will help the time Pass more quickly. "

"Thank You very much for the donation of books to GA WAR Veterans Home. "

"I want to thank Operation Paperback for the many books and warm wishes I have received. I need to be asked to be taken off the list though. Due to the current possible draw down of our area, I need to ask that no more books be sent since I am not sure when we will move or where to. Have no place to keep the books when we start bouncing around. Thank You "

"Thanks so much for the paperback books that have been sent by your extended organization to our brand new Education Center on Camp Leatherneck. Books are a great asset to the Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, Airman, and civilians working in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. I am truly overwhelmed by the response. As such, I’d request that you please pass the word that the Camp Leatherneck Education Center is “fully stocked” at this time. I believe I have enough books on hand to last me until November or December! When I see our supplies running short, I’ll put in a new request for support. I will be sending individual letters to all the local groups that send materials to our guys and gals. Greatly appreciate your support and what you are doing for our men and women in the Armed Forces!"

"I requested my son be put on your mailing list a little while back. He has now asked me to stop the mailing. He and his platoon have been overwhelmed with packages. Not many are reading them and they have nowhere to put them. I suggested giving to their chaplain or in their makeshift mwr but they supposedly have no room either. The FOB they are at is still being built around them and they are crammed into tents with limited space. I/we, appreciate all the people and work involved in this great organization and I thought I was doing a good thing as a mom, but if they cannot be used or stored appropriately, it will be better to send to other groups instead. "

"Hello! I wanted to thank every single person who took time out of their day to send me books to read! Its so touching to receive books from people I don't even know and they have helped a great deal while I've been gone so far! I plan on giving a lot of them away to other soldiers to read so they can enjoy them as well! Thank you so much!"

"We have plenty of books could you please remove our unit from the mailing list at this time? Thank you so very much for all the books that have been sent we greatly appreciate everything. Thanks"

"I want to thank you for sending books to my son. He has shared the books with his fellow Marines. He told me today that he has received his 6th box and he said they do not need anymore at this point and to thank your organization for their support. Thank you! "

"Thank you for the books, they have been donated to the library for others to enjoy. "

"Greetings and Thank You! A few weeks ago I requested some specific titles so that I could start a monthly book club here in Korea. So far, I have received an astounding 17 books from supportive citizens back home. I will soon have enough to start the book club, adding value to so many military members serving over here in Korea, away from their families. Please pass on to those that support your organization that their support is greatly appreciated, as is yours. When I start the book club I will send you a picture of the members. Again, thank you. "

"I have received 3 boxes of books and they are great! We have a library here at the Camp and I am placing the books on the shelves. Thanks for your efforts and support. "

"Thank you for your kindness. I think this is a great program to support troops."

"Thank you for the shipments! If we ever need other books, I will contact you. I have passed your organization's contact information on to Marines we have forward deployed, so hopefully they will contact you and take advantage of your great program, Thank you again! "

"A short time ago I made a special request with your organization for a specific book, that book was "First to Fight: An inside view of the U.S. Marine Corps". This book is required for all Marines to read, no matter the rank, by our Commandant and my unit is located in Florida away from most major Marine Corps installations. So, in that case, we do not have MWR support or a base library. I want to tell you that we received over ten copies of the book from Operation Paperback and that gave myself and the other Marines and Sailors here the ability to read the book and meet our Commandants requirement. Thank you for all your support, Operation Paperback is a great program, and I can't believe the overwhelming support you gave my unit in this request. I have plenty of copies for future Marines to read, so please forward any other copies to another Marine Unit to read, I do not want to take away from anyone else that might need the book. Thank you again! "

"Just received the box of books and magazines-thank you SO MUCH!! Your support is very much appreciated, not only by me but by my fellow troops I will be sharing the books with. It is a great diversion from our daily grind to be able to slip away into some good fiction writing-thanks again!"

"First let me tell you thanks for doing what you do! Currently I have so many books I can’t accept anymore. Is it possible to defer shipping any until my stock needs replenishing? Thanks you for all you do and the books provide great comfort for our Airmen."

"I've been receiving books and providing them to soldiers within my brigade in South Korea. I recently PCS'ed to Fort Belvoir, VA and I no longer need books sent. Please take me off your mailing list. Thank you SO MUCH for all you've done for the soldiers of the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade! "

"I have received a few shipments of books, just wanted to say thank you! I have been able to read quite a few, and I put them in the library here for everyone to use. We all really appreciate it; thanks again! "

"I would like to thank your organization and all the volunteers!! We have received numerous shipments and our shelves are restocked. I even have a few extra boxes of books in my storeroom. Unfortunately, I’m also running out of space in my storeroom. At this time, if possible, I would like to suspend shipments until further notice. Once again, thank you!! "

"Dear Ms. Wheatley: I am writing to thank you and also the Faith Presbyterian Church. I received the box of books you sent today in support of Operation Paperwork. Thank you very much for the great selection! My unit has a lending library here, so when I am done reading, the books will find their way to others here in Kabul, Afghanistan. Please pass on my thanks to the book donors who contributed to the selections. I also appreciate the Psalm 91 bandanna, toiletries, candy, and cookies! A bit about me: I am a 1992 graduate of Texas Christian University. I attended college on an Army ROTC scholarship, where I was an English and French double major, and I wound up making the Army a career. I see you are from Georgia. My husband's father was originally from Moultrie, and Mike has fond memories of visits there from California each summer. I am due to redeploy back to the US the end of June, and I am excited about getting back to family and friends. Know that the books and goodies will reach many people over here at NATO Training Mission Afghanistan. "

"Thank you very much for the shipment of books that we received. We are very thankful for the support that we are receiving from your organization. Our team works hard and there are very long days and it is nice to give them ways to unwind and eliminate stress by simply reading."

"Just wanted to let you know you can take my husband, Christopher S. from Camp Lemionner off your mailing list he has arrived safely back home in the states YEAH !!!!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how much he appreciated the books you sent he would talk about them when he was able to call. I am letting our FRG know about this program so we can maybe help out in the future since you were there for our soliders. Thanks again. "

"This is the Voluntary Service at Phoenix VA Health Care System AZ. We received a book donation from an unknown individual representing your organization without a return address. We would like to thank you for your generous donation. Our patients really appreciate these reading materials while waiting for their medical treatment."

"Dear Opeartion Paperback Volunteers, Thank you so much for your time and dedication! We greatly enjoy the books you sent us!!!! We love every single read we received! Thank you so much!!!!"

"To all the volunteers that assisted with my special request for an individual book - thank you. The copies I received gave my comrades and I the ability to read our required material in a quick manner having access to numerous copies. We thank you for everything and God Bless! "

"I just wanted to say thank you to the following volunteers: Kathy Durbin, John and Paula Rasmussen, and the Edmond Daybreakers Rotary Club for the two boxes of books I received earlier this week. It means a lot to me and the troops I share them with here in Qatar. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

"My husband loved the many books he received while stationed in Iraq last year. He shared them with over half his company. They were all grateful for me signing him up for Operation Paperback. Thank you again. Best thing I ever did for everyone over there. "

"The USO here on Osan Air Base in South Korea wants to thank these individuals or groups who've sent us another 200 books this past month (March). We are steadily filling dorm & barracks bookshelves across Osan & Suwon Air Bases: The Saginaw Valley Master Gardener Assn Employees of Northwest Radiology Network, P.C. of Indianapolis, IN Velma Clinton of Hope Valley, RI Kathy D of Owaneco, IL VFW Post 859 of Partland, ME Chrissy H Mary S of Houston, TX Sue H of Raleigh, NC Cheryl A of St. Mary's, GA Gloria S of Bay City, MI""

"I wanted to say thank you for the kindness and the generosity that you've given to us through taking the time, money and effort to send us these boxes. We sincerely thank you and appreciate all that you have done for us. In particular, thanks to the Sun River Library at St. George, Utah; Mary in Chanhassen, MN; and John and Denise M. God Bless You and Yours!"

"Dearest Staff and Clients from Bay View Veterinary Clinic and Denny O and Sandy M and Mary from Dunstable MA, With utmost gratitude I send you this e-mail. Our "hero" ward of active duty soldiers suffering from depression and adjustment disorders have received your precious gift of literature. One especially sad SGT found a book that he felt was specifically intended for his eyes. The inspirational words helped him and he dogeared page after page. We spoke about the chapters and just wanted to let you good people know that your kindness is helping to heal. Bless each any everyone of you! If you have more books of inspiration please remember them again. I let the soldiers keep the books instead of having a library since they become so attached to them. Also if anyone knows of a source for donatons please let me know. We need items like flip-flops, deodorants (not canned), boxers, and detergent sheets since we are not supposed to hold toxic liquids on that unit. Again many thanks!! "

"Just wanted to thank you for passing on the word of thanks! Recently we received more nice books from: The Wolf Pirate Project Shirley A. Aaron M. Just wanted to keep you posted and let you know all arrived safely and went into the right hands. You folks are amazing! "

"Patricia B, We received the books you sent us in the mail yesterday. We truly appreciate you thinking of us Soldier's over here in Afghanistan. It is so nice to be able to sit down and enjoy a good book once in a while to escape. We wish you the best, thanks again! "

"Dear Operation Paperback & Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Coos Bay, Thank-you for your generous donations. You are rebuilding our library for not just us, but the units following us. We are leaving in May so please don't send anything past April. Thank-you again for your support!! "

"June A. We received your package with the books today and we were very excited to have some new reading material. We really appreciate you thinking of us here in Afghanistan and thank you for sending us the care package. It is so nice to be able to relax and read a good book to take your mind off everything that is going on around you. Thanks again."

"Terri L Q.: Thank you so much for the books. We received your package today. It is very relaxing to be able to pick up a book after a long stressful day. We appreciate you thinking of us here in Afghanistan and will be passing out the books to our various teams. Thanks again!"

"Mrs. Virginia A. F.: Thank you so much for the books. We received your package today. It is very relaxing to be able to pick up a book after a long stressful day. We appreciate you thinking of us here in Afghanistan and will be passing out the books to our various teams. Thanks again!"

"My unit and I would like to thank you and your fellow volunteers for all the books you have sent to us. Your support is much appreciated and the books are a great way to pass the time while deployed. Your thoughts and prayers are a great reminder of the support from our fellow Americans back home. I do ask a favor from you; we are going to be relocating soon and our mailing address will be changing. Is it possible to stop the shipment of books as of now until our move is complete, at which time I may contact you with our new address? I hope you are able to accommodate. I would specifically like to thank the following volunteers for greetings on their donations: Sandy Robert M, Danille R. D,Kathy D. Thanks again and god bless. "

"Robert M., Thank you so much for the books, we received your package today. We cannot wait to begin passing around the books to our guys out on teams. Reading is a favorite pass time here in Afghanistan. It definitely helps to relieve some of the stress after a long day. Thank you for thinking of us, we really appreciate it. Thank you for your service. We wish you the best..."

"Thank you to Our Lady of the Rosary youth Group (Nikki, Rylee, Allison,> Halie, Jacque, Kylie, and Meghan) for the box of books. It was an awesome surprise. Getting mail while in the Artic is always a morale booster and to get the box of books is a blessing. I will enjoy them and pass them on to others in my squadron. "

"Michele B., Thank you so much for sending the books! It is much appreciated. There is nothing like enjoying a good read after a long day of work. It really helps to take your mind off of everything going on around you. Thanks again"

"Anita S. T, Thank you so much for the books! We really appreciate it! It is nice to know that people back home are thinking of us here in Afghanistan. It is so nice to be able to relax and take your mind off things with a good read. It truly means a lot to all of us. We have a little book trade going on here so it's always nice to get some new material. Thanks again."

"Stuart H, Thank you for the books! We appreciate you thinking of us. It means a lot to us to be able to sit down and enjoy a good read here and there. One of the best ways to relieve stress is to get wrapped up in a novel. It takes your mind off what is going on around you, if only for a little while. Good luck with your Eagle Scout Project, we wish you the best. We will spread the word about operation paperback.Thanks again."

"Dear Ms. McClure & The Friends of John F. Germany Public Library, We appreciate the books you sent us to replenish our library. Our library will be there after we leave so many people will have the opportunity to enjoy your generous contributions. Thank-you again! "

"Dear Operation Paperback, Especially Betty S., Susan F. (& of course Retired Members of Local 26 IBEW), & Virginia F, We all apperciate the great books you sent us! The variety was wonderful & I was able to restock our small library. Most of the books will be left here so many other Navy personnel will enjoy the books. Your stickers are on the books. Thank-you again for your generosity. We do appreciate you!! "

"Karen L. M (Project Coordinator, Friends of the John F. Germany Public Library) Thank you for the books! We really appreciate people back home thinking of us. We have a book swap program going on between all of our teams. The books provide a healthy outlet for many of our Soldiers. It is a> good way to escape on a stressful day (which most days are) and gives us an opportunity to enjoy a hobby we take for granted back home. Thank you!"

"Bob & Pat P (volunteers of Operation Paperwork, PO Box 347, Dunstable, MA 01827) Thank you for the books! We really appreciate people back home thinking of us. We have a book swap program going on between all of our teams. The books provide a healthy outlet for many of our Soldiers. It is a good way to escape on a stressful day (which most days are) and gives us an opportunity to enjoy a hobby we take for granted back home. Thank you! "

"Patricia B, We received the books you sent us in the mail yesterday. We truly appreciate you thinking of us Soldier's over here in Afghanistan. It is so nice to be able to sit down and enjoy a good book once in a while to escape. We wish you the best, thanks again!"

"Just got another one of your boxes, and I am grateful. Every box generally has something really great in it, and Robert M, one of your volunteers, put some great selections together. I was just writing to tell you that I appreciate everything you have done for me, my team, and my COP. I am scheduled to return to the states soon, and I don't need the boxes anymore. better they go to some of the new guys than chasing me back to the US, you know? Thanks again for everything. "

"Thank you very much for the 16 books received at Red Cross NMCP this date. The books will be put on the book cart to be taken to the wards and clinics in the hospital. Everyone enjoys the books and really appreciate your group thinking about them. Thank you so very much. "

"The Red Cross at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth would like to take this opportunity to thank your organization for your continuous support. The books are very much appreciated by the patients and their families. We have three Sailors who volunteer in our office and they take a Book and Comfort Cart out each week day to the wards and clinics. The 10 Puzzle Books recent this week were put on the cart right away and taken out to the patients. Again thank you for your support. "

"I just wanted to let you know that I am coming home early and please stop sending books as I will not be getting them. Thank you for sending books to me and my unit when we were over there we really appreciated it. "

"Hello! Thank you so much for the books! We received three of your packages today, and my company was veryyyy happy to have them! You have no idea how much your support means to us. "

"Thank you for the books "

"Operation Paperback and San Diego Book Project Volunteers, We received your generous donation of books. We get customers in our center every day knowing we have books available to them. Thank you so much for continuing to help support our troops. We really appreciate it. "

"Greetings, I would like to thank you all for the books you have sent over here for my fellow soldiers and myself to read. I would like for you to know that I've shared every book that has been sent to me by your fine organization, and they have been greatly appreciated also. You just have no understanding as to how much it means to those of us that are over to be supported by our fellow Americans back home. Once again on behalf of myself, my Unit, and the other soldiers here in Afghanistan that have been touched by your selfless service, THAN YOU!! MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!! "

"Good Afternoon, I was wondering if there is a way to be removed from your list for a while since we have received so many books in a short period of time. We are very grateful for every single book we have received, they have surely made our days better here in Japan. Thank you very much for what you do, and thank you for supporting our troops."

"I wanted to send a quick note to thank everyone for the books. I received 12 boxes and over 300 books yesterday and was quite pleased. There was a location quite close to where people sleep that look surprisingly like a book shelf. Now it is filled to the max! My unit will be returning to the States soon, but the books that were sent made our year go by much faster, thanks again."

"The Patient Library continues to receive book donations for the wounded warrior patients to stock their recreation area. In the last few months we have received donations from the kind folks in Highland Mls, NY, Pickerington, OH, Santa Rosa, CA, Whitelaw, WI, Tallahassee, FL, Flushing, NY, Argyle, NY, Owaneco, IL, Houston, TX, Longmont, CO, and Dunstable, MA. Thank you so very much for this great service that you provide that enables others to bring some comfort to the patients."

"Just wanted to let you know you can take my husband St. Christopher S.from Camp Lemionner off your mailing list he has arrived safely back home in the states YEAH !!!!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how much he appreciated the books you sent he would talk about them when he was able to call. I am letting our FRG know about this program so we can maybe help out in the future since you were there for our soliders. Thanks again."

"Thank you to Our Lady of the Rosary youth Group (Nikki, Rylee, Allison,> Halie, Jacque, Kylie, and Meghan) for the box of books. It was an awesome> surprise. Getting mail while in the Artic is always a morale booster and to get the box of books is a blessing. I will enjoy them and pass them on to others in my squadron. "

"I received some books in the mail from Malcolm and Dar B. Thank you very much for the box. I won't be able to read them all so I'll donate all the extra books to our community collection so other can benefit from the support. Thanks again for your support!"

"Good Afternoon, I wanted to take a moment and Thank You for the wonderful shipment of books you sent the Fort Riley American Red Cross. As you know these books are given to our Wounded Warriers, as well as patients at our Troop Medical Clinics. These books are helpful and we are so grateful for your organization. "

"Dearest Folks at Bay View, On behalf of our in-patient active duty soldiers I express my sincerest thanks! Those books fell into the right hands. Our heroes are suffering from depression mostly and the words of encouragement found in your gifts help to heal. Many of them feel alone or abandoned and your kind act reminds them of how they are remembered and appreciated. You have reached your goal of providing quality reading! I suspect some are not readers but the situation and availability to books has brought forth positive behavior and so you have surpassed your intended goal! Blessings to each and everyone of you! "

"Hello everyone at Operation Paperback, I am currently stationed at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. I want to let you guys know that I have been receiving your packages and you have made a lot of people very happy. When I receive the books, they end up in the hallway in our building for the guys in my platoon to check out and read if they so desire. After a week or two out in the hallway, if there are any left, they wind up at the USO or MWR where people from all over the base can get to them. Everyone has been very happy with the selection and very thankful as well. So, on behalf of my platoon and whoever else has a chance to read some of the books you guys send, THANK YOU!!!! "

"The books have been a great distraction. It is humbling to receive packages from strangers, thank you. The books have been placed in my unit's reading room, because this unit is a permanent organization, the books will be enjoyed for a few more years. Thanks again."

"Thanks for everything you guys have done. We received the books and the soldiers love them. Thanks so much for your support. "

"Thank you, we got our shipment a few days ago."

"I want to thank you for the generous donation of books and/or magazines that we’ve been receiving. We’ve filled many bookshelves across base and now have a table setup in our lobby area so that folks may peruse at their leisure. We are getting quite a variety & the books from the most recent decade seem to be the popular. Although, we do have a few sci-fi folks who are enjoying the older collections. Again, thank you for supplying us with so many books!! "

"Just a quick note to let you know the shipment of paperbacks was received by Fort Harrison Ambulatory Care. Thank you for your support!"

"Thanks a million for your wonderful gift of books. We received three boxes in the mail today. I run the Education Center here on Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. I’m a firm believer that leisure reading is a great way to help Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, Airman, and Civilians relax. After long days in a “hyper-vigilant” mode, opening a book to read helps the brain work differently. The guys and gals work hard over here to protect our freedom … they serve faithfully. I’m more impressed with them every day! I’ll post your letter on our bookshelf for the troops to see! Thanks so very much! "

"I am just glad we could read some of your books. Everyone here enjoyed them and we appreciate you sending them to us. Besides Operation Gratitude we did receive 2 boxes of books from you all. The books went over really well and were a great hit and success. Thank you for sending them so we could enjoy them. :) "

"I am sorry it has taken me so long to let you know, but I have received four boxes. Thank you guys so much for what you all have done. It picks up my Soldiers spirits. They, and myself, are very greatful for what you are all doing. SPC Douglas C. is in my unit and asked me to inform you all that he has received boxes as well. And he said thank you very much. Thank you so much again! With love from us to our heros "

"Just wanted to let you know A troop 3-61CAV received their books early last week. My husband has the box under his bed and has made them available whoever wants to read and exchange. they were all so pleased and excited to have something new to read! thank you so much for sending them! "

"Thank you. I am currently deployed to Afghanistan. We received a box that had OperationPaperback books in it over the holidays. I would like to say thank you for putting them in the boxes. They mean a lot and I have since taken them to the library here on post. These books meant a great deal to us. Thank you again. They were in Operation Gratitude boxes. "

"I am overwhelmed by the support that I have received from Operation Paperback! Unfortunatley I have received more books than our recreation center can handle. What do I need to do to be removed from the mailing list? I would rather that the books go somewhere that people can still use them. Thank you. "

" I just received the shipment of books today and I just had to say Thank You!! Thank you so much! This is such a wonderful program. A friend of mine a few years ago had mentioned this program and it wasn’t until recently, while being deployed, did I come across one of the Operation Paperback stickers. Having the pages right at your fingertips rather than on an e-reader is so much more of a personal experience, that I think some people might have forgot what kind of feeling it brings. I will be sure to spread the word and hope it bring someone else as much joy as it did me! Thank you once again "

"Awesome support! Have received two boxes already. From Jim A in NC and Debbie E in IN. Thanks again!"

"We have received the first shipment of books. Thank you for your efforts and support."

"Thank you to the St Rosalies Youth Group, Dunstable, MA for their donation of books for the troops. The Patient Library Volunteers at Brooke Army Medical Center were able to share these with patients in the hospital and in a reading area that out-patients can get something to read while waiting for an appointment. We really appreciate the books. Thank you, Patient Library Volunteers, Brooke Army Medical Center."

"Thanks for all the books. I received alot and the entire battery will enjoy each one of them for sure."

"I have received several packages of books. Thank you so much. I have received so many that I have been able to give books to others. Thank you from Camp Walker Korea!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Everyone at FOB Zangabad are very appreciative of all the wonderful books you kindly donated for our use. A small library has been created from your and all the other people's wonderful donations. It has provided countless hours of pleasure amid the tedious hours of monotony that can be experienced some days. You have helped to pass some of the more grueling and hard times in our lives with some small pleasures from home. We will be forever grateful for your generosity. Thank you again for your wonderful support and kindness"

"Thank you so much for all the wonderful books. It helps a lot being stuck on the boat. Jeff"

"Thank you and your support team who graciously, and without ceasing, are providing for those of us who are deployed. The world is so busy with automation and just trying to keep up. It's great and feels sort of old fashioned to have slowed my pace to read a couple of your books. In my opinion, we need inspiration to maybe clean out our libraries to welcome new selections in the future. I'm looking forward to being a part of your team while enjoying some of your timeless treasures in theater. God Bless you all."

"Hello to all, I have been receiving books from you all and me and my soldiers really appreciate it. The books were a great stress reliever at times when I wanted to get away. I have redeployed now and am back home safe with my family. Thank you so much for providing me with the piece of mind I needed while I was down range. Thank you to all of you. P.S. no more books! Please send them to troops that need them down range once again thank you!!"

"Friends at Operation Paperback, Thank you so much for all your generosity over the past year. I am thankfully redeploying back to the states this month. I will need for you to remove my name from your mailing list. I have been really busy this past year and was unable to thank all of the volunteers who sent me books, so THANK YOU to all of you. Keep up all the great work and GOD BLESS THE USA!!"

"Operation Paperback, Again, I would like to thank you all for all of the books and magazines that you have sent me throughout this deployment. I have shared many of them with the Soldiers that I am stationed here in Afghanistan with. I am nearing the end of my deployment and thanks to you all have plenty of reading material. Please do not send anymore books as I will not have time to read them and I am sure that other Soldiers could benefit from your kindness. Thank you again."

"Thank you guys so much. It's only been like a month and I have received 2 packages from great people. They are super appreciated. I feel like our AB has very little free book places. When I was in Iraq, I could go to half a dozen different places and find bookshelves and rooms full of free books, where as here there is only a few bookshelves in a teeny tiny library. Thank you for helping me fill our AB up with some cool free books :)"

"Thank you so much for sending so many books out to my location. We are all very thankful for what you've sent and are excited when the packages filled with books arrive. Thank you again!"

"Thankyou for all the books! They have been a welcome distraction from the deployment. My unit reads and keeps the books in the unit lounge. Thankyou again! MSG Ash Macfarlane Kandahar, Afghanistan"

"I want to give a special THANKS to the volunteers of Operation Paperback-Pet Hub Animal Rescue- I really appreciate the wonderful books!"

" Thanks so much for the books that you sent out this cruise. I received at least 10 boxes of books and we have a ton now. I read quite a few this deployment and we are on our way home now. Is there anyway to stop the shipments? I emailed about 2 months ago to get taken off the list so you could give them to others out on deployment. The last shipment I received today from Donald C in MA. Thanks again and my Sailors give thanks as well! "

"Thanks to Gary C. for the awesome care package of books!Also, I'm redeploying soon so please take me off your mailing list. Thank you so much for the support these past 6 months."

"Thank you so much! Just got a whole bunch of boxes of books from you and they are great."

"Although I really appreciate the thought of bringing some sort of recreation to me and my fellow soldiers. All the books I have been getting is really too much. We do not have the room for all the books on our small outpost. So I am writing to tell you to please halt sending anymore books. Thank you. "

"Hi guys, I just wanted to say thank you for all the books you have sent us. I am a Staff Sergeant in the New York Army National Guard currently on my second deployment. We don't have a lot of down time here but when I get some free time I like nothing better than a good book. The MWR here has a nice selection of paperbacks that have been sent by you. It is things like Operation Paperback that do wonders for the morale of the Soldiers and I wanted to take a moment and let you know that the books are being put to very good use. Once again, thank you! "

" I just wanted to write you a quick note to tell you thank you for sending the magazines to my unit. It was very nice of you to take the time and spend the money to send them to us! Thank you! "

"Hello, First of all, thanks for what you do. I have received a lot of books over here. So many in fact that I am requesting to be removed from your list. I have received more than me and my guys will be able to read over here. There have been a lot of good books sent, and I really appreciate it, but to send any more would be a waste. Thanks again."

"I just want to say a final THANK YOU for the incredible support from all the Operation Paperback volunteers. Your books have been a huge part of my constantly rotating section library and the extras go on to the USO, recreation centers, Wounded Warriors, and out to a bunch of the small posts scattered throughout our little slice of heaven in eastern Afghanistan. You have truly made a difference in the lives of hundreds of service members, both military and civilian. However, our time here is (finally) coming to an end and we have to ask folks to stop sending packages. Thanks again and we will all keep you in mind if/when we deploy in the future."

"Thank you so much for all the support throughout this deployment, I have enjoyed the reading material you have provided. I am returning home next week and am requesting that you stop sending books."

"I would like to thank you for all the books that you have sent me. As my mission is almost over I will need to opt out of the program. I think it's great what you and your volunteers do and appreciate the entertainment your program has provided me while deployed. Thank you very much."

"Just picked up a book with your sticker on it. Nothing better than getting lost in a book in my down time. Thanks for the support."

"I want to thank you for all the wonderful reading material sent by your volunteers. Unfortunately I am at the point that I have more books than I have time to read for the rest of my deployment. I would appreciate it if you could take my name off of your active list of recipients. I will do my best to distribute any more books I receive to the Soldiers around me. Thank you again for all that you do."

"I want to give a special thanks to the team behind Operation Paperback. I really appreciate the time and effort of the volunteers. I have received enough books and want to have my name temporarily removed from the mailing list. Thank you! "

"Dear Volunteers, Especially Deborah, Thank-you for sending us the (2) boxes of literature. Many people are reading them & it helped stock our shrinking library! We really appreciate you! Thank-you again!"

"I can't thank you enough for everything your organization does for the Soldiers. It is so hard to unwind at times, and for me setting back in a corner getting lost in a book is just the cat's meow. Once again thank you so much for everything. God Bless "

"Thank You kindly Folks, I am at a rather small little base in a very remote part of Afghanistan within sight of the Pakistan border and we don't have much to read here. These books are a welcome sight. I have grabbed a few and put the rest in the chow hall/computer room so that the other guys here can also use the books, thanks again. "

"Shirley... Thank you for your support of the United Seamen's Service with Operation Paperback. We've just received the latest shipment at USS Okinawa. As you probably already know, I am the Senior Director for United Seamen's Service operations in Asia (except Diego Garcia). We appreciate the books, CDs and DVDs you and others provide through the Operation Paperback program. The only thing we have difficulty placing is VHS tapes; very few people even have VCRs anymore. TheCDs and DVDs move well, as do books. If you've access to comic books, they're snatched up quickly. Also fast movers are Stephen King, WEB Griffin, James Patterson, David Baldacci, Tom Clancy, Nora Roberts J.D. Robb, James Kellerman and Don Pendleton books. Paperbacks move more quickly than hardbacks because soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines find them easier to carry in rucksacks and dufflebags. Thank you."

"I would like to say thank you to Miss Kathy Rfrom Lubbock TX, for the great box that she sent, it came just in time. Thank you Kathy. I would also like to thank all of the personnel at operation paperback for such a great program. Once again thank you so much for everything. "

"Hello, My name is 1LT Christopher D. I am an Infantry officer and currently assigned in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. I just received a package in the mail today from David B via Operation Paperback-- What a nice surprise! Thank you very much! I will share these magazines with my troops. Please give my thanks to all those who help on this project and Mr Book! I've included a picture from one of my "meetings." (I'm the one with the shaved head.) "

"I would like to whole heartedly thank everyone at operation paperback for the last almost year of books. I have enjoyed several of them and so have others from our make shift libraries on camp. It means a lot for the support from back home. My time here is going to be coming to an end and I’ll be heading back home. Operation Paperback was one of the facets that made my time deployed successful. There is just something about getting lost in a book that keeps the rest of the thoughts at bay. They are shutting down our mail shortly as we prepare to return home. If you would send out that there is no longer a need for books for me I would appreciate it. "

"I received my books just in time! I had so many I was even able to donate to the library on board the ship. I appreciate the support of the contributors and those individuals sending books and letters to the Armed Forces members. Thank you so much."

"Good Morning Kathy D and Dan G, My name is Stephanie H and I am the Duty Manager here at Camp Casey USO. I wanted to let you know that we received the boxes of books that were sent to us. They arrived over the weekend. We have had the books flying off the shelf since we put them up! I can't thank you enough for sending them to us. This is a wonderful thing that you all are doing for the troops and we certainly appreciate you thinking of us and sending us the books. I can also let you know that we have a lot of families here in this area and the wives and kids love the books also! Any time you would like to send us books we will be most happy to receive them. Thank you again so much from the bottom of our hearts, "

"Dear Operation Paperback Just wanted to say thank you for the outstanding support and the many packages. Specifically: Vicky C, Redwood City CA Vance N Wendy H, Midlothian IL Kay D, Anchorage AK Tom M, Mantua, OH I appreciate the continued support by all the great volunteers of Operation Paperback. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year"

"Dear Ms Krcelich, Thank you for your recent book donation to the Futenma USO in Okinawa, Japan. They make a nice addition to our reading room. "

"Dear Ms Higginbottom, Thank you for your recent book donation to the Futenma USO in Okinawa, Japan. They will make a nice addition to our reading room. "

"Thank you and your organization for the time and effort you have put into sending books to deployed soldiers. I have recieved so many books from so many generous people, it is truly touching. I have received so many books, in fact, that my base, fellow soldiers, and I have reading material to last us until we return home. Can you please remove me from the mailing list, I cannot take anymore packages. Thank you and again, I sincerely appreciate all of the packages I have recieved. I am grateful for the care and thoughtfulness that went into all 35 I have received thus far. Take care. "

"To all the folks at Operation Paperback, Thank you so much to everyone for the books!!!!!! I would like to please have my name removed from the list. I have received way more books than I could possibly read in a year, lol. I will and have shared them with the soldiers in my company, and spread your organizations name anytime I can. This has been a blessing, and I am very grateful for all you do. Would it be okay for me to donate any leftover books to our post library? Or even if you would like to send me a list of soldiers names I could forward the books onto them. Thank you again so much "

"Operation Paperback, I hope this doesn't read too cliche, but what can I say? Your organization's support for us and our soldiers who pass through our area have been impacted.--Your support in sending in books is more than we can keep up with!! Seriously, we have a pallet full of boxes of your books!!! We want to utilize the resources you have given us. After the withdrawal from Iraq our mission in processing soldiers for leave and going home for good has now come down to a crawl. With this slow down, I must request Operation Paperback to please halt sending in anymore books for awhile. We do not have the allotted space, nor as alluded, the personnel to warrant expansion. I am happy to report that we were able to give a healthy amount of paperbacks to our troops during the withdrawal and Holiday Season leave period! As we take a collective sigh of relief and catch up with other tasks that had to be placed aside, I will be sending out personal thanks from our company to those that sent their patriotism between the lines. Attached is our company's library where we offered, in conjuncture with Operation Paperback many opportunities in giving back to our heroes. "

"Dear Linn,Greetings and Happy Holidays from Djibouti! On behalf of the American Red Cross, Service to Armed Forces Station Staff and Volunteers serving on board Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, I would like to thank you very much for your support.As you may know our mission here is to provide a communication link between service member's, Department of Defense personnel and US contractors with their families in times of emergency. Our office here is dedicated to providing that link 24/7,365 days a year. This vital link enables commands to make emergency leave decisions. We also provide Health and Safety training for the base. Red Cross CPR and First Aid classes are offered every week for anyone interested in learning life saving skills.Outreach and morale events and services are of course always a part of what the American Red Cross, Service to Armed Forces does anywhere in the world. Your generous donations this Holiday Season will ensure the service member's here at Camp Lemonnier receive a touch of home. Thank you again for your donation and support. It is greatly appreciated!"

"Hi guys! Wow; first of all, can I just say, I'm astounded by the generosity of your volunteers. We have received quite a few books and other media and are extremely happy with them. However, I have run into a problem: Thule is an extremely small base: (no more than 500 people at once, and that's in summer,) and as such, I have run out of places to stash the books! It pains me to do so, because I'm a horrible bibliophile, but I'm going to have to request that you stop shipments. I've filled up ever public bookshelf on the base, and quite a few personal ones as well, and after I send the rest of what I have off to our remote sites, I don't know if I'll be able to handle any more. I am aware of the vagaries of mail, and know that even if you take my name out of the bucket today, I'll still receive shipments for a bit, but I would really appreciate it if you could take my name off as soon as possible, or my poor post office is going to find me and smack me silly. Thanks so much for you generosity, as I said, because these books will keep those of us at our nations furthest north military installation well entertained for a long long time, "

"I wanted to start by saying thank you for all the books that have been provided during this deployment. I also wanted to let you know that the deadline for sending us packages and passed. We are close to our return date and there is no guarantee that anything sent to us would arrive before we return. Being deployed aboard a ship means that mail typically takes 4 to 6 weeks to arrive. I just wanted to make sure that my name was taken off the list for this reason. Again thanks for all your support. "

"My husband and his friend would like to be taken off of Operation paperback. They really love the books but they are just getting way too many books. They dont have enough space to store the books anymore. We really appreciate you guys and all that you do! "

"I am currently getting books from you all. First I would like to thank for sending to me while i am stationed here in Korea. It has made my time go by just that much faster for being able to read a variety of books. I am big supporter of what you all are and keep up the great job. I am getting ready to leave Korea and i will be back in the states with family. As of right i wont need the books until i get deployed or come back to Korea. "

" Thanks for all the books. I have got bombarded with them. My fellow soldiers and I will have enough for the rest of my deploment. Please take my address off the list. This is a good program, I just got too many too fast. (I did check the do not send large boxes, but got them anyway) Thanks"

"I want to give a special THANKS to the volunteers. I want to thank Virginia Janes for the beautiful Holiday card and goodies. We appreciate the time and effort the volunteers put into the boxes. THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

"We just received the books on January 25th, my boys couldn't wait to get home to read them! We really appreciate the support! Thanks a bunch!"

"To all of the Operation Paperback family that have sent books to myself and the unit - Thank you so very much! It is nice to know there are people that DO support the soldier family!!"

"I would like to thank all of the volunteers from Operation Paperback. I received many books while I served in Iraq from 07-09. They were passed on to other troops at the MWR. I have submitted my address to receive books while I serve the next year in Korea. Thank you for all you do and I look forward to receiving books again from this wonderful organization!"

"I just wanted to take the time to thank you!!!!! I am a USN sailor currently deployed and these books give us all the opportunity to get away for a little while. thank you so much for all of your support!!!! "

"Dear Operation Paperback, Thank you for the wonderful books you sent our in- patient active duty soldiers!!! These young people are mainly suffering from depression, PTSD and issues that a kindness like yours can really help! Recently they received inspirational literature from Jackie C from California. Please remember our heroes. they are deserving of every kindness! Thank you all! Their Humble Nurse, Rosa K RN "

"As I am getting ready to go home, I realize that the time has flown by. It has flown because I have had my nose buried in a book for the last couple of months! I can't thank you and your organization enough for all the books that have been sent to me. I am passing them along to others so that they may enjoy them as well. The books have been the best escape from the monotony that is daily life out here. I think I would have gone crazy without them. Again Thank you for all of your support and it made my deployment!"

"Good day, I recently received a shipment of books today for our library!! Thank you very much for your kind generosity! The troops love the books and magazines! Best regards!"

"Hello again I just wanted to let you know I received the books that were sent to me and my soldiers 2 days ago . Thank you for the support that you have given us on building our library in the MWR . Hope you have a happy holidays and a great new year . Thanks Again"

"Hello, and Merry Christmas from Kandahar Airbase, Afghanistan I wanted to write and 'Thank You Very Much' for what you do for the young soldiers, sailors, and airmen over here in Afghanistan, and around the world. Your books are finding their way to remote parts of the world! And are greatly appreciated. I'd never heard of your organization, until I picked up a book to read and spotted your label. Thank you again, for making this tour a little brighter, for a lot of young men and women serving our great country! > Merry Christmas to all your members and families! > "

"Nancy & the fine folks at Operation Paperback, I've received your kind donation of books. They're making their way around the office and any remainders will go to the USO. Thanks again for your awesome support! "

"I recently received a shipment of books from The Bidgehampton Presbyterian Church and really appreciated their donation. I wanted to pass along my gratitude for the wonderful reading material. "

"Good evening Dan and Shirley... We have received your gracious donation, and thank you very much. The United Seamen's Service / Seamen's Club Naha appreciates the efforts of Operation Paperback. While our non-profit organization predominantly serves merchant seafarers overseas, we are very fortunate here in Okinawa (and in Busan, Korea) to be able to serve our US Armed Forces. We welcome books by popular authors (i.e. James Patterson, Donald Kuntz, W.E.B. Griffin, Tom Clancy, David Baldacci, J.D. Robb, Nora Roberts, Katherine Coulter, Fern Michaels, Patricia Cornwell, Don Pendleton [Mack Bolan, Phoenix Force, Executioner series], Daniele Steele), comic books, CD's and DVD's. We've been blessed with many VHS tapes, but have saturated the market as fewer and fewer troops have VHS machines."

"Dear Volunteer of Operation Paperback, I am sorry for the delay but i want to say thanks for the books you sent to me. Reading is an excellent way to keep a clear mind and many times even bring that home feeling. We all are always thankful for our country's support. "

"Thank you, The box of books arrived safely. everyone likes the books. Thank you and God bless your ministry "

"I hope this email finds you well. On behalf of all the soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen on COS Hammer we would like to say thank you so much for all the books you have sent us. We really appreciate them all and they have provided hours and hours of entertainment and enjoyment for us. But, COS Hammer is going to be closing down by the end of November. And the last mail service was today. So please if possible, do not sent any more shipments to COS Hammer Iraq APO AE 09308. Also if you would please give our sincerest thank yous to Debra Y. of Arlington, VA and Deb M of Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church. We received a package from each on this last mail shipment. Usually we send personal correspondence thanking them but, with the mail service being closed it will not be possible. We apologize for that. "

"Hello Operation Paperback and The Employees at Northwest Radiology Network, Thank You all so much I received two boxes yesterday full of books and greatly appreciate the support. I am very excited and am grateful. I love books and already started on "Scandalous Irresistible" By Karen Robards. Thank you so much. Have a Happy Holiday."

"Hello from Camp Walker in Daegu, Korea! Thank you SO MUCH for the wonderful packages of books! We and the troops here are always thankful for your love and support. Thank you again."

"Please thank Ms Judy K of Waycross, Ga. for her recent book donation to the Futenma USO in Okinawa, Japan"

"All concerned at Operation Paperback, (@Jane Guagliardo) I wanted to write a note to say thank you very much for your kindness and support. I don't think I'll ever make it through all these books! I enjoy reading to help pass the time and keep me busy. You all are doing a very great thing. I have passed the word along about Operation Paperback to all my fellow readers and plan on sharing my books with others. Thank you again and God bless. "

"I recently signed my workcenter up for operation paperback. The amount of books was staggering! At first there were a couple of boxes, and then we were inundated! We are currently sharing these books with other ships to try and alleviate the space issue we ran into. I wanted to let you all know how much we appreciate the reading material you did send, but then request to be taken off the list for boxes as we have no more space to contain them!!! You all are doing very wonderful work, and I’m sure that we have enough literature for the next three deployments (and then some!)!"

"Greetings, Thank you so much for all of the books that you have sent me while I have been deployed. I have shared many of the books with the men and women I am deployed with. I have read many others, however I am redeploying (Praise the Lord) soon and I will no longer need books to read. I have 3 small children that fill my time quite easily. Thanks again for the support while I have been deployed and the support you supply to all the troops while they are deployed. "

"Nancy and Donna, On behalf of the whole multinational team at Combined Joint Medical Branch, Headquarters Joint Command, Kabul, we just wanted to pass on our thanks for the kind donation of novels by Volunteers of Operation Paperback. Its difficult to explain/ underestimate that little spark of interest/ excitement when you come across a new or old familiar novel to read. As you can appreciate - the battle tempo in Afghanistan is such that youre always waiting for that flight at 3 in the morning - so to have a novel to hand in your combat jacket is a lifesaver and helps keep you sane or at the very least provides that welcome distraction. So from the Brits, Germans and US personnel of the Medical Branch in Kabul many thanks. The books get circulated through numerous hands and travel the country being passed from one soldier to another - bet the authors never realise the journey their novels make. "

"Just wanted to pass along thanks for all the books and magazines you sent out to us. My Sailors appreciate your taking the time to do this and this will make the time go faster. Let Ms. Teresa S know thanks as well! Halfway through cruise (hopefully) : ) Thanks"

"Diane- Just wanted to drop you a note and let you know I received the books. I think this program is fantastic. I have been reading the books and the rest of my squad has also helped themselves as well. I think of all the books in the box, most are being read right now by members of my unit. Please thank those who donated them as they are much appreciated. We have lots of down time here and these are great to fill the time. Thanks again! "

"Thanks do much for the books donated for our Veterans. Mrs. Hart, wrote that her husband, Chuck, served 3 tours in Viet Nam and has just recently passed away in May. Please convey our deepest condolences and thanks for us. "

"Good Afternoon, I just wanted to say thank you. I received a copy of “Ender’s Game” today and anxiously look forward to reading it. Thank you for what you are doing."

"Ms Hirsh, we received the paperbacks today and wish to thank your organization for thinking of our Warriors. Everone is very happy to have the books available to them. Many people enjoy reading and the books are a pleasure for them. "

"I would like to thank you very much for the books. We have received numerous shipments. My Soldiers greatly appreciate them. I am an avid reader and try to get as many of my Soldiers to read as well. Where we are we have thousands of Soldiers traveling through so the books are truly important to them while they are waiting in between stops. Again I cannot thank you enough for your support. People like you keep us motivated and going each and every day. Thanks so much. VIPER 7"

"Thank you very much for the Christmas boxes. The decorations and presents will be much appreciated by the troops here at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti! "

"I received the books today, they are awesome! I am definitely going to share with the rest of the squadron. Thanks so much for all you do. It’s a great thing! Have a happy thanksgiving and blessed holiday season "

"Thank you for the books you have sent us. They have provided countless hours of distraction for our sailors and allowed them to lose themselves for awhile during their service to our nation. I am sorry to say that I can no longer receive any books. We have reached the limit of our library and our deployment is drawing to a close. If you could, please remove my name from the database so that others may enjoy the books that would otherwise come here. Again, thank you to all the volunteers for supporting us and giving us the opportunity to “get away” out here."

"Thanks Chrissy, You and your volunteers provide such a wonderful service. The next time I'm deployed I'll be sure to sign up for more books. It's really good for my sailors' morale to know that people back home care and remember us, especially in remote locations like here on Diego Garcia. Happy Holidays to you and yours "

"Thank you all from Operation Paperback, I am deployed to Afghanistan and I have received books from your organization. I thank you for what you do for the Troops, and on behalf of all of the Troops we appreciate it. "

"I want to thank you and all the wonderful volunteers in Operation Paperback for all the books you have sent me. We almost have our own little library here on our COP and the variety of books sent gives all my Soldiers something to read, so we are extremely grateful for the time and generosity of your volunteers. However, we are getting ready to redeploy in January, so I need to have my name taken off the list so that books don't get returned to senders after we leave. I will pass on your email to my replacement though, so he may ask to have his name put on your list. Until then, please remove mine, and thanks again for what you do! "

"I have enjoyed the many books and my soldiers too I have more than I can read in these next four months of duty and Iwas asking would you guys please take me off your mailing list Thanks in advance. "

"This is directed to the New Tampa Junior Women’s Club, Thanks so much for the books!! My Sailors say thanks! Well we only have about 2 months left of cruise and I think we are good to go for books! : ) I have received sooooo many from you all and so has AO1 Austring who is also in my shop. Anyway thanks for taking the time to get these and you make life more bearable out here at sea. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

"Chaplain Rivera and I would like to thank you for all your donations. We have received numerous boxes with ample reading material to disseminate among our soldiers. Thank you for your support and please continue the good work. "

"I just wanted to say thank you for all the books. It's great that people from around the country are involved in such a wonderful program. I have enough books now to last 6 months or even more, I'm not that fast of a reader. Thanks again and have a merry Christmas and happy New Years to all the families."

"Thank you again for all the wonderful books, I've been receiving. I've been able to give a lot of them out to people around the hospital. They have really enjoyed them. I think I have enough books to read to last me quite some time now. Thanks again and god bless. "

"I just wanted to let you know we received the recent box of books here at TwentyNine Palms Marine Base. I am sorry if this is not the correct address to inform you of receiving the box. Again thank you for your continued support and we look forward to our next box of books."

"Hey I am just letting you know that I wish to be taken off of the mailing list. I have more then enough books right now to last through the rest of my deployment and I am sure that there are others who need them. Besides I'm also not sure as when I'll be headed back state side now. They are sending people home early right now. Thanks for the books. "

"I just want to say thank you very much for all the books that our platoon received of the course of a year. We are now all starting the transition to returning back home. Once again thank you very much. "

"The books you sent to the Futenma USO, Okinawa, Japan on 15 Nov 2011 were received on 26 Nov 2011. Thank you, they make a nice addition to our reading area. "

"I just wanted to thank you all for your support for my unit. The books have helped us out a lot when on missions and back in garrison. I just wanted to let you know that we will be deploying back home soon so I need to stop the books coming to me, but I will pass on your information to the next group who is relieving us so that they may enjoy all the support that you have shown us. Again thank you all very much for supporting us while away from friends and family and may your holiday seasons be merry and safe. \r\n\r\n "

"I received another package of books for our unit, v1/6. Thank you. I will be leaving Afghanistan soon and so would recommend not sending any more packages. I will try to give your information on to the next unit. "

"My husband ET Garza, receives books from your organization aboard the USS John C Stennis. We are VERY grateful for your contributions to him! He unfortunately has ran out of room to keep the books on board. We would appreciate it, if the boxes he usually receives could be sent to a different soldier that needs them! Thank you so much for doing this for him. He said he is set for the rest of his deployment. "

"Hello, I was hoping to stop the book shipments to my husband, Jerrod Bekis, in Afghanistan. He's leaving his current location to a different part of that country and I don't have his new address. He has also told me its a smaller base and that he doesn't need anymore book shipments. He loved the books and dropped off what he didn't read at the library, thank you so much. I would, however, still like to keep my children on the book list if that is at all possible. "

"Operation Paperback, Thank you so much for all your wonderful books. Our library is now full with books that Soldiers read on a daily basis. It has boosted morale here on our little FOB. We do not require any more books at this time. Thank you again to everyone that sent books. "

"I would like to thank operation paperback for all the books they have sent me. However I do not have enough room for all of the books so if you guys could please only send me like one box a month, it would be greatly appreciated."

"First of all, let me thank you for all the good books you send out to us to help lighten our day. It is an inspiration to me to see all the help and support that we as military men and women receive from you on a daily basis. I have received all the books you have sent and thank you, however, I must refuse any more as I no longer have any room for them. I have enough to last quite a while. I ask please delay in sending any more to me as I’m out of room for everything. Thank you for all that you’ve done, and best wishes during the holidays."

"I want to thank you and your volunteers for all the books you have sent. Me and my fellow workers have more than enough to keep us busy the rest of the time we are out to sea. "

"Thanks so much for all the books I've received over the last year. I greatly appreciate it , however I am running out of space due to the overwhelming amount of books I've been given. I was wondering if my name could be taken off of the list. Thanks so much. "

"I would like to say thank you to you and all of your supporters for the many boxes of boooks that I have received. I would ask that you remove my name from your mailing list, for I am redeploying early. My soldiers greatly appreciate that we have folks like you at home that care about the men and women in uniform doing their duty for there country. I assure you every book that was passed along was read at point. All of the book will be donated to the installation library prior to my departure. Once again Thank you all for your support and God Bless."

"Thank-you for the books. I have received many boxes now and have no more room for storage on the ship. Please discontinue sending books. Again thanks for providing me and my shipmates with reading materials your generosity is astounding and was much appreciated."

"My husband's deployment is almost over and he has enough books to last him the rest of the time. Is there a way to take him off the list? His name is Nicholas M and he is on the John C. Stennis. Thank you so much! The books you sent have been worth their weight in gold. I appreciate this service as much as he does. "

"I just wanted to write a quick note thanking you and the Operation Paperback folks for the set of books which were just received today. Everyone aboard the USS Nicholas appreciates the program and people such as yourselves, who take time out of their days to attempt to improve ours. So, on behalf of the Nicholas and Combat Electronics Division, I would personally like to thank you, Mr. Tarpey and your family, for your generosity and compassion. I am happy to hear that your family members returned home safely and hope they don’t have to go again any time soon. "

"I have been receiving books from operationpaperback and first I wanted to give you a big thank you! Our team loves the books. Unfortunately, we are moving and don’t have a forwarding address yet. If you send books to us here we will not get them. I want to make sure that those who are requesting books are getting them and they are not being wasted. Please take my name and address off the list for now and I will provide you with a new one as soon as I have one. Thank you "

"Hello I just received the books sent to me from Carlina and Gerald S. I just wanted to say thank you for the books. Me and My Soldiers will really enjoy them"

"Thank you so much for the box full of books! They really brightened our day! The kids have been very excited to read their new ones, giving me a chance to sit down for a minute and read the ones I was sent! You all are such a blessing to so many of us. Thank you for your support!"

"Thank you so much for all you do!!!! I must ask to have my name removed from the list however. I've already received so many books and we have run out of room to put them anywhere. Once again thank you for the fast and overwhelming support. It means a lot!!!! God Bless! "

"It's is a huge blessing to be a soldier who gets books from you blessed people. We, the soldiers in the 1-227 Air Cav are greatful for the kindness you have given us. I am sorry that I have not been able to write all the kind people who have been generous to me by sending me books, but I am greatful for them. Your program is a shinning light in the shadows of this war, we who have served our country and have missed holiday after holiday away from our children owe you a great debt. you can not begin to understand how it is to get a box full of books from someone who does not even owe ye nothing, they sent them because they love you for what you have given up. Thank you! Your kindness makes burden that much easier to bear, God Bless you. "

"THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE HELPED ME SUPPORT THE SOLDIERS HERE AND ABROAD. 1. THE WEADEL FAMILY 2. LISA BRISLIN 3. ROBERT GARGUILO 4. TERRIE JONES 5. JULIE GALVIN 6. DONNA GUSTAFSSON 7. ANNE WENDEL"

"I want to send a huge heartfelt thank you to all of the volunteers who have taken the time and care to send us books. I have shared them with many of my shipmates. I think my department has more books than the library. Thank you again from all of us on board the John C. Stennis!!!"

"Thank you Treystar Employees and Friends (Kalamazoo/Portage, Michigan)! We really appreciate the books and treats that you sent to us here in Afghanistan. Thanks for supporting us and most of all thinking of us. It is greatly appreciated. Take care and God Bless!"

"Thank You! I can't believe how many people support the troops. It's amazing and makes this whole deployment worth every day being here. I've received over 9 boxes of books that myself and my battle buddies enjoy very much. Thank you for all you do! This program is amazing. Thank you all for all you do!"

"Thank you so much Judith Engberg and Operation Paperback for the books you sent us here in Afghanistan. We really appreciate your efforts and your support. V/R Tim W"

"Harvie, Nancy and Friends of the Huron Public Library, Thank you so much for the books you sent to us here in Afghanistan. We really appreciate your efforts and your thinking of us. Take care and God Bless. V/R Tim"

"William & Doris Doyle, Thank you so much for the wonderful books you sent to us here in Afghanistan. We truly appreciate your efforts and the fact that you are thinking of us. Thanks so much. Take care and God Bless. V/R Tim"

"Thank you so much for the books. We are already enjoying reading them. Our plan is to pass them on to other children as we read them, just as we sent nearly 12lbs of books to fellow military overseas, via the Blue Star Mothers group. Again, thank you. "

"Pam Adams and Family, as well as everyone at Operation Paperback, Thank you for the books you sent to us here in Afghanistan. We really appreciate your efforts and support. Take care and God Bless. Sincerely, Tim "

"Mary and George Burazer, as well as everyone at Operation Paperback, Thank you for the books you sent to us here in Afghanistan. We really appreciate your efforts and support. Take care and God Bless. Sincerely, Tim "

"Hello, We just moved to Sigonella for a three year tour. I am a military spouse and avid reader. The base library here is quite good, but there is something about being able to take a book and have it be yours. Even when I return them later, I really enjoy being able to take books and have them be mine, however long that may be. It is hard to access enough new titles to keep me satisfied especially in a foreign country. So thank you for all you do and for not forgetting us, those who may not be in combat, but are far from home. We appreciate it. Best Wishes, Heather"

"Thanks for all your help, support and time in sending books for my Soldiers and I to read when time permits."

"I just want to say thanks to all the volunteers who have sent out books to my Soldiers and I. It really means a lot that the folks back home are willing to take time out of their lives to help out a Soldier serving their country on the other side of the world."

"Thank you everyone for all the books we have received. We created a small library in the MWR tent. It was a big hit. Soldiers are always in there reading now. Again thank you!"

"I just wanted to say that we received the books. My Soldiers and I will enjoy reading them. Thank you again."

"Volunteers of Operation Paperback, Thank you very much for the Christmas boxes. The decorations and presents will be much appreciated by the troops here at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti!"

"Please thank Ms Virginia C. from Jamestown, KY for her recent book donation to the Futenma USO, Okinawa, Japan. "

"Jan and the fine people at Operation Paperback, Thank you so much for your generous donations. Since signing up I've received 3 packages and they've all been great. These are far too many books even for our office so I take the extras to the USO here at Bagram so those travelling have an opportunity to grab something to read. Thank you for all your support."

"I hope this message finds you all well. I am a soldier in the MN Army National Guard stationed at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. I am currently on your mailing list to receive books. I regretfully need to ask that my name be removed from your mailing list. Since my arrival in Kuwait, I have received a tremendous amount of books from your organization. I currently have more books than I can handle. I have donated the books to my friends and co-workers and have since been giving them to our MWR center. Due to the extreme generosity of the volunteers within your organization, I have received so many books that no one here is currently able to take anymore!! I hope I do not seem ungrateful, that is the furthest from the truth. I am extremely appreciative of your generosity and I hope that can be passed on to the many volunteers that have stepped up to be a part of your endeavor. I appreciate everything that has been done for me and my peers alike. I could never be thankful enough for your support and generosity."

"Mike, I just received your box of books and wanted to say thanks for your support. I just walked around the section and handed them out to the Soldiers. They were pretty stoked when I said they came directly from the author. Thanks again. "

"Operation Paperback, Thank you for your continuous book donation. Below I have attached a copy of a donation receipt. Please retain for your records. "

"Thank you for the books. As soon as I opened the box 3 people had their hands in looking for books. Not all of them were taken yet but about half have been passed out. Operation paperback is a great thing in my eyes. Thank you for helping by breaking up the monotony of deployment. "

"Just a message to let you know myself and the boys received our free books. We really appreciate it and are enjoying them! They help pass the time during our soldiers deployment. Thank you very much, "

"I want to thank you for the books we have received this year. It is a wonderful service to the soldiers. I am sending this email to inform you that we will be leaving soon and need to stop shipment of books to me due to redeployment. Thank you so much for what you do! "

"Gretchen, I am a soldier currently deployed in Afghanistan. I worked at a very remote location and wanted to thank you personally for the reading material you have supplied me and the other soldiers working here. What you are doing for us is so appreciated and the books you send make the time go by a little faster. We divided the drink packets between us so they went fast....lol. Keep doing what you do and I will continue to hold down my end until I can get reunited with my family back home.... "

"I am currently deployed to Afghanistan and recently requested instructional books through Operation Paperback. Books such as how to build or make things, how to play guitar, restore cars, etc... I received an order from Marjorie H. with some excellent books. Thank you very much for this program!"

"Thank you very much for your support of books. However, please stop sending them. I have received seven boxes as of late and could not possibly read them all. Again I appreciate your wonderful service. God Bless. "

"I received our box of books today, and all I could say was WOW! I was blown away by how many were in there and all the great titles. I can’t wait until my kids get home from school. They’re going to be so excited! Thank you so much and God bless you all! "

"Thank you so incredibly much for the service that you provide. I'm currently stationed in Camp Marmal in Afghanistan. I've been receiving books from people from all over the US for the last month, and it's been fantastic. I got a lot of what I was looking for. I don't want to sound ungrateful, but if you could take me off the list for people who get sent books, that would be great. We only have a small group of people here, and we could almost start our own library! I'm sure there are a lot of other people out there who could use the service more than I could. I'll definitely make sure and put the good word out about your service, and again, I'm very grateful for everything that you've done for me. I'll never forget it."

"Mr. Robert Makela (1LT, USMC-Ret), Thank you so much for the books you sent to us! We really appreciate your efforts and those OPERATION PAPERBACK. Our Soldiers will really enjoy having these books. Sincerely, Tim "

"Mrs Sally Draper, Thank you for the books and magazines you sent to us. We really appreciate your efforts and those of OPERATION PAPERBACK! Sincerely, Tim"

"To our troops: Thank you so much for serving our country! PS: Stay safe!"

"Thank you guys so much for the books. I have received two boxes already and I am sharing with the Marines in my company. The Marines are thankful for all that you guys due. Thank you so much."

"Thank you for the books for our 3 children. They love all of them and can't wait to start reading! What a wonderful program!"

"I would like to thank you for all the shipments of books I have received. I would also like to make an adjustment to the stop ship date and change it to 30 November 2011. I am stationed on a small base here in Kuwait and the response we have received from your organization for books has been oustanding. Unfortunately we have a small library and are running out of room. I would rather have future shipments go to those more in need than we are here. There are still some here that will continue to be on your mailing list so we will continue to get new shipments. Again thank you for all your support. Hopefully this finds you with restored power and warmer temps."

"Thank you for the books you have been sending. However, I have received quite a few and have been bringing them to our library tent. Please make a note to take me off your list when you get a chance. Thanks again, God bless. "

"Just wanted to pass along thanks for all the books and magazines you sent out to us. My Sailors appreciate your taking the time to do this and this will make the time go faster. Let Ms. Teresa S. know thanks as well! Halfway through cruise (hopefully) : ) Thanks "

"Mr. R. Blanchard and Volunteers of Operation Paperback, I was so excited to get the books today. My co-workers in my office will be emailing you also after learning of your program. Thanks for all you do!!! "

"I would like to send a thank you to all who have sent Books to myself and other members of 1-125th Field Artillery. I have received numerous boxes safely and am enjoying the selections and sharing them with my unit and all the other Navy, Coast Guard and Marine units that are stationed here. Thank you very much for your support of the troops"

"Thank you for your continuous support in donating books to our hospital."

"I received the boxes of books you sent to me at Camp Spann, Afghanistan. So many books that I felt like it was Christmas....Ha!!! I hope that with the combat deployments drawing down, that your son and nephew are able to stay home more as I plan to. My kids are in high school (close to graduation) and need their mom, so I don't mind coming home next month to take care of them. Looking forward to reading some of the books I kept when I get home as well. May you and your family have a blessed holiday season. "

"I recently received a shipment of books from The Bidgehampton Presbyterian Church and really appreciated their donation. I wanted to pass along my gratitude for the wonderful reading material."

" I received your care package and dispensed them amongst my unit. They were greatly appreciated and had a lot of interesting books in them. Again, from the 580th Signal Company, thank you for the care package. "

"I hope this email finds you well. On behalf of all the soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen on COS Hammer we would like to say thank you so much for all the books you have sent us. We really appreciate them all and they have provided hours and hours of entertainment and enjoyment for us. But, COS Hammer is going to be closing down by the end of November. And the last mail service was today. So please if possible, do not sent any more shipments to COS Hammer, Iraq . Also if you would please give our sincerest thank yous to Debra Y. of Arlington, VA and Deb M. of Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church. We received a package from each on this last mail shipment. Usually we send personal correspondence thanking them but, with the mail service being closed it will not be possible. We apologize for that. "

"Thank you so much for the wonderful books. My son Xander is only 5 months, but we try to read to him often. He will enjoy these for years to come. Keep up the good work! "

"I just received a shipment of books and a very nice note signed by B. Kennedy, an Operation Paperback volunteer from Dunstable, MA. Thank you very much! With the end of the Iraq War drawing near, it's been very busy here in Kuwait as people and equipment are coming down. We're working hard, but there's still the opportunity for some down time. These books will provide a nice diversion from our normal duties. Thanks again."

"Thank you from all of us here at Camp Mercury for all your time and efforts in sending us the paperback books and please know that it is greatly appreciated. More and more of our Soldiers are reading more than ever some even say before now they never really thought about reading paperback books. Thanks again and my God Bless each and every one of you."

"Hello from Camp Walker in Daegu, Korea! You all are amazing! Your generous donation of paperback books has safely arrived here. Thank you so much for your support. "

"Hello from USO Camp Walker in Daegu, Korea! You all are amazing. Just letting you know we received your fabulous packages. Thank you so much!!! "

"On behalf of Mr Freddie C., Mgr, USO Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, please thank Ms Michelle D. of Salina, CA for her book donation. "

"Thanks to Janeen J. for shipment of books! "

"Operation Paperback, Please forward this message to: Susan B., President American Legion Auxiliary Monterey Cypress Unit 694 Marina, CA 93933 C. Fox Communications Sally and Melissa Carrie F. Ilene M. I received the boxes of books you all sent to me at Camp Spann, Afghanistan. So many books that I felt like it was Christmas....Ha!!! Looking forward to reading some of the books I kept when I get home as well as I return from deployment next month (November 2011) and get back to my family. May you and your family have a blessed holiday season. "

"Thank you for the books. They are greatly appreciated. I have already read a couple of them and everyone here is thankful for your support of the troops. Once again Thank you"

"Thank you for the books! I just received them in the mail, they are all really great and I can’t wait to read them. I am on the USS John C Stennis over here in 5th Fleet and we are conducting operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Thank you so much, my friends and I appreciate what you do. Thanks again. "

"I wanted to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to help us out while on deployment. I apologize for not getting to email you sooner but we just got back from a mission. The books really help to pass the time and engage our minds in something rather than just sitting there doing nothing. Your kind of support helps keep our morale up and lets us know that there are always people back home supporting us while we are away from family and friends. Again from myself and from my fellow service members thank you very much. "

"I wanted to send you a quick note to Thank You for your generosity. The Warriors and community of Fort Riley greatly appreciate the books. Thanks again."

"Huge thank you to D. Bernabeo!! My children started reading them immediately! Thank you~ "

"Just wanted to let you know that between my email and yours, I received three more packages from your folks:> John L., Tampa FL, Donna L. Las Vegas NV, Madeline G. Rockville MD. You guys are great!"

"Sorry for the delay in writing to you. I have been traveling and just returned to find the box of books you sent. What an awesome surprise! We can't thank you enough for your time, effort and financial contributions to this worthwhile cause, and please know you've made a huge impact on the morale and welfare of the folks here. Having a novel to read, and knowing it was sent with love from our fellow Americans back home just makes it that much better. Thank you and God Bless."

"Just wanted to let you know I received your shipment of books from Operation Paperback. They are a welcomed addition to our growing library. Thank you for your support. Here are a few links to sites about our unit. We are currently deployed aboard the USS Bataan (LHD-5) in support of operations around the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. We are 7 months into a 10 month deployment and the books are a welcomed distraction from the monotony of ship board life. Thanks again. "

"You sent me a great selection of books. I’m confirming that I did receive them. Thank you so much! We all appreciate a little diversion every now and then. Weather starting to get cooler now, which is a welcome relief. I’ve got a lot of stuff to catch up on at the moment and hope to send you another note at a later time. Again, thank you for the books you selected for us."

"I would like to personally thank you for sending books out to my location. I have shared them with my fellow Airman. We really appreciate you taking the time to send them out to us. Sorry I am just not getting this out to you. Things have been really busy but I still wanted to make sure that you knew that the package arrived safely. "

"I just wanted to let you know I received you box of books! Thank you very much! I especially appreciate that you included military and science fiction books, I don’t get nearly as many of those as I’d like. Thanks for supporting the Troops."

"I hope this email finds you well. I apologize for using electronic mail rather than a person letter to tell you thank you for the books we have received. The only reason I am using email vs regular mail is your package was a symbol of the last amount of mail ever coming in and out for us here at COS Hammer. Regularly scheduled mail closed earlier today. Thank you oh so much for the books they are amazing quality and most of them are "new" to us so we really appreciate it. I don't know if you heard but, we are all supposed to be out of here by Christmas which has got everything moving around here at light speed. "

"Thank you to you and all of the fantastic operation paperback volunteers out there. I've enjoyed getting the occasional package of books and I've been working to share them with my Soldiers. Lately it's gotten a little out of hand, over the past three days I've received six boxes of books in the mail -- two of which were bankers boxes chock full of books. I have more books than I could possibly read this deployment. Please take my name off your list as soon as possible. I don't want to hog all the books and it's getting to be a bit of a problem knowing what to do with all of them. Take care and thanks for all of your efforts. "

"Thank you so much Operation Paperback for the great books (and treats)! It is greatly appreciated by our Soldiers. We will certainly enjoy the fruits of your labor. Again thank you so much! Special thanks to Ellen Giunchigliani!"

"A special thanks to the volunteers of Operation Paperback. The box of books really brightened my day, and will keep us busy as we read them and pass them on. "

"I absolutely cannot communicate how grateful I am to have received today the books you sent in the mail. I am touched beyond words, and the book selection you sent is PERFECT given my reading tastes and preferences. The perfect touch of home for a guy who is far from it. Thank You so very, very much. I will never forget this, and my children will know about the nice folks in NYC (The Book Cellar, Webster Library) that sent me books to read while I was away... Thank you again. Justin"

"A big Thank you to OP Paperback! I am currently deployed to Afghanistan, stationed at the Kandahar Air force Base. The books I have received are much appreciated. The books are read and put into our unit library for Soldiers present and future to enjoy. The time and effort to send the books is also appreciated. Thank you again, the enjoyment of a good book is a simple but effective escape from the realities of deployment. Thank you. "

"Thank you for all the books. I've started reading some of them. I'm sure it will take a while to read all of them, but I appreciate it all the same. Thanks. I'll share with my buddies."

"Hello there I received your first package that was sent and the books were great. Unfortunately they have shut down our APO station in the States due to the fact that the base I am on is closing down. Which means that I will be out of Iraq by the first week of December and hopefully home shortly there after. Thank you so much for what you and the other volunteers do for the troops. It is greatly appreciated. "

"I just received a shipment of books and I am very thankful for them. Thank you for providing such a wonderful service to us sailors while we're out at sea. A book is often just the kind of escape we need when we've spent 30+ days at sea. Thank you so much! "

"I just received three additional packages from Sue L.(Glen Mills, PA), Dawn B. (Fair Lawn, NJ), and Diane L. (Dunstable, MA). These were all well received and with all of the generous donations of the folks supporting Operation Paperback, we now have a lending library that is bringing Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, DoD Civilians, and even Coalition Forces to our office to share in the books. I have passed the web address to my fellow commanders and want to say thanks again to you and all your folks for these gifts."

"We recently received three separate packages from all of the great folks supporting Operation Paperback, specifically Keith E. from Vista, CA and Mary Jane C. of Whitsett, NC. The books were well received and I have personally provided the information and web address to several of my comrades here at Camp Spann, Afghanistan. I can't thank you enough for the outstanding support and welcome release that comes with these books. Thanks again"

"I wish to thank you for the shipment of books you recently sent to us. This service is widely used and very much appreciated by our veteran patients. I am very grateful that you think of us. "

"I appreciate all your support of our ministry in Kuwait. The books arrived safely and edified all our soldiers. You are in our prayers and we thank you very much"

"Greetings! I would like to say thank you for your thoughtfulness; I received a package from Mrs. Lauren R. Receiving packages from Home like the one I received is what helps keep the Troop/Airmen/Sailor morale high; being far from Home has a heavy toll on many of these young Troops/Airmen/Sailors, and I just would like to say "Thank you" again! God Bless America"

"Deborah B., I wanted to say thank you to the people that provide assistance to troop support. We have received the books and have put them to good use. We are often busy, but it is always good to have a set of books for the Marines to read and enjoy. Thank you again for your time and effort you provide to support this good cause!"

"This is to acknowledge receipt of our second shipment of paperback books. Thank you so much for considering us. "

"On behalf of Mr Freddie Cotton, Manager Futenma USO, and his staff, please thank the following folks for their recent book donation to the Futenma USO in Okinawa, Japan. Elyse T., Miami, Fl Virgina C., Jamestown, KY AARC Suffolk, Ronkonkoma, NY "

"Greetings from USO Camp Walker in Daegu, South Korea! Just letting you know that we received your wonderful package of literary goodies! Thank you so much! Our bookshelves are overflowing with a wonderful variety of fabulous books for the troops. "

" I received a package from you (Nancy C) in the mail today, and I wanted to extend my great thanks and utmost appreciation for all of your efforts. All the books arrived in good condition, though, it looks like some other box may have leaked its contents onto it, but no damage was done. Now the hard part has begun: which book to read first. Thanks again, I hope all is well, and do take care. "

"We received a box of books from you yesterday. It’s boring here, and this will breathe some life back into our unit. We’re a small group basically off on our own. Which means we don’t have access to too many amenities. Now at least we have some entertainment to take our minds off of the daily grind and escape, if only for a while. Thanks so much! "

"Rebecca D, Thank you for the three books you sent to give me an escape from Kuwait. I really appreciate it! "

"Ms. Williford, On behalf of the Medical Department aboard the USS John C. Stennis, I would like to personally thank you for the paperback books we received. We are very thankful and appreciate your support. Thank you!! "

" I appreciate the support that you provide to the troops. I have received 3 different shipment of books, much faster than I can read them, so I have shared with the local library at the MWR for other soldiers to use. I do not have an address for Nancy M., but please tell her thank you. Thanks again for all of your support, it is nice to know that non-military people still think about the 150,000 deployed soldiers. Thanks"

"Thank you for sending the books to us. They arrived a couple weeks ago and many Soldiers have stopped by to grab a book. We really appreciate your assistance and will hand off the books to the next unit who replaces us. "

"Just wanted to let you know that we have received a package of books. As a reader, this is a wonderful thing you are doing. We keep them in our common area so everyone can share. You guys do great work. Thanks. "

"Greetings from USO Camp Walker in Daegu, South Korea! Just letting you know that we received your wonderful package of literary goodies! Thank you so much! The books will definitely provide our troops some escape from their daily tasks. "

"Dear Sue H: I received a box of paperback books last week and will route them over to our Voluntary Services section next week for processing this donation. Thank you for sending these items. "

"Volunteers, Greetings from the mighty warship USS John C Stennis (CVN-74). Thank you for your generous donation of paperback books. My wife stumbled upon your website and signed us up for donations. I have received 4 packages of paperback books in excellent condition and will be turning them over to our ship’s library for dissemination. I personally would like to thank Kris S., Diana from Gaithersburg, MD Pam Carol M. and the ladies from Whittier Emblem Club #67 for your donations. These books are sure to brighten our sailor’s days as we set forth on the task at hand. Again, thank you. "

"Once again thank you very much for the box of books delivered to the Brockton Campus of the VA Boston Healthcare System. It is without a doubt one of the highlights of our hospitalized heroes when these arrive The generosity and appreciation you show them is a great tribute to those who have made such a strong commitment to our country. It is through actions such as yours that will reassure our Heroes that “A Grateful Nation Remembers”. "

"I wanted to say many thanks to you and everyone who offers their support to your program. We've received many books and created a mini library here at the Bagram Custom office and they are accessible to all our Service Members and many greatly appreciate all the efforts. I've sent thank you notes out to those who have sent books thanking them also. We are getting close to the end of our tour and we have more than enough books now, if you could please remove me from your list and thank everyone that helps and supports those of us far from home. Thanks again and I'm sure the incoming unit will appreciate our library as much as we did. :)"

"Hello, I would like to say on behalf of myself and some others in my unit that have received packages from your organization, thank you. I think it's great what you guys are doing and it's nice to know we have support from groups like yours. I have received numerous packages from your organization and the books get passed around quite a bit between my unit. But, I wasn't quite sure what to do to have the packages stopped. We're coming close to our return home date and have been told to tell folks sending mail to us to go ahead and stop sending because we're close enough that we won't get the mail. If there's anything I need to do just let me know. Once again, thank you for your support and services to myself and fellow troops! "

"Tara, Hey thank you for the books I appreciate them very much. I am going home next week and won't need any more books. I am going to donate all the books I've received from you all to the library here. Thank you!"

"To all that have sent to me. Thank for all of the packages. I now have more than enough books for the rest of my time here. Please take me off of you list. Once again thank you for all the books and kind correspondence and thank you for the childrens books as well."

"I would like to thank everyone involved with Operation Paperback. I am deployed and spend a large majority of my day working or in the gym. But in my down time the one thing that really gets my mind off the sun, heat, and sand is a good book. I completely let go of all the stress. Thank you for helping us readers relax a little."

"I just received a shipment of books from Shelly F from Norwalk, CT. Please pass along my deepest thanks for her generosity. Her gift will help fill my time until my soldier gets home."

"Thank you for the books you have been sending. Like I wrote I have a total of 7 in the section. We have already received 10 boxes and hundreds of books. Please stop sending the books at this time as we have run out of room to store them. The soldiers have taken the ones they wanted and I have let the rest of the units take what they needed. But we have more than enough to get us through the rest of the deployment. "

"I want to thank Operation Paperback for the overwhelming amount of books that I have been receiving. It's great! I have been able to share the books that I have been receiving with other deployed Soldiers. I am actually set to depart next month (Nov) and we are currently packing our personal items and shipping them back home. Can I be taken off of the list of deployed serviceman currently receiving books? I just recently purchased some postcards from the PX in Bagram, Afghanistan and will be sending each individual sender a thank response. Thank you again for your continued support; the books really helped the time to go by. "

"Dear Ms. Haywood, I just wanted to send you a note to say thank you for the books you sent my sons. The Spiderman and dinosaur books were a big hit! And we've read Shark in the Dark every night. Thanks for your support."

"Ms. H, Thank you so much for sending us the box of books from Operation Paperback! Little things like this make my husband's deployment a bit easier to get through. Thank you."

"Bertha, Thank you very much for the books our family received. My granddaughter enjoys them very much! WE are grateful for people like you who doante your time and effots to show your appreciation to our military families. I am an Army vet with 2 sons currently serving. Again, thanks so very much."

"Operation Paperback, First, we would like to tell you that we really appreciate the books you have been sending to our unit at Hannah G's request. Due to your support we have accumulated a very extensive library that is being actively used. That is why I am writing. Your kindness and support to us has been exceptional and we are out of room to house more books. Hannah has also moved from here to another location. While we would like to continue receiving books we currently have no more room to make them available within the unit, so we thought it would be best to ask if we could be dropped from your mailing list so that other units that have not benefited from your generosity as we have could enjoy your books. Your Operation Paperback is wonderful and the books have provided us with a awesome library for our soldiers, airmen, and sailors. Please keep up the great support."

"Hi! First of all, I wanted to express my gratitude for what you do! My husband has absolutely enjoyed receiving the books and notes from the volunteers and also sends his gratitude. I was wondering though, how I would go about stopping the deliveries to him? He's received so many, and he's trying to keep up, and thinks it would be better for someone else to receive them if he doesn't have enough time to read them all. Thanks so much!"

"Greetings, I wanted to send you a quick email to once again thank you for the TONS of books I've received. Also if you could please remove me from the list I would appreciate it. I will be leaving country earlier than expected and so I've got more than enough books to make it through the remainder of my deployment. Thanks again for all that you do to support the troops."

"Greetings from Afghanistan! I have received 6-8 big boxes full of books since I requested support from you nice folks. I believe I have enough books to last myself and my small squad of Soldiers through the end of our tour. Can you please not send me any more books? I'll have to send y'all a photo of a shelf I converted into a makeshift bookcase LOL Thank you for your continued support. It means a lot to all of us here"

"Thank you so much for all these wonderful books. We will certainly not run out of things to read. It really boosts our morale to receive books from home and provides a much needed escape into our imagination. Unfortunately we do not have anyone else to give the books to and do not have room to store them. Please contuine doing great things for the other Soldiers, but could you please stop sending the books to us? Thank you"

"I received two more boxes of paperback books from Operation Paperback this afternoon (and even some canned fruits!). Thank you very much for your continued support. After recent events here in Kabul and the ongoing pace of combat operations throughout Afghanistan, coupled with recent discussions about personnel drawdown in Afghanistan and defense budget cuts, these boxes further illustrate steadfast support for our fighting men and women from folks back home. I will continue to share these books with fellow service members and spread the word about your wonderful organization. Thanks again. "

"Thank you very much for your support. We have no spaces for anymore books. Our libraries are full. You are doing an amazing job. I can’t say enough thanks to you and all the volunteers. If anyone has books about Adolf Hitler or WWII, I would still love to have them. Thanks again! "

"Good evening. Again, thank-you for all the books. As much as we have enjoyed them all, the availability of storage on the ship is limited. Please remove my name from the listing. As much as I would love to continue receiving the books, we just do not have the space anymore. It has been a pleasure and we thank-you for all the books already received. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reply back."

"I want to thank everyone for all the books you have sent during this deployment. All the Soldiers with me say thank you and we will pass on these books to our replacements for their enjoyment. You are doing a great service to all the soldiers overseas."

"Thank you so much for all these wonderful books. We will certainly not run out of things to read. It really boosts our morale to receive books from home and provides a much needed escape into our imagination. "

"Thank you so much for the work you all do! In six weeks I've received almost 150 books. Myself and my shipmates are enjoying the books you've sent. I've started a small library right here in my office."

"Thank you so much I will have a small library in my home when I return. My soldiers and I greatly appreciated it."

"Thank you for listing us on your website, we have received many great books. Unfortunately, I have no where to put these books out for other service members after they have been read by our clinic staff. I have tried everywhere I could, but there are so many donations at this time there is no room. Thank you again for all of your help with this, and please keep up the good work for the troops! "

"Mrs Anker, I received my shipment and I am so grateful. Well actually I received about 8 shipments. I greatly appreciate the time and effort that has been put into taking care of soldiers. Additionally, the books are overflowing in my room. Is there any way to be taking off of the mailing list?"

"Operation Paperback Members, I want to send a heartfelt THANK YOU to your organization. Your members have sent so many wonderful books for the sailors onboard USS HIGGINS to enjoy that our “library” is now overflowing! Books are a fantastic way for us all to escape the demanding life at sea. In light of our space limitations, please remove my name from the list of personnel desiring to receive books. Again, thank you VERY much for your support; it means the world to us and we truly appreciate it! "

"Thank you so much for your contribution of books. I have more books now than I could probably read in a year. I am currently sharing books with my soldiers in my unit. I greatly appreciate the time and effort you have put towards supporting our literary needs overseas. I would like to send a big thanks from the soldiers of the 101st Financial Management Company."

"Sandy, Debbie and John, Pam, and Kristin, I wanted to thank you for the books. You have overwhelmed me; I will be reading happily for months, and I can hardly fail to write when furnished with such varied inspiration and instruction. When I leave, the next crazy soldier with ambitions to write feudalistic novels will have abundant resources here as your legacy. It's like my own private paradise in the middle of this desert. Again, thank you. "

"Thank you for the shipment of books. "

"I just wanted to express my gratitude once again for the second box of books I received yesterday. The books in the books were even better than the first box I received last month and my fellow service members here in our camp were excited as they perused the variety of choices in the box and took what they wanted back to their rooms and tents. I also shared the rest of the books to patrons of the MWR library on camp and have continued to tout the great services and volunteers from Operation Paperback...hope you don't mind the extra business from other service members interested in getting paperback books. Thanks again."

"I would like to take the time to thank each and everyone of you for your generous donations of books to USO Futenma in Okinawa. It is with donations such as these that we can continue to support the troops with great reading material when they visit our center. Thanks to your organization, USO Futenma has developed an outstanding library to share with the Marines, Sailors And their families aboard MCAS Futenma. On behalf of my staff as well as myself we thank you and the wonderful gifts that you have given to the troops on MCAS Futenma. USO Futenma Salutes You! "

"Thank you for your support of the Marines and Sailors. I received a package today containing paperback books and snacks. These novels should help our forward operating troops trying to get some rest and relaxation. Thank you again. "

"Dearest Kara C. and Maggie F., On behalf of the inpatient active duty warriors I sent you sincere thanks! The items sent mean a great deal to those suffering from depression. Some are alone and most feel alone. These acts of kindness remind them that they are cared about! The bookmarks from the first graders were especially endearing. "

"Just a quick note to inform you that we recently received a shipment from> you today. Your continued support really means a lot to all of us to break up the day to day and fall into a book. Thank you from all of us for supporting us in all the ways you do."

"I just wanted to send you a quick note thanking you and all your volunteers for the MANY books I've received. While I won't have time to read them all they have greatly helped stock a library here for my unit and the units to follow us. Thanks again for your support!"

"Thank you so much for sending those books to me. I just received them today and I passed them around to some of the guys and they were appreciative of them. Thank you again "

"Sue, Thank you so much for thinking of the men and women serving overseas. We really appreciate that you took the time to send books out to us. You are helping make the time go by a little faster by sharing your books. Thanks. "

"Andrea, Thank you so much for the box of books. You are helping the Airmen here pass the time away from the family by providing some good books to read. We really appreciate you taking the time to send them to us. Thanks. "

"Marsha, Thank you for taking the time to send books to us. It really helps the time fly to have books to read. All of us here really appreciate you thinking of us. Thanks. "

"Patricia & Shawn, Thank you for thinking enough of serving military to take the time to send books. We really appreciate it. It really helps the time fly by. Thanks"

"Sharon, Thank you so much for taking the time to send books out to military serving overseas. We really appreciate you thinking of us. We can’t wait to read them. Thanks. "

"Nancy, Thank you so much for thinking of us and sending books! We really appreciate it. Thanks. "

"Greetings! On behalf of Strike Fighter Squadron ONE NINE TWO of the World’s Finest Navy Admin, thank-you. Deployments are long and the books that you sent greatly help to make the time go by. We greatly appreciate it and send our gratitude. "

"Thank you so much for sending my husband some books! He got them in less than a week! He was so excited! I will make sure I forward this info onto the other squadron wives!"

"Dear Ms/Mrs. Blanchard, Blessed day to you. Yet again I have received your package and would like to express my gratitude. Thank you so much from all of us out here"

"Dear MS/MRS Lori M, Wonderful day to you. I have received the package. It is truly heartwarming to know that there are others thinking of us. The variety of choices not only caters to females but males as well. Thank you so much for your support."

"Hello. My name is SGT Clark. I received two boxes of books from you nice folks so far. The boxes made it here in one piece. Thank you for taking the time to find and send them to me. Definitely helps the time pass. Thank you for your continued support. "

"Kind Volunteers of Operation Paperback, Thank you all so much for the enormous effort you've put in keeping us entertained. In the three months an office-mate of mine has been on your mailing list, we've received no less than 50-60 books and magazines. The high quality of the books and the newness of the magazines has been welcomed with open arms. We are, however, running into a bit of a problem--we're a small office and the books/magazines already mailed have provided more than enough reading material through the end of all of our deployments. Thanks again."

"Hello. We received the latest shipment of books. Thank you so much. The veterans are loving them. "

"Received two shipments this week of books. Thank you so much! I can assure you that our Soldiers will enjoy reading them. We really appreciate all your efforts and the support of Operation Paperback. Take care and God Bless!"

"Thanks to everyone so much! I received an enormous amount of books that made an enormous amount of troops happy! Thanks again!"

"Thank you so much sending all of the excellent paperbacks. We are redeploying back to Ft. Bragg soon, so please send them to another avid reader deployed overseas."

"I wanted to say thank you to everyone. I received 5 boxes of books today and feel so blessed with the support back home in the states. Thank you for supporting our troops. It's an Amazing feeling. God Bless you all! "

"Thank you to all of the volunteer's who make this program possible. There are more than enough books to pass around the squadron for everyone to enjoy."

"Thank you very much for the books. I didn't expect so many. I, and half of my office, should be good on reading material for quite a while. Thank you again for your support, Jeff"

"I would like to thank all the wonderful volunteers for sending me a wonderful assortment of books for me to read. I am very thankful!"

"This is SSG Rijos, Thank you for the books"

"Hello, I would like to thank your for sending multiple packages of books. I have received many packages of books and they have been put to good use. They have been shared with all the troops at our location. We are about to have mail put on standby cuz we'll possibly be moving locations. So it would be best to hold future mailings. Thank you for everything. "

"ALCON, I am writing a long overdue Thank you to many of you who have sent books to me for my unit and the base here. We are all truly appreciative of all that you have sent. The MWR that we have set up now has almost its own small library. Soldiers constantly bring and take books at leisure, thanks to all of the donations. Below are a list of just some of the names that I wanted to thank, I know that I must have forgot someone or lost one of the sheets somewhere along the line, though rest assured that your boxes arrived and were shared with the over 1000 Soldiers stationed here in Uruzgan Province and on Multi National Base Tarin Kowt: Tallute's, Betsy S., Marilynne H, Kathy D, Kathleen K,The P.W. Crafters Guild, Lucy, Gina B, and Margot J, Nancy S, Harrie G, Rhoda H, Montgomery County Library. Again, thank you so much for everything!"

"Operation Paperback, Again, I want to send my deepest gratitude for your organization in sending me books to read while I have been on deployment. At this time, I would request that the word go out that I no longer need any more. To date, I have received 15 boxes of books (typically with 20 books each). This is far more than I can read while here. I think these books would be better off going to others who may need them. Thanks again for sending them, but please, no more. "

"I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for donating your books to our theater. Thank goodness there are books to read here because that is my only pleasurable pastime when not working! Again, just so you know, your generosity has made a difference to those of us serving in a combat zone. P.S. I have secured two of the Nora Roberts novels and should finish them within the next two weeks"

"Mrs Busby, I would like to thank you and your organization for the books which were sent to the American Red Cross office at the Naval medical center, Portsmouth, VA. They have been placed on our book cart which travels around the hospital to the various wards and clinics so patients have the opportunity to select reading material for their enjoyment. Thank You again."

"Sue, Just wanted to let you know that I received the paperback books you sent. My Soldiers and I are extremely grateful for your support. As you might expect, there are not a lot of off-time activities over here, and reading is one way for my Soldiers to unwind a little. So thanks again and just know that we could not do what we do over here without the support of you and others back there at home. Take care. "

"I wanted to thank you for my recent book shipment from Ms. Irene M. The books have certainly provided a much needed escape from working 7 days a week in Afghanistan. I look forward to more shipments and have encouraged everyone in my company to join."

"Please thank the AHRC Suffolk, of Ronkonkoma, N.Y. for the cookie donation to the Futenma USO, Okinawa, Japan. "

"Hello from USO Camp Walker in Korea! We just wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU for all the wonderful books you sent us! The selection of paperbacks is absolutely wonderful and will definitely allow the troops to cozy up in our center for a good read. THANK YOU SO MUCH! "

"Operation Paperback, I would like to take this time to thank you and your staff of volunteers (especially Carole M) for sending us the box of books. It was a great surprise and brought instant gratitude from our staff. Not only does our staff appreciate your generosity, but as you know we are a Role 3 level hospital so our patients appreciate it as well. Once again thank you for your support."

"I wanted to let you know that we have received our shipment generously sent to us by the Dunstable MA group. Thank you so much for donation. Your books are greatly used by our Warrior Transition Battalion Warriors and their Families. Thanks"

"Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of me and my Soldiers over the past 6 months. Being able to share your books across our unit allows me to show the young troopers on their first deployment that folks back home are thinking of them. Thanks again for all your love and support!"

"Thank you so much for sending the gift of books. They were a big hit. What your organization is doing is awesome! God Bless."

"Hi Chrissy, The Patient Library continues to receive book donations for the patients. In the last few months we have received donations from the kind folks in Hampton Bays, NY, Longmont, CO, and Dunstable, MA. Thank you so very much for this great service that you provide that enables others to bring some comfort to the patients. "

"Thanks so much for all the magazines! Me and my comrads enjoy getting things in the mail. I especialy liked the car magazines. I would like to give a special thanks to Sharon who personally took the time to put this box together and put smiles on our faces. Thanks "

"Dearest Good People! I thank you for your kind donations. The books have something of interest for almost everyone. Our soldiers welcomed this gift positively. This is not a small feat for someone in the depths of depression. The toothbrushes , pastes, boxers, deodorants, combs ... were immediately hovered over and selected! May you find profound joy in knowing that your charitable contributions helped to uplift our most deserving. We have a good supply of books now so if you wish please ask those who want to contribute to send boxers, soaps, deodorants that are not spray, toothpaste, toothbrushes and flip-flops. These items are needed continuously. Our ward is only active duty and mostly male. Our census is 14 but we are in the process of expanding to meet the need. "

"Please thank Karen G. of Vol of Operation paperback for their recent book donation to the USO Futenma, Okinawa, Japan. "

"Please thank Ms Anne M. of Goshen, IN for her recent book donation to the USO Futenma, Okinawa, Japan. "

"Please thank the following for their recent book donations to the USO aboard Marine Corps Air Station, Okinawa, Japan. Ms Anne M. of Goshen, IN Family Bookshop, Deland, Fl Jaclyn L. of Somerville, MA "

"Good morning Lori, I wanted to email you and show my appreciation for the box I received today, August 22, from you. The books are amazing! Although I can't possibly read them all with our busy schedule, I will definitely pass them onto other Marines who can. Thanks for supporting the United States military. It's people like yourself that keeps us going and shows us Americans care. Again, thank you so much! "

" I just wanted to write a quick note thanking your organization, and the Wendel family in particular, for the set of books which were just received today. Everyone aboard the USS Nicholas appreciates your program and people such as yourselves who take time out of their days to attempt to improve ours. So, on behalf of the Nicholas and Combat Electronics Division, I would personally like to thank John, Anne, Mike and Marie for their generosity and compassion. "

"I just wanted to let Mrs. Schuler know I received the book shipment she sent me. Thanks a lot! "

"I just wanted to let you know my unit received the box of books on Monday 22 Aug, and we were shocked. We thought we would receive 4-5 books, and instead received a box filled with nearly 20! We can't thank you enough for your time, effort and financial contributions to this worthwhile cause, and please know you've made a huge impact on the morale and welfare of the folks here. With temperatures hovering around 120 degrees and keeping us indoors, reading a paperback novel helps us feel a little more at home. Thank you and God Bless."

"Just a quick note to let you know that the box of books that you sent arrived today. I have a couple books that I am going to read through, and working on sharing the box with the rest of the guys here. Thank you. "

"Thank you so much for all the books! There has been so much support from your great organization that it would take my whole platoon and myself the remainder of the deployment to be able to read them all. I truly appreciate it and all you do. "

"Thank you very much for the books you have sent to date. We are enjoying them and several Soldiers have found new authors that they enjoy. "

"I signed up to sponsor our Medical Dept aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). This is the Navy’s newest ship and largest aircraft carrier, on its maiden deployment. We have received many books and wish to thank everyone for their generous support. I don’t have all their names, but please pass along our thanks to Janice and the folks at the Dunstable, MA support center, Cathy W. at the support center in York, PA, and Gene R. and Pat F. at Peninsula Friends of the Library in Palos Verdes Estates, CA. We are nearing our halfway point in our deployment and will soon have fewer days ahead and more days behind us as we head towards home. With all the generous support, we have plenty of reading material to last the rest of deployment. Please discontinue my account so others may be able to receive your support. Thank you. "

"I would like to thank you all for sending books to my Soldiers and I. I recently received some books from volunteers of Operation Paperback in Dunstable, MA. Thank you"

"Thanks so much for all the magazines! Me and my comrads enjoy getting things in the mail. I especially liked the car magazines. I would like to give a special thanks to Sharon who personally took the time to put this box together and put smiles on our faces. Thanks "

"This is SGT Eddie T. from FOB Lindsey with the 2-8 Field Artillery. I have been receiving a substantial amount of magazines, paper&hard back books. My chaplain and I as well as the soldiers are greatly appreciative, but I think we have all we can handle right now. I have sent out plenty of reading material to our other Fob's and we are set for now. Thank you so much and if we need anymore I would hope that I could contact you? Again thank you for everything you all do."

"Thank for sending the books over. They did arrive here fine and are being put to good use. Thanks for your thoughts and pass my appreciation to your family members as well. "

"I just wanted to let you know that I received your box of books in the mail yesterday. Our soldiers are happily digging into the new material you have provided for their entertainment during the lull we experience in the heat of mid day. Thank you very much for your support. "

"First off thank your Family who have or are still serving for me. Also thank you for the books. I have passed them out to the Marines on our ship and I am sure they will make their way around for everyone to enjoy. We are on one of the longest deployments for Marines in a long time. We were deployed early and will not be back for another 6 months. It is a easier deployment than some of our brothers in Afghanistan. We are in the Mediterranean sea and have been stopping in port about once every other month. God Bless. "

"I would like to personally thank you for your time and consideration. My unit received your shipment of books a couple days ago. You gave us an amazing selection and we appreciate everything that you and the Operation Paper family does for the troops. This is my second deployment and it never fails to amaze me how supportive people can be to the troops and their families during times of deployments. It serves as a reminder of why we do what we do. "

"I just wanted to let you know that the books that you mailed did arrive safely, and to say thank you for the donations of books. Many of the Marines here, and in the future will enjoy them. Thank you once again, it was very generous of you. "

"I just wanted to drop you a quick line that I am receiving packages almost daily from your supporters. I am currently stationed at COS Kalsu, Iraq. The response has been so great that I have employed the assistance of our Troop 1SG and our Soldier Resiliency Center to grow our current library collection. Everyone is already benefitting greatly from the wonderful additions. Thank you for the support. I have sent a short letter to each person or group that has sent something, thanking them for their support and patriotism. We are all very greatful for the books and look forward to losing ourselves in the pages of a good novel or interesting magazine. "

" To the volunteers of Operation Paperback, I received a box of books today and would like to express my sincerest gratitude for the support we receive from folks like you back home. My coworkers have gone thru the box already and have decided which one or two to take back to their room/tent with them. I intend to share the rest with other service members thru the MWR library. It is these random gestures of kindness and appreciation from volunteers and strangers from back home that keep us going...knowing there are those who support us while we serve our nation and her citizens far away from home.> Thanks again and God Bless."

"Just wanted to let you know your first shipment of books arrived. I appreciate your efforts in getting books available to us overseas. I have already spread the work on my Facebook page and will donate your books to our chapel for distribution as well. Thank you for providing this service! "

"I have received several boxes full of books from volunteers at your organization and I cannot express how much my soldiers and I appreciate the support. Once my soldiers take their pick on the books, I bring the leftovers to the MWR center on base. I graciously request that my name be taken off of your wish list because we have plenty of books to hold us over until we leave in a couple months. Thank you so much."

"To Whom It May Concern: My name is Specialist Matthew F. and am currently serving in Afghanistan with the Oklahoma Army National Guard. I recently received several John Grisham books from Operation Paperback and would like to express my sincerest appreciation for them. I would like to tell you that your support and contributions make our deployments much better and is a great stress reliever when we do get what little down time may come our way. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of all the other soldiers I serve with who also received your books, we say thank you and salute you. "

"Dear friends, I just wanted to let you know that our shipment of books arrived this week. Thank you so much for this service. The books you chose for us are perfect for my boys, aged 6 and 3. Last night we read a Chipmunks book and a Scooby Doo book. Jack (6) asked me where I got the books and I was able to say that your group "donated the books to us because you are a special military child." It makes them feel good that others think of them and the sacrifices they are making as military children. It was also very uplifting for me to open the front door and get a special package. I hope you realize the importance of the work you are doing. We appreciate it very much. "

"Ms Wathen, Thank you so much for thinking of us while we are away from our families. All the soldiers around me are planning to check out Operation Paperback after I started sharing the books that you sent. Thank you. "

"Thank you very much for the shipments of books. I have received boxes from 12 different people or groups. I have received approximately 250 books through your program with all but 4 being distributed to Soldiers in my unit (I kept those 4 for myself). At this time I am requesting that you suspend shipments as I think we have what we need for a while. I appreciate your support and wish I could personally thank each person who contributed. I have passed your organization's info on to a few friends. Please let those in your program know that what they do has really helped."

"To whom this may concern, Good morning and a blessed day to you. I have received the package and we all truly appreciate it. Thank you so much for your support. "

"I just wanted to let you know my unit received the box of books on Monday 8 Aug, and we were shocked. We thought we would receive 4-5 books, and instead received a box filled with nearly 20! We can't thank you enough for your time, effort and financial contributions to this worthwhile cause, and please know you've made a huge impact on the morale and welfare of the folks here. With temperatures hovering around 120 degrees and keeping us indoors, reading a paperback novel helps us feel a little more at home. Thank you and God Bless."

"Mr. Desautels, On behalf of all the soldiers and Marines here at COS Hammer, we would like to thank you so much for the books you sent us. We really do appreciate you taking the time out of your day and a little money out of your pocket to make a days here a little easier. If we can ever be of help to you please let us know."

"Hi! I would like to thank you for the box of books I just got and for your support. "

"Hello, I hope this message gets to Carole M. I received some books for her and I want to thank her and everyone involved in Operation Paperback for their generosity and thoughtfulness. I am scheduled to return later this year and I will definitely get some use out of these books! Thank you so much. "

"This is to inform you that the VA Albuquerque received the crossword puzzle books that were sent by Debra B. of Bells, Texas. Only comment I have is, if those who send books want to know they arrived safely, I would be happy to send an email confirmation if they supply one. Thank you for all your effort on behalf of our veterans. "

"Thank you for the reply email. I am looking forward to the shipments for myself and my Company. I have also distributed your email to the Soldiers of my Company. I appreciate the work you guys do for all the deployed service members, any chance we can get to recharge and refresh (maybe even learn something new :)) is a welcome one. "

"I received more paperbacks and we all greatly appreciate them. We do a lot of extra reading here and the books you send are good ones. I'll be heading back to the states in two or three months and with troop levels being greatly reduced here we are going to have to close up our unit libraries along the way. We really appreciate the support you've given us and rest assured the books you have sent have been read (in most cases they've been read many times by many people). Thanks and God bless."

"Thank you very much for the books and the candy. They are greatly appreciated. I also want to say thanks for all the support you give us. I wish everyone was like that. I will keep you all in mind if I ever come to the great state of Georgia. All of you take care, as well."

"Hello, I just wanted to let you know my unit received the box of books today 4 Aug, and we were shocked. We thought we would receive 4-5 books, and instead received a box filled with nearly 20! We can't thank you enough for your time, effort and financial contributions to this worthwhile cause, and please know you've made a huge impact on the morale and welfare of the folks here. With temperatures hovering around 120 degrees and keeping us indoors, reading a paperback novel helps us feel a little more at home. Thank you and God Bless."

"Hello, we received the shipment of books for our OEF/OIF veterans at the Miami VA Medical Center. Thank you very much for assisting with this. "

"Thank you for all your support. I received your box of books and I am trying to distribute them out to my fellow Airmen, Soldiers, and Sailors. I have had a great amount of books come in, I am running out of space to store them. Your donations are most appreciated, however I will not be requesting anymore books, until I can secure more space. God bless you, your family and the United states of America. "

"Got your box of books in yesterday afternoon.Thanks! We appreciate your support. "

"Kathy, thanks for the books! Our vets love Operation Paperback!! Thanks "

"Aloha, I received your generous donation to our troop library and wanted to send you a heartfelt thanks from all of us here at Naval Station Pearl Harbor. We know it's rather difficult for people to believe that we actually read actual books in this day and age of technology but we do, and we appreciate your help in keeping our library stocked. In the future, if possible, could you request books on CD, or new/used DVD's they would be a great addition to our library also. Thanks again and have a blessed day!"

"The Sioux Falls VA thanks you for the books we just received today. The books arrived in one box safely. "

"More great books arrived today compliments of Joan P of Oregon. Thanks again!! "

"Hi, I just wanted to send a quick note to say thanks for the support you provide to my and my soldiers while we’re deployed. It feels really nice to receive support from back home. I am a huge fan of your program as are some of the soldiers assigned to me. I have a couple guys that are ravenous readers so new reading material is always appreciated. Thanks again! "

"I just wanted to drop you a note, that I received the box of books yesterday. Thanks a bunch for that, and the hard candy in their was a cool bonus too. Lots of guys now are reading the books, like immediately after I opened it, no kidding! Thanks again, have a great day and God bless!"

"Thank you so much for all the books that Operation paperback has sent to me, and to my soldiers. We enjoyed them tremendously, and they really help pass the time here in Iraq. We unfortunately have to stop receiving these books. We are now in the process of closing out our little FOB here in Basrah, Iraq, and will be returning to the states. Once again, to all the volunteers, thank you for taking the time, and caring enough to send these book to myself and soldiers. Please keep up the wonderful work all of you are doing."

"Hello! Over the past two months I have run across a number of books that your organization has provided to deployed personnel. These books have provided me with a chance to escape my long work days and relax. Thank you for your efforts."

"I would like to express my appreciation and thanks for the recent boxes of books. No sooner had they arrived and they were picked by the service members serving at this location. However, since I will be re-deploying home in a couple of months I would like to request that you do not send anymore paperback books or magazines to me. Again, thank you for your support and generosity. "

"Dear Nancy M and Mr John S, I want to say how happy your donations made our soldiers! These young active duty soldiers are suffering from depressions and other behavioral health issues and they were uplifted by your thoughtfulness! They have some dreary times and these books serve as distractions. They are deserving of every kindness! Many remain without calls or visitors so these kind acts are a healing touch. Thank You! "

"I received the books that have been sent to me, thank you very much, they will be quite enjoyed! "

"Sir, I just finished reading “The Collectors” by David Baldacci and wanted to thank you for your thoughtfulness. I enjoy reading all his books and this one was no different. I am a retired Army officer supporting our troops in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Again, thank you for your support of our deployed troops. It is greatly appreciated. "

"Operation Paperback Supporters, The men and women stationed with me in Iraq have been the recipients of an overwhelming amount of books as a direct result of your collective efforts. Some of those generous and selfless actions came from Ms Janice T from Dunstable, MA, from Ms Zoe H from the University of Washington, and Mrs. Roberts of The Escape Club of Eastern HS in Voorhees, NJ. You are responsible for taking our minds off the work long enough to reset, so we can get back to the mission with a clear mind. These wonderful patriots, along with a plethora of unnamed supporters, have taken their time to share the gift of reading by finding, collecting, sorting, packing, labeling, transporting and shipping more books than I've ever witnessed outside of a college library. For those folks specifically mentioned, and those silent book worms that just simply get this herculean job done, and on behalf of those who I work with every day, I simply say thank you. Keep up the good work and know that your contributions are indeed noticed...one page at a time."

"Thank you for the books. I will certainly enjoy them. I will pass on info about operationpaperback.org and how much I appreciate the books. "

"Thank you so much for all you are doing! Please know that we are so grateful for the wonderful way that you are supporting us!"

"I received the books yesterday and I appreciate you sending them. Thank you very much."

"Today I was surprised by a box of books at mail call. Upon opening my package I was very happy to find a variety of books that were in excellent shape. A couple of minutes later I realized that the only book that was left was the one in my hand. My Soldiers were already figuring out who got which book next. Never fear that these books will have been read until the pages are falling out and the cover is gone. Thank you for your support and giving us a little bit of time each day to escape."

"Over the past two months I have run across a number of books that your organization has provided to deployed personnel. These books have provided me with a chance to escape my long work days and relax. Thank you for your efforts."

"I have received three boxes so far and they are wonderful! More than I can read! I am a nurse, so I enjoy giving them to patients as well. Thank you so much for caring for us while we are away. It is truly appreciated."

"I wish to thank you for the box of books you recently sent to us. The books are very much appreciated and I have placed them in patient registration and waiting areas. We also have a book cart which visits our inpatients weekly. Thank you so much again. "

"I just wanted to say thanks so much to operation paperback. My mom told me about this on my first deployment in the US Navy and so I signed up. I got about 8 to 10 boxes of books. Due to the amount of books I got, my friends took notice. I then signed them up as well and all of us love it when we get a box from Operation Paperback. My favorite part is when I get Star Wars books that I have been looking for which happened a couple of times. So thanks Operation Paperback for supporting me and my fellow Navy sailors. "

"Volunteers of Operation Paperback, I wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the books and bookmarks. They reached us well and I am setting up a book shelf to allow the soldiers something to look at here at the MWR at Camp Marmal. The bookmarks are amazingly cool, please thank all who took the time to decorate them and bring us some great joy to look at while enjoying the books! Very much appreciated and enjoyed. "

"I am writing to sincerely thank you for the box full of books I received from you.Thank you very much for your care and support. Your kind gesture is deeply appreciated. Thanks once again, and God bless you."

"Just wanted to send a note of thanks to Stephanie B. I received the books you sent and really appreciated all of them. I've passed a few out and we always do a book swap when someone receives a package. It makes it fun. Again thank you so much! P.S- I'm also Jewish so especially appreciated the Yiddish book :) "

"On behalf of all the Soldiers of the 201st Brigade Support Battalion, let me say Thank You. All the books and support Operation Paperback provides is greatly appreciated by the men and women of the United States Armed Services currently serving in Afghanistan. They will give hours of entertainment and much needed relaxation to our Soldiers. Thank you again."

"Operation Paperback, I have received two boxes of books so far from Operation Paperback. They are truly appreciated. We have a few shelves in our makeshift barracks here that we call "chalets" where we put out the books for everyone to take at their leisure. And we also have a nice MWR with several book shelves where Soldiers can take and leave books at their will. These are much appreciated. I have read two books from the boxes that I have received already. I was telling my wife yesterday how reading really helps me to get through the deployments. It really takes your mind away from everything here for awhile, which is what every deployed Soldier needs. So thank you very much. "

"Operation Paperback and Ms. Chrissy Honeywell, I just wanted to say thank you for the books. This is my second deployment, but the first time I’ve ever heard of Operation Paperback. I’ve often gone through the MWRs trying to find books I wanted to read, but they’ve been few and far in between. I like the fact that you can make requests and actually get what you want to read. My fellow soldiers were excited when I told them about it as well and you should be getting a few more requests. You made my day when I received the package (as well as many more while I read the books). Again, I really appreciate all the support and volunteers that make this program possible. "

"Thanks to Operation Paperback! Three boxes of books have arrived so far. Looking forward to your continuing support"

"Good Morning! Thank you very much for the shipment of paperbacks. They were safely received. Thanks again! "

"Aloha from HAWAII, I wanted to thank you for the great support you have been showing the troops here. We have received the audio books and LOVE them! I have let other units know about this program and I believe they will be just as happy as I have been for the valued support. Looking forward to receiving more in the future. Mahalo! (Hawaiian for thanks) "

"This is to let you know that I received your recent shipment of paperback books, that makes the 4th one that I have received. I appreciate it alot, but we are getting close to the end of our deployment and I would like to cancel any further shipments at this point. I will donate these books to our MWR operation here on post so they can be used to let others read. Thanks again for your support. "

"CHRISSY, THANK YOU!!!! Got 3 little boxes full of love! The first box, from an 11 year old Alex from Calif , included a moving letter thanking our soldier's for risking their lives for him and his family. I gave it to a SM who has suffered tremendously in his life and he read it to our inpatient community and asked if he could keep the letter. He carries it w/ him. Your Angels are donating books and flip flops and that love is helping to heal. Thank you! The second box from Marilyn P. from Pittsburgh had paperbacks that were given out today. They are treasures!! Our ward has only active duty soldiers with behavioral health issues all are deserving of every kindness. Thank you! The 3rd box from Michelle B. from Prarieville, La had some flip flops and some paperbacks. The flip flops were immediately taken. Our boys only have hospital socks and no shoes with laces are allowed so they even go outdoors in these socks. this should not have to be! I try to get their unit to donate at least the right shoes but it doesn't always happen. In the name of our suffering heroes I thank you! "

"I would first like to say thank you so much for all of the books I have received from your organization it has been keeping me very occupied in my spare time. I know I have enough reading material to last the rest of my deployment so is it possible to stop future shipment of books. Again thank you for what you are doing it is greatly appreciated. "

"Thank you for past donations to our library, which we supply to the reservists and permanent soldiers here in Miesau. The books are much appreciated. "

"Hello, My daughter's unit received their books yesterday. Thank you so much. They were very excited to have some new reading material. God Bless you."

"To whom it may concern; Hello, my name is SRA Justin B., currently deployed to Bagram AB, Afghanistan. Myself and 2 other Airman have received a few shipments of books from your organization and are very grateful and thankful to have these books. However, we are out of room to store these books, we have donated to others in our work zone and now we are being denied due to them also not having the room for the books. We all are very thankful to have these book. I have been reading non-stop, all books I really enjoy and take interest in. Thank you all so much, but I would like to request that my name be taken off the list as well as 2 others with me here in the same shop. Thank you all so very much for the reading material. We here hope you don’t get offended by these requests. "

"I am again emailing as I just yesterday received 11 more boxes of books. I appreciate the overwhelming support through Operation Paperback but at this point I cannot spare the room for anymore books. If there is any way to remove USS RENTZ (FFG-46) from your list so that others may receive them that would be great. Again, I truly appreciate the support....Thank You!"

"Operation Paperback, I want to thank you for all the books I've received over the last year. It has definitely made my tour much shorter and more enjoyable. The outpouring of support is heartwarming, and reminds us why we do what we do. Thank you so much. Luckily, I've survived my year and even get to go home a few weeks early. Please remove me from any of your lists, and make sure those books make it to some other troops out here. Again, thank you! "

"Operation Paperback, I received three boxes today of wonderful books. Please tell all your volunteers that I said thanks and the fellow Airmen serving with me said thank you. I started a Book & Magazine Exchange Program so everyone here that loves to read can get a book. So thank you again. "

"Dear Jeff P. I am writing to thank you for the box i received this afternoon full of books. I was so overwhelmed when I opened up the box, and there were a whole lot of books that am not sure I can be able to read it all by the time we will be ready to come back home by God`s grace. Please accept my sincere appreciation for your support and care for us out here. Thank you and God bless you."

"Please thank the folks at Association for the Help of Retarded Children, Ronkonkoma, N.Y. for their book donation to the Futenma USO, Okinawa, Japan. "

"Thank you for the box of paperback books received."

"Thank you very much again for your box of books and tapes for distribution to our hospitalized veterans. It is through generous donations such as these that we ensure our Nations Heroes know they will never be forgotten"

"Thanks for the paperback books!! Our vets are thrilled that they get a large selection to choose from!! Thank yall!! "

"Mrs. Higginbottom and community, thanks so much for the westerns. Our vets love these and appreciate you thinking of them! Thanks "

"My name is Jon C. and I am the Command Senior Chief stationed onboard USS RENTZ (FFG-46). We are on deployment and I received 4 boxes of books from your organization. I just wanted to take a minute to let you know we received them and very much appreciate the support. Thanks again! "

"Thank you for your support I recd two boxes, the first one is the fishing books & fishing mags from Texas I will read all the fishing books & the Texas mags want me to go fishing in Texas now. I'm from New Jersey though & will fish there first when I get home. "

"Thank you for your support. I received the history books. I will read the Appian Civil Wars first & then Out of Many. I will pass out the rest to my shipmates "

"I remembered to write back to the generous folks that sent me some books early this month but I was not suscessful in sending you a response letting you know as well. I did receive a shipment of some books and was very excited about it. As were some other soldiers here with me. Thank you very much please continue to support us."

"Evelyn and volunteers, Thank you for thinking about us and supporting us while we’re deployed. I will certainly spread the word and let our staff here at the clinic know about the great program that you offer. Thank you again for your wonderful support back at home! I look forward to reading the Kite Runner. "

"Volunteers of Operation Paperback, I want to thank you for the shipment of books that you sent to me. I received them today and will pass them out to the troops assigned here. I want to thank you and your organization for supporting us while we are deployed to Afghanistan. We appreciate all that you do for us!! Thank you for your patriotism!!"

"Operation Paperback, I would like to say thank you for sending me books. I've distributed them throughout the ship. However, I need to ask that you stop sending them here due to us being underway and I have no place to store them. Can you please take me off your mailing list? Thank you "

"Thank you to the kids @ Daphne High School. I received the book. Please remove my name from your list. I'm approaching the end of my deployment and will not be receiving anymore mail, soon."

"I just wanted to drop a quick note to say that I have been receiving the books regularly. I appreciate every one of them and what y'all do for> us!! Thank you."

"I want to thank operation paper back, everyone that works with operation paperback and anyone else that sees this e-mail for all the support. If everybody else that received books and magazines from operation paper back is as satisfied as I am, you have a lot of happy people on your hands. I really appreciate all the reading material I have received but I am leaving Afghanistan real soon and have been asked by my chain of command to stop all incoming mail."

"Hello, I just wanted to send an email to thank you for the paperback books you send over here to Afghanistan. I found your letter in one of the boxes and figured I'd send a quick email to let you know that your efforts are appreciated. Reading is one of the ways I love to pass the time over here and I've finished several books during my first 3 months of this 6 month deployment. Thank you for all that you do! "

"I am Jesus M. I am in Afghanistan. I hve been receiving books from you. I really appreciate it but I will be going home in a few days so it will not be necessary for you send me books anymore. Thank you very much for the knowledge I have aquired from the books you have sent me. I really appreciate it. God bless you for all your support"

"Thank you everyone for all the books you have sent to me. I have found some of them very helpful and the rest others have found very useful. Thank you for all that you guys and gals do to support those who serve. We appreciate everything!!"

"Your team has been doing great! Our Veterans love the books we are getting from you. We really appreciate your time and effort for donating the books to us and we can't thank you enough. "

"Selina and Sally, I want to take a minute and let you know that your huge box of books made it safely here. I was especially excited to see The Kite Runner, Sound and Fury, and Robinson Crusoe. I am so grateful for people like you and the other Operation Paperback volunteers that take time to make our lives over here a little bit better. I have become the unit library thanks to your wonderful donation. I hope you know how much it means to us Soldiers when ordinary citzens like you take the time write a note or send a package. Your support makes a lot of what we go through worth it. Because we know that people care about the mission we are performing here. Thanks so much for your support. "

"Dear Volunteers of Operation Paperback, I just received a box of books from you. First of all, the Marine leader in me says thanks…you’ve provided some books off the Commandant’s reading list that some of our younger Marines have yet to read! All of them great choices I might add. Second of all, the reader in me says thanks! It is great to have books available to read. It is a chance to escape and think of something other than what we have (or don’t have) around us. Thank you again for your support from the home front! It is greatly appreciated! "

"I just wanted to say thank you for the shipment of books sent to Fort Indiantown Gap in PA. This has allowed much needed escape for us during hard training as we prep to mobilize in these short months."

"Thank you so much for doing something so wonderful for our family during these hard times. It makes it easier knowing that people honestly care and support our military!! Thank you again!"

"From the Medical Platoon of 132 Infantry (CHOSIN), It was a great honor to receive your books. Packages in the mail are always well received. On behalf of the Soldiers at the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, CHOSIN Battalion we can't express how grateful we are for you take time out of your lives to send American Soldiers these books. This is very much appreciated. Thank you. Please extend our gratitude to Kathryn and Victor. "

"Howdy from Balad Iraq!! Hey Look I need a favor. A Month or so ago I sent a request for books. Your people have been amazing!! I have over 200 books in my office now for soldiers to pick and choose from. Hey I have too many!! Can yall please remove me from your list? That way someone else who needs your people gets the books to keep them from going crazy. I Greatly appreciate what your people do. It keeps us from going insane!! "

"Thank you very much for the shipment of books. I have distributed them to the Soldiers in my unit. I appreciate the support and will definitely let others know about your great program. "

"Dearest Renee S, Today I picked up 10 boxes full of treasures that you sent in forms of books!!! Our inpatients are all male right now. They took it upon themselves to write thank you notes but I must first black out signatures since this is to be kept confidential. Next week will make the time to get this out. Our soldiers were elated to get such an abundance of reading material and most especially to see that they are thought of. Many are not recepients of ANY items so this is a bigger deal than you may have expected. Thank you again. Your kindness is helping to heal ! "

"Just dropping a line from Bagram, Afghanistan. You sent a package to Eric F., and I don't know if he contacted you, so I thought I would send you an e-mail. We got a package here, and are enjoying the contents greatly. Not everyone has someone at home sending them boxes, and its very nice to get something new. This office stays very busy (12-16 hours a day), but we still like to take the time to read before bed whenever possible. Again, thank you, this means a lot to a lot of people here. "

"Evelyn and volunteers, Thank you for thinking about us and supporting us while we’re deployed. I will certainly spread the word and let our staff here at the clinic know about the great program that you offer. Thank you again for your wonderful support back at home! I look forward to reading the Kite Runner. "

"Dear Jeff P, I am writing to thank you for the box I received this afternoon full of books. I was so overwhelmed when I opened up the box, and there were a whole lot of books that am not sure I can be able to read it all by the time we will be ready to come back home by God`s grace. Please accept my sincere appreciation for your support and care for us out here. Thank you and God bless you."

"Thank you very much for the shipment of books. I have distributed them to the Soldiers in my unit. I appreciate the support and will definitely let others know about your great program. "

"Hello, I have recently received books from you and I am very thankful for them. However I am receiving way too many books. As many as 4 packages a week. I have more books then I know what to do with now. I would appreciate if you took my name off of the send list. Thank you very much."

"John, I can never express out how thankful I am for the books. Reading is my favorite past time so thank you for sending me some peace of mind. Thanks."

"Diane, Thank you so much for taking the time to send books to me. It is nice to curl up with a book after a long shift. It is nice to get away and not think about how much we miss home. So thank you. Thanks."

"Judy, Thank you for sending books to my fellow Airmen and myself. I really love to read and I am trying to share that passion with the Airmen I am serving with. So thank you for bringing a little joy into our lives. Thanks."

"Rebecca, Thank you so much for the books. We truly appreciate you taking the time to send a little something to help pass the time away from our families. Thanks again."

"Eileen, Thank you so much for sending books to me. I truly appreciate each and every book that I have received. You are helping my fellow Airmen and me forget about being away from our families if even for only a couple of hours. Thanks."

"Dodsons, Thank you so much for the Nora Roberts books. A few of my fellow female Airman are really happy that I keep sharing all of my books. So thank you for not only sending books to me but to my fellow Airmen. Thanks."

"Danna C., Thank you so much for the John Sanford book. It did not take me long to read it and you were right it was a page turner. Yes, I am in the 1st Combat Communications Squadron out of Germany. And thank you again for taking the time to send me a book. I have already passed it on to another Airman. Thanks."

"Joyce, Thank you so much for taking the time to send books out to me and my fellow Airmen. Reading books helps make the time past and helps take our minds off of missing our loved ones. You are truly appreciated. Thanks."

"To Phyllis A & Friends of the Hickory Corner Library, Thank you so much for the books. I love to read and I like sharing my passion with my fellow Airmen. So thank you taking the time to send books to an Airman like me. Thanks."

"Dear John, Thank you for the personal letter that you sent with the books. I have received them and I feel that it is only fair that since you shared a little bit about your family, I share a little bit about mine as well. I am married to a wonderful wife, who was actually the one who signed me up for Operation Paperback and we have been married for 5 years. This is my third deployment to the middle east and I am stationed out of Baumholder, Germany. I am in northern Afghanistan at Camp Dehdadi 2 and have been here since February of this year. Afghanistan is definitely a prettier country than Iraq, but it's still a deployment. Thank you so much for the books. I will get lots of enjoyment of them, since this is a small post and there isn't really that much to do."

"No worries and I cannot thank you enough! I have told a few of the guys and they said they wanted some too, so I will send them down here to sign up when we can. I did see a two of your stickers on the few books in our USO so these will be greatly appreciated by the entire FOB!! "

"Thank you so much for this opportunity for families and our sailors/soldiers. It is very much appreciated whenever someone offers us something. A book in the hands of our children is worth a thousand thanks. We love to have story time every night, besides the times we read throughout the day. Thanks again."

"I just wanted to say thank to all that mailed me numerous books to me while I was at sea. It was great to always have a book to read. Thanks again. "

"Task Force Thunderbolt received your thoughtful gift. All of us here want to thank you for your support."

"San Diego Book Project, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to send books to me and other military members serving overseas. I am truly grateful and cannot wait to read and pass along the books to my fellow Airman. Take care and thanks again. "

"Nancy L., Thank you so much for taking the time to send books out to military serving overseas. I great appreciate everything you sent and can’t wait to read them and pass them on to my fellow Airman. Thanks again and take care. "

"Hans & Ellen H, Thank you so much for taking time out to send books out to us. I have read over 40 books already in the last 3 months. It means a lot to me to have people like the operation paperback volunteers who take the time to send a little joy to military serving overseas. "

"Thanks so much for the latest box of books!! The Carl Vinson VA Veterans are really enjoying them!! Once again thanks! "

"Dear Alice Marie W, I received your gracious donation of books today at mail call. I had no more than opened the box and the box had been distributed to the soldiers in my battery. We pass alot of our time reading, so these books are a great addition to our recreation tent on our site. The Soldiers of Charlie Battery, 3rd Battalion 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. It alwalys helps to know that we are not forgotten when we are away from our families serving our nation. We would love any all kinds of books we have a diverse bunch of soldiers here in southwest asia. We do what we do for those who can't. Thank you and all the volunteers at Operation Paperback and God Bless."

"Dear Volunteers, You are providing a great service to our soldiers and I thank you on their behalf. The 11W Behavioral Health Unit is full of heroes suffering from depression and other mental health issues. The books you send help to distract and awaken interest where it was lacking. Your actions help to provide healing and comfort. Thank you again! "

"We received the shipment of books and would like to take this time to thank you. Our veterans that are hospitalized or unable to afford books truly appreciate this and it makes my job much easier to have resources for them. "

"Yes, I received three issues of Pacific Coast Sportfishing. It may make me go fishing on the west coast upon my return my deployment. Of course, only after I fished my local surf spots on the east coast & home in NJ. Thank you again from a great program for the troops. "

"I am returning to the States shortly, and request removal from your mailing list. Thank you for all that you have done for both me and those serving with me who have benefitted from this program - we remain both overwhelmed and humbled by your generosity. I hope you have a wonderful day, and thank you again for your kindness. "

"I want to thank you for all the books that I have received and put out for the Soldiers to read, we really enjoyed them and have plenty for the Company area and the barracks. I am getting ready to redeployed and won't receive any mail soon. Please stop the books from coming and send them to Soldiers who will be here longer. Thank you again."

"My Soldiers and I are overwhelmed by the generosity of your volunteers. We have received several boxes of material that will keep us occupied in our off hours for quite some time. Please remove me from your list. Thanks for all the support."

"I am returning to the States shortly, and request removal from your mailing list. Thank you for all that you have done for both me and those serving with me who have benefitted from this program - we remain both overwhelmed and humbled by your generosity. I hope you have a wonderful day, and thank you again for your kindness. "

"Hello, I wanted to thank you for the books and also to let you know that we will be winding up our operations in the not too distant future. The coming months will consist of re-deploying our people and especially all our "stuff". In addition, our post office is scheduled to go away in September. Please remove our address from your mailing list. Thanks again for all you've sent in the past. It was truly appreciated. "

"Thank you so much for all of the books that you have provided. I will get many hours of enjoyment from the books that have been sent and so will the soldiers on this FOB. I am in northern Afghanistan on a FOB called Dehdadi 2. It's not a very big FOB with many things to do, so I read a lot. Thanks again for the books! "

"Just wanted to let you know that we received the books you sent us. Thank you so much. "

"To whom it may concern; This email is just to inform you that I have received 2 shipments of books. Thank you for your support!! "

"Thank you again for your donation of books and movies for our hospitalized veterans. They are greatly appreciated. "

"Please thank the folks at Association for the Help of Retarded Children, Ronkonkoma, N.Y. for their book donation to the Futenma USO, Okinawa, Japan. "

"I just wanted to send a thank you for the books I have received. The notes that come from the senders always make my day. I'm not the only recipient here, so its been great fun to swap books and pass them around for others to enjoy. What you guys do is a wonderful thing and doesn't go unappreciated. Thanks again!"

"Thank you for all you do to support our military families! May God Bless you all!"

"Thank you for helping to stock our base library. It is definitely nice to escape for a few hours within the pages you have sent. Please keep up the good work!"

"I would like to thank everyone from operation paperback, by sending us many books for our troops. God bless you and thank you very much."

"Hello, I'm writing to say I've already books after signing up just 1 week ago. Thank you for sending the books so quickly! Thank you,"

"I received the box of books today. Thank you so much. I am sharing with everyone so I put the box in the Morale tent to share the wealth with my follow Airmen. Thanks. "

"We have received another box of books from your organization. Our Marines and Sailors appreciate your generosity and dedication. Please send a special thanks to Sally and Selina for their time sending our newest shipment. "

"Thank you for the books. I've put them in our unit library and grabbed a couple for myself. They will definitely make the days and nights go faster. Thanks for what you do supporting the troops! It matters a great deal to us."

"Just a quick note to thank you for the paperbacks we received today. They were sent by the John F. Germany Public Library. I am placing them in the MWR tent to be enjoyed by all of our fine men and women here of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing, USAF. Your dedication to this cause is to be admired and respected. You are setting a fine example to follow by your generosity and support of our troops. The amount of books received today are more than enough to fill our library. If, we free up some more space (which is doubtful) I will request more of them from your organization. "

"I just received my first shipment of books today. I'm in disbelief at how fast it got here. Thank you guys so much so for this, and everything else you do!"

"The Sci Fi books are perfect. I really appreciate the fact that you included series of books. I would again like to thank you and a Mr Robert Bedford. You thinking about us and keep us in your prayers. "

" I wanted to drop an e-mail to let you all know that I received my books today from your organization. Thank you all so very much! I can’t believe the number of books you sent me. Fantastic! The best part is that they are all books I actually want to read and will provide many hours of entertainment and escape from normal deployment drudgery. I will do what I can to spread the word about your program. Knowing that there are great American citizens out there supporting us and what we are doing makes it all worthwhile. Thanks again! "

"Thank you very much, Chrissy! I and our unit greatly appreciate all your hard work and the volunteers' efforts. I've also passed on the inserts from a few of the boxes to others around here to spread the word! I plan on joining your ranks down the road once I am retired! Take care. "

"Thank you and all your donors for the gifts of the paperbacks. I will be departing theater later this summer and wanted to alert your organization to discontinue sending me donations of books. I greatly appreciated the books I received these months because I am an avid reader. "

"I appreciate the cause that you support. I received my box and am greatly appreciative. Thank you."

"I'm currently deployed in the horn of Africa. I want to thank you for all the books I have received, but I'm getting ready to go home so could you please take me off your mailing list? I really do appreciate what you do for the troops. It makes us proud that we have so many supporters behind us. "

"Hello, I just received two packages from E. Graham of New Jersey and D. Nichols of Arizona. Thanks for the great books. The Marines find some time at night to relax and read a couple pages. We have already started reading the books and we are really enjoying the books. Again, thank you. "

"Hello, my name is Hannah and I am currently deployed to Afghanistan. When I was in Iraq the amount of books we received through Operation Paperback was amazing -- it really made us all feel like people back home were supporting us! The soldiers here love most books that you would like back home. Tastes vary from popular fiction, to classics, to military nonfiction, and everything in between. I try to write back to everyone who sends a package, know that your support is greatly appreciated. We can't wait to come back home, but until then, we'll be reading!"

" I got the 19 books you sent, and it came through no problem. I got it today, well, now yesterday, the 23rd. I really appreciate it. I know a few of my friends like to read some random stuff, so i'll be sure it gets passed around. I've only been out here for a month and a half, so we still have another 10 months to get through. Again, i really appreciate it. We work stupid long hours here, and it will give us something to read when things calm down. Thank you. "

"Thank you so very much for the books you sent to my family. I'm sorry it took me so long to send this note. My family was just relocated to Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio. As you can probably imagine; going from Florida to Ohio has been a BIG adjustment! The whole family has enjoyed the books you sent. There really was something for everyone in the package. The children's books came in especially handy on the long drive from FL to OH."

"Greetings from Iraq, Wanted to send heartfelt thanks to all of your volunteers. These books will be well used by myself and other soldiers in my area. I am happy to have the distraction from the day to day work we are doing. Thank you.."

"Received the books today. Thanks again for the continued support. Have a blessed day."

"We thank you for the 3 boxes of books we received from Operation Paperback this week. They are most appreciated by the Veterans who enjoy reading. Thanks for the monthly supply of books."

"Thanks to D. Harries, we just received another shipment of westerns! Again, thanks. "

"Thank you for your support of the Service men and women who are patients and assigned as patients to the Warrior Transition Battalion, Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, GA. Ambulatory patients and staff on behalf of the non-ambulatory patients visit and browse through our selection for reading material. We are very appreciative of your efforts on our behalf. "

"Thanks you so much for the books. I will get a lot of enjoyment from them. I'll let other soldiers know about your program. Thanks again and it means alot that there is so much care back in the states."

"We have received your generous packages of books and would like to say thank you from all of us. We have been able to stock up our MWR with the magazines and books that y'all have sent to us. we appreciate all y'alls support and send you our gratitude. "

"I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the books that were sent for my Soldiers. We had requested non-fiction books centered around Afghanistan, Pakistan, Counterinsurgency, Religious Extremism and general military history. Your selection was perfect and will help to build our professional reading library here at the Counterinsurgency Training Center - Afghanistan. Thanks again and keep them coming."

"I got another load of magazines today. Again thank you so much for what you do! Groups to thank: Volunteers in Dunstable, MA (Moe, couldn't read the last name) Penny C., Phyllis A. and friends from the Hickory Corner Library in East Windsor, NJ"

"On behalf of the men and women who serve on Fort Irwin and at the National Training Center, we would like to thank you for your thoughtful donation of books to our small station library. The books are a very welcome donation that will be enjoyed by our servicemembers and their families who serve at this very remote location. "

"I received the books that you sent and I distributed them to the Soldiers. THANK YOU THANK YOU."

"Thank you for your support, I personally benefited from your program. Thanks "

"Hello, I received a box of magazines from Chrissy Honeywell in Dunstable, MA today. Thank you so much, I will definitely be sharing these."

"Kathy W., I would like to thank you for the books this office received on 3 May 2011. They have been placed on the patient book cart and passed out to the patients throughout the hospital. Thank You again. "

"Can you please take my name off the list? I have received more books than I can read. I am also running out of room to store them. I am extremely grateful for the shipments, as are my guys. Thank you for the outstanding support. "

"I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, and everyone who has sent us books!! Thank you so very much!!!"

" I received 2 boxes of books donated by your organization. Thank you very much for your generous donation. Our Veterans and their families will enjoy them. Have a good day. "

"I just wanted to send you a quick note and let you know that your box of books was received and we all thank you so much for the thought and the time you took to send them to us. I have dispersed the books within our unit, at the main hospital and if you continue to send them, I will also share them with the Morale Room, so many people can enjoy them within a multitude of units. I also wanted to tell you a little bit about myself, my unit and what we do. I am a nurse stationed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and I must admit I do have the best job ever. As a unit we are responsible for the shipment of patients to higher level of care both on the ground and in the air. We are kind of the UPS for personnel. We have the honor of preparing and packaging patients and transporting them to other hospitals within the country and back to Germany, where they most likely will go back to the states for more care or back to their families. We all thank you for sending the books. They will all be read and passed on to yet another avid reader. "

"I received your package of books today. Just dropping you a notification as requested. :) Thank you for the shipment! "

"Just want to shoot you a quick note. I got the books you sent and they arrived in great condition. Thank you so much!!! "

"Thank you so much for the wonderful books through Operation Paperwork. They are fantastic! However, just as important as the books are the warm sentiments of support from home. My fellow servicemembers and I, from the United States and from around the world at Headquarters, ISAF in Kabul, Afghanistan, appreciate your efforts. "

"Good Morning! We have received the books that have been donated to us and greatly appreciate them! We were also wondering if we could put in a request to be sent books maybe once every other week or something similar because we are a small library and don’t have the space necessary to receive donations every few days as we had been receiving. We appreciate everything you are doing! Thank you very much! "

"Dear Ms. Byington, thank you very much for sending the box of paperbacks. It is very much appreciated. A lot of our Marines are moving around from place to place, and a book is one of the perfect ways for them to pass the time when they’re “hurrying up and waiting”. Reading your letter, we agree that letting other servicemembers know about your program would be a great idea. We’ll pass the word. I apologize for the brevity of this note, but I just wanted to drop you a line letting you know that the books got here safely and have been gratefully snatched up by a few Marines. We’re grateful for your generosity and your support. Have a great day. "

"Ladies and Gentlemen of Operation Paperback, Thank you so much for your donations of hundreds of books, audio tapes and books on disc to the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion Library program! It is volunteers like you that make many of our military programs successful. Keep up your great work. "

"Thank you for yet another gift of books. As always, I appreciate the willingness of the people at Operation Paperback to reach out and provide reading material for the Soldier, Airmen, Seamen and Marines who are here serving our country. Thank you. "

"On behalf of the patients, families and staff of the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, I would like to express my appreciation for your generous donation of paperback books. They have been added to the patient library of the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. It means a lot to our veterans to know that people have not forgotten them and what they have done to keep our country free. Westerns continue to be the most popular books among the patients. They always seem to disappear from the shelves first so if you would like to donate more and have any westerns, that would be the preferred genre. Again, thank you for remembering our veterans."

"I just wanted to inform you that we received the books sent to us by Kenneth L. I also wanted to express our gratefulness for all we have received from your organization. The books we receive are shared with a multitude of personnel. As medical staff we read the books and share them with out patients. All of the books that you send are passed from person to person and are read numerous times. As long as you continue to send books we will continue to pass them out and share them with colleagues and patients. Thanks again. "

"Good afternoon, First off, I would like to say thank you to each and every person that sent me books while deployed in Afghanistan. I really appreciated the fact of receiving books. Unfortunately, I will be going back home soon and just want to ensure that the books stop coming out here. Again, I truly appreciate the books sent out here. "

"I received another box of magazines today. Thank you so much!"

"Hello, My name is Clayton W and I am currently stationed in Kuwait. I would like to thank-you for all the books I have received. I have received enough that I am able to share them with other soldiers. These books are helpful and keep our hopes up. We have received enough as of this date and we don’t need any more at this moment, but I would still like to thank you. "

"I have recently received two shipments of books for operation paperback and wanted to thank you for your continued support. I share all of the books with my Soldiers based on the type of books that they enjoy reading. It does make time go by a little bit faster and it is always great to receive a box in the mail. Thanks again for you are doing for our troops-it is greatly appreciated. "

"Thanks to you and everybody else at Operation Paperback... I've tried my hardest to get younger people to put down the video games and DVD movies and pick up a book or two... with books you are just so much more involved! Thanks Again!"

"I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the loving and caring of the American people as shown by the many shipments of books I have received through Operation Paperback! I really, really appreciate your support. Many of the books I have taken to our US Command Element's MWR facility so others, too, may enjoy your generosity. As Headquarters, ISAF, we appreciate all of your support of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. It is truly appreciated. I request that you stop shipments until I make a further request as we do not have a lot of extra space on our camp."

"Thanks so much for the package of books for our troops. We really do appreciate all that you do for us as it puts smiles on our Soldiers faces!"

"Thank you for your recent shipment of military books in conjunction with Operation Paperback. Truthfully, I was pleasantly overwhelmed by what all you sent. I didn’t expect such an outpouring. I appreciate it because I read a great deal. The best part was the fact that I had only read one of the large number of books you passed along so I have some good reading ahead of me. As I finish each book, I will place it in the little library we have created at the Warrior Transition Program in which I work here at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. I mobilized in October and spent a week in Norfolk, Virginia for administrative processing. I next spent 3 weeks at Fort Jackson, South Carolina undergoing Army infantry training to prepare me for a ground assignment in theater. Although I am a Registered Nurse, I still needed to learn to operate various weapons, drive a Humvee, patrol, respond to IED’s and attacks while in a convoy, etc. I then flew to Kuwait where I am now stationed. All of the troops here in the Middle East appreciate when folks like you remember them with your letters, cards, and care packages. Thank you once again for the time, money, and effort you invested in your thoughtful care package. "

"It’s been a good week for books. I received 3 shipments of books this week, unfortunately I fed the names from the first 2 shipments to the shredder, so I can’t thank them personally. Please extend my thanks to Nancy M of Sarasota FL for the books that she sent me. She has wonderful taste in literature closely mirroring my own. Thank you. "

"USO Okinawa would like to thank you for the great support to the military and their families. Your kindness is greatly appreciated...The books are a big hit at the Kadena USO center. Troops and their families come in all the time to check out the selection of free books that you kindly send. We also place the books in our AMC terminal, which is used by troops and their families as they travel for personal and military reasons. The free books are a good companion on a long flight. Once again, Thank you! "

"Good Day, I just wanted to let everyone know that we have received our books from Operation Paperback and we are thrilled and eager to start reading them. I work in the medical department onboard USS BOXER and we are currently deployed right now. My goal is to donate the books to our Ship’s Library and let all sailors know of this wonderful program ! We thank you guys wholeheartedly for all the support and for this great gift !!!!! "

"We have received our shipment of paperback books from the "Assocation for the Help of Retarded Children / Adult Day Habilitation Program". We would like to say thank you for your support and continue to support our troops deployed until we all are home safely. The books received went to the wounded warrior library so those recovering from battle wounds can have reading material. Thanks. "

"Thank you for the books you sent for the Soldiers of the ISAF Joint Command here in Kabul, they are most appreciative. Our library is growing by leaps and bounds due to your generosity and the donations are giving the troops a little break from their everyday duties. Thanks again and hope all is well on the home front. "

"Thank you so much for the books! I will get these to my troops immediately"

"Troop 434, Thank you very much for the box of books! We really appreciate your support and look forward to reading the books. Hope all is well in fabulous Las Vegas. Keep up the great work you do. Thank you! "

"We have received our shipment of paperback books from the "Assocation for the Help of Retarded Children / Adult Day Habilitation Program". We would like to say thank you for your support and continue to support our troops deployed until we all are home safely. The books received went to the wounded warrior library so those recovering from battle wounds can have reading material. Thanks. "

"My name is Bryan F and I'm a Service Member currently deployed. My Grandmother submitted my name for this and I've been fortunate enough to receive plenty of books. First, let me say thank you for everything you've done. Everyone here appreciates all the books we've received and they're very nice to have. I'm writing to have my name removed from the mailing list. I'm going to be moving around quite a bit in the near future and I wanted to notify you so that the books can be shipped elsewhere. Because I'm going to be moving around to various different locations, I don't want the books to just sit somewhere or be returned to the sender. This way other individuals can receive the books. Thank you for all you do."

"On behalf of my family with myself included I would like to thank you for the books that received in the mail this weekend via operation paperback! There was a nice selection and the books for my son are really a hit! i especially love the workbooks for him that were included! Keep supporting the military and their families! It means more to us than you might know! "

"We have received the two boxes of books and magazines that were sent. Thank you very much! "

"Thank you for the books we received for the Veterans at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System the week of March 21, 2011. "

"Thank U so very much for your package. I absolutely love to read and I appreciate the books. You guys are amazing for doing what you do selflessly!!! Thank YOU :-) "

"The box of books you sent us arrived today. We very much appreciate this. Thank you!"

"Boy Scout Troop 434, Thank you very much. Our Combat Support Clinic received the shipment of books today. It is a great variety. We have the books available in our clinic for any of the Service Members we treat to pick up. We appreciate your support."

"Thank you for your shipment of books. They arrived safely. "

"Ms Honeywell, Ms Fansler, Ms Brooks, Thank you very much for taking the time to select the Steinbeck books and send them. SA Channer will be back from the hinterlands within the next couple of days, and she'll be ecstatic to see the stack of books waiting for her to read. Thank you very much; keeping my soldiers upbeat is difficult eight months into a deployment, but you've given her something to smile about."

"I would like to thank you very much for the shipment of books the Fort Polk American Red Cross station has recently received. I was familiar with your organization from deployments I've made to Iraq. A new shipment of books was always a welcome treat for the troops. Here at Fort Polk we are using them to start a library for the soldiers and family members attached to the Warrior Transition Unit. We have a very comfy spot in the Soldier and Family Assistance Center building where they can get a book, grab some popcorn and relax for awhile. If we could receive one more box and then get on a quarterly schedule, we will be able to have a nice varied selection of books and keep the selection fresh with quarterly additions. Thank you very much for all you are doing to support our troops."

"I am a voracious reader, and on previous deployments I have resorted to prepackaging boxes of books prior to my departure to be mailed by friends or family during my absence. On this deployment I was pleased and gratified to find an ample supply of recreational reading material at the Camp Arifjan MWR tent, courtesy of Operation Paperback. It is wonderful to be able to escape into a book at the end of a long workday, and to know that there are people back home who understand how much reading can improve morale for deployed soldiers. I have now read over a dozen of your books and look forward to enjoying many more. Thank you for providing this service!"

"We sincerely appreciate our immense and still-growing collection of paperbacks supplied by your organization. These books are provide a much-needed diversion and respite for our Soldiers from the intense environment of a desert war zone. Our sincerest thanks."

"Thank you and your orginization for all the books and magazines I have recieved. I notice that the senders are from all over. Please let them all know that I am thankful and very appreciative of what they do. It means a lot to a soldier deployed and away from home. "

"We are in receipt of the books. They are greatly appreciated, and will help to provide a mental diversion for those who are here with us. We thank you, and all the others, for your commitment to this effort."

"I want to let all the volunteers know that my unit and I are receiving paperbacks and are enjoying everyone of them. Thank all of you very much."

"I just wanted to thank you for the books. Our little girl loved them. Thank you for helping our military families."

"I just want to take the time to say thank you for all the books I have received. I just want to say Thank you again for the ones who sent me books out here."

"Thanks you so much for the entire collection of Iris Johansen books - whom I enjoy very much. It really helped pass my time here. Also other soldiers appreciate an author they knew nothing of now. What a great organization you are!!"

"I started receiveing shipments when my unit was in Kuwait and now we all look forward to receiving the shipments. It is like our own little Christmas every time that we get a shipment! Thank you all so much what you all are doing means more than words could ever say."

"I thank all of the volunteers, companies, and effort that it takes to put a smile on a Soldier's face in the time of war. I am really proud to serve and proud to see the gracious selfless sacrifice of our fellow Americans. I thank you. "

"Just wanted to say thanks to those to took the time out to send books to me. They meant so much. Thank you again."

"My son is currently deployed in Afghanistan and has had the opportunity to browse through and read books from Operation Paperback at many of his assigned locations. These have brought him and his team a good deal of enjoyment and they really appreciate that. A big thank you to all of the volunteers from the bottom of my heart!!!"

"We received books via the Blue Star Family program. Thank you SO much to the two organizations that took time to send books to us. My six year old son was overwhelmed by the huge box of books that showed up for him. The box of books that came for the grownups of the house will be read here and sent forward to my husband's unit, when he deploys, later this year. Thanks again for doing what you do!"

"On behalf of the Minneapolis VAMC patients and staff, we wold like to extend our appreciation to you for your donation of 70 Western paperback books. The books have been added to our inpatient library and are being thoroughly enjoyed by the men and women receiving care at our facility. Westerns are popular with our veterans.The commitment you have shown to our patients demonstrates your sense of patriotism toward our veterans. Thank you for your support."

"Greetings from Afghanistan. Thank you for all the books that I have received from the volunteers. I will always be preoccupied on my down time with all the reading material I/we have here. Thank you much! Orlando"

"Hello! I actually received books form you guys via Blue Star Families. I received them a while ago but we're in the middle of a PCS and I just wanted to say thank you. All the books I've finished with are going to the Airman's Attic and the base Library so other airmen can enjoy the books. This is such a great foundation!"

"I thank you all for the effort of sending books for all of us. I shared all the books at the Teather Geatway at Ali-Al Salem Kuwait to R&R soldiers going back and forward from Kuwait."

"First I have to thank you for the wonderful support your organization has provided my Soldiers. Your volunteer's donations have been very much appreciated. I must say, however, that I should no longer ask for any new shipments. We are closing up shop here and any more books sent might miss us in the move or becomes just one more things that we have to pack out. Thanks again for your great organization."

"I am deployed to Bagram and wanted to convey my sincere appreciation and thanks to the Operation Paperback team. My unit just received boxes from Kathy D and Chrissy H. Thank you for all you do for those of us who are deployed."

"I just received a box of books and wanted to thank you. I sincerely appreciate this program and programs like this that support deployed service members. It's truly an honor to serve and it's people like you and your organization who make these deployments bearable. Thank you so much!"

"Thank you for the lovely books. My Soldiers and I are stationed in a very remote part of Iraq and reading helps pass the time. Often it seems from our end that unless a member of the public has a family member in the military they usually don’t realize we that there are men and women still so far from home. It is because of you and other people like you that we can still feel connected to the American people. Thank you again for your wonderful gift."

" Good morning. First off I would like to say thank you for all the books you guys have sent. It is deeply appreciated. I have received 10 boxes of books within the last week or so. Everyone truly appreciates the books. It is hard to get books out here to read. I am sorry that I am sending a mass email, but I just got off the night shift and I'm a little beat. "

"Thank you for the shipments of books. My two sons, ages 3 & 7, were so excited to receive mail. They were even more overjoyed to see it was books for them. Thank You!"

"Thank you for the shipment of books you sent to my family. We have really enjoyed them. Thank you."

"Thank you for the books and support."

"Thank you! I hope that this email reaches you in good health and good weather(from what I’ve seen in weather reports, you would be one of the lucky ones if that’s the case), recently I received a box of books from you and I would like to let you know that my buddies and I appreciate the support you are showing us. I know these words aren’t much, but we are sincerely grateful that you sent the books and we are intending to add them to the small library that was started in our Morale, Welfare, and Recreation building once we finish reading them, that way your gift can get out to even more soldiers out here. Once again thank you, and I hope that your day is as bright as you have made ours. "

"I would just like to say thank you for helping me have enough reading material to last a life time. I really appreciate the books and goodies. My deployment is coming to an end soon so I won't be needing anymore books. Thank you again. "

"Thank you for the shipment of books. You have lifted the spirit of many a Soldier in country with your donations. We will pass these books around so everyone gets a chance to read and relax on their downtime."

"I writing to let you know that I have received the books I signed up for in Operation Paperback. I am amazed at the response and collection that I have received. There are some great titles and I will never be able to read all of them. But rest assured they will not be unused. The job that we do on this base is to move personnel in and out of theater, so we see a lot of people of all services coming and going. Some have down time while waiting for transportation so they need things to fill their time. The books that I do not read will be shared with them through our MWR and USO libraries as well as the various waiting areas for the personnel. I have also let the people working with me know about your organization. I would also like to thank the people who sent the books. Steve and Liz C*** of Holly Springs, NC, The Charles Dibrell Chapter of DAR, Albuquerque, NM, The Library Volunteers of the New River Valley, Red Lion, PA, The Union County Women's Club, Waxham, NC. Your efforts remind us of the support and love we have back home. Thanks for everything. "

"Thank you so much for the books. My daughter loves them al and will be sure to pass them on when she is done. "

"Thank you very much for the recent shipment of books. The Soldiers, Seamen, and Airmen at our unit are always excited when I get a box of books. We appreciate this ongoing gift of books from Operation Paperback.org, and work of the volunteers that make it happen. "

"Thanks for the shipment of western paperbacks!! The vets love them… "

"To all the volunteers from the Union County Women's Club I want to extend my deepest gratitude for taking the time to send me some great books. It never ceases to amaze me of the people we have in the Country that give so much to fellow Americans without asking for anything in return. Thank you so much for what you do. It makes me proud to serve a country that has citizens such as yourselves. Thank you and God Bless all of you."

"The books arrived today. Please share my thanks with everyone in your organization."

"Thank you for the books that you sent our troops via OPERATION PAPERBACK. This is an extraordinary blessing to the troops here at Victory Chapel and Jack’s Café. Your thoughtfulness to the personal needs of our warriors combined with the out flowing kindness you have shown has made an enormous difference in day to day life of our service members. Your contributions has helped improve the morale of deployed military personnel and provided a reminder of home. God bless you, and please keep up with the great things that you are doing for your community. On behalf of our entire chapel staff, thank you for your love and support. Please continue to pray for God to work through our staff and fill this base with His Spirit in a mighty way! "

"Additionally I would like to add a personal thanks to Operation Paperback and the following individuals for their dedicated support: Lori B. who through her support our company has been a part of Operation Paperback. Thank you for the continued support."

"I would like to personally thank Operation Paperback and the following individuals for their dedicated support: Mia G*** & Friends of the Book Cellar at the Webster Library in NYC Cheryl R*** & Volunteers in Dunstable, Massachusetts Your dedicated support will provide the men some relief of stress in turn ensuring they are always at their best when it comes to war fighting. Thank you for the continued support. "

"Dear Operation Paperback Volunteers, Thank you for the books you sent. My Soldiers really appreciate the time and effort you took to send us those books. "

"Thank you so much for the box of books that we recently received from you. All of them arrived intact and was a good mixture of reading materials. It is a great ministry tool to be able to have soldiers come from all over the post for the free books and leave having received the love of Jesus Christ. We cherish every care package that we receive and utilize them to their full potential. Your generosity brings a smile to all of the soldiers who come here. We all have an important duty and responsibility to keep our country free which comes at a heavy price. Freedom is not free, it is paid for both by the soldiers who step out on the battlefield, and the families that give them up during deployments. Our families are the true heroes!Your dedication to support us while we are deployed is a blessing from> God. Thank you for everything that you have done and your support in the future! "

"I got your packages and told my platoon about u :) so hopefully they look into u :) thank you so much u guys are awesome :) "

"A call out to Mina Greenstein and her group in New York for the great box of books for my men and women! We really appreciate your time and service! Thank you!!!!"

"I would like to thank all of you so much for al t hat you do for us troops. I know it doesn't sound like much but you are the reason we fight, the reason we wake up and are willing to give our lives, you make our lives worth living :) and for that I take my hat off to you and salute. I can't wait until the books get here to see the look on my squads face when I surprise them with books :) you guys are awesome :)"

"I am deployed to Bagram and wanted to convey my sincere appreciation and thanks to the Operation Paperback team. My unit just recieved boxes from Kathy Durbin and Chrissy Honeywell. Thank you for all you do for those of us who are deployed."

"I got a box of books from you, and was very excited by the variety of genres it contained. There were only a few books left to put on the MWR library's shelf after everyone picked through the box. Thank you very much for your support of the troops over here. We all appreciate what you do for us. "

"Ms Hirsh, Thank you very much for your kind donation of books; I've already distributed them out to my soldiers. The rainy season has begun here in southern Afghanistan, so my troops are largely confined indoors when they're off duty, because running through ankle-deep mud is no one's idea of a good time, and they get enough of that kind of thing during our working hours. The books will come in quite handy until the ground dries out."

"Dear Operation Paperback, I received your care package of numerous books from the multiple genres I selected. Thank you so much. The package and personal note was shipped by Mrs. K. Durbin of Owaneco, IL. I was surprised at how quickly the box arrived (since I am still receiving Christmas Cards, as well). I actually received the shipment about 3 wks ago. I apologize for not responding right away. Almost immediately after I received the box AND SHARED IT WITH THE REST OF MY UNIT, I was placed on 3 back to back travelling missions. Good thing I had a book to read ;-) Thank you so much for your support. "

"I would like to take this opportunity to tell you thank you for all the wonderful books!!!! WOW and extremely fast delivery too. You all should be extremely proud of your organization and supporters. Again thank you and our Soldiers thank you too!!!"

"I recently signed up to operation paperback and would like to say thank you for your support and packages of books. I am receiving all of the packages that you are sending just fine. I will be starting a library of books based on your support for my company which will be passed on to many troops to come so on behalf of all of us THANK YOU. "

"I wanted to reply with an acknowledgement that I have received 3 boxes of paperback books as requested. It is with sincere appreciation and thanks for the delivery of these materials. The location where we are stationed does not have any libraries or repository of reading materials and these are a very welcome addition."

"Thank you once again; I have received packages from CAPT (Ret)Don W. of Vero Beach, FL and Bob G. (I think the letter> says Bob and Nancy, but I'm not so good with handwriting) of Dunstable, MA. Your efforts are keeping my soldiers busy in their off time to ensure that the books are read; I'm pleased, because while they're reading, they're not causing me any additional headaches. Having a platoon is like having a large family, and busy soldiers make for happy leaders. Thank you once again."

"I just want to send a quick thank you to you folks who have taken the time to send us some wonderful books. While I do not consider myself too old, I cannot compare the satisfaction and enjoyment of reading a good book to any newfangled electronic gadget. Here in mountainous eastern Afghanistan we must often travel via helicopter. As a result of this, there is a lot of waiting around for rides. Having a large selection of books to select from during our sometimes long waits is very helpful and helps pass the time. Again, thank you very much. As someone who has been an avid reader my entire life, I really appreciate what you do. "

"Please thank Patria M for her book donation to the Kadena USO in Okinawa, Japan. Thank you and have a nice day. "

"I can’t even begin to express my gratitude with what you all are doing. I love to read, and without thinking, only brought about 30 books with me for a six month deployment. I had one book left in my little library when my wife signed me up for operation paperback. In less than a week I received a box of about 15 books. Since then, I have received 7 more boxes. I now have enough books to last me three cruises (deployments). I have enough that I can share with my fellow sailors. I have so many in fact, that I am having to find new and inventive places to put them. Some of the boxes have even come with little notes or snacks, or words of encouragement. This is an amazing program that you guys are running and I have nothing but good things to say about you to all my friends and coworkers. I have even gotten a few non-readers (we all know some of them) to start reading. Somebody sent me a copy of John Madden’s autobiography and he felt that he had to read it. Since then not a week has gone by that he hasn’t come to my little library and taken a book or two. They started with funny books or small thrillers, now he’s reading whatever he can get his hands on. I have found that my interests are growing as well. I have been reading books that I never even thought I would pick up. Books that I would not give a second glance have turned into some of my new favorites. Again, you are all amazing, I am so humbled by all of this, so amazed that you care so much, just in awe that there are still good people out there willing to put others first. Thank you. "

"My parents signed me up to receive books from your organization, on behalf of all the soldiers in Alpha Company 1st Battalion 502nd Infantry Regiment 2nd Brigade Combat Team 101st Airborne Division Thanks for the books and all you do to support the troop, I know that many people have been enjoying the books you have been sending. Again Thank you and take care. "

"I really appreciate the care package and the kindness, unfortunately I have not had much time to say thank you, and write back. It has been quite a difficult time because I work about 16 hrs a day or so. So when I have free time I have to either take out from my duties or lose sleep. The mission comes first, so sleep it is. Haha. Regardless, I work in a Signal Co and we are constantly going and going. It is a pleasure to serve and our motto is go hard or go home. Well I am still here, but your care package has kept me going and given me something to look forward to. So thank you and best wishes. "

"I just received my box of books. They were sent by Mr. A.Gibson of Atlanta GA. Thanks for all you do to help us deployed service members have books available for our reading pleasure! I'm a Navy enlisted PAO (Public Affairs Officer) who is about to wrap up a six-month deployment in Kuwait working at a forward deployed field hospital. Thanks again for the support!"

"Aloha, Thanks for the CD players. We will put them to good use. We have other CD players that have been sent to us and appreciate them, but we haven't received any audio books on CD, we have plenty sent on cassette but alas we keep getting CD players and no CD's ;-) we would appreciate any you could send."

"I just wanted to take the time out to say thank you so much for the books from Amazon. I received all of them and I love to read, it really helps me to get through this deployment and all my favorite authors were also ordered so once again thank you very much."

"Just a note on behalf of VAQ-132 to say thank you for the books we have received. We appreciate your support and will definitely let others know of the program."

"I just want to thank you for all awesome books you sent me. I received 4 books that I have been wanting to read for a long time, now I will be able to do so. Thank you again, and I have been spreading the word about your organization and many of my soldiers were very excited to hear about it. Thank you again for you support"

"Thank you very much for the most recent delivery. I am looking forward to the books about the Kennedy family that were included. Also having recently seen Revolutionary Road and the mini-documentary about the book and the author, I am especially interested to read the book. How fortutitous that it also was in this shipment! Thank you again! I and my shipmates appreciate this very much. "

"I just received all of the books from you. I just wanted to say thank you very much. I certainly will not read all of them, so I shared them with my fellow shipmates. "

"Once more I find myself writing to say thank you to yourself and to Ms E.Donovan and the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Coos Bay OR, Ms Jennifer B. of Ablemarle NC, and Mr John T. of Massapequa, NY. I find it something of a coincidence, because my soldiers and I are stationed at Fort Bragg NC, and I attended college in Garden City NY, which is just down the road from Massapequa. I'm afraid I haven't spent any time in Oregon, but I can tell that I'd have friends in Coos Bay. I've shared both the books and your program with the other three companies in my battalion, so look for more contact from the 319th Military Intelligence Battalion. I recommend Operation Paperback to every leader in my part of Afghanistan as a way of keeping their troops both entertained and to put them in contact with people who appreciate them and their efforts. It's nice to know that people at home will take the time and effort to provide comfort to someone that they've never met. "

"Please thank Ms Tina N. from Angleton, TX for the book donation to the Kadena USO in Okinawa, Japan. Thank you. "

"Just sending a quick note letting you know I received 2 boxes of paperbacks from Constance M. from Cody, Wyoming yesterday. We have quite the library here in Al Asad and will be happy to forward on to the Soldiers and Sailors in the area. Thank You for the support as it is much appreciated. "

"Hi! I put in a request for books from y'all a few weeks ago, and since then I have received TWELVE boxes of books. I was super surprised to get such an overwhelming response so quickly, and I've had so much fun, digging through the boxes and finding books that I read in high school and middle school but hadn't been able to find since because they're out of print now. All the boxes are in the MWR's library, minus a dozen or so books that I wanted to make sure I had a chance to read first :), and the bookshelves are double-stacked and still overflowing. Would it be possible to cut back on the shipments a little? We need some time to get some more bookshelves... "

"Good morning. We received your Operation Paperback shipment today and wanted to say THANK YOU!! Fisher House is a home-away-from-home for the families of seriously ill or injured patients receiving treatment at Wilford Hall Medical Center, a major Air Force medical facility. Having books available for our guests to read and take with them to enjoy during their treatments is such a blessing. Operation Paperback is as wonderful for us to receive as I am sure for you to share your beloved books. "

"Wishing you're doing well and Happy Holidays to You! Just a note to let you know that I received the books today! Thanks alot and yes, there are some that I have not read...but did have on my list! You are AWESOME! -----In addition, to your box I received several others from your group with some of the other authors! Totally amazing! :) There was also a book enclosed by an author whose work I recently started reading - Peri O'Shaughnessy! Praying that your holiday is as Blessed as you've made ours! "

"Thank you so much for the books! I really feel loved."

"Thank you for the box of books. I shared them with everyone at work and we all got something we liked. Thank you for your time and support."

"I'd like to thank Operation Paperback for supporting us. I requested books because the FOB where I am doesn't have a PX, library or anything where I can purchase books. I googled and saw "operationpaperback" and sent a request. I've received several boxes...my co-workers and I greatly appreciate you all!! many blessings"

"I was out on a mission for a few days, and when I came back, there were TEN boxes of books stacked on my bunk. Another two boxes came the next day. I am amazed at the warm and overwhelming response from everyone with OPB. The MWR library is going to have to build more shelves for all the new books. Thank you so much for the support, and for helping to fill our shelves with more than just romance novels."

"Just a quick note to say thank you!!!! The books we received will go a long way to helping all our Soldiers that visit the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Center/Freedom Rest here on COB Speicher. You are truly great Americans and again thank you for your fantastic support!!"

"A special thanks to Gail G. and Jane Arnold for sending me a Anton Calculus Vol. 1 textbook, and to the folks at Operation Paperback for all their support! You guys and gals are awesome!"

"I just want to send a HUGE thank you to Jaime Toporovich, Rena Boussidan, Barbara P. Berstein for the books that I received. I must say that I didn't expect the books as quickly as they got here, but it was a wonderful surprise. You all are doing a great service to us and I just want to say that you are all very much appreciated. Thanks again and God Bless! Gooooo NAVY!! "

"unbelievable! thank you so much-my husband and his buddies are really enjoying the books while in afganistan-we could not believe the amount of books and how fast they came!! again thank you"

"Aloha Cynthia, I did receive the tapes and CDs and we appreciate it. Thanks to all of the volunteers that sent the items and thanks to you for making it happen. I'm sure the items will be used greatly and appreciated. I will email other Chiefs in other commands about your program as requested and hopefully you will get lots more requests. Mahalo, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!"

"Melody, I would like to thank you and your Resort's guests for the generous gift of the books and magazines we received today. The nice thing about books in a warzone is that they require no batteries or electricity. I, as well as many of my fellow soldiers, truly enjoy a chance to get a break from our surroundings and escape into a book for a little while. My wife and I visited San Antonio several years ago and were struck by the friendliness of the residents. Your contribution of books and magazines just reinforces this experience. I am currently on my third year-long deployment and look forward to returning to my family in Hawaii at the end of next year. It is nice to be reminded that many Americans still think about service men and women serving overseas. Thanks again. "

"I wanted to let you know we received a shipment of books from Mr. T. Blackstone. Please pass on our appreciation to Mr. Blackstone for supporting us by providing reading material. Our Airmen are proud to serve our nation, especially when we have individuals such as Mr. Blackstone to support us. "

"I want to pass on my sincere thanks to the Glass Family and Kristin V. for the shipment of books. Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines appreciate the continuing support. Thank you and have a Merry Christmas. "

"Don, I had just sent a Thank you card in the snail mail and received another two boxes of books! So I'll just say thanks in an E-mail, the books are appreciated. I hope all at your end have a great holiday season and a happy new year. Thanks again. "

"Thank you very much for your efforts and the donation of books for my soldiers. They are be greatly appreciated, particularly now; the holidays are generally a fairly blue time for deployed troops. A little escapism in the form of books is always welcome. I do have a question, though - is it possible to request a specific book or author? One of my colleagues is from Tennessee, and the novelist Cherie Priest is from a town near his. I would love to surprise him with a book written by a neighbor. "

"Mrs. Corbett, Thank you very much for the books and the essay. My soldiers welcome the opportunity to get a little escapism here in Kandahar, and books are always a relief to turn to. I've shared your kind words with my soldiers, but I have to say that everyone says that they're not heroes. They're just people with a job to do. "

" I just wanted to drop a line telling you guys I got two packages of books today. I wanted to thank you guys so much. The Dark tower series is a set of books I have been trying to read since High School, so nearly five years later I'm back on track. I just so happened to receive these packages on Christmas, making them all the better. Really, you guys totally made my Holiday. Huge Thanks!!! "

"Hi, I just wanted to take a minute and give you a big 'thank you' for your time, effort, thoughts, and prayers. The books are greatly appreciated! I'm usually the one that takes care of the books in our waiting room and I notice there are no spiritual books. Hopefully in the future someone will donate some :) From the staff and patients at the COB Delta, Iraq Troop Medical Clinic, Thank you!!!"

" I have received two boxes of books from L. Wendel and A Cormier. I just wanted to say thank you, and you guys rock. Every Marine and Sailor in our Battalion says thank you also. "

" I am yet again impressed by the tenacity and whole-heartedness of your volunteers. I stand amazed of the caring of all these people who care about a young Marine such as myself. These books help pass the time, and keep me out of this world for a time. Without them my Morale, along with the others reading all these books, would drop significantly. You can all take great care in knowing you are directly supporting the War Machine known as USMC. In my Non-commissioned Officers creed, it states that “I will never forget that I am responsible to the Commanding Officer for the Efficiency, Discipline, and Morale of my Marines.” You are allowing me to keep my promise as a Sergeant of Marines. Please pass this e-mail onto Marylee, along with our heartfelt condolences. Also, could you pass this onto Sharon E. Thank her for her support of a complete stranger such as myself, and that she has no idea how much it means to all of us here every time we receive a package. You all have gone above and beyond the call of citizens of the U.S of A. I am proud to be serving you all, Thank you. "

"Thank you for the box of books. They arrived safely here in Afghanistan. I shared them with my fellow service members and since we were headed home in just a few weeks, we donated the rest to lending library at the base hospital. There a lot of service members who pass through Kandahar hospital, the books you so kindly donated will be read and exchanged often. Thank you so much for the books and your support. "

" I received a box from The Hyatt of San Antonio, TX today. Just wanted to drop you guys a line, and say thank you for all that you are continuing to do for us. You are all great patriots, and we love you for it. Thank you. "

"To Ms Mailey (I hope I'm spelling your name right), Thank you very much for the books. They arrived last night, and have already been distributed to waiting readers. It is most kind of you to take your time to provide us with some entertainment here in Afghanistan."

"Hello there, Yes I did receive your books. They are AMAZIN. Thank you so much for them, and please thank all the people that donated them too. It honestly does help get through this deployment. Once again, Thank you. "

"Thanks to the folks at Mustang Engineering and Volunteers of Operation Paperback from Dunstable, MA for their recent book donation to the Kadena USO, Okinawa, Japan. "

"Ms Bryant, Thank you very much for your kind letter and the books. And yes, I will definitely share the books with my soldiers. As luck would have it, we are all part of a unit based on Fort Bragg, NC. My troops are avid readers, and they greatly appreciate the books that you and Operation Paperback have been sending to us. We also work with Canadian, British, and Australian forces, and they're just as happy as we are to receive books to read. With winter here in Afghanistan, there's not much to do other than to curl up somewhere warm and read. It's well below freezing after sundown, so if there's no reason to be outside, we won't be. The Christmas celebrations you described in your letter sound wonderful; I live in Fayetteville, where there are a lot of teenagers that could do with more attention and care in their lives. I'm glad someone is taking the time and effort to give them something to be happy about at this time of year. It does a lot for those of us away from home during the holidays to be reminded why we are willing to do this; it is those individuals who are able to dream for people other than themselves that gives us the fortitude to continue. That is the reason for the U.S. Army motto: This We'll Defend. "

"Ms Honeywell, I was unfortunately delayed from writing yesterday, and when I arrived this morning, found that two more boxes of reading material had arrived. Thank you to the volunteers of Dunstable, MA, as well as to Jay W. in Wall, NJ and Jane A. in Queensbury, NY. Three boxes of new books for my soldiers! Your efforts are warmly appreciated and always warmly received. "

"I received two shipments of books so far. Thank you."

"Hello from somewhere I can’t really say at the moment. I received your books and they are AWESOME! Thank you so much. Reading is not always a guaranteed activity during our free time. Mostly because we don’t always get free time. But I do like to read whenever I get some time to myself. I am STG3 Valdez on the USS Lake Champlain. We are currently somewhere in the Gulf. Not on land though. We really are in the actual Gulf on a ship. I like to tell people that the war knows no one terrain. It is fought everywhere at all times. That includes the water. But, like one of my shipmates says, “we are all on the same team anyway. I really don’t care what color uniform they guy next to me is wearing…just as long as he is shooting in the same direction as me is all I care about.” As you can see sailors have a bit of a sense of humor. I would like to take this time to extend my gratitude to all of your volunteers. Thank you very much for all that you are doing. We could not do it without your support. "

"I received the books and I am reading the Skeleton crew. I really appreciate it and so have my fellow soldiers. "

"From the Soldiers and Noncommissioned Officers in H Battery 26 Field Artillery and Kandahar Airfield I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to you. The box you sent was awesome and we appreciate the contents and the encouragement. I hope all is well on the home front and have a great day! Currently we have enough books to last for the rest of our deployment. All the reading material we pass on will go to the USO here on Kandahar Airfield. Thank you again for everything you do."

"Thank you guys so much for sending the books out to me. I got them right before Christmas so these are like presents to me…… Thank you so much for what you guys are doing and we really appreciate the support. Your gift will not just support me but they will support an entire platoon of Marines as well….. Take care and Merry Christmas……. "

"Good Evening. I just wanted to inform you that I received a shipment of books from the Dekaney High School- Library Teen Advisory Board in Houston, TX. "

"I received one of your care packages last week and wanted to say thank you for all your support from a grateful shop. The box arrived in good shape with a great selection in it. Thank you again for your support "

"Just wanted to drop a line telling you I received a box o’ books from Chrissy Honeywell. The box is a great conglomeration of military history over a 5-6000 year period. I thank you, as do the Marines and Sailors of 1st Marine Division. "

"Good Afternoon: I just received your gracious donation of books for our veterans. On behalf of Veronica Lisa who consented to having the books, I thank you for her as well as myself. These books will make our veterans happy during their visit at the Va. All the Best to your organization. "

" Thank you very much for the books. They are definitely being used out here. The books you sent quickly scattered among all the Soldiers. I have sent an email to a few of my friends over here that could use some books for their troops, so if you receive emails from people you don't know, it may be because of me. Thanks again!"

"Can you take me off of the list? I have really enjoyed being a part of your program. I love reading but I had no idea that the response would be so overwhelming. I've got more books than I know what to do with! Thank you SO much for what you do."

"I am writing to thank you for the three shipments of books we received. I have placed the books in an area for all of the soldiers and contractors I work with to enjoy. It is very kind of you to remember those so far from home. We appreciate your generosity and wish you a Merry Christmas!"

"Wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for the books sent to me and my fellow soldiers. We received a large delivery of individually addressed books today, Christmas. Very thoughtful and thanks again. "

"On behalf of the Veterans at the Bruce W. Carter, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, I would like to thank you and your organization for the paperback books we received from Mustang Engineering. Many of our veterans have little to pass the time while recovering. The books are a great way for them to relax while they recover. Thank you again. "

"Hi there, Just wanted to drop a note to say that I received an amazing shipment of books last week! So excited! Thinking I need to get in on the volunteer portion so I can make someone else as happy as these made me! Thanks for what you do! "

"I received a box of books! It's greatly appreciated! thanks "

"To the people of Operation PaperBack, Thank you. I have been in Afghanistan for eight months now and have received a few packages from loved ones back home. To my surprise I received three yesterday from an organization I didn't know my wife had signed me up for. We are still in the process of building our base and our library section had a total of about 100 books and I had pretty much read them all. Your donations are very much appreciated and came just in time for Christmas so that our book section is a little bigger. Thank you again for everything that you do. "

"God bless and thanks for the continued support. We, the Soldiers, thank you for the continued support. Tell all and family thanks and GOD BLESS."

"Just wanted to say "Thank you!" again for the books. I have received two more shipments this week. Thanks again and best regards."

"Just a quick note to let you know that Togus VAMC in Augusta, Maine received your package of paperbacks. Thank you so much and keep up the good work. "

"The VA in Memphis received a box of paperbacks this week. "

"Dan--we cannot thank you enough for the donation of 44 books donated to the Medical Center for the enjoyment of our veterans. Receiving generous donations such as yours through Operation Paperback allows us to provide the niceties to the men & women who served our country. On behalf of the Medical Center staff, our clinics, & our veteran patients, Thank you!"

"Thank you so much for the books. What a nice surprise especially around the holidays. My daughter has already read through all her books and loves them. This is a great project and we appreciate your gratitude. Thank you again and happy holidays!"

"Aloha! Thanks for the donations of the audio equipment, we are putting it to good use! We want to let you know we appreciate it a lot, even though some of us enjoy reading, the audio makes it so much easier to relax your eyes and entire body and just immerse yourself in the story. Thanks again and we look forward to more audio books...Mahalo!"

"Good Morning, I just wanted to let you know that I received the shipment of books that were collected by the staff and guests of the Hyatt Regency Hill County Resort and Spa. Thank you for sending these books to me and my shipmates, we very much appreciate it! Fair winds & Following Seas. "

"Thank you so much for your support. We really appreciate you taking the time to care. The fact that you are sending books to us deployed Soldiers is phenomenal. I will be distributing the books as soon as they arrive. Thank you!! "

"Mr. Tarpey, It has taken me awhile to get this card to you. I am sorry but I did want you to know that I received the books & very much appreciate your efforts. I know it takes some time & effort to get the books mailed out but I want you to know that your efforts have paid off. Myself & other soldiers very much enjoy the reads & the diversion the books endulge us. Thank you !! "

"Just dropping you a quick line to let you know that we received the books that you sent. Thank you for your support and for keeping us entertained with books. "

"Thank you for all of the wonderful boxes of books we have received. You are so kind and thoughtful. All of your support is greatly appreciated. I will be going home in February. The team is all set at the present time and does not need anything else. Thanks again for all of your support and wonderful care packages. God Bless."

"I just wanted to thank you on behalf of the Marines and Sailors of 1st Battalion, 8th Marines stationed here in Musa Qal’eh, Afghanistan. The Colonel and I both picked up a couple books while we transitioned through Camp Leatherneck a few months back…and well….we wanted to officially tell you thank you for the continued support from all of us here. It’s great American’s like you all, that makes serving such a reward…and so fulfilling. Again, thank you from all the Marines and Sailors of 1/8. "

"Currently, I am deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan and wanted to convey my sincere appreciation and thanks to the Operation Paperback team. My roommate, Kelly and I are avid readers and found a place of solitude amongst the pages of the books you have sent our way to Kabul. It's a small reprieve in our day when we can go and peruse the rows of books and find a page turner or two. One may never realize the impact you have on others and the difference it has made to each of us, and for that we thank all of you. We are able to lose ourselves within the pages of each book and it has brought moments of joy in our lives and made us appreciate the act of kindness by others."

"Thank you so much for all that you do for the troops it is so nice to receive books and be able to keep up on reading and education while deployed words cant describe how grateful we all you have done and are doing for us :), If anything you are the true heroes in our hearts :) fueling our morale and keeping our heads lifted so we can fight and defend well thank you so much and keep it up we all love you"

"Thank you so much for the books you sent to my children. They enjoy a lot and motivate read so more. Thank you, Gracias, Quinones Family."

"Just wanted to take a quick minute to write and say thank you for all the boxes of books we have received on-board our boat. Every mail call guys are asking if we got more books in and are excited to have something new to take their mind off of all the work while underway. Thank you again, your work is very much appreciated, God bless Kevin"

"I just wanted to thank Judy from AZ as well as "Operation Paperback" for sending me the books. It was such a nice surprise to receive them. I will be sure to pass them along to our military. God Bless you all for everything that you do for us."

"Good Morning Operation Paperback, Currently, I am deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan and wanted to convey my sincere appreciation and thanks to the Operation Paperback team. My roommate, Kelly C. and I are avid readers and found a place of solitude amongst the pages of the books you have sent our way to Kabul. It's a small reprieve in our day when we can go and peruse the rows of books and find a page turner or two. One may never realize the impact you have on others and the difference it has made to each of us, and for that we thank all of you. We are able to lose ourselves within the pages of each book and it has brought moments of joy in our lives and made us appreciate the act of kindness by others."

"My entire division would like to thank Operation Paperback. I currently work inside a Hospital and not only are we able to benefit from the many books & magazines but so do our patients."

"I am a Navy wife to a Petty Officer 1st class who is in the middle of 3 back-to-back deployments (only a few months home then back out for several more months). I love to read everything, but when he's gone I CRAVE romance novels. I just received a boxful! Thank you so much! I also got a box of children's books for our 3 year old. This is such a wonderful program. Thank you for giving me a little comfort and diversion while I wait for my husband to return."

"Greetings, A special thank you goes out to Mr. Kyle G. and his friends for the hundreds of personalized Christmas messages and drawings intended for the troops. As soon as we received them, we gave them to the hospital's volunteer association. They included these messages in the care packages they are able to send to the troops that are deployed. We are certain it will brighten their day knowing that thoughtful people are thinking of them during the holidays. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful holiday season."

"Mr. Tarpey and Family I want to personally thank you for the support that you have given the soldiers of my unit. Not a day goes by that we do not feel thankful for the support that we have received from citizens like you. We are currently very busy with ongoing operations in our area of Afghanistan and have had little time to reflect on anything but the task at hand. I cannot express enough how much the soldiers appreciate the items you sent for them. On behalf of the Officers, Non-commissioned Officers and soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division, we hope that you have a great holiday season and Happy New Year. Enclosed is a picture of us with Robin Williams, who visited us on the USO tour. "

"Mr. Tarpey, Thank for your generous gift. It is truly inspiring to receive a gift, such as yours from a stranger. I truly appreciate your efforts to make my life a little better. As a Soldier that has deployed many times, I can only hope that other great Americans, such as yourself, sent them a reminder that they were being thought of. I too, share your prayer for a quick end to this conflict. Thanks again for your support. "

"Mr. Tarpey, I have received your package of books and will sending you and your family a thank you letter within the next couple of days. Thank you for your package, the Soldiers will appreciate it immensely. Hope that your family has a great holiday season and appreciate the support. "

"Thank you Chrissy. The books have been great, me and my Soldiers have enjoyed them immensely. The support that you and your organization have provided to the Soldiers in the 141st Military Intelligence Battalion has improved morale and cannot be measured."

" Thank you so very much for the books that really do help the time pass."

"I just wanted you to know that we got our box of books. They look really nice and the box was in good condition. Thank you so much for blessing our family."

"I just wanted to take the time out to say thank you for my shipment of books. They were much needed and on time. Thank You"

"On behalf of Fob Dagger, Iraq I would like to Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to allow us to receive care packages. We just received word that our FOB is expected to begin closing sooner than expected, possibly as early as Feb 2011. At this time we would like to have our address removed as soon as possible in order to prevent shipments being sent to an address we are no longer at. Thanks for all the support you have provided us since our deployment began this past summer."

"We recently received a box of paperbacks and magazines from your organization, and just wanted to take a minute to offer you our sincere thanks. We have a “Morale Tent” in our battalion compound, and we placed the books and magazines in there for our Marines to enjoy. Thanks again for your time and support. "

"Thank you for the books you sent. The package arrived here in Afghanistan on Monday, Novemeber 29th and will keep us entertained through the holidays. Please pass on our thanks to Mrs. L. Jessee of Middletown, RI and the folks at D. Kelley Fine Used Books."

"Just wanted to say thanks for the books from Jane P. of Franklin, MI. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate receiving them. I go through the box and grab six books or so. The rest I put out at the Passenger Terminal where I work. There’s few left once we do three or four missions. The ones that do remain get read by people waiting, sometimes for days. It keeps morale high knowing people care. Again, Thanks very much. "

"I've received a few more packages and just wanted to say thanks again!!! The books have all been well received and passed along. I am about to head back home though, so can you take my name off of the list for new packages? Otherwise they will just get forwarded to me back in the states which sort of defeats the purpose! Many thanks again, and Happy Holidays :)"

"Thanks for such a great program,.. this is my first time, however I have seen the result of the program through other soldiers and I was amazed. When I return from my deployment I will join the team."

"Just wanted to say thanks for your support. I’ve received two boxes of books from individuals and both disappeared in a few days. I work at the passenger terminal. After I take the books I want to read I put the others in the book shelf. They are gone fast. People spend days waiting for flights and it does pass the time reading. Again, thanks for your support"

"Hi! I wrote to you asking for books. I just wanted to let you know that I received them and from everyone in my platoon and myself we wanted to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We appreciate what you guys do and it does help our morale out here. "

"Del and Linda J.: Thanks for the shipment of books we recently received. They are welcome additions to our small collection here in Kabul, Afghanistan. I'm certain the books will be well-used before the end of our tour here."

"I'm just visiting Cobra which is on the eastern boundary of US Division - North's territory in Iraq. I noticed a collection of books in the flight terminal and found the note asking for a receipt of confirmation. It appears these just arrived with some other goodies from back home! I am working on a paperback now that I picked up at another installation last week. Finding a good book is a treasure over here and helps me pass the time when waiting on flights or even when I'm on home base to relax in the evenings. Thank you very much for wonderful gift! Please let all your staff know that we are grateful for your kindness and thoughtfulness:) "

"A huge thanks to all the volunteers who have sent me books - we now have an overstocked library here on COS Marez (Iraq) for all the soldiers to enjoy! Everyone's thoughts and support are much appreciated. Thanks to everyone's generosity, we are set for quite awhile on books...please feel free to direct further shipments to those still in need. Thanks again for all who participate in this great program! "

"Mr Cassell, Thank you for the gift of books. I have just returned from a long patrol, and found your package waiting for me; it was the best thing to happen in the last six days. Thanks to you and all of your volunteers in Dunstable for their efforts and consideration."

"I have just returned from an extended patrol, and what should I have waiting for me upon my return, but a care package from the Peninsula Friends of the Library! Thank you very much for the excellent selections of books; my soldiers and I greatly appreciate your kindness and generosity. "

"Just wanted to say "Thank you!" for the books. I have received three shipments already. I am so impressed with this program, I have shared my experience with the rest of my unit. I will also pass the books around to other Soldiers, so that this good work goes beyond just me. Thanks again and best regards."

"I wish to declare my thanks for those who donated the fine paperbacks. Soldiers here are astounded with the good reading materials. And yes, the shipment arrived safely. So, thank you again. I will inform other soldiers here in our Combat Aviation Family about the nice donations and the Operation Paperback program. Believe me these books are definite diversions from the moods of missions and exercises here at the Korean DMZ. God Bless and thanks. "

"Thank you so much. I'm sure what books I can't get around to reading will be enjoyed by many others here. "

"Again, I thank you. I received another 2 boxes. God bless!"

"I've received your books and have put them in our common use library to be shared with other unit members. Thanks again. I know the books are well received and appreciated by many! Thanks again for what you do."

"Mssrs Roeder and Foltz, Thank you very much for the kind donation of books. All of us at Bravo Company, 319th MI are happy to receive them and look forward to forgetting about Afghanistan for a little while. "

"I just wanted to let you know we received our box of books today from Ms. G. Wittenberg and the First Presbyterian Church of Manaquan, NJ, and it was greatly appreciated. Thanks again for the wonderful support! "

"To Fran, I just received my box of books and wanted to tell you I am very grateful. I am an avid reader, and to relax my mind, I love to escape in a good book. I appreciate you taking the time to gather the books and mail them to me."

"I signed up for Operation Paperback a few months ago. I have received plenty of wonderful books I’ve shared with our local MWR, USO, and Library here in Kuwait so others may read. We have a high volume of transients that flight in and out here. It gives them something to pass the time while they are getting ready to fly out. I haven’t been able to write everyone personally (I will find the time soon to sit down and do so for everyone’s generosity). Unfortunately our jobs here keep us busy busy busy, I tend to go to my resting quarters at the end of the day and just want to close my eyes. I did however posted a note online on the Operation Paperback website and although it is not as nice as a personal note, I did want to let everyone know how much their support means to me and my fellow troops. I want to thank you again for your support. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Take care. "

"Mr Tarpey, Ms Honeywell, Thank you once again for the delivery of books and magazines for my soldiers. We are in the process of building bookshelves for all of your donations, and have given several boxes to our installation Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) center so that more servicemembers (both US and our multinational partners) can enjoy the books as well. There are soldiers from the US, Canada, Australia, and Great Britian, all of whom appreciate good reading material. Thank you very much for your kind efforts on our behalf."

"Dear G. Wittenberg, Thank you for your support and love again! It means a lot to us. Today, I received a box of care package with many books. It will be a great gift for us. God bless you! "

"Just a note to say thank you for the two boxes of books recently received. A Special Thanks to The Association for the Help of Retarded Children Adult Day Habilitation Program as well as Lillie N. from the Members of First Presbyterian Church, Royal Oak, Michigan. We truly appreciate your kind gestures, and will definitely enjoy the books then pass along for others to enjoy. Thanks again. "

"Just wanted to send a quick email and let you know I received the shipment of books. We truly appreciate the support we are receiving from people back home. It amazes me how generous complete strangers can be, and I am truly thankful. We will enjoy all of the books, and pass them along when we are done with them. Again, I thank you very much. Also, being that I am currently in the 101st, and the only other unit I have ever been in is the 82nd, I had a big smile on my face when I read the second letter in the package!!! "

"I wanted to send a note of thanks to the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Coos Bay, OR for the recent shipment of books. As there are so many, I have been sharing them with all my coworkers and everyone here is truly appreciative. Thank you for what you do!! "

"I just wanted to drop a note and thank several organizations for the boxes of books they sent out Association for the Help of Retarded Children and Adult Day Rehabilitation Program Denise & Randy Dana B. Thank you so much for what you are all doing. It is greatly appreciated! "

"Dear G. Wittenberg, Greetings from Afghanistan, I received another box of 20 books that you sent us 24 Sep 2010. Thank you so much for these wonderful gifts and you are the best supporter for us. It means a lot to us. Thank you so much for your outstanding support of American service members, especially to the 31st Combat Support Hospital. I am always glad to know that those we serve are proud of us and are willing to go to the extra mile to ship us some of the comforts of home. Every item that reaches us Soldiers here at Camp Dwyer goes a long way to improve our morale. I pray this note finds you and your family well and I want to thank you on behalf of my Soldiers and families as well. Can you send any picture of yours? I have a photo book with all our sponsors’ pictures so that our Soldiers can see their sponsors. "

"I want to thank everyone at The Lutheran Church of St Andrews for the generous book donation to our library. I know all the troops we have training at Fort McClellan are really enjoying them. There isn't anything to do at Fort McClellan on their down time but to come to the Internet Cafe and use the computers or read books. I brought in a TV but we do not have cable. I also brought in a portable DVD player so they can watch some movies. I still have not gotten any movies yet. I am trying to get someone to copy some for me. I welcome anything you can send to make the troops stay at Fort McClellan more enjoyable. Thank you very much. "

"Dear Mary Beth M., Greetings from Afghanistan, I received a lot of books from you a few days ago. Thank you so much for your support and generosity. Our staff are tired emotionally and my job becomes very important as a encourager and motivator. I reminded them always how much their job is meaningful to save lives in our debriefings. When they tired, they came to the special place in our chapel and community center to relax and digest their pains, watching movies, playing games, eating snacks, taking naps, and hanging around with people. All is possible in God and you guys made this possible for Soldiers and staff. My job is making fun and bring humors in my Sunday services, Bible Studies, daily 6-7 times visitation, classes and briefings. I opened the marriage enrichment class for 6 days with a lot of humors and fun with 90 people attendances. We are thirsty for great things here. God bless you and please continue to pray for us to complete our mission. Thanks again for your support! God bless you! "

" I have received many boxes of books from your organization. From Gigi C., Diane H., Friends of Amkercil, OH library, Gary C., and the two Sues from West Shokann, NY. I have, Since I entered this organization, received nearly 26 boxes of books. I thank you very much for everything. All these books are making their rounds out here in Afghanistan, and the troops are overjoyed by receiving these bundles of books. As I receive more books, I will continue to be a liaison for you out here in Afghanistan. Again, Thank you. God Bless. "

"Greetings from Afghanistan! As per your request, I just wanted to inform you that I have thus far received 2 or 3 boxes of books from your organization. Thank you. We have a library tent where the troops can come in at their leisure to grab books to read. And many have been doing that and passing the books onto others. Your hard work is allowing us to have a piece of home and a time to focus away from the realities of war we face every day out here. So again, thank you for what you do. I look forward to receiving more so that our troops can enjoy the varieties of selections. God bless you! "

"Thank you for your generous donation of books. My unit and I now have enough books and more to last us for the rest of our deployment, and as such, would like to be taken off your mailing list. Thank you again. "

"Mr. Kent B. Massachusetts and Ms. Kathy D. Illinois. Greetings Friends ...and once again, thank you most kindly for all the books and DVD's that you so kindly sent to us earlier this month. The books are already on the library shelves, and the DVD's are displayed near the front door of the Center where one and all are most welcome to help themselves. An interesting development here is that folks who borrow also seem inclined to return...with donations of their own! We seemed to have created an informal lending library that is frequently a source of conversation among visitors to the Center. And while I have you on line, kindly allow me to extend one last expression of gratitude to all the fine people who support Operation Paperback. I am on my way to the airport this evening to pick up my replacement and perhaps a week hence I will be on my way home after completing nearly two years at one of the busiest international seafaring centers between here and Singapore - and one of the few! It has been a real pleasure to work with Chrissy Hopewell and her supporters and the folks on this small island are much the better for having been introduced through this Center to the work of your humanitarian organization. I am grateful - extremely so, to have had the opportunity to work with so many of you, and wish you all the very best in your continuing service to America's military and merchant seafarers. "

"Good Evening One and All: Our service to seafarers and US military personnel has increased remarkably over the last month or so, which leads me to ask for your indulgence in writing a single letter of thanks to many of your for the boxes of books, magazines and DVD's that have been received here at USSDG since 9/1/10: To the following: Ms. B. Rich/Tyngsboro, Ms. T. Portell/St. Louis, Delpha and Jim M./Hermiston, Ms. Caroline B./Bayside, and Ms. Kathy D. of Owaneco, -thank you one and all for your generosity and thoughtfulness. It is very much appreciated by all of "USS" here at the Seamen's Center at Diego Garcia, BIOT "

"Dear Ms. Pritt: Just a long overdue note of thanks for the box of books that you so kindly sent our way on the 13 of this month. It was a fine selection which many of our patrons should enjoy. Our patronage has really increased of late - alot more military and marine personnel passing through our doors, and the OP program is providing a very welcome service here thanks to people like you. Our deepest thanks for thinking of "USS"."

"Good Day Jacob: Thank you most kindly from the United Seamen's Service Center here at Diego Gacia in the British Indian Ocean Territory, for the two large boxes of paperback books that you so kindly sent to "USS" on the 7th of this month. Upon receipt of both boxes this morning at the post office, I transported them to a cargo ship here in the harbor that moves between Singapore and Diego Garcia every three weeks. The American seafaring crewmembers were very grateful for the books and asked me to thank you on their behalf. All our best wish to Boy Scout Troop 50 for your thoughtfulness and generosity."

"Ms. Debbie E. Northwest Radiologiy Indianapolis, Indiana Ms. Bethany R. Tynsboro, Massachusetts Mr. and Mrs. Kent B. Andover, Massachusetts and Mrs. Katharine C. Puyallup, Washington Warmest (as in tropical) greetings to all you thoughtful and generous people. Not sure I took the time to write all of you to thank you for your many, many thoughtful boxes and parcels addressed to the active duty U.S. military personnel and maritime staff here at Diego Garcia. Upon receipt of about about a dozen parcels over the last ten days or so, I took them all to the COMPSRON II office here at Diego Garcia and asked the staff there to divide and deliver all the books and magazines to the ships here in the Lagoon. We have had alot of great feedback from the crews since then as to the contents of those boxes so I wanted to insure that I have written to thank you all for the generosity of your donations. I close with an apology for not having the time to write to each of you individually to thank you for your donation on behalf of the military and maritime personnel here at Diego Garcia, but we all very much appreciate what it is that you do for all of "USS". P.S. Kent, thank you for the two (2) Mackinac(w) Bridge stamps - I attended Mackinac College in 1968 and 69 and was unaware that those stamps were in circulation until I saw them on your boxes. It brought some great memories for which I thank you. "

"I would like to thank you and your organization for the overwhelming support that we have received from you... My soldiers get excited each and every time I receive a box of books from you and your volunteers. I actually have a Specialist that "Delivers" the boxes to my office, with the understanding that she gets to have first dibbs..... With that said, we need to stop receiving the great support that you have given me and my soldiers. As the drawdown continues here in Iraq, I don't want to leave a bunch of books behind. Thank you very much for your support and everything that you and your organization do for us."

"Thank you so much for the boxes of books. I've gotten two boxes so far and I'm very appreciative of them. I have shared them with my shipmates and they love them too."

"We received your box and we are astonished with the books. We are definitely enjoying them. I think by the end of the year, we'll be scholastic readers! :) Thanks. "

"I wanted to say thanks you so much for my books. The boys were so happy to have them and to read them. It brought tears to my eyes when I saw how nice they were. It's great for people to support the families of the military in such a great way. Thank you again!"

"Thank you very much, I received several boxes of books for the past few days. I share them with the rest of the military personnel in our camp. Thank you so much to all the Volunteers."

"We have received two more shipments of book since the last. Again, we thank all of you for your support and care."

"Thank you for your generous gift of books. They are a welcome addition to our fledgling library of about 400 volumes for 1300 personnel here in Kabul. We appreciate your support and all those who are involved with Operation Paperback. The books you send allow us a little comfort and escape from our day-to-day mission. Thanks again "

" Got your case of books - thank you so much. We have lots of Soldiers who have to wait in our building, so I put your books out there for them to help the time go by. Blessings. "

"Hello, I just received your package and wanted to let you know. I have saved a couple of the books for myself and have shared the others with my fellow soldiers so that everyone can enjoy them. Again ... Thank You. "

"Hello, I am the new Director of the USSDG. We did indeed receive the shipment of books from you. I can't begin to tell you just how much it means to the guys here in Diego Garcia. They look forward to getting new books to read. I would like to thank all the volunteers for their endless work. Again thank you so very much. "

"I have all of the Stone Barrington series less Dirt, Dead in the Water, and Swimming to Catalina. If you happen to have any of the these in paperback, please feel free to send them. Otherwise, I will have more than enough books to get me through the deployment. Thanks again."

"Thank you for the books, just got them today. I was very happy to find "New York Dead" by Stuart Woods, as this one seems to be rare. I noticed that your selection of books were written by equal or better authors and I look forward to reading them. I plan to share all the books with other Soldiers to maximize your good works. "

" Thank you very much for donating 'The Judas Strain' by James Rollins to the Operation Paperback program. I bought my first James Rollins book to take with me to Afghanistan. I have since finished it and found 2 more to read in the library here on Bagram AB in Afghanistan. I didn't even know about the program until I saw the sticker on the book. I don't know if you've read many of Rollins books but I have become a big fan of his Sigma series so I was really happy to find it in the stack of books here. It has definately helped to pass the time! Thanks again. "

"Greetings Friends ...and once again, thank you most kindly for all the books and DVD's that you so kindly sent to us earlier this month. The books are already on the library shelves, and the DVD's are displayed near the front door of the Center where one and all are most welcome to help themselves. An interesting development here is that folks who borrow also seem inclined to return...with donations of their own! We seemed to have created an informal lending library that is frequently a source of conversation among visitors to the Center. And while I have you on line, kindly allow me to extend one last expression of gratitude to all the fine people who support Operation Paperback. I am on my way to the airport this evening to pick up my replacement and perhaps a week hence I will be on my way home after completing nearly two years at one of the busiest international seafaring centers between here and Singapore - and one of the few! It has been a real pleasure to work with Chrissy Hopewell and her supporters and the folks on this small island are much the better for having been introduced through this Center to the work of your humanitarian organization. I am grateful - extremely so, to have had the opportunity to work with so many of you, and wish you all the very best in your continuing service to America's military and merchant seafarers. With my best wishes."

"Dear Ms. Mack, As per your request we received the three boxes of girl scout cookies. I must say, I opened them up put them on a tray and in a matter of minutes they were gone. I can tell you the guys really enjoyed them. So for myself and all the US Troops here, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. "

"Thanks for the books and we really appreciate all the support you at home are giving us. The books will be added to our slowly growing library of 250 volumes for our base here in Kabul, Afghanistan. I hope your niece's husband stays safe and makes it back home in one piece. Again, thank you for the books and for thinking of us as we and Soldiers from 43 other nations strive to bring peace and security to the Afghan people. "

"Just wanted to confirm that I received the package from Don W. from Vero Beach, FL. Thank you all again for the continued support! I definitely don't have to worry about running out of good books to read! "

"Your care package of reading material arrived this morning, and I wanted to let you know that it both arrived, and my soldiers have already started devouring its contents. As always, your kindness is warmly received, and we thank you for giving us a gift with your time and effort."

"I have received the shipment of books from you yesterday Nov. 16. I would like to thank you on behalf of the Marines in PowerPlants Division of MALS-16 (FWD) for the books we have received from you. They are a great contribution to the bookworms and those inspiring to be while deployed here in Afghanistan. Thank you for your time, effort and the books. "

"I wanted to thank you for the overwhelming support we have received from your volunteers since signing up for the program. I want to pass on a special thanks to the following orgs which donated books to us: The Lewis Walpole Library, Ms. June B. of Carlsbad, CA, Mr. Tom C. of Roswell, GA. When we arrived at our station, we had no books, DVD's etc. Thanks to your organization for donating these books. Since we opened our Morale Library, it has been a large success, and these books are being utilized throughout camp. This was a huge morale booster and will be able to provide much entertainment for years to come at this location. Thanks to organizations such as Operation Paperback and the many volunteers for taking the time to box/ship books to our location."

"Just wanted to let the friendly people at Middletown Public Library know that I received the box. Every one of the books in that box looks great. I'm excited to read every one of them. They must be able to read my mind in reference to what authors I like. Again, thank you all very much, I truly appreciate it. "

"Hi, I just wanted to send you a quick "Thank you" for the books you sent me. They will help the time pass during my down time. You sent way more than I expected and I appreciate the time and effort it took to get them to me. You are great people to volunteer your time and effort for a complete stranger. "

"I just wanted to let you know that I received your latest package and distributed the items to my Soldiers. Thanks for all you do and know that it doesn't go unnoticed."

"Today I receieved a well built, intelligently chosen selection of books from volunteers Deborah and David M. in Woodbridge CT. I have sent them a letter, but also wanted to thank Operation Paperback for the program! It means a lot to get any kind of support from folks back home - especially support in the form of books. As a bibliophile, I love it anyway, but it is a great way for us to take a break, and the gifts get shared and passed on continously. Thanks so much."

" I have received three boxes within the month. They are from Barbara C. (Millington,TN), Amy P., and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. (Gold Canyon,AZ). I thank all of you for your continued support of us all over here in Afghanistan. The books you have sent have been distributed between many different units, and a wide range of Marines and Sailors; all of whom wanted to reach out to you with a sincere thank you. I appreciate everything you do. "

"I received 3 boxes of books today. I would like to say thank you very much to: Dan and Shirley A. of Reno, NV Don W. of Vero Beach, FL Sue M. Again, thank you! "

"Good afternoon, Today we received a shipment from operation paperback volunteers located in Dunstable, MA. Your time and support is greatly appreciated."

"Just wanted to say "Thank you!" again for the books. I have received two more shipments this week from, Janet L & Ron (unknown). Sorry, I shredded the addresses on the boxes before I noticed that the names were not on the letters. So, please pass on my thanks to the volunteers that have sent me packages. Thanks again and best regards."

"We would like to thank you for your support and let you know that we received your shipment today from Gay W. of Manasquan NJ. Your time and support is greatly appreciated."

"Thanks to all. Received several packages/boxes of books and placed them in our common use library. We are all very appreciative. Thanks for the support! The advisor/mentors to the Afghan Air Force here in Kabul Afghanistan are grateful. "

"This email is on behalf of the Sailors with the USS Harry S. Truman. I would like to thank Operation Paper Back, Dylan L. and all of his friends and family for supporting us and all that we do. We received the books and they are extremely appreciated. I will also be sure to pass on the good word from Operation Paper Back and your opportunity to continue to serve those who serve. Thank you again! "

"Ed & Sue A., I just received my box of books and wanted to tell you I am very grateful. I am an avid reader, and to relax my mind, I love to escape in a good book. I appreciate you taking the time to gather the books and mail them to me. Thank you."

"Denise R... This is to confirm that books were received from Operation Paperback on Monday, 25 October. They were received in good condition. The United Seamen's Service, which serves both merchant seafarers and U.S. forces personnel, thanks you for your service. "

"David W... Thank you for the books. The latest offerings arrived in good shape via MPS. The United Seamen's Service, which serves both merchant seafarers and U.S. military here in Okinawa, thanks you for your efforts. "

"We just received a package from Ms. Nancy M and/at the Johnston Willis Medical Center of Richmond, VA, and just wanted to say THANKS! for the books. If you have a contact for her please pass along our appreciation. Thanks again for what you do. "

"Hello, I just wanted to send you guys a quick note saying I have received several boxes of books. Thanks for your support. Have a great day."

"Just wanted to say thanks to Mr. Don W. of Vero Beach, FL for the package. I truly appreciate the generosity and support from those of you back home. I will thoroughly enjoy everything you sent."

"Dear Ms. Clark, We received two shipments from Operation Paperback this week. Both shipments were a highlight to both my Marines and Government Civilians who support our mission out here. We didn’t tell anyone we had contacted you until the first shipment arrived and everyone was thrilled to receive the books and magazines. Any kind of mail is motivating and always welcomed – but now that everyone in our command knows we are on the list folks are even more excited about the mail run. Thank you so much. We look forward to your continued support and prayers. "

"I would like to thank everyone who has sent books to me. I have passed them out to troops in my area and they love the fact that they have a diversion to take their mind off of things. Thank you so much for everything."

"Thank you for all the books you have sent!"

"I would like to personally thank your organization with all its volunteers for the thousands of books you send. Over this past year as I have traveled around theater, I have discovered books which originated with Operation Paperback at every base and swap shelf. Old books, new books, stories from every genre, you are meeting a need that would not be filled any other way. Please keep up the good work! "

"Received books today courtesy of Linda Moore. We are very appreciative. Thank you so much."

"Thanks to you and your group of brave men and women we, here at home, get to enjoy a life free from all worries. Sometimes I feel guilty just walking around and having the freedom to do as I please or even make those type of decisions. I know your day isn't like that at all. Thanks for caring for others the way you do. In the bible God says that we should love our neighbor as we do ourselves............you do that every minute you are there. God Bless you, we are praying for you continuously. "

"Thanks to all service members for what you do for this country. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your families. Get the job done and come home safely!!"

"Hello. Passing through Sigonella my detachment was given a box from the air terminal personnel. It contained 25 paperback books and was sent from Mr. Gay Wittenberg. We just arrived at our destination and I must say thank you for your thoughts and the gift. These books have helped keep our minds engaged and fill in some of the idle time between missions. Thanks again for your support."

"Just received a bunch of books. Thank you for bringing them so quickly. Can't wait to start reading them... Thanks again!"

"Thank you Sharon Meetsma and Sally Draper and all the others that are working to improve our moral and quality of life downrange. I recently received my second shipment and was unable to immediately respond as our power was off for three days. Having something to read is a tremendous morale boost for myself and others that I have shared books with. It means a lot to us to know there are people back home willing to take the time and effort to support us over here. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Stephen D."

"Thanks, I received my books today. I was suprised to see how many books I received. Give a special Thanks to Kathy D*** for sending them. I know that myself and the rest of the soldiers in my office will enjoy reading them and imagining that we are back home relaxing to a good book.. Thanks again and keep them coming. P.S If you have any James Patterson books, send them my way ;)"

"Thank you. I truly appreciate the books and I'm sure everyone else will too. We are very limited in entertainment since we are in a really small fob. Our internet and phones don't have the best connections, so we have to find other means of entertaining ourselves in our off time. There is nothing better than reading a book. Thank you all for your support."

"I just received my box of books and wanted to tell you I am very grateful. I am an avid reader, and to relax my mind, I love to escape in a good book. I appreciate you taking the time to gather the books and mail them to me. Thank you. "

"My time here in Afghanistan is soon be up. You have sent me nearly 6 cases of books. That is nearly 60 books. I've read nearly 15, I gave the rest to Red Cross and MWR. I'd also like thank you for all the many fishing, sailing, magazines. My favorite was Liveaboard. I'd like to be a volunteer when I get home. My wife collects lot of lady's magazines. I'm an outdoorsman. Gardening, kayaking, sailing, fishing, mechanic, and also mechanical stuff. So please let me how I can become a volunteer or where I can send what we have."

"I've received your books and have put them in our common use library to be shared with other unit members. Thanks again. I know the books are well received and appreciated by many! Thanks again for what you do. "

"Just received your shipment of books. Thank you very much for your generosity. You hit the nail on the head with the type of books I enjoy. James Patterson is one of my favorites!!! Thanks again for the books and kind words in your note, it is truely appreciated. "

"Thank you once again for another package of books - this one from Lee, Florida. Unfortunately, my office mate shredded the letter that accompanied the package before I could read it, so I'm not certain who to thank personally for their time and effort. At any rate, thanks to your whole organization for the kind gift."

"Thank you once again for the kind gift of books. They have arrived safely, and are being distributed to our soldiers already. Please thank Warren C*** and his associates in Dunstable, Massachusetts, for their efforts on our behalf."

"I received your shipment of books today (8 Oct 10). I'm very grateful that you took the time out of your busy schedule to package up those books for me and my Soldiers. The selection is great! Thanks for keeping us in your prayers and thanks to your son and nephew for what they've done in support of this great nation. God speed! And again, thanks for such a great selection. "

"Greetings, The patients at the Wilford Hall Medical Center are enjoying the many book donations that were sent from Hampton Bays, NY and Erwin, NC. For the people that sent the donations, your kindness is very much appreciated. Your continued support is remarkable."

"I want to let you know that I received the books and I want to thank you for them. I really enjoy reading a book to take me away from this desert. On a personal note; My husband and I are both in the Army and we even though we spend so much time apart, we love our jobs. I am proud to serve our great nation and people like you make everything worth it. Thank you. "

"Thank you so much for the books. I have been overwhelmed by your generosity and am now having to store books under my bed, and find new homes for them with my fellow service members. "

"I would like to thank all the volunteers who provide this motivating and inspirational support to us. We just signed up a couple of weeks ago and all of my personnel (LOGCOM FWD) are thrilled to be receiving the books and magazines. We also really appreciate the kind notes that come along with the books. People are excited about the mail runs wondering if another shipment of reading material is inbound. This is fantastic! Thank you so much. Semper Fidelis, LOGCOM Fwd Commanding Officer"

"I have received quite a few packages from Operation Paperback and me and my fellow troops thank you. We should have enough reading material for the rest of our deployment. Thank you again."

"I will like to thank every person that is involve on this operation, this trully makes a difference for the soldiers that don't have much entertainment available thank you all very much."

"I wanted to send a thank you to the volunteers of Operation Paperback. I have several soldiers that get excited when I receive a box of books. They request to open the boxes like it's Christmas and always want to beat each other in order to be the first one to open them. I thank you and my soldiers thank you. "

"To the Volunteers of Operation Paperback, thank you so very much for your continuing support of our troops around the world. We appreciate your kindness and thoughtfulness with sending so many books and magazines to the troops. Special thanks from the Troops here goes out to: Jim and Gigi Clark of Dunstable, GA, Christopher Daly, Eagle Scout of Mansfield, MA, Doc Carmichel and his staff of Marshalltown, IA, Christine Bensche and Scarsdale Troop 1596 of Scarsdale, NY, and Debbie England and the Employees at Northwest Radiology Network, Inc, of Indianapolis, IN. Your books and magazines were warmly received by the Troops here. Thank you so much for your support. God Bless you and God Bless all the Volunteers of Operation Paperback. God Bless the United States of America."

"Thanks so much to all the volunteers for providing so many books in theater! I have a constant supply of books to read here as well as when I was in Iraq. Haven't ever had to order any as we have numerous Operation Paperback bookshelves available everywhere!"

" I was deployed to Iraq and recently returned in August of this year. I utilized your services and received many book shipments from your group. I would like to say to you that your organization is the best and we greatly appreciated the books. You guys are awesome. Thank you!"

"Kind People at Operation Paperback, I wanted to pass along my thanks for everyone who helps to collect the books and have them shipped out to us. Although I work long hours, while traveling there is dead time, where a book is an ideal means of passing the time. Similarly, a little bit of reading in the evenings takes the edge of the day's work and allows my mind to wander to another time and place. Your books come in handy, and they can be interesting as well. Even if I read one outside of my normal comfort zone, they help with filling the time. For other people, who may have more on demand jobs, with long periods of being ready in between, I am sure that they appreciate books that reach them. I may have volunteered to serve, but people, like you, who volunteer without pay and without much recognition are equally deserving of recognition. You have my humble respect and admiration of your efforts. Thank you. "

"Greetings! We have received the movies and we are thankful to you! Even though they are burned and we can't keep them in MWR's library, I am pretty sure that people will be happy to have them. Unfortunately our library has rules that ban burned cd's, but we will be happy to receive DVDs if it is possible. I would like to personally thank Kathy D. for her effort and her blessings. I hope God blesses all of you, we appreciate everything that you do. Thank you."

"I received the package with the books in it and I really appreciate it. There are several guys here that saw what books you sent me and have already asked to read them, so I am letting them borrow some as I read a different book. Any books that you can send will be appreciated as it is about all we can do in our off time other than watch DVDs on our computers. Thank you for the books and the support from everyone back in the states."

"I have been negligent in providing feedback- I have received an outpouring of support- multiple boxes from IL, WA, TX, NY, etc. I have gone through the boxes, and am impressed by the books sent- from Science Fiction, to Penguin Books, Oprah's Reading list, to Shakespeare and classics. How to books, and Readers Digest books. Courtroom dramas, and books about relationships. I've already gotten through a few of them, but will not be able to even make a dent in the books sent. I live very close to the Red Cross building, and have dropped most of the books off there- they are able to take them to the hospital (we have a larger hospital on my base), and give them to the wounded intensive care soldiers- they make daily runs over there. The soldiers, airmen, marines that get them are definitely appreciative, and the wide variety of books makes sure there is something for everyone. I did want to mention- I am about to redeploy- my date got pushed up quite a bit, and I am now leaving in apx two weeks. I didn't want the books to be sent back to the recipients if I'm not there to receive them, and the last date that I'd be able to get them, if sent is probably the 21st of September. Again- I appreciate the books. I've had the opportunity to thank a few people individually, but do know the books have been appreciated by me, the soldiers at the location's I've traveled to (I've made a few trips and have left some books at most of the locations- so they're all over Afghanistan right now), and the military members at the hospital here. I appreciate what you do, and the outpouring of support. :) Have a wonderful day!"

"I wanted to send a note of thanks to the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Coos Bay, OR for the recent shipment of books. As there are so many, I have been sharing them with all my coworkers and everyone here is truly appreciative. Thank you for what you do!"

"Please convey my thanks and good wishes to Ms Renee B. of Florissant, Missouri. The box of books that she sent to me has arrived and is warmly (and appreciatively) received. This We'll Defend."

"Thank you very much for the book shipment -- they will definitely get me thru my deployment and I will share with others in my office. I hope all is well in Florida. Have a great day"

"Hello my name is Sgt.R., and me and the guys would just like to say thank you for your donations. We have appreciated everything you have done for us, but we are leaving soon and figured you should know so that you can start giving books to other soldiers replacing us. Thank you for everything."

"Greetings, I received your big box with many books for Soldiers and patients. Thank you so much and it means a lot for us to feel the love of home. I was happy to find out that there are many Louis L’Amour books because my commander loves to read these books. Our staff are tired emotionally and my job becomes very important as a encourager and motivator. I reminded them always how much their job is meaningful to save lives in our debriefings. When they are tired, they come to the special place in our chapel and community center to relax and digest their pains, watching movies, playing games, eating snacks, taking naps, and hanging around with people. All is possible in God and you guys made this possible for Soldiers and staff. My job is making fun and bringing humor in my Sunday services, Bible Studies, daily 6-7 times visitation, classes and briefings. I opened the marriage enrichment class for 6 days with a lot of humor and fun with 90 people in attendance. I plan to have a dancing competition in early Nov to have a fun time. I plan to make a class of stress management classes in the early of Oct. There are many things that God works among us and you guys are our team as sponsors. We are thirsty for great things here. God bless you and please continue to pray for us to complete our mission. Thanks again for your support! God bless you! "

"Just wanted to let you know that I received your shipment of books from Operation Paperback. The books are really appreciated as we do not have a library on this base. Thank you very much for the service you provide to us and the time you've volunteered. The books will offer us many hours of reading for our down time...a nice escape from the day to day grind. Thank you! "

"The books made it!! Thank you for your kind donations."

" I have received many boxes of books from your organization. From Gigi C., Diane H., Friends of Amkercil, OH library, Gary C, and the two Sues from West Shokann, NY. I have, since I entered this organization, received nearly 26 boxes of books. I thank you very much for everything. All these books are making their rounds out here in Afghanistan, and the troops are overjoyed by receiving these bundles of books. As I receive more books, I will continue to be a liaison for you out here in Afghanistan. Again, Thank you. God Bless. "

"Huge THANK YOU from our office at Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan! We were very excited to receive the shipment of books you recently sent! --Especially excited to see many classics included in the shipment! Many of us in the office and our troops on camp have set goals for ourselves while deployed. Those goals always include reading great books of literature and classics that were always on our “wish list” for reading but never found the time. While our mission here is huge, we have time on our hands to make ourselves better people. Books are always a big part of character growth and will also help us develop ourselves for careers past our current mission. Thank you for helping us in this endeavor as well as, the always important part of books, giving us the ability to escape our current environment to enjoy other worlds! Thank you so much for your support! "

" I recently received a shipment of books from you. We here at the Fire Dept appreciate the books, they are a real morale booster, especially for us readers who unfortunately didn’t bring enough themselves. Thanks again! "

"Thanks, we received the package yesterday! The guys and I were so excited to see the package... all the books will be put to good use.. thanks so much and we appreciate you guys support. Thanks so much for everything you do and everything you've done for us at FOB Dagger. We really appreciate it! Things have been pretty rough with this new Operation New Dawn concept and especially since Ramadan is ending soon... but we are hanging in there. We are doing OK here at FOB Dagger. "

"Thank you for the book. I was in one the laundry rooms at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and saw a book with your information. I just want to take the time out and Thank you for kind generosity in sending books to us service members. "

"I just wanted to say thank you for the time you’ve taken to send such wonderful books to all the deployed personnel. The books you send are greatly appreciated and have found their way into many a Soldier’s backpack. Besides Soldiers, the books you send are made available to Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and all the deployed civilians as well, by way of the Moral, Welfare & Recreation (MWR) Centers and libraries located throughout. It’s wonderful to know that there are those back home that have taken the time to just think about their deployed military. With many thanks, Thank you and God bless. "

"I was just send an email back saying I got the book and thank u for them. "

"Mr. Tarpey, I am writing to you, per your request to confirm receipt of your shipment. Thank you very much for your generous gift of books, our service members here really appreciate them. May God bless you and your family and friends. "

"I would like to thank for the support you have given us since my unit has been in Afghanistan. I am CH. (CPT) Kevin Trimble’s assistant. We have been setting all your books out for our troops every day. It seems that every day we have some new soldier wandering through and seeing what new selection we have for reading material. So on behalf of all the soldiers of TF Shadow 6-101 Aviation, currently stationed in Afghanistan and CH Trimble. Thank you. "

"I received a box of books from your organization yesterday. Several of my Soldiers have already selected some for reading. The smiles and surprise on their faces was worth a million and I wish you and your volunteers could have seen it. Thank you very much for the books and I especially thank Dennis and Penny J., whom I am assuming collected and packed the books. Thank you."

"Hello, I would like to thank you all for the books and goodies you have sent my Marines. We are in Camp Leatherneck and I have Marines all over the Battle space who are living in pretty harsh conditions. All of the things you send bring lots of comfort to them. I will tell you first hand that I am proud to serve along these young men and women who most of them are the age of my oldest daughter. I have enclosed a picture of some of the Marines in my unit for you all to see. Again thank you all for everything you do and the continued support for us. THANK YOU ALL."

"I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for your organization and all your volunteers support. The library shelves are filling up fast and the books are getting read. More soldiers will be enjoying the books for years to come. Thank you for all that you do."

"Thank you very much from the U.S. service members assigned to the ISAF Joint Command here in Kabul, Afghanistan for your generous donation of books we recently received. The books were placed in our fledgling library to build up our collection. This small library of less than 600 volumes serves this headquarters of 1,000 plus personnel. Your contribution means a lot to us and the books provide an escape for many in the command. Thanks again and hope all is well on the home front."

"I recently received a shipment of books from Mrs. Kathy D. I just wanted to let you know the package made it safely and is greatly appreciated. I look forward to reading these books and then passing them onto other soldiers. We are at a remote location in Afghanistan and don't have much in the form of entertainment/morale, so reading is definately my preferred way to get my mind off of the day to day grind out here. Again, we truely appreciate your generosity. I would love to write a hand-written thank you, but it is incredibly challenging to get mail sent off from out here. They deliver all the time, but barely ever pick up. thanks. "

"Thank you for all the books! I received them last week and I got two boxes. It means alot for the support of people from the states! Once again thank you and God Bless! Love and Peace Always!"

"We thank the good women and men of the University of Idaho-Alimni Association who took the time to collect paperbacks, box and send them to us. Operation Paperback is alive and well and your paperbacks have been distributed in keeping with the spirit of Operation Paperback -Troop Support. Sorry for the delay in thanking you. "

"I just recently added myself to the list but I would still like to take the time to thank you and let you everyone how much we appreciate your support. Sometimes we do not get the chance to call home or go online, and reading a good book always helps us escape and travel to another world. On behalf of every service member THANK YOU. We appreciate everything you do. We would not be able to complete our job if we did not have the support from our families and organizations like this and the great citizens of America who volunteer and donate to make one soldier, airmen, sailor or marine smile and make their day a better one."

"Hello! I signed up through your website to receive books for my unit. I want to thank you for all your support, the books that you sent were not only greatly appreciated, but Marines look forward to receiving them. My time here in Afghanistan has been shortened from one year to 7 months. I just wanted to ensure that I let someone know so that I could stop the shipment. Once again, thank you very much for all you do. "

"Good afternoon, I wanted to say thank you again for all the books we have been receiving out here. They are very much appreciated and I have been sharing them with all my shipmates. I would like to please ask to be removed from the mailing list. We have been getting so many books that we're running out of places to keep them. While the gift of reading is always enjoyed, there are truly enough to last through the end of the deployment. Thank you, thank you, thank you again for everything you do! Your support is always remembered!! "

"I have been negligent in providing feedback- I have received an outpouring of support- multiple boxes from IL, WA, TX, NY, etc. I have gone through the boxes, and am impressed by the books sent- from Science Fiction, to Penguin Books, Oprah's Reading list, to Shakespeare and classics. How to books, and Readers Digest books. Courtroom dramas, and books about relationships. I've already gotten through a few of them, but will not be able to even make a dent in the books sent. I live very close to the Red Cross building, and have dropped most of the books off there- they are able to take them to the hospital (we have a larger hospital on my base), and give them to the wounded intensive care soldiers- they make daily runs over there. The soldiers, airmen, marines that get them are definitely appreciative, and the wide variety of books makes sure there is something for everyone.I did want to mention- I am about to redeploy- my date got pushed up quite a bit, and I am now leaving in apx two weeks. I didn't want the books to be sent back to the recipients if I'm not there to recieve them, and the last date that I'd be able to get them, if sent is probably the 21st of September. Again- I appreciate the books. I've had the opportunity to thank a few people individually, but do know the books have been appreciated by me, the soldiers at the location's I've traveled to (I've made a few trips and have left some books at most of the locations- so they're all over Afghanistan right now), and the military members at the hospital here. I appreciate what you do, and the outpouring of support. :)Have a wonderful day! "

"First and foremost THANK YOU! I have received so many packages in the little time I've been here, it's so amazing! I've received so many books that I've donated a lot to our local MWR and library so all the Service Members are able to enjoy. However, I've kept a few for myself, lol. I feel horrible I haven't been able to find the time to write each individual person a personal thank you note. Please know your support is so greatful and appreciated. Thank you for what you do and for supporting the troops! God bless everyone! "

"We received the package from the North Florida/South Georgia Area today. Thank you so much. Quite a few of them were already snatched up by eager readers."

"I wish to thank the nice folks who send us the books, candy and DVDs. The soldiers of 3-2 GSAB will greatly appreciate all the love and kindness of people who still believe of the good things we do. God Bless and thanks. Oh yes... keep sending those caramel candies; those are our favorite!"

"Thank you so much for y'alls support! Y'all make everything worth doing. We are nothing without y'all behind us supporting us through the year we are deployed! "

"Joyce, Hello. Thank you so much for the knitting books that you sent. We really appreciate receiving them. It would be awesome if you could send extra yarn. If possible could you please send size 7 double point needles, end caps, and counters? We have a nice little knitting circle out here. Bernie is the most experienced. She’s taught me how to cable (I love it) and interchange yarn colors throughout my work. Since we’ve been out here we’ve made: beanies, baby blankets, booties, and scarves. I’d like to knit for organizations when I return to the states. We are scheduled to leave here at the end of September. Seven months is a long time to be away from our families so we’re more than ready to return. If you’re able to send the supplies here’s our mailing address: ********* "

"I would like thank you for your donation to this operation. I picked up a copy of "Angels & Demons" with your name on it. I don't have a history of being much of a reader, but I just finished "The Da Vinci Code" and was interested in this book for obvious reasons. I am a Specialist serving in Iraq. I work for a combat stress clinic out here. Again, thank you sir. "

"Thank you everyone for sending the books. I have been passing them around to all the soldiers in my Company. They are appreciated. "

"I want to say thank you for all that you have done in the time that we have been here in Iraq. The Operation paperback has been awesome. I know that the troops in my unit and others have enjoyed the books that have been sent, but all good things have to come to an end. We are looking at redeploying shortly and that I want to make sure that the next shipment of books doesn't get lost in the mail. It's best not to send any more to me. I will let the new unit coming in know about Operation paperback and hopefully they will be willing to email you to say hey we would like some books, but for now please no more books. GOD BLESS all of you for volunteering your time to make Iraq feel like home when we are so far away from ours. Once again THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, may GOD be with you."

"Thank you for all the books that you've sent to me and my unit over the past year. At this time, please remove my name and address from your database, as I am rotating from Iraq back to the US next week. Thank you very much."

"I would just like to thank everyone for their support! It is such a great feeling! I think I have enough books right now to last me two years! I really appreciate all of the support and the books! I am leaving here shortly so I would like to take my name off of the list to receive books. Thank you again! Have a wonderful day! "

"Hope you had a good Labor Day weekend. Got your box of books today - thank you so much. It's so encouraging to get support from back home. Also enjoyed the info on each of you. I happen to be a Medical Service Corps Officer working in contracting right now. I work on medical contracts back in the US normally. I guess you heard I like business books. Sharing the books & magazines with my office. There are over 30 of us here. I've added you to my monthly newsletter distribution list, which I've been writing while out here... Feel free to pass along to your friends & family. Let them know if they want to sign up to be on my monthly list, just have them e-mail me (I've got my email and mailing address on top of every newsletter). "

"I signed up for Operation Paperback earlier this year and the response has been overwhelming. Thank you to all the people I've been unable to send letters to. Know that even if we can't always thank you personally, your gifts live on here in our libraries and MWR sections. "

"Dear Operation Paperback, Thanks so much for sending us books and for your service to us through your program. I've gotten several boxes from... Mary Beth M., Krista P., John T. I put the books out in our waiting room for people to pick and read. I'll include you in my monthly newsletter, feel free to pass along to anyone. Anyone can email me if they want to get my monthly newsletter. "

"Dear Operation Paperback, Thanks so much for sending us books and for your service to us through your program. I've gotten several boxes from... Mary Beth M., Krista P., John T. I put the books out in our waiting room for people to pick and read. I'll include you in my monthly newsletter, feel free to pass along to anyone. Anyone can email me if they want to get my monthly newsletter. "

"Good afternoon!! I received my box today and I wanted to say thank you for them and for what you are doing. I have shared them with my shipmates and we all greatly appreciate them. Thank you again and best wishes for continued success. :) "

"I got a shipment of books today! Thanks so much for your program, and especially to your volunteers! "

"John, Thanks - got your books, and am putting them in our waiting area. I will include you in my monthly newsletters now. "

"Mr. Tarpey, We have received the shipment of books. Thank you so much for your kind donation. "

"I would like to thank all of you for sending the various books and comics for our reading pleasure. A deployment can be mentally very taxing but it's always a pleasure to escape into a good book. "

"Dear Volunteers, I received a letter from your organization along with your support in the form of paperback books. I am an avid reader and your gift means a lot to me. I am actually a civilian working for the Department of Defense and I am attached to the 101st Airborne Division in Bagram, Afghanistan. The volunteer's name on the letter I received was Penny C. Thanks to all of your supporters."

"Dear Volunteers, I received a letter from your organization along with your support in the form of paperback books. I am an avid reader and your gift means a lot to me. I am actually a civilian working for the Department of Defense and I am attached to the 101st Airborne Division in Bagram, Afghanistan. The volunteer's name on the letter I received was Penny C. Thanks to all of your supporters."

"Dear Janet, Thank you so much for the books. Being stationed on a remote Base, we don't have a lot of diversions, and your books are a welcome relief. Please convey our gratitude to all the Operation Paperback volunteers. We really appreciate your support! "

"I am writing to thank you again for all of your outstanding support. All of the Soldiers really do appreciate the books and gifts that your organization has provided. I have truly enjoyed the outpouring of support from your great volunteers. Thanks so much."

"Thank you, We received several boxes of books. We have read many and recycled a lot to other locations. We appreciate the thoughtfulness to send them and for your support of us. "

"I would like to thank you very much for the recent shipment of books I received. I was able to place them in our small library we have in our DFAC. The soldiers here that like to read are very thankful for you supplying us with some sort of relief. Thank you again for your support. "

"To all of you: Debbie N. of Devon, PA; Jaclyn and Sylvia; Yianu C.; Ilva M. of Heathsville, VA; Thomas F. of Sayreville, NJ; Helen G. from Cedarbrook Nursing Home; Sue M.; and Tom Thank all of you for taking time to help my troops and I have some peace of mind. We received all of the books you sent to my platoon. This time, about four boxes worth. I shared them with the entire Battery, even my commander chose a few to read. Thank you, each and everyone one of you. I hope that all of you are uniquely blessed in some very special way. Again, thank all of you for your time, effort, and financial support of us all. With the utmost respect and appreciation."

"David, Thank you for sending me the books. I appreciate it very much. The books will come in handy and will get my mind off of things for awhile. Again, thank you for everything. I hope you have a good day. "

"John, I just received a box of books from you and Operation Paperback and they arrived just in time! I was down to my last book. The small base that I'm at doesn't have a library, so the books we have sent to us are the only books we can get. I really appreciate what your operation is doing. We have quite a bit of down time and the books certainly help pass time between the missions. I'll be sure to pass the books on once my guys have run through them. So thank you! On a side note, I don't know if you have control over the addresses, but I found out that we will be moving soon. Please do not send any more books to the address I supplied to you. Thanks again for the service you are providing to us and thank you for your family's military service as well. "

"Thank you everyone! It's time to say good-bye, farewell and tell you I would miss this place..NOT! It's time to go home and get ready for the next deployment. Not really, but it seems that way. Please say a prayer for the Service Members who are still forward and a prayer for the new arrivals. I would say that deployments aren't difficult. It's leaving behind family and friends that make it difficult. Not to mention leaving our jobs, dropping a couple semesters for our students, and being away from home when our loved ones need us the most. As always, on behalf of the troops to all of our supporters, families, friends and well-wishers...we couldn't have done it without you. I want to thank you for your prayers, well wishes, thoughts and your support to our troops, especially during the holidays. Thank you for everything you have done for us from praying to sending us care packages. We appreciated your support, prayers and well-wishes. Please continue to support our troops and their families.........It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with America's finest Service Members......Thank you again for your tremendous support of our troops."

"To all you wonderful people: Three shipments of very good choices came this week. Thank you very much. They came from the Ethical Society of St Louis and from Donald C. Thank you, God bless, and Semper Fi."

"Thank you so much for the books and thoughts and prayers. We all appreciate your support of us and all the troops. Than k you for your donation and for caring about your military."

"John, I wanted to drop you a quick note and thank you for the book "Over the Edge." I got my hands on it and got to read it and really enjoyed it. Thanks for your support of the Troops. It is truly appreciated. I currently advise the Afghan Military Police at the Kabul International Airport and am on a 1 year tour. I've got about 4 months left. Take care. "

"Greetings from Afghanistan, How are you doing! This is Chaplain Kim from the ******, Afghanistan. We thank you so much for your books. The books mean a lot to all Soldiers and wounded warriors. We made a small library two months ago, right now it is a big library with about 700 books. We try to make more spaces to make a big library. I hope that you understand this…Once I make this library, it will be used by thousands of Soldiers and patients. We are supposed to go home the middle of Jan, 2011, but another unit will be here at that time and they will use all these things for their Soldiers. Thank you again and continue to pray for us. Blessings "

"Dear Debbie and Associates: Near as I can estimate, 14-15 boxes of magazines and books have been received here in the last week from the fine, supportive folks at Northwest Radiology Network of Indianaplis, Indiana!!! That is just amazing, and we here at Diego Garcia are most grateful. Eight boxes of magazines and books were picked up at the post office a week ago and transported to the support office of the fleet here in the Chagos Archipelago. Following that, the boxes were opened and the contents placed in bags marked for each of the ships, and then the bags were distributed to each of the ships here in the Lagoon. Two days ago, we picked up another 7-8 boxes and we are now in the process of delivering those boxes to the fleet office for distribution to the ships in Harbor. It is very much appreciated by the staff of Prepositioning Squadron II, so on their behalf I would like to thank all of you for the thoughtfulness, effort and expense that went into collecting, packing and mailing these readings to "USS" here at Diego Garcia. You have all been most generous and we are most grateful. All our best to all of you."

"Good afternoon from Afghanistan. I would like to take the time out to say thanks for sending the books to us. The Professional Reading Program is very important in the Marine Corps and receiving these books gives our Marines and Sailors and opportunity to learn more about our history and tradition. May God continue to bless you and take care."

"Just wanted to thank you for the two boxes of books I have received. I am sure the troops will enjoy them. "

"Dear Ms. Audet: Our thanks for both your OP letter and the two hardcover books that came in the box postal dated July 21, 2010. As a former grade school resident of Webster, Massachusetts, you may have been almost a neighbor of mine, but I am hard pressed to recall just where your town is in the scheme of things. Comes with countless years in the tropics. Your choice of publications was excellent and I expect that we will soon count your books among the missing in our library. They were quality publications and I am sure some of our merchant mariner patrons(many of them graduates of both Maine and Mass. Maritime) will find them a real pleasure to read in the limited amount of free time that they enjoy. We all thank you for the kindness. "

"I just want to thank everyone who sent my Soldiers books throughout our recent deployment. You have no idea how much your simple gesture meant to all of us. We where about to escape our situation for just a little while. We have returned to the states and would like you to send any future shipments to Soldiers who are currently deployed. Once again we truly appreciate everything you did for us. And we appreciate all your thoughts and prayers."

"Want to thank all of you for the books. The Soldiers really appreciate it. Gives them a way to relax from the stress of the day. Keep it up."

"Thank you for all the boxes of books that I have received so far. They have been a big hit. They have helped quite a bit and I am thankful for the time and effort everybody has put in sending those boxes. Thank you so very much it means a great deal to us over here."

"I give you my sincere thanks on behalf of my husband and myself. I received the care package for him today and will be forwarding it on. I think what you all are doing is fantastic. Keep up the good work! "

"Dear Kathy: As promised, the "Birds and Blooms" magazines arrived in yesterday's mail and just as you suggested, they are really a very welcome, and beautiful gift for our guests here at the Seamen's Center. For the discerning reader, they are a really great read and I thank you for going to the time and the expense to share them with "USS". My guess would be that they will find a broad readership among our many visitors here at the Center. Thank you again for your generosity, it will much appreciated by many of us here at Diego Garcia. "

"Dear Mrs. Davis and Mr. Doran: Thank you most kindly for the large boxes of both magazines and books that you so kindly sent to this late last month and early this. They were received here at Diego Garcia over this past weekend and distributed throughout this Center earlier today. The magazines were just an excellent selection(Smithsonian, Discovery and Texas Highways) and the western novels will be placed aboard ships here in our Lagoon by the staff of the local COMSPRON TWO office. We are most grateful for your thoughtfulness and thank you for taking the time to remember the seafaring guests of USS here in the British Indian Ocean Territory. I close with our deepest thanks for your kindness."

"First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak, MI, I applaud your fervor in support your U.S. troops. Your packages sent helped to quell the boredom of everyday in the Afghanistan theater of operations. Being from Michigan myself (Mason) I want to thank you all personally and from the Marines and Sailors of 1st Marine Division’s Headquarters Battalion a gracious “Thank you.” "

"I would like for you to extend a warm and heartfelt thank you to the members of Alpha Pi Lambda for sending the books to me. There were a few others I didn't get a chance to say thank you to and I've lost the paperwork, so if there's anyway you can track the people who sent books to me, please tell them thank you. As much as I've enjoyed receiving the books, I'm running out of space for them and our local library isn't that big to store any more, so I'm asking you to remove my name from the list. Once again, thanks for all of your kindness and generosity."

"Thank you very much for the books that you sent. They will be enjoyed many times over and circulated here for many troops to read. Your kindness and time spent volunteering is greatly appreciated by the people over here. Once again, thank you all very much. "

"We received two pallets of books. This is a treat better than ice cream in the desert. We are having a so much fun, not just the anticipation of reading, but digging through looking for the sequels for each other. Smiles all around. Thanks!!!! "

"I would like to thank all those who have sent Books to myself and the 809 ERHS personnel. Each delivery is met with a smile and hands waiting to find the book that will take them to another place. The books have traveled throughout Afghanistan. Thanks again for all your support."

"Dear Friends: I wanted to impose for just a moment to thank you for the generosity of the two boxes of magazines that you recently went to the expense and trouble to mail us here at USS Diego Garcia. It was a very excellent choice of publications - some of which are already in circulation here on the island. We thank you for the gift, and your generosity in mailing them to this Seamen's Center for distribution to both active duty military personnel and the civilian mariners and their guests who use this facility. I recently noticed where Operation Paperback is noted among the American Merchant Marine Library Association's list of their "Dedicated Friends" on Page 8 of the 2009 annual report. You most certainly are very much held in high esteem by both the staff and patrons of this USS Center. Thank you kindly."

"Hi folks! Just a quick note to let you know that we received a package of books from you guys, via the good folks at The Ethical Society of Saint Louis. What an amazing selection. We usually receive your basic Tom Clancy-type books, but today we received Shakespeare, Arthur Miller, Dostoyevsky, and Steinbeck - just to name a few! It was a nice selection. More importantly, several of my Soldiers have grabbed copies to start reading. Some commented that there were books they remember from back in school and wanted to read again, while others found classics that have been sitting on their "meaning to get to" lists for years. Thanks very much for your kindness and generosity. "

"I received your book shipment! Thank you very much! "

"Hi Francis and Sandy R, I want to thank you so much for all the books. My bookshelves were almost full. I thought I was going to have to get another cabinet. There have been many more soldiers and marines using the Internet Café this month. The books have gone down some with the increased activity. The Internet Café was just open from 0700-1600 until last week we extended the hours to 2200. I have several bookshelves and an area where they can lounge and make coffee or make popcorn. COL Keith still will not let me have a TV for them. I am still working on that. The Internet Café is in an old mess hall. They blocked off the kitchen area. I hope to get the rest of the building soon. SFC Jatko said that he was trying to get them to take out the kitchen equipment so I can start some of the activities that I wanted to. I will be able to set up an area where the service member can read a book to a loved one. With the help of the USO I will be able to record it on a DVD for them. The USO has a United Through Reading program. They will supply the DVD’s. I will not be able to mail the DVD’s like the USO does. I also wanted to set up an area where they can play guitars. The variety of books you sent was great. I just had one person ask for westerns. I do not have many of them. "

"To All, Today I received a three shipments of paperbacks, and they are greatly appreciated.(Ms. Eleanor D., Mr. David G., Cedarbrook Nursing Home) I enjoy reading to take my mind off of being away from home. I am glad I can serve my country and to help keep the United States safe and remain free. Again, THANK YOU, the books are greatly appreciated."

"Good evening from Afghanistan. I just received our first book from Operation Paperback today. The title is “Once Upon a Country” by Sai Nusseibeh. Our Marines will take full advantage of gaining knowledge from reading about Palestine. I know that it’s not on the Professional Reading List but perhaps maybe it should be. I’ll make sure that I give you feedback from myself and the Marines. Take care and thanks for everything."

" I would like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for the books your volunteers sent. My Marines and I are pleased to see the support we have received from our fellow citizens. The books do provide some diversion from our daily tasks and help tremendously with morale. Once again I would like to thank you for sending these books and showing the support of our brave men and women in the Marine Corps."

"This is for Girl Scout Troop 2516 from Eastchester, NY. I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for thinking about me. I hope this email reminds you that everything you do for us, "the Soldiers", matters. Take care of yourself and keep it up."

"I received 2 boxes of books from The Kennedys (JOE,VICKY,ISABEL,JOSEPH) and from Kasey Ozevedo. I just wanted to say thank you to you and to all the other volunteers in your wonderful organization. I will share the books with everybody here in the camp. Thank you again for your continued support, kindness and generosity."

"Just to let Diana Calder know that I received the books and goodies. I really appreciate your kindness and generosity. Reading is one of the few ways we have to spend our free time and it helps to relax. Thank you for everything. The support you provide greatly improves morale of everybody."

"For everyone that has donated and sent books to myself and my fellow soldiers here, thank you so much! You have provided a get away for us, along with hours of entertainment for us avid readers!"

"I have only been in country for a week, but I stumbled upon a box from Operation Paperback and found two books from one of my favorite authors. I can't thank you enough for your generous support of our troops overseas. Thank you!"

"Good morning Mr. Tarpey, On behalf of all the Marines here At CLR-15 Supply Co, I would like to thank you for your generosity. The packages were great and definitely lifted our spirits. May God bless you and your family always. "

"John- Hello! Sorry I haven't written you back. We received an additional box of books from you a few weeks ago that are much appreciated. Our mail takes slightly longer than most other places in Afghanistan, because it makes a few more stops in order to get here to us. I've had mail that's taken 5 days, and some boxes arrive that took six weeks. It's just one of those things. I am indeed a nurse. I love my job, and in my four years in the army have been stationed two places in Germany (Heidelberg and Landstuhl) and El Paso, TX (and I suppose you can consider Afghanistan a fourth place). I'm not sure what your daughter does, but I am a Med Surg nurse by trade. At the hospital here, we are more jack of all trades. I work ICU, triage, ambulance, trauma, and anything else they need! We are getting much busier here, which is good in some ways, and bad in others. It's not as hot here as it is in Iraq. My husband was in Iraq 2006-2007 and I remember him saying it would be 120-130 degrees. I think they highest temp we've had so far is about 115--hot but not that bad. The weather here is very similar to what we had in El Paso, so it's not been too much of a jump for us from Bliss. Unfortunately, we do not leave the base. I wish we could go out and visit the local area, because Herat has so much culture. From what we've seen of the areas north and south of us (from the Medevac crews), it looks like a beautiful country that I really wish I could explore. We sometimes have the opportunity to go to bazaars where local merchants bring things to sell. I love the carpets, so I have bought three so far since I've been here. My husband told me recently we need to buy a bigger house so we have room for all the carpets I have (I also lived in Turkey when I was in elementary school). It's alot of fun for the girls (all five of us) to go to the bazaar since we only have two px's the size of trailers, and we kind of go through withdrawal from not spending our money. Take care"

"Hello John, Just wanted to let you know that I have received your box of books. I really appreciate your kindness. We are creating a small library for all service members here on Camp Taji, so I will be sharing your books with everyone here. Thank you "

"I just wanted to say thank you all so much for the books! I have been sharing them with my soldiers and with our wounded warriors. We are all very appreciative and can't begin to thank your organization enough. "

"Thank you for all the books. It has made time really fly by."

"I would like to thank everyone that supported me and my Battalion while deployed in theater. The books were a blessing to us all. I will be sure to pass along this valuable resource that helps sustain troops while in theater."

"Thank you to everyone who has donated books to us troops. Every time I pass by the books I always keep a keen eye out for a new book, and I have found some of my all time favorites as well as some new favorites on numerous occasions. You have staved off boredom, sparked creativity and allowed me to escape into a good book. THANK YOU!"

"Sandi E, Colleen Q., Carolyn P.: Greetings to one and all: My apologies for using the group response, but the book blizzard occasionally comes so fast and furious that this is the only reply that I have the time for. At the present time, the Seamen's Center here at Diego Garcia serves as a transit point for all book boxes received at our post office. As soon as we determine from the US postal documents that the contents are indeed books, we transport them to the US Navy port facilities and they see to it that the books are equally divided and delivered to all the ships currently in port at that point in time. Your very generous boxes of books will be delivered to COMPSRON II tomorrow morning and our friends there in the Navy will see to it that the books are delivered to the ships for the weekend where I know they will be most appreciated. Thank you kindly for your care, concern and generosity in sending those books to "USS" for delivery. It is very much appreciated by all of us here at DG. "

"Dear Ms. Hill and Ms. Shott: Happy July 4th and thank you for helping to make ours more celebratory. The books that you were kind enough to send "USS" late last month are most welcome here and once normal operations resume here on Tuesday, July 6th, we will be passing them over to COMPSRON Two for transport to some of the American merchant ships on the Lagoon here at Diego Garcia. The 25 books you sent were an excellent selection of classics which I think the American seafarers will very much welcome and enjoy reading. We thank you again for your thoughtfulness and hope that you are having a wonderful American holiday observation. We most certainly are - in part due to the kindness of people like yourselves. "

"Dear Mr Cote: Thank you so much for your gifts of books. They arrived today and are very much appreciated. A little about us: we are a Forward Surgical Unit with the US Marine Corps. We are Navy docs, nurses, and corpsmen who care for wounded Marines, Afghan forces, and Afghan citizens. Our facility is made up of tents we constructed ourselves and we are in a forward operating base in *******. It is pretty austere here, with no exchange (store), dining facility (it's MREs/field rations, and all the warm water you can drink! But it is home for us for 7 months. The books are so appreciated as it helps time to pass and keeps us entertained. Thanks again. If you wish to see what our facility and some of us look like we have a facebook page : Charlie Company, 1st Medical Battalion. Please take a look. We hope to keep in touch. "

"Ms Selina: I want to thank you for the books that you sent me. They are greatly appreciated. There is not much to do except work (takes up most of my time), email my kids, and read. Reading takes my mind off everything that is going on around me and is a great thing to do prior to going to bed at night. Again, I greatly appreciate it and will share with the others in my detachment."

"Hello Sue, Just wanted to let you know that I have received your box of books. I really appreciate your kindness. We are creating a small library for all service members here on Camp Taji, so I will be sharing your books with everyone here. Thank you."

"Please send a thank you to Ms. Heidi W.and the parishioners at Our Lady of the Angels, Bradenton, FL. I just received a box of books and some magazines from them. I appreciate their support and will enjoy some of the books they sent. I am sure that when I place the books in the unit library, they will be well received. Thank you again. "

"Dear Jacob: I have received a HUGE box with books and magazines. Please know that it means so much to me and everyone here. Thank-you so much for your support. God speed to all."

"I just received my first package from you guys, and I want to thank you for your excellent program! I’m going to share this box with the rest of my division out here, so everyone can find something to read. The person who shipped these books was Ms. Helen M., but unfortunately, she did not leave an email address. Please let her know that I have received them. Thanks again, I (and the rest of the US military) greatly appreciate your efforts and sacrifices. "

"Operation paperback, As always thank you for the generous donation of books that you have provided to me and the other troops. I have been distributing the books to the troops that come through our customs inspection site. Most of these troops are waiting for transportation to go home for some much needed R&R. I know the books are appreciated because every time I receive a new shipment I am surprised at how many of the books have been taken. Once again thanks for your generous support. "

"Hello, I just wanted to let you know that I have received boxes full of books from Barb K., Selina and Sally, John T. and Suzy F. I have already e-mailed all except Barb. Barb's box was partially open and no letter was present. Please let Barb know how much I appreciate the books, and that all sevice members on Camp Taji will benefit from her kindness. Thanks."

"Selina & Sally: I want to thank-you and everyone at Operation Paperback. I have now received two shipments of books and mags!! It means so much to me and I am grateful for your support. Again, a BIG Thank-you!!!! "

"To the employees of Bausch & Lomb: Today, I received the books you all sent. Thank you for giving of yourself, expenses and your time to send my platoon books to read, so that we may make a mental escape from all of the nonsense that builds up when so much testosterone is enclosed within a 16' x 20' room. I must mention however, to send a very special thanks to the one who sent "The Day The Red Baron Died". I became infatuated with Mr. von Richthofen's story 2 years ago. I was stationed very near Wiesbaden, Germany and had the privilege to visit his gravesite at the Sudhof Cemetery. So I think this book will be the first I start to read. What a wonderful coincidence. Again, thank all of you. "

"Just received a couple of your care packages and wanted to thank you for the time and effort it took to put together. The company and I get excited when they come in and at the chance to be able to dive into a new book. It helps out a lot to be able get lost in a story and forget about where we are even if it only for an hour or two. The company and I really appreciate everything that goes into the packages and want to thank you for eveything! "

"Thank you for the books. It sure helps the time go by faster. "

"To the volunteers of the Escape Club and Mrs. Roberts from Eastern Regional High School, Voorhees, NJ, Thank you for the box of books. There are some great paperbacks that you sent. I will put them in the unit’s library so that it is accessible for all of us. Thank you again for your support. "

"Thank you Operation Paperback for having people like: Jaime T. from Keedysville, MD and Cheryl R. from Escape Club in Voorhees, NJ I received a box of books from each of the people and am very thankful for their donations. I appreciate their support and will make good use of the books that they have sent. "

"Ms. Hill, Thank you for sending the box of books. The employees of Mustang Engineering have good taste in reading material. Please tell them that we all appreciate their contribution and support. Unfortunately, we do not have VHS tape players here. Thank you for your offer for VHS movies. "

"Trevor, Jake, and Operation Paperback folks, Thank you for the box of books. My son just joined the Cub Scouts before I deployed. I was able to take him to 2 den meetings prior to me leaving. I hope that he continues his scouting and gets as far as you. As for the books, they are a great distraction from the day to day operation and will be a great addition to our unit library and will be available for many Marines and Sailors to read. Thank you for your dedication and hard work in supporting the troops. We appreciate it. "

"Thanks so much for all you do! Your support and generosity is humbling."

"Dear Operation Paperback, Thank you so much for all of the books you have sent to me for disbursement during my deployment. It has been wonderful to be able to offer books to soldiers who need a chance to "escape into a book" for a few minutes now and then. Your books are one of the most popular items here! As soon as I get a box in, they are gone within a couple of hours. Thank you for all you do to support the troops!"

"I would like to personally thank all of you for what you do. It cannot be described in words, the feelings experienced, when people acknowledge the challenges we face and try, to their best abilities, to comfort them. The Marines I serve with greatly appreciate your support! Semper Fi! "

"Sue Hirsh, Jacob Nemetz, Linda Despeaux, Selina Fansler, Sally Brooks, Virgina Geisbert: Just want to say thanks to all who went out of their way to send us all the books. I have shared the books with all the members in my squadron and have repackaged some to send out to the forward bases that we service. We are here to transport the wounded and have given some to our patients as well. Everyone sends their thanks! It really does mean a lot to all of us here to have people back home to volunteer their time and effort to make our time here more tolerable!"

"Good evening, In the past couple weeks I have received several packages. I wanted to take a second and let you know that I did in fact receive them, and thank you as well as the sender, for taking the time to put them together. Each one is very appreciated. After a book is finished we either trade it to another one in the squad, or take it to the MWR, where they have a lot of book shelves where soldiers are free to take and bring books. So please be assured that all the books that ya'll are sending, they are getting well used. Below is a list of everyone that I have received a packeage from. If you will please let them know that I got it. I have also written them a card, but it might take a couple weeks to get to them. Thank you. June B of Carlsbad, CA Joanna U and Girl Scout Troop 2028 of Massapequa, NY Delores G Jacob N and Eagle Scout Troop 50 of Devon, PA Cynthia Z of Loveland, CO Thank you to all of you!!!! "

"Dear Roy, Monica and Kristine: Jut wanted to write you all a sincere letter of thanks for the kindness of your recent donations of books to USS Diego Garcia. Upon receiving the books yesterday, we made arrangements to deliver the books to the local COMPSRON Two office and will transport them to that office tomorrow for distribution aboard three of ships currently anchored here on the lagoon at Diego Garcia. Once aboard the ships, I am certain that they will be most appreciated by the men and women of the American merchant marine who man those ships while they are here in port. I am sure that, like me, they will be most grateful for the kindness of your generous donation. We all thank you for taking the time to remember "USS"."

"Dear Ms. Rich: Thank you kindly for the generous box of magazines that you priority mailed to us on the 17th of this month. It proved to be an excellent selection of publications that many of our seafaring patrons will enjoy reading. We appreciate your taking the time to send this to "USS" and we are all most grateful for your thoughtfulness. Best wishes this Independence Day weekend."

"Dear Friends: We received three (3) most welcome boxes of paperback books just yesterday from all of you with Operation Paperback and just wanted to write and thank you - profusely, for your kindness and generosity. As with other boxes of books received earlier this week, we will be tranaferring all three boxes to COMPSRON II tomorrow morning and they will then place them aboard some of the many ships here in the Lagoon at Diego Garcia. We have no doubt that the books will be most welcome with the seamen and women staffing those ships. We thank you for your thoughtfulness and I am sure these American seafarers join me in expressing our thanks for your care and concern. All the very best from all of "USS". "

"Good Afternoon Folks: Just wanted to confirm the arrival of your boxes of used, paperback books in this morning's mail. The shipments were much appreciated and have been put to immediate use. I was on my way to the local ship agent's office for COMPSRON II and passed the boxes on over to them for to the vessels in our lagoon. I am sure the reading material will be much appreciated once it arrives aboard ship. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness - OP people keep us well supplied and entertained. "

"Dear Ms. Thompson: Just excellent! Thank you most kindly for the box of paperback books that you mailed to "USS" back on June 11th. I took real pleasure in shelving most of the books back in our game room/library and set aside a few to take to the ships when I make a visit to the Military Sealift Command this afternoon. Your donation will be much appreciated by many of the seafarers with a bit of free time on their hands and looking for something interesting to address their literary needs. All the best to you this coming holiday weekend."

"Dear Ms. Durbin: Now that was different! Thank you kindly for all the gardening magazines that you so kindly sent earlier this month. We have put them out on our display shelves and it is really quite attractive. Those magazines are really different from the current events publications that we frequently place on display. I have no doubt that there are some among our population here who will find them quite interesting. Thank you for the thought and all the very best over the coming Independence Day weekend. Much appreciated by all of "USS' here at Diego Garcia"

"Dear Ms. Harries: Thank you most kindly for the box of books that you sent ot us on the 12th of this month...I can assure you that they are already on display and some in circulation here at the Seamen's Center at Diego Garcia. We are most grateful for your thoughtfulness which is very much appreciated by our seafaring visitors and residents of the island. "

"Dear Kent and Gigi: Receiving your most welcome box of magazines - great selection - reminded me that I graduated from Barlett High School in Webster, Massachusetts(01570) more than a few...decades ago! We very much appreciated the large box of magazines that you so kindly sent to "USS" on the 5th of this month('bout the time the Celtics first got bogged down in LA traffic). It was just an excellent selection of publications and many of them are already in circulation among our seafaring clientele. One thing we noticed was how new the printing date was on many of the magazines...some less than a month old! On DG, that passes for "new" news and so we are most grateful for your thoughtfulness. We very much appreciate the your frequent contribution to our library and welcome your support of "USS" and it's missions to seafarers here at Diego Garcia. "

"Dear Scintilla: My apologies, the box of magazines that you so kindly sent to us had gone through some postal services abuse and the condition of the box and the postal address were distorted and destroyed....we were lucky to receive the box intact with it's contents! The only thing we were able to identify is the OP letter with the contents of the box, and that only had your name. So, we thank you most kindly for your thoughtfulness and I can assure that the contents of the box...magazines, are now a part of the island literary circulation. Thank you very much for your efforts on our behalf. It is very much appreciated. Feel free to write "USS" back by return mail."

"Dear Friends: Thank you most kindly for your letter and the large box of DVDs which you so kindly sent to "USS" here in Diego Garcia late last month. We were most pleased to receive the large box about the 10th of this month, but because I was away from our small island for two weeks, the box remained unopened until today. We take real pleasure in placing these videos on display for the use of our seafarers and active duty military personnel who currently call Diego Garcia "home". We are located a long way from anywhere...due south of India, 5 hours West of Singapore, and a loooong way East of Africa, which puts us smack dab in the middle of nowhere...but we remain most grateful for your kindness and thoughtfulness in sending us this large collection of videos from many sources in Jerseyville. Thank you from all of "USS" and best wishes to one and all."

"Dear Terese: We very much appreciate the large box of magazines that you so kindly sent to us earlier this month. Those recent publications are very much welcome by our seafaring patrons so we appreciate the thoughtfulness you exhibited in sending them to "USS". A box received here today goes into immediate circulation throughtout our seafaring Center, and very quickly thereafter, throughout the island population. Thank you again for your kindness. It is very much welcome by all of "USS". "

"Good Evening Tracy: Thank you most kindly for the two parcels of used magazines that you took the time to mail to "USS" on the first of this month. I think perhaps they arrived here some time ago, but I was away from this Center for ten days and in my absence the parcels remained unopened. I can report with pleasure that most of the magazines are already in island-wide circulation - the selection was that attractive to our patrons and friends! To google our address, it can be found under the tile "United Seamen's Service" and our HQ's was relocated from WTC One to Brooklyn back in 2001. At that website, you should be able to locate the addresses of all the overseas Centers...this one being the only one in the IO(actually British Indian Ocean Territory). Thank you again for your thoughtfulness and we hope you thoroughly enjoyed Fleet Week in New York earlier this month."

"In the last few months the Patient Library at Lackland AFB, TX has received several boxes of book donations to support the patients at the Wilford Hall Medical Center. The boxes came from Atlanta, GA and Erwin, NC. Our deepest thanks to the kind folks that sent the donations. The patients will truly enjoy the books as they recuperate."

"I have received my paperbacks and wanted to let you know that myself and all of my soldiers really appreciate the work that you are doing. Thank You! "

"Ms. Hirsh, Thank you for the box of books. I especially like “Why Do Men Have Nipples?” I think that we will be able to share the books and everyone will have something interesting to read. Thank you again. "

"I received the books through Operation Paperback you sent to my platoon several days ago. I’ve just returned from a weeklong mission and so I am writing at the first opportunity today. Thank you. I have already given out the books to Soldiers. Their eyes lit like a kid getting his first piece of candy. I visited your website at www.cafenilson.com and my mouth started to water instantly. Again, thank you and those who helped you for all the support you’ve given, not only to my troops, but also to all those who serve. God bless."

"I recently received a package from both Susan H, and the Presbyterian Women at the First Presbyterian Church. They both got here in great condition and were greatly appreciated! They had great selections. We can't thank ya'll more, for taking the time for putting these together for us. It gives our imaginations a much needed escape from here. Thank you!! "

"Hello! We here up in Northern Afghanistan were pleased to get the box of books! We are on a German base, and English reading material can be hard to come by. My workplace has pulled out a number of books, passed others around to other units, and we will leave the extras in the airport here, as there are many passing travelers, stuck sometimes for days, who very much appreciate the reading material. Thank you again! "

"I'd like to thank you very very much for the books I have received! The number of books your organization has sent in such a short amount of time is unbelievable! I have more books now than I could even begin to finish by the end of this deployment. Again, I can't thank you enough for all that your group has done, continues to do, and will do for us as we continue our missions outside of the US."

"I would like to say thank you for all the books we have received here at CLR-15 Supply Company in Afghanistan. The Marines here truly appreciate everyone’s generosity. Again thank you so much! "

"John, Hi, I got your letter today, just wanted to let you know I got the books. I didn't know that there was a letter in the box or I would have emailed when I got them. I've gotten about 10 boxes, people have been awesome, and it helps us out a lot to escape for an hour or so a day. Thanks again! "

"I want to send a thank you to the employees of Bausch and Lomb in Clearwater, Fl. We received your boxes of magazines and books. You guys and gals sure know what our Soldiers like to read. Thank you very much!"

"I want to thank Debbi Subashi for the books she sent. Those were right on target with some of the special request that my Soldiers had. Thank you very much. We appreciate it."

"Just a quick email from Mazar-i Sharif. We received the books, and are so grateful for all your support! We had been woefully lacking any good reading material, so they were both timely and appreciated. Even our NATO partners were appreciative of the reading material, as they don't get the kind of support from home that we are blessed to. Thanks again! We really appreciate your time and care!"

" I am writing to thank you for the books that you sent to my unit. We have received so many books and supportive letters from those back home and I want to send one back thanking you for your support."

"I wanted to send in a thank you for Kathy. She sent me a bunch of books that some of my Soldiers had requested for from a specific author. Unfortunately I don't have her last name since I threw away the box wrapping. I hope she gets my thank you."

"Dear George Kurtis: I received the books through Operation Paperback you sent to my platoon several days ago. I've just returned from a week long mission and so I am writing at the first opportunity today. Thank you. I have already given out the books to Soldiers. Their eyes lit like a kid getting his first piece of candy. Again, thank you and those who helped you for all the support you've given, not only to my troops, but also to all those who serve. God bless and take care."

"I want to send a thanks to Jane Reynolds for the books. They are great and we will definitely enjoy them."

"Just wanted to say I got the books today, thanks a bunch! I got hooked on Mary Higgins Clark prior to the deployment and have steadily been reading them all, there's a bunch in the box I haven't read yet. I'll put the others in our breakroom. Thanks again."

"On behalf of the Marines at CLR-15 SMU, I would like to thank you for the package we received the other day. The books are fantastic! May God bless you always. "

"I want to send a thank you to PL Clark from New York who sent me a book. Thank you very much for your support."

"Just wanted to send you a quick note to let you know that I received the books you sent me. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it and have already started giving them out to the other soldiers here. Thank You very much. "

"Thank you to Joyce S. and Operation Paperback for providing me and my unit with the box of books. The titles that Ms. S. shipped are great. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and for the great selection of books. "

"W.F. Killip Elementary School, Mrs. Bernhardt's 6th Grade Students, especially Marliana, William and Irene: I received your donation of gently used paperbacks today. Thank you so much for supporting us downrange here in Afghanistan. These books will be a small respite for many of us who are immersed in daily challenges of trying to bring the Afghans to a level that they can provide for themselves. It will certainly be a boost to our morale. From all of us here at NATO Training Mission Afghanistan, THANK YOU!"

"Thanks to Operation Paperback and to Jan F. from St Charles, MO for sending the box of books. There was a typhoon over the Indian Ocean that disrupted mail service for awhile. I am glad to have received the box and have shared them with all the Marines within my unit by placing them in the unit’s library. Thank you again. "

"Since my last reply, we have received two more boxes of books. Needless to say, my troops are very pleased and have enjoyed looking through the contents and determining which will be their next read. Attached is a picture of my team here at Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan. Again, I thank you for all of the support."

"I want to send a thanks to Jay Hart for sending me a box of books. I really appreciate your support and I am able to share all these books with my Soldiers. Thank you for all you do."

"I just wanted to pass a heartfelt thank you for your time and donations. I am a USAF physician in Afghanistan and recently transported a patient to a Spanish hospital in Western Afghanistan. While we were waiting for the plane to gas up I stopped into the lounge and saw a shelf full of books. While perusing the selections, I came across a copy of Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. Having had nothing but pop culture magazines available at my normal location for a while and exhausted the reading material I brought from home, to find such a classic was a real treat. Many people fret over the things that they cannot change and feel helpless post examination. Finding this little book put a distinct smile on my face. While it may not seem like a big deal to many, I want to say that the comfort of a good piece of literature has made me quite happy and content. Thanks again for your contributions. Even the seemingly little things are appreciated and to be treasured. Best Wishes. "

"I just want you all to know that I am so grateful for this project. Thank you for the books...keep them coming. Always/ Bea"

"I received a box of books this morning. Thank you very much for taking the time to think of us. A special thanks to Selina F. for all the support. I have added the shipment to our little library. The books will be enjoyed during our remaining time and by the incoming replacement. I appreciate your hard work and sacrifice to make our time out here more enjoyable. I greatly appreciate the books you sent. Reading is one of the few ways we have to spend our free time and it helps to relax. Thank you for everything. The support you provide greatly improves morale of the soldiers here and makes every day that much easier. "

"I want to thank you for taking the time to send us some books to read. They will come in handy as we are limited on supplies out here at ******, Afghanistan. Thanks again and it is nice to know that you think of us over here and supply us with needs like books. We read as much as we can out here. Thank you."

"Ms Christensen, I just wanted to take a brief moment to let you know that we received your package yesterday. Thank you from the team here at the ISAF CJ3 Office for your continued support and generosity."

"On behalf of the 266th MCT, I would like to offer our gratitude for the books that we received. I assure you that these books will be put to good use throughout our deployment as well future deployments of incoming soldiers. You all have great operation and we are truly grateful for all the support that is given to the military. "

"Thank you so much for the box of books. I just got them today and can't wait to read and share them with others. Thank you so much!"

"Thank you for the books. I apologize for the lack of notification on my part of the receipt of the books you have sent. I have received all these packages and have shared them through our unit library. I and my Soldiers appreciate your support and thank you very much."

"Hi again. I received a second box as well. Thanks. It's funny how those that never read before will read when they are deployed. It does allow for a mental break we need. "

"Hello and greetings from Iraq. I just received a box of books and would like to take the time out to thank you for the contribution. The books you sent are very much appreciated and will be enjoyed by myself and other soldiers I work with. I enjoy escaping in a good book to help take my mind off reality when I can. Thanks again for your support to the troops. Knowing we have the support of people like you helps us in our day-to-day tasks. Thanks again and God bless."

"I just wanted to pass a heartfelt thank you for your time and donations. I am a USAF physician in Afghanistan and recently transported a patient to a Spanish hospital in Western Afghanistan. While we were waiting for the plane to gas up I stopped into the lounge and saw a shelf full of books. While perusing the selections, I came across a copy of Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. Having had nothing but pop culture magazines available at my normal location for a while and exhausted the reading material I brought from home, to find such a classic was a real treat. Many people fret over the things that they cannot change and feel helpless post examination. Finding this little book put a distinct smile on my face. While it may not seem like a big deal to many, I want to say that the comfort of a good piece of literature has made me quite happy and content. Thanks again for your contributions. Even the seemingly little things are appreciated and to be treasured."

"I want to thank everyone who has sent books to me. I appreciate it so much. I absolutely love to read. I have been giving the books to others to enjoy as well and I know they are thankful also. So to Richard (and all the library volunteers), Selina, Don, Judy, Armin and Suzanne Thank you so very much."

"Thank you for responding. As a matter of fact I did get a package the other day from Selina F. On behalf of the Marines at CLR-15, I would like to say thank you so much for your generosity. It was greatly appreciated."

"I wanted to let you know that we received your package through Operation Paperback today, shortly after we conducted our Memorial Day observation. Please know that your time, support and generosity is greatly appreciated. The parcel has been placed on our 'common table' for all to be able to use. We further thank you for the service of your son and niece's husband. I hope this message finds you well and thanks again for your support. "

"Mr. Tarpey, I received the books you sent in the mail today. It only took a week to get here. We finally got our own ZIP code here, and things are making it to us much more quickly. In the past, things had to pass through a central hub, and we wouldn't get mail for anywhere from 2-6 weeks. I'm glad to know that someone with ties to the service is showing support. I am glad to know that your family members deployed and returned home safely already. I have been active duty for 11 years, and believe it or not, this is my first deployment. Boy, it is a heck of a good one, though. We're doing some good things here. I'm doing my best to stay out of harm's way, and am thankful for your prayers and support. My civilian and military "brothers-in-arms," as well as I, all send our thanks to you. The books have moved into the hands of eager readers already. Only a few left out there now. All my best to you and your family! "

"Thank you for the books! It will keep me entertained for a while."

"Dear Mrs. D. Best wishes for all of us on this Memorial Day weekend, made all that much better by being in receipt of the DVD's that you so kindly sent to us on the 7th of this month. That was most thoughtful of you and we are deeply appreciative for the pleasure that will bring our many visitors and guests here at the Seamen's Center. Dead of winter in this part of the world and the weather is cool, cloudy and blustery - just the way we like it on our normally hot and humid tropical island. Your kindness has just made our day that much better and we thank you for your generosity and support. All the very best."

"Dear John, I greatly appreciate the books you sent. My whole company thanks you. Reading is one of the few ways we have to spend our free time and it helps to relax. I will send a letter or post card very soon but wanted to let you know that the shipment arrived. Thank you for everything. The support you provide greatly improves morale of the soldiers here and makes every day that much easier. "

"Dear Ms. Baker: It was a real pleasure to receive the large box of magazines that you so kindly sent our way on the 14th of this month. The selection of magazines was just excellent and I have no doubt that our seafaring patrons will appreciate both the variety and quality of the publications. We take real pleasure in placing them on display for our patrons daily reading pleasure. Just a small aside, being a Boston native myself, I recall So. Weymouth as being the home of former WBZ weatherman Don Kent who recently passed away. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Kent when I was just a wee lad and often heard him mention your town in the course of his 7 A.M. Morning Almanac telecasts on Channel Four with Jack Chase. Thanks for bringing back some great memories of a real memorable man. "

"I have just received your package of books and I want to thank you and the rest of the volunteers for the support. We are attempting to establish a sort of library out here and your books were not only greatly appreciated, but quickly taken by the many Marines in my unit to read. The Marines were extremely excited to see your package as it has been one of the first ones we have received. We appreciate the support, especially during this time of war, many young men and women in the military tend to feel forgotten and your package showed them that there are individuals back home that think about us and care about the morale of the troops. Again, thank you very much. You may never truly understand how much a few books will change the mood of so many individuals. From the deepest part of my heart and on behalf of all the Marines of Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3, thank you again. "

"Thank you all so much for the books! Of course I couldn't possibly read them all. But I always find a few in each box to give me that little escape time that is needed. Operation Paperback is a fantastic program that we all appreciate so much. The books I don't read go to our bookshelves here in our compound. There are many troops who are stuck here for many, many hours waiting to move on. These books help them to pass the time here and for the rest of their journey. So, for them, I thank you as well. "

"Please inform Selina F. that the box of paperbacks were received by the United\r\nSeamen\'s Service. The paperbacks will be distributed in accordance with the Operation Paperback mission of U.S. Troop Support.\r\n \r\nAgain than you for the shipment of paperbacks.- \"you do good work Selina\".\r\nKindest regards.\r\n"

"Just writing to let you know that I have received a box of books and goodies from Ms. Corbett. I was really surprised that it came so quickly. I thank you all so much for thinking about us as we are here away from our loved ones. I hope you have a wonderful Memorial day. God Bless you all for what you do for us."

"Selina, Thanks for your books - I finally got to finish "For Whom the Bell Tolls" - and the rest went into our unit MWR for other Soldiers. Deployments are great opportunities to get back into reading and I've charged my Soldiers to read at least every other day, instead of sitting in front of the TV or playing xbox. I'm a company commander for an Aviation Maintenance Company here in ****, Iraq. Our unit is stationed out of Fort Riley, Kansas and we've been here since March 2010. Our unit is responsible for the major tear-down maintenance for the helicopters assigned to our Aviation Brigade. Our unit has over 300 Soldiers. I'm a father of a two year old son - ******* - who lives back in Kansas with my wife, ******. I've been deployed for 9 months out of his first 24, but what we're doing out here is important to keep him safe - both now and in the future. I went to an aviation university - the BEST in my opinion :-) - down in Daytona Beach Florida, and got a BS in Aeronautical Science. I've been flying since I was 16. I worked to save up the money to get my Pilots License while I was in High School. I've been flying for over half my life now. I love flying - it is a sensation that is indescribable. Thanks again for the books - your graciousness and words of thanks are greatly appreciated. While we usually feel a little awkward when people tell us thanks - we truly appreciate it. We are just humble Soldiers who believe - The Greatest Responsibility of a Free-Born Society is to Ensure the Same Freedom for their Children Enjoy the freedom we fight to protect, that is all we ask in return."

"Greetings from Busan, South Korea... Selina...this is to confirm that the box of books sent to th United Seamen's Service Busan, has been received. I'm the Director for USS Centers in Korea, Japan/Okinawa and Guam. We have been working to increase the number of books to better serve our merchant seafarers and U.S. military personnel. Both personally and professionally, I thank you for the support. I am glad Operation Paperback exists. Such things didn't happen when I served my 23 years, including those in Vietnam. Keep up the good work."

"I received 4 boxes of books today. Thank you very much for organizing such a great non-profit organization that provides a great service to the troops. We love the books and are enjoy spending our free time with them. We have a unit library that is pretty well stocked with great paperbacks, thanks to your efforts. I wrote to 2 of the people already. The other 2 people that sent books are: Tillie N from the First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak, MI Sharon S from Lubbock, TX Thanks again. "

"Thank you all for the boxes of books. Thank you Sherry H. from the Community Coalition of Little River. We are thankful for your gracious donation of books. Our unit has a library tent that is getting well stocked with great books thanks to all of your hard work and effort. Thanks again. "

"Thank you all for the boxes of books. Thank you Ms. Heilman for spending your time, money, and effort in mailing the great books to the troops here. We have a library tent that is getting well stocked with great books thanks to all of your hard work and effort. Thanks again. "

"To Selina F. and the rest of the member of Operation Paperback, Today, we received a box of books from the folks at Operation Paperback. The box arrived safely and there's really more in there then I thought possible. I just wanted to say that on behalf of myself, and my unit, I would like to thank you for all the support and appreciation you have shown to us. Keep up the good work! "

"Dear Eleanor D. and the volunteers at Operation Paperback, Thank you for shipment of books, they are greatly appreciated. Today’s shipment went down to the flight area where service members fly in and out of. The flights to and from Afghanistan are very lengthy and require long periods of waiting, hours sometimes days. Your contribution of reading materials help to pass the time and provide a comfort of home. Thanks again for your continued support. "

"I got a note from Operation Paperback that you were the party that sent me the Civil War magazines and books. I wanted to say thank you. I am a retired DoD teacher here in Stuttgart Germany. A large number of troops from here were deployed to Iraq and had wanted military magazines like Civil War Times. I got emails from a couple of the guys we sent them to with sincere thanks, they said by the time the magazines made the rounds of all who wanted to read them they were nearly wore out and that guys who had limited knowledge of the Civil War or previous interest in history were the ones that seemed to enjoy them the most! I retired last year and my wife will at the end of this school year after some 20 years of teaching overseas with the military in Panama and Germany. About seven years ago, I got involved with Operation Paperback as a school project and just continued on my own this last year. With latest shipment we have sent nearly 1,900 paperback books down range. When I got a request for military magazines I was able to come up with about 20 copies from the base and thought it would be a request I couldn't fill and like magic your books showed up. All of the magazines I shipped down range to several units and know that each magazine was read by at least five to 10 soldiers or more! So you have provided not only a lot of reading pleasure but may have helped spark a greater interest in history in a lot of troops. You also sent a a couple of hardbound editions of the magazine which are hard for troops to lug around so rather than send them down range I donated them to the military library on base to suppliment their rather limited Civil War section and they are now being enjoyed by troops and their families here in Germany. I hope this will be OK with you. Again thank you and I do apologize for losing your name and address and not having written immediately to you as I had planned. Again thank you for your reponse to my appeal and thank all those helping with Operation Paperback in the York, PA, the troops really appreciate your time and efforts. Can I suggest something, if you contact the local elementary school, the teachers will often have kids write letters or drawings to send to the troops I thought of them only as filler when I sent books down range until I got several emails and letters from troops saying how the drawings were posted in mess halls and bulletin boards and one wrote that he found 30 letters in the box of books and as a treat to himself read one letter a day and how each day the letters made his day! It is a great project for schools to take part in, either as providing letters and pictures or as my elementary school did, collecting and doing the work of sending books down range. Once again on behalf of a lot of troops thank you! "

"I wish to thank everyone that has sent me books. I really appreciate the time and effort that everyone took to send me them. However, please do no send any more. Even after donating some to the MWR, I still have more than I will be able to read before I head for home. Thank you all for your support. SPC Daniel Mills"

"Hello, I received a package today from Laura D. of Herndon, VA. The contents were absolutely perfect. There were so many choices for me, and I was able to share the rest of the books with others at my camp. We are truly grateful for your support. We all arrive with very minimal personal items. Our bags are chock full of military gear--there's barely room for anything of our own. Your thoughtfulness and time get us the materials we need to take our mind off reality --for a short while --within such a stressful environment. Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts. We truly appreciate what you have done for us! "

"Good Morning Caroline, and Happy National Maritime Day (the 78th observation): Your large box of magazines mailed from New York on May 4th was a most welcome addition to the magazine selection that we offer our patrons at all times. I thought it to be an excellent choice of publications and I anticipate they will all be in island-wide circulation shortly. We much appreciated the literary support and for taking the time to think about "USS". Best wishes on this, the mariner's premier holiday observation: National Maritime Day."

"Thank you for the shipment of excellent books. I just received them from Dan and Shirley A. They will provide a great source of entertainment. "

" I am emailing to let you know I received your box of books this week for operation paperback. I want to say thank you for all the books. I will make sure to share them with the people in my unit and fellow troops who come through our customs area. Thanks, again for your commitment to our troops and for helping to brighten up the day for everyone serving. "

"I would like to thank you for the books which were sent. They are greatly appreciated and we hope to get more soon. Again thank you!"

"This totally made my day! Thanks to you guys for organizing this :) "

"Hi, just wanted to drop a quick line that I got the books, thanks! "

"I just wanted to say thank you. It has been a long year here in Iraq, but it is almost over. I cannot tell you how much all the books you send is appreciated by all of the service members over here. Everyone who support operation paperback and those who run it are all heroes behind the scene. You are all willing to step up and make things a little better."

"I have received the shipment of paperbacks from the Friends of the John F. Germany Public Library of Tampa, FL. Again, we thank the generous support of everyone that has sent us these books and others. Thanks again."

"I would like to thank Margaret W. for sending books to me and my troops through your organization. Please let her know that I also want to thank Krystal, Hanna, Drew, Mike, Clayton, Whitney, Austin, Katelyn and Brenen for signing the flyer. I hope all is well on their end of the world and once again, thanks for the books."

"I'm currently deployed over to Kuwait now.. 10 months now..I'm a civilian and have read many a book provided by Operation Paperback. Appreciate what you folks are doing for both the troops and civilians. Thanks "

"Once again, a large supply of donated books came by USPS today. Thank you so much! We are all in great appreciation for everyone's generosity."

"My name is Lt. Jeremy J. I'm an Engineer Officer serving in Southern Afghanistan. I got your email off the back of a book you donated to the Operation Paperback Program. I read and enjoyed it, and just wanted to thank you for your generosity. I'm not sure how often this happens, but I wanted you to know that your contribution did help Soldiers deployed to keep entertained and morale high. And I appreciate your act, especially since you probably assumed it'd go unthanked, and you didn't need confirmation to do good for others. So I wanted to thank you. "

"I appreciate all the volunteers that sent books to me and my company. Thank you for all your support!! We will be leaving earlier then expected, You can discontinue sending us books."

"Once again, Good Morning Ms. Perry: Thank you again for the second box of books, magazines and a DVD mailed on April 22, 2010 and received here just yesterday. It was just an excellent selection and much of the contents are already in circulation among our many visitors to the Center. We thank you for your continuing thoughtfulness and generosity and deeply appreciate what your are doing for "USS". All best wishes from the staff and seafarers at the United Seamen's Service Center."

"Good Evening Mr. Gibson; We found time this quiet Sunday afternoon to open the second box of books that you so kindly sent to "USS": back on April 26th and are deeply grateful for your generosity. We frequently make it a point to do ship visits in this port community and tomorrow afternoon we will be transporting this newest box of books to the shuttle service staging area where they will determine which ship receives the library at this point in time. From the looks of the varied contents, they will be most pleased to receive this new supply. Thank you again for your generosity and all the very best from "USS". "

"Good Afternoon Mr. Gibson: Thank you most kindly for that heavy box of 35 books that you so kindly mailed to USSDG on the 23rd of last month. These books will find a wide audience among our visitors and I would expect they won't be here for very long. We have alot more visitors of late and the books and magazines that we receive from Operation Paperback are proving to be very popular with many, if not most of them. Thank you again for the thoughtful donation. It was, and is, much appreciated. "

"Just wanted to let you know that I selected one of your books from the \"open library\" here at New Kabul Compound (NKC) in Afghanistan. I very\r\nmuch appreciate your donation and to let you know that your generosity is still being enjoyed. \r\n\r\nI will return the book to the library once finished. \r\n\r\n"

"Thank you so much for taking the time to send our soldiers books as part of Operation Paperback. We are a unit with about 115 troops that work on Bagram (sp) Airfield. Your support means a lot and helps boost morale by giving soldiers something to do on their off time. Thanks again and God Bless. "

"Dear Martin and Cleo: Mon, that was a BIG magazine box!!! I had to use a handtruck to move it - it goes without saying thank you very much for the large box of magazines that you sent to us here at Diego Garcia on the 21st of last month. We were very pleased to have the donation arrive earlier this week, and when an Air Force plane got delayed here for repairs yesterday, about half the magzines disappeared out the door with them after they finished their lunch here today. Those magazines have now gone into high altitude, world-wide circulation! We thank you most kindly for the generous and thoughtful donation...much appreciated by many here on Diego Garcia."

"Dear Sandy: Very much wanted to write and thank you and the members of the Lutheran Church of St. Andrews in Silver Spring, Maryland for taking the time and making the effort to ship us that large box of magazines back on 19 April which we just received this past week. The United Seamen's Serivce of New York operates a multi-purpose social service center here at Diego Garcia primarily for civilian merchant mariners and active duty military personnel...all of whom seem to appreciate a good read when they drop by this Center seven days a week. We are fortunate to be able to offer this service to our guests and it is because of the kindness and generosity of people like yourselves who make it possible. Thank you kindly ....and Happy Mother's Day, from the Indian Ocean."

"Ms. Perry: Very much wanted to write and thank you for the box of books, magazines and DVD's that you so generously sent our way on the 22nd of last month. It has been greatly appreciated and we thank you for your kindness in remembering us. Just as an aside, while stationed at Quantico, Virginia in late 1969, I used to travel down to Midlothian to visit a college friend of mine I recall Midlothian as a very pleasant place to be and thank you for bringing back some great memories."

"Dear Mrs. Seagle: I very much wanted to write and thank you for the carefully wrapped parcel of magazines and paperback books that you so kindly sent to us out here in the IO on the 30th of last month. It was a very interesting selection of material and we were pleased to be able to offer it to the military personnel and merchant mariners passing through our Center today. It was a very thoughtful gesture and we greatly appreciate the kindness. All the best to you from all of "USS". "

"I have read 28 books in the past 45 days--thanks to Operation Paperback those 45 days have flown by--I'm closer to coming home! THANK YOU!"

"I want to send a thank you to all the people that participated in this operation. We really like these books. "

"Thank you so much for the huge box of books. I have passed the box around the office for everyone to grab a book. You and all those who find these books and then get them to us are awesome. I love to read. I am going through a book a week right now. I read after PT for 20 min., after lunch for 20 min. and before bed an hour every night. This helps escape from the monotony of Iraq. I’m reading “Den of Lions” right now and that sure makes you realize that you never want to be a hostage in the Middle East. Take care and God Bless you and your family"

"I just wanted to write to say thank you to all the people that have sent me books over the last six months. And I would personally thank them but I cant read their hand writing. I am leaving Iraq in the next two or three weeks and would like to remove my name from the mailing list so some other service member can start enjoying some great books. Thank you again for all you do and your support. "

"I would like to thank you for the books you sent our unit. Thank you for your hard work and your support. We love to receive new books, once we finish reading them we donate them to the soldiers library. Thanks to your generosity and hard work, a lot of us soldiers always have a book where we go. "

"Mr. Kimbrell, Thank you very much for sending out the box of books. I received them today and am interested in reading them and also adding them to the unit’s library. Thank you for supporting the troops and giving us something to do during our free time"

" I received a package from one of the supporters. It was full of great books and magazines. I can't express how nice it was. Thank you for your ongoing support. "

"Thanks to Terye B from Scotts Valley, CA for sending a shipment of books to Afghanistan. This is my first shipment of books this deployment. These books are intended to become a part of the unit’s library and also to be available for all service members on this base. Thank you for your support and for providing us something that takes our minds off of the day to day business. "

"Thank you for the box of books and Comics. We have distributed them amongst the Marines here and shared with other Units. We received the box yesterday and it was in great shape. Thank you for the support. "

"Thank you very much for all the Books that you all have sent. I have received four Packages and have been handing the books out to all the soldiers on the FOB."

"I received the box of books from your organization today. Thank you very much for caring enough to take the time to organize a program like this. The books are very much appreciated. I carried the box throughout the squadron handing out books to those who were in before placing those left in our little Morale welfare tent. Everyone was very excited to have a new crop of books to read. Thanks again."

"Thank you all so much for books! We have already built a makeshift library room. It means a lot to get something from back in the States. In the rare occasion I get to watch television, all I see is garbage reality shows, people protesting the war, and political scandals. I’m not going to lie, it discourages me when I see people back home doing that kind of stuff. It is good to know that there are some Americans out there who genuinely care about the troops in harm’s way!I was surprised it only took eight days for your packages to get to me here in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Thanks again! "

"I just wanted to send you a quick note to thank you for the shipment of books that I received today. It is much appreciated by all the Soldiers here with me in Iraq and will provide many hours of relaxation. Thanks again."

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Chrissy H and Gary C for the books that were sent to me through your organization. I'm sorry for not responding promptly but I've been a little busy over here. I really like to read and some of my Soldiers are reading the books as well. It does help to pass the time and there's nothing like a good book to help with that. Thank you again and thank you for all the things you do for the troops."

"Thank you for your donation of books. I have received several and your gesture proves to all service members that the American public does care for the men and women in uniform. I have shared the books you sent with my shipmates and also the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and DoD civilians that pass through our location. Please continue to support these fine Americans who are serving our country. "

"Hello All. I just received my Twilight Series shipment and I wanted to thank you. It has been really nice to have the citizens back home support us. U.S. Troops are extremely lucky! Thank you again for your support."

"Today I received a box of books from Operation Paperback and I just wanted to send you an email to Thank You for everything you do for all of us that are deployed. We will definitely enjoy reading the books. Once again we thank you for everything you do for us."

"Can you please let the Church group and Radiology clinic know that I received their books? Thanks"

"Just a note to let you know that I received books today from Alion Science and Technology of Bath MN. Thanks again for your efforts for those of us serving in distant lands! "

"Thank you for sending us these wonderful books. Due to your effort, soldiers on my FOB are able to escape our daily rigors to these adventures, mysteries, comedies, and inspiring true stories. Please keep up the great work, till everyone comes home..."

"Thank you for the books. It is an awesome escape from the rigors of daily tasks. Makes me think that I'm somewhere else for a little bit."

"Dear Ms. Falbo We just received your latest "CARE" package from New York, with a postal mark of March 30th, and wanted to thank you for the contents which are very much appreciated by all of our seafarers, customers and staff. We have three areas within the Seafarer's Center where we put these periodicals on display and thanks to folks like you, we have a very good collection to keep our patrons occupied and "at ease". Thank you for helping to make that possible...it is much appreciated by "USS" all. "

"Dear Ms. Morgan, I have received the care package that your girls put together and thank you very much! My Marines are using everything and the Girl Scout cookies were DELICIOUS! It's definitely what we needed, and I'm already almost done reading one of the books you sent, "True Believer" by Nicholas Sparks, and I'm sure that's one that we'll be passing around, great selection. It really means a lot to us that you all took time to put together that package and send it to us, we often forget that there are people back in the states supporting us and it is truly a great feeling to see that you are all thinking of us as we work another day towards completing our mission and returning safely back to the states. Also I just want to give a shout out to the Girl Scout who helped prepare my box, Angelina. I remember when I was 11 just like it was yesterday, I was also in 6th grade and that's the year I met my very best friend who is still my best friend to this day, this is a big year for you to grow and learn. I also played soccer from the time I was 3 up until I graduated high school at 17, and that is my favorite sport as well! I also LOVE to talk and especially text on my cell phone, I'm going crazy here without it! Again, we really appreciate the time you all took to send us this package. From all of us here at Ammo Company, thank you!"

"Thank you so much for sending the books! We will put them to good use and pass them on to others when we are done with them. Thank you for your support. "

"I just wanted to say thank you so much for such a wonderful donation to my Shipmates and me. The books(and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune)you sent are all quality and interesting reading material. I have passed many out to my Shipmates. I'm currently reading "No Angel" by Jay Dobyns right now. It is relieving to have red-blooded Americans like you supporting the war fighters over here. Typically, time passes slowly over here, but these books will alleviate much of that pain. Again, thank you so much. "

"Just few words to say - THANK YOU- for sending us books. They are very appreciated by our Customers while awaiting for flights. Please forward my best regards to all Personnel involved in this operation. God bless you."

"Dear Mary B: Thank you most kindly for the "Care Package" that arrived in the mail earlier this month. This was the box that you posted on 24 March and contained books, magazines, candy, playing cards and your very nice letter addressed to us. Your gift was much appreciated and all of the contents have been put to good use here at the Seamen's Service Center at Diego Garcia. I apologize for taking so long to respond, we have been a bit busier than usual of late and your package was here in my office for a few days before I found the time to open it. It was all, very, very, much appreciated. Thank you for your kindness and best wishes."

"I received the books on WWII that you sent. Thank you so much. I’m truly fascinated by the past wars and conflicts. The perseverance and sense of obligation is the most fascinating part to me. I love reading about our forefathers and their challenges. It is truly amazing when I compare it to today’s soldier. I understand why the people from that timeframe are known as the greatest generation. It was amazing. I’ve read the Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose and just loved it. When I saw the books by him that you included I was ecstatic. I’m currently reading “We were soldiers and young once.” I can’t wait to finish it to start these. I wish there was something I could do for you other than to say, Thank You! You are great and I totally appreciate what you have done. Thank you very much. "

"Thank you so much for your support. Please remove me from your list as there has been such an amazing outpouring of love that we are out of room for any more books. Our library is packed to the seams with month's worth of reading. Thank you so much for all you do. Your organization and the people who support it are the reason we do what we do. Thanks again."

"I just received a box of John Grisham books from Linda D and want to tell her thank you very much. We will all enjoy them. Thanks"

"I would like to thank Chrissy H as well as Marsha M for the books. I really appreciate them and look forward to more books!"

"I received two more packages of books yesterday from Lyla D and Tillie N. I also received a package of four new books on WWII from Mr. Philip M, the author himself. I am very humbled in your support and want to thank you again. I've written an email to everyone who has provided my one and sent letters to those who have a return address. Those who didn't provide either, I am thanking you here. Your support is truly awesome!!!"

"Dear Kimberly G. Thank you most kindly for the large box of books that you so kindly sent to us on the 26th of last month. Upon inquiring from the ship captains of the American ships anchored here, we decided to send the books to the Military Prepositioning Ship Office(MPS2) here for distribution to the ships in this vicinity. They will be most welcome once they are received aboard the nearby American ships. We very much welcome your generosity and thank you for the size of your considerable donation. It will be well utilized by American merchant mariners guarding US military cargo in this part of the world."

"Just a note to let you know that I received books today from Mustang Engineering of Houston TX and Barbara P. of Plymouth MA. Thanks again for your efforts for those of us serving in distant lands! "

"Dear David and Lee, John & Laura, Christie: Thank you for sending me the paperback books as part of Operation Paperback. Unfortunately, I had left Iraq before your books had reached me. The books had sat in storage until today. I am repackaging all of the books to send the books to Afghanistan for Marines from my unit. Thank you for your continued support of the US military and of the US Marines. We are all thankful of what you do to help bring little entertainment from home while we are deployed. "

"Hello to all my great fellow Americans. Words cannot describe how WE, the troops on the ground, appreciate the things that you all are doing for us in the name of freedom and support. Thank all of you for what you have done and are continuing to do for us. Thank you again for everything and the books have been placed in the MWR and USO facility on my Operating Base here in Afghanistan. The local nationals also benefit from the literature as they are learning English and this helps them too. Thanks Again. "

" I got the books from Kim C. and her class from NY. Thanks a bunch. I'm in the process of reading "The Year 1000"."

"Good Evening Binnie... Thank you most kindly - your most welcome boxes (4) of books arrived earlier this week, but we have been so busy on the March reports that there was no time to open them and put the books on display. In opening one of the boxes, I noticed the envelope I had been looking for with your short stories...looks very interesting, but I am without the time to read any of them until next week. I can tell though, that there are others who I know will find them equally interesting so I will move them on as I read them. Thank you for sharing, Binnie....it looks to be a very interesting read, and thanks too for the many paperback books. A good selection - as always. "

"Thank You so much for the boxes of books you have sent me, I have them all in a shelf for everyone to pick from and you have sent many books that interested everyone of them even the ones that never used to read before. My unit and myself thank you all so much. May God Bless you all "

"I would like to say thank you so much to the people who sent books out here for me and my fellow Marines. Your support means so much to us, and the handwritten notes in the packages really meant a lot as well. It is hard for us to get our hands on a good book out here, and it is so nice to see that others are thinking of us!"

"My name is Hector M, an active duty Marine serving in Afghanistan. I recently received a box of books from you through Operation Paperback. I just wanted to send you a short e-mail thanking you for the books you provided for us, and mainly for the support your program shows us troops deployed in combat zones. I was once told by a Vietnam Veteran that one thing that helped troops overseas get away from the combat mindset and everything going on around them was reading. I’ve remembered that since the day he told me, and I can tell you, thanks to you and what you are doing, the Marines of my Company and I feel share that opinion. Once again, thank you for everything you do. We are here fighting the fight, trying to keep America safe. We’ll join you back home soon. Thank you. "

"I just wanted to send a HUGE thanks for all the books we are receiving. I just recently recvd a box from John and Denise M. and wanted to say thanks so much from the Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan ER staff "

"Thank you for the shipments of books. They have been received and have improved the reading library here dramatically. Thank you for your time, support and commitment. It is appreciated. "

"I want to thank you for the books I have received. I was shocked when I received two big boxes in the mail today. I wish there was another way for me to show my gratitude other than to say thank you. "

"Suzanne, Thank you for the books you sent through operation paperback. I never expected to receive so many. I am able to share all these books with my fellow soldiers who work in the Division HQ with me. You and your peers at Operation Paperback are such wonderful people who make a difference in the life of myself and our soldiers. I wish there is more to do other than say thanks. "

"THANK YOU FOR THE BOOKS. ME AND MY BUDDIES ARE ENJOYING THEM!! AND THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT!!! "

"Thank you for your continued support of troops all around the world and those that are stateside continually working for homeland defense. In many remote places there are troops that have just a few minutes to calm their minds and do something other than worry about the fight. In many cases those soldiers are taking time to read the books that are sent from great Americans such as yourself and it is greatly appreciated. Thank you again so much and I pray that we can continue to meet the expectations of our Commander in Chief and loyal Americans everywhere. "

"On behalf of the SEVENTH Fleet staff and Marines onboard the USS Blue Ridge, thank you very much! I was able to give everyone a little something and smile in return."

"I just wanted to give a final thank you for all you have done and the wonderful volunteers that have sent books to me to distribute for the troops. I have been humbled by the huge amount of books, good wishes and cards that were sent with the packages. I am leaving in 30 days so will not be receiving any more letters or boxes. I will return home and after the debriefing will return to my civilian job. I have been enriched by the loving support that your organization gave to me. Thank you so much!! Best Wishes to all. "

"Dear Virginia: Holiday greetings and I hope this has been a most pleasant Easter observation for you. Yesterday, we had the good fortune to receive the large box of books that you most kindly sent to us and I put them on display in our library earlier today for the use of seafaring and military patrons. I am of the impression that this collection of books is something that would appeal to our customers so I anticipate that they will disappear quite quickly... which is to say that they will be put to the use that they were intended. We thank you for your kindness and generosity and much appreciate your taking the initiative to send this collection of both hard and soft cover books to "USS". "

"Thank you so much for what you do. I have has just a grand time reading the books that have been sent. I read the books and then pass them along to another. You are doing a awesome thing for so many. "

"You guys and gals are awesome. I sent a request in while on leave and I have now received 3 BIG box's of books. I thought I would receive a couple of books and now I have so many that I am able to share with all the other soldiers I work with. I am humbled by your generosity and support. I wish there was more to do for you other than a thank you. Sincerely, Jason"

"Kathy R. and Bookies Paperbacks - Books received. Thank you for your support!"

"Helen M., Thank you for the books and for the support!"

"Expressions Literary Magazine: Thank you for the books and for your support! "

"John and Laura K., Thank you very much for the package. It's helped to pass the time for the whole section! "

"Dianne K., Thank you for the books and for your support! "

"Bertha H., Thank you for the books and the support! "

"PostNet and HIBBETT Scottsdale AZ: Thank you for the books and for the support! "

"JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU!!! FOR THE BOOKS!!! WE ARE ENJOYING THE GIFTS... OUR LEADERSHIP IS ALWAYS TELLS US, "WE ARE DOING GREAT THINGS FOR OUR COUNTRY". OPERATION PAPERBACK IS DOING GREAT THINGS FOR OUR TROOPS!! THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!!!!"

"Dear Christy F, Sue H, Kyle G, John T, and D.A. Roberts, thank you for the shipments of books. They are greatly appreciated by myself and my soldiers. The support and thoughtfulness that comes with these books is both heartwarming and appreciated. Not only have we ourselves been able to enjoy these books, but due to the sheer quantity, we have slowly been able to build a veritable library at our new MWR, allowing many more troops access to the books you have sent. So on behalf of myself and all the U.S. Soldiers on my base, thank you."

"Dear Ma'am/Sir's, I and my soldiers very much appreciated the books we received from various donors. I can't say enough good things about what you guys are doing, because it truly makes a difference, not only from the tangible aspect of receiving the books themselves, but from the knowledge that we are in your thoughts and prayers back home. With much appreciation. "

"Just a quick note to let you know that I received books from Kyle G. from Erwin, NC and Tillie N. from Royal Oak, MI. Thanks again for shipping these books to the troops out here. Both the troops and the local USO benefits! "

"This is a note of thanks for all of the time and energy it took to give us a little something to read here in Kosovo. The books have been added to the meager MWR library had on hand. Everyone waits eagerly for the boxes to be open to see what you have sent. Thanks again from all the US troops @ ***, Kosovo. Several other personnel have joined Operation Paperback and we have more than we can handle."

"I just wanted to send a quick message thanking you for the books I received today. Also, everyone on the COP sends their thanks as well. "

"Thank you so much for the box of books, we will make good use of them and pass them on to others when we are finished with them. Thank you for your support. "

"I received your package and will be glad to hand them out to the Marines here in Kandahar Afghanistan. We appreciate your support. The books are a great way to pass the time here. Thank you and God bless. "

"I received your box of books today! They are great. I can’t wait to start reading them. Thank you so much for your support and prayers. People like you make this place bearable. "

"Julie, I received the box of cookies, books and other goods from you and the girl scouts. Thank you so much. I responded to Gabby and mailed the letter to the address you gave me on the sheet. It's great to know that there is so much support coming from all ages. Again thank you so much and I look forward to writing you all again, it really helps keep me occupied, and looking forward to coming home. "

" Very much wanted to write and thank you for the four boxes of used magazines that you so kindly sent us on the 16th of this month. They arrived here just this morning and we already have one of the four boxes on display on our many magazine racks about this Center. The selection was excellent and should prove very popular with the men and women of the US Armed Forces and the Merchant Marine that give this place "the business". It was very generous of you to send so much and we are most grateful. Just as a side note, I originally hail from Sturbridge, Massachusetts and knew WBZ weatheman Don Kent who I seem to recall was also from South Weymouth. Thank you again from all of "USS"."

"To all who sent packages: Thank you so much for your support. I received 7 packages today. Most were books and one was a care package. I wrote down the contact info and wanted to send a great big thank you to everyone who contributed. It is nice to be able to lose myself in a book on occasion and try to forget about this place for a few minutes each day. You have made this deployment a little bit easier on not only myself but any other soldier who goes to the library we are building to get a little break. Thanks so much again for your support. People like you are the reason we are willing to do what we do. "

"Dear Friends: Our deepest thanks for an incredible effort - 4 boxes of paperback books arrived here yesterday and though we have only had time to open a single box, we are deeply impressed with your generosity and thoughtfulness. Diego Garcia has an island-wide population of about 3,000 people so we will insure that these four boxes are equally distributed about the island community. This really was a superhuman effort and we are most grateful for the kindness. With all best wishes from the military and maritime communities here in the British Indian Ocean Territory."

"Thanks for the books and the support. Your efforts on our behalf are appreciated."

"THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE GIVEN MY UNIT WHILE WE HAVE BEEN HERE!!! The Soldiers here really appreciate the books, magazines and comic books you have been sending, because we do not have PX on our FOB so our CH EX is the only source of supplies for them. AGAIN THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US!!!"

"Dear Ms. Barnes: First off - Happy St. Patrick's Day! For those of us with "Irish connections"(however tenuous), this a day for celebration. My adopted son was born 13 years ago today, and goes by the name Patrick, so it is a day I/we celebrate before most others. I hope you have a good reason to celebrate as well, and we here at DG celebrate your kindness and thoughtfulness in sending us such an amazing collection of magazines. The box that you shipped on March 4th arrived here in the middle of the Indian Ocean just yesterday and are already on display for the use of seamen and women who utilize this venue on a daily basis(we are open every day of the year...our staff wouldn't have it any other way). It was an excellent selection and the seafarers will be well pleased and grateful for your donation. Your generosity is deeply appreciated."

"Dear Ms. Portell: Thank you, most kindly, for the magazines that you posted to this Indian Ocean Seafarer's Center on the 27th of last month. It was a great selection that will be very much appreciated by those civilian seafarers and military personnel who utilize this Center on a daily basis. It was very thoughtful of you to remember "USS" and we thank you for your generosity and consideration. All best wishes from all of "USS". "

" Dear Ms. England: Greetings once again from Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. On behalf of the merchant seafarers and military personnel who currently call this small island "home", I very much wanted to write and thank you for the second(2) large box of magazines and books that NWR recently shipped to "USS" and which arrived here just yesterday!. The selection was contemporary and an excellent choice for our island population. The magazines have once again been located at several locations throughout this "seafarer's service center" and our daily visitors will be well pleased with this addition to our reading library. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity, it was without a doubt the largest, heaviest box of books and magazines that I have ever received from OP. Kindly extend our best regards to the employees of Northwest Radiology Network with our thanks for their exceptional kindness. "

"Dear Ms. Gane: I very much wanted to write and thank you for the recent mailing of 5 DVD's which you sent us February 26, and which arrived here just yesterday. The "Seamen's Service Center" recently spent a large sum of money(not while I was here!) on a large video viewing screen and I am absolutely certain that many of our American seafaring visitors will enjoy watching the videos that you so kindly and generously sent to "USS". DG is a "hardship posting" for my of our Center patrons, so a gift like this is very much appreciated by one and all during their off-duty hours here at the Seafarers Center. Our deepest thanks for your kindness and generosity. With all best wishes from the Director and staff of the United Seamen's Service Center at Diego Garcia,"

"Hello Karen, So I received your care package and letter about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I want to start off by telling you thank you very much. I apologize for not writing you sooner, but the past few weeks have been very hectic in the Sandbox (Iraq). With the elections going on, it pretty much seem like non-stop patrols and action. Myself and fellow platoon members did enjoy the care package you sent out. And thank you for the books, food, and magazines that you mailed as well. That was all very thoughtful of you. "

"Dear John, rnThank you very much for the books, it means a lot to all of us here inrnAfghanistan. I share the books with everyone who enjoys to read. Well, in this case everyone likes to read. It makes time fly by with a good book. Again, thank you for your time and your prayers. God bless u and yourrnfamily.rn"

"Thank you so much for the books! They made my day! I got great books like “Kite Runner”, “Wicked” and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”. It made me smile from ear to ear and put my Sgt in utter jealousy. I later told him they where for everyone and he rejoiced in happiness. Thank you operation paperback, we love you. "

"Mr. Tarpey, I received the books. Thank you very much for your support. Me and my battle buddies will definitely enjoy these books. It is really nice to know that our fellow citizens care about our welfare. Thanks again and God bless you and your family. "

"Good Morning Binnie: Great to hear from you again and our usual "thank you' for the two boxes of paperback books that you so generously sent to us late last month. The books are already in our library and will be greatly appreciated by those who briefly call this small island community home. The Seamen's Center provides social and recreational services to merchant seamen and women, US military personnel, DOD contractors, and Filipino nationals every day of the year, so we are deeply grateful for the support that we derive from people like you. Thank you again, and all the best from all of "USS". "

"My apologies for not contacting you sooner, to be honest I have just been lazy over the past 3 weeks or so about my correspondence. I have received 3 shipments since last I was in contact with you. I would like to thank the people who have sent books so far. They have done a great deal to improve morale over here in Iraq. "

"To all the wonderful folks at Operation Paperback, First of all I just want to say thank you very much for your support and for all the wonderful books that were sent. It is greatly appreciated. Some folks I was able to correspond directly with and that was wonderful. I want to specifically thank Mr. Kern of Califon, NJ, Mr Wickstrand of Vero Beach, FL, Ms. Loscalzo of South Gate, CA and Ms. Mack of West Orange, NJ, and The AHRC Suffolk of Ronkonkoma, NY. If there is anyone I forgot to name, I apologize. I still very much appreciate the books and the support. Alas, it seems my time in Iraq may be drawing to an earlier close than I expected. So, unfortunately I am going to have to take my name off the list. Once again, I want to say thank you so very much for all the support. "

"I wanted to extend my deepest gratitude for the books I have received. It feels great to know that patriotic Americans like you and those in your organization care about us out "here". My time here consists of long days and nights, but the books I receive are a welcome escape from the realities of being deployed. What little time I do have off, gives me the opportunity delve into some far off land or read about the history of a culture I have yet to experience. It's nice to know people out there still care. Thank you so very much..... "

"I would just like to say that I am getting my books and thank you very much for them. It is kind of hard for me to get to a computer sometimes or I would have written sooner. Once again I am getting my books and thank you. "

"I would like to say thank you to Selina for sending me the books. They will definitely help me get through the slow times over here. Thank you very much!"

"Sue S. and Friends: Thank you for the books and for your support!"

"Lee S.: Thank you for the books and for your support!"

"Thank you for all the books. It has helped pass the time and provide quality entertainment. In a world where the news media and pundits disparage our efforts on the front lines the care packages and notes help to lift our spirits and know that we have your support."

"Dear Ms. England: Greetings from Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. On behalf of the merchant seafarers and military personnel who currently call this small island "home", I very much wanted to write and thank you for the large box of magazines that NWR recently shipped to "USS" and which arrived here earlier this week. The selection was contemporary and an excellent choice for our island population. The magazines have been located at several locations throughout this "seafarer's service center" and our daily visitors will be well pleased with this addition to our reading library. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity, it is very much appreciated by all of us working here. Kindly extend our best regards to the employees of Northwest Radiology Network with our thanks for the kindness."

"Thank you for sending many books from different supports. It was so helpful for us to serve many soldiers to read the books at MWR. It is time to go back home. Please, don't send us any more books. I appreciate your efforts. May God bless you."

"Hi, Just wanted to say thanks!! Spoke to my husband today, and he told me that he had received a box of books today. Passed them around to others in his company. Thanks Again. "

"I am just writing to let you know that I recently received a shipment of books. I would like to thank you for your support of not only myself, but of all service members everywhere. I am sure that I will get many hours of enjoyment from the reading material that you have provided, and when I am done I will be passing these books on to my fellow service members. Please know that your support of all of us makes our job much more rewarding and lets us know that we do have the support of the American people. Thanks again I look forward to hearing from you again. "

"Thanks for all the books your volunteers have sent. They were enjoyed by the entire unit and some other units as well. But now I must ask to removed from the mailing list. We are almost done. Thanks again. "

"Thank you very much. I did receive a box of books and can't wait to find some extra moments in my day that I might be able to read. Good thing is I have almost a year to go so I hopefully will be able to get through them by then. Again thank you."

"Thank you very much, I appreciate everything you are doing.. I got your box of books and shared them with every one here. God bless you as well, and thank you for your prayers"

"Many thanks to the gang at Operation Paperback for the wonderful support this tour. All of these books have been a wonderful way to pass the time here. We'll be out of here in a few weeks, but I will always be thankful for your support!"

"Thanks for the books, I'm off to re-read Beowulf; the other books are going into our US library. Thanks again."

"Selina F, I want to thank you and Operation Paperback for your support. The books I received are amazing. My soldiers and I will surely enjoy reading these books for months to come. I appreciate the kind message you sent in the package. I hope to hear from you guys in the near future. Take care. "

"Operation Paperback, Thank you for your support. I received your wonderful box full of books. The soldiers in my unit and I greatly appreciate it. The books allow us to escape the reality of what is going on around us. It brought smiles to our faces knowing that people at home are thinking of us. "

"HI there I just wanted to send ya a quick note to say thanks for the box of books. Our library in the hospital is growing and it's nice not to have only romance novels!!! Thanks for thinking of us! "

"I recently received my first shipment of books here at ****** Afghanistan. I just wanted to thank you for the support and be assured that the books are being put to good use! Thanks again."

"I just got some books from you guys and wanted to say thanks. I brought them up to all my people and look forward to receiving more books. Thank you."

"Hello there. Just thought I would let you know that I received a box of books today from Pamela G from Charlottesville, VA. On behalf of the troops at Sather AB Iraq, I say thank you for your generosity! As a reminder, please use 30 April 2010 as the cut off for sending books to me. Thanks again. "

"I received more books, from Nancy C., BookEnds, and Dianne in Denver. WOW this is a lot of books! I also left a note on the webpage for some of the others we received. We had to clear off another shelf in the library for all the books we have received. Thanks so much! I think we have enough books to get us through the next two years!"

"I want to thank the people who sent me the box of magazines. They were very much appreciated. My Soldiers are looking forward to receiving more. They were a big hit! Thanks again! "

"I wanted to take the time and thank Marisa F for her recent gift of reading material, especially all the Jayne Anne Krentz books. I have plenty to keep me occupied until I return from deployment. Thanks for your generosity, it was more than I ever expected! God Bless. "

"Thanks for the support through books. I have been receiving on average a box a day of books. It's been great. I have received numerous books about American history as requested. I have biographies of founding founders, accounts of the constitutional convention, the war against the British empire, etc. I have received magazines and a book about the Yankees - the best sports club in the world. I need to halt my requests for now because I have no more room to store my books. I started to store them in our common area in the computer room here on base. There is no more room there, either. My NCOs have asked long ago to stop receiving books. The shelves are full. "they keep on coming," I told them. I have tried to reply to some people I received boxes from because some of them sent me their e-mail. I have not replied to all of them because the time allowed us on the computer here doesn't allow me. It's a lot of people. I wanted you guys to thank them for me if possible. I have reading for a very long time. I can't thank you enough for what you do for us. Receiving a box and a note inside motivates me everyday on my job. It reminds us of how good our people are and that we can do a lot of good in the world. It keeps me focused on why I am here. Thank you."

"I wanted to send out a Big Thank You to Renee B. and Kathy F. as well as any other volunteer that helped send books to Forward Operating Base Gardez, Afghanistan. Operating without internet or television has made avid readers of the uninterested. I really appreciate the choice of genres and authors. To get, what I consider to be the best offerings of, both Grisham and King, makes it easy to appeal to the initiated. Thank You."

"I want to give you all another big "THANK YOU" for sending all the books to me at Sather AB, Iraq. I have received books from Ms. Rucker from Tampa FL, a box from Lorain, OH and one from the Malaga Cove Library in Palos Verdes, CA. My fellow Airmen and I are enjoying the books. What's left over I give to the USO at the passenger terminal here at the base. We have many Army folks who enjoy them there. Thanks again. "

"I’m writing to let you know I received three (!) shipments of books. One from Sharon S, one from Gene R and Pat F and one from Sue H. I’m not sure exactly when they arrived though as I’ve been traveling in country for the last two weeks (during which several books from the last shipment kept me company during long hours spent waiting for transportation). Thank you so much for donating your time to supporting us out here. It means a lot to us. My office is eagerly divvying up the books as I type this. Thank you again. "

"Binnie, I just wanted to say thank you for sending me the box of books. I really appreciate it. I had so many I had to give some of them away. I am good now until the end of deployment. Thank you for your thoughtful gift, I am grateful. "

"To Lydia T, Selina F, Virginia G, Don & Dianne W, Tillie N, Paula M. and Judith T: Thank you all so much for your donations! Our ship's library is literally overflowing! I am going to share some of your donations with other ships in the fleet. I have stashed a few titles away for my own reading list--and that is about 10 books high right now! I guess I had better get to it! Thank you all so much for your support--it really means a lot to us! "

"Dear Mr. Armstrong and the Volunteers of Operation Paperback, I would like to take a moment to personally thank you on behalf of my entire Company for this box of books. They were a big hit, many of them disappearing before they could even make it to our communal book shelf. Please know that these novels, as well as your enduring thoughts and prayers, never go unappreciated. Thank you, and God Bless."

"Hello Very much wanted to write and thank you for the large box of current magazines that you so kindly sent our way last month. The variety of the selections will be very popular with our patrons and military friends and we deeply appreciate the time, effort and expense you went to in order to mail these to "USS." We are most grateful and thank you for your thoughtfulness and remembering us here in the BIOT. "

"Hello My name is Tsgt Lyndsey L. I am a medic in the ER at Bagram Air Field Afghanistan. I just received a terrific shipment of paperbacks from Selina today to add to our library. It's nice get books to keep us occupied and our minds off of other things. We are so thankful for all the people who think about us and care to send us books! Thanks again."

"I want to give you all a big "THANK YOU" for sending all the books to me at Sather AB, Iraq. I have received books from Dunstable, MA; Newville, PA; and Michigan I believe. My fellow Airmen and I are enjoying the books. What's left over I give to the USO at the passenger terminal here at the base. We have many Army folks who enjoy them there. Thanks again. "

"I just got my shipment of paperbacks from you. Thank you so much! I've already read Trojan Women and am starting in on the Sci-fi."

"The Kellar Family, Sue H, and Richard M, Thank you so much for the generous donation of paperback books that you sent for me to share. The mix was great with the romance books especially appreciated (I put the romance books out and they were almost all gone by the next day!) We don't get many of the historical romance and timetravel romance (and the vampire ones seem especially hot right now). I am very grateful for your willingness to sent current, fun,and esp, romance books. The books are wonderful as a stress breaker and also as a conversation starter (have you read this one yet, or I will give you this one as soon as I finish it) I know you expended not only funds on getting the books and mailing them but I also am thankful you took the the time to pick out special books and packing them to send. Your gift of giving a part of yourself in thinking of us soldiers, and putting action to the thoughts is such a wonderful present. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. Thanks Bunches!!!"

"I just wanted to thank you for the shipment of books that you sent me while I was overseas. I do apologize dearly that I am only writing you this email now. I just recently got back home and I found the envelope that you had put with the books. Your providing books to the troops is such a good thing. It keeps our minds off what is really going on. Thanks again for all that you have done and that you do for the troops. "

"I just wanted to say thank you for sending out reading material to my location. Now I'll have a little extra something to do during my off time. Again thank you :)"

"I have received more than I ever expected (and I am still trying to find room for some of the books!) and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Between the magazines, books and snacks people sent, I have enough to last me til I return home again. I have sent letters to everyone who was kind enough to send me something, but if you could again thank them for me I would appreciate it. Your program is awesome and you are without a doubt keeping our morale up while being away from the States! Thanks again. "

"Dear Ms. F: Just wanted to take a moment of your time to thank you for being so kind as to send us the large box of magazines which you mailed to us on the 22nd of January. It was an excellent selection and our seafaring American and British patrons will find this donation most welcome. It was very nice of you to think of us (again) and we much, much appreciate your generosity and that of Operation Paperback. Our very best wishes to you in the New Year. "

"Dear Barbara: Amazing! Your box of most welcome business and auto magazines made the transit from Portland to Diego Garcia in only 10 days, arriving here just this morning subsequent to your mailing on January 29th! We are most grateful for your thoughtfulness and thank you for the trouble that you went to in order to mail this parcel to us. Your contribution has been prominently displayed at the entrance to this seafaring center and we very much appreciate the kindness. All best wishes to you in the New Year."

"Dear Mr. M: My apologies, I just got back to Diego Garcia after a four month (well earned) vacation and found that sometime over that period you had been very kind in subscribing this Center to one year subscriptions to both Reader's Digest and the Smithsonian Magazine. Our patrons - US military personnel and civilian mariners, will certainly enjoy these magazines and I thank you for taking the time, energy and expense of subscribing for "USS". It is most deeply appreciated. Our thanks too, to Operation Paperback, for making this possible. All the very best in the New Year."

"Dear Mr. T, I want to thank you for your continued support of the American troops over here in Afghanistan. My soldiers and I appreciated the books you sent us. It is nice to be able to take your mind off of events of the day. I am not going to tell you how terrible it is over here because no matter how bad things are it can always be worse. It also matters what type of attitude you go into it with and I have a very upbeat attitude about all things not connected with my ex-wife(haha). How can I or we not have great attitudes when we have such people as you and others like you in our support chains? Thank You. "

"Thanks you so much for your donation to our ship's library!"

"Thank you so much for your donation to our ship's library!"

"LT and Mrs. Victoria K., I received the book “THE MONKS OF NEW SKETE.” I want to thank you and your wife for participating in Operation Paperback. I am an avid reader. I will make sure to pass this book on to one of my soldiers so that others may enjoy it as well. "

"Just want to let you know that I received 4 small boxes of books and 6 medium sized boxes. Our shelves are staying nicely stocked. Please pass on my thanks."

"Thank you so much for all your support. We have received tons of books for us to enjoy, nine packages just yesterday. I thank you all very much. We are right now flooded with books from everyone's support. So I would like to remove my unit from the mailing list. Thank you again for the support from everyone involved with Operation Paperback. You guys do an awesome job."

"Thanks so much for the package of books! It arrived today without any damage. Thanks again."

" Hi there! This message is for the person from whom I received a book today, Teri E. I just wanted to say "Thank you very much!" for sending me Strike of the China Falcon. Your gift and your support are very much appreciated."

"I'd like to thank you for your support. I traveled on a regular basis and reading really helped me forget a lot about the dangers I was really in. Most of the times I would pick a book up while at the same time dropping the one I had finished reading for others to also enjoy. I kept reading your label and thought "I should return the favor at least by sending a thank you." Well finally I got to sit behind a computer now I'd really like to say from deep down in my heart - Thank you so much for all your help! May God bless you and America"

" Dear Diane and Don, I want to thank you for sending me books and magazines through operation paperback. I've been waiting for a chance to read "The Founding Brothers" by Joseph Ellis for a while. It's a popular book to people interested in American history like me. I am also setting up a small library at our common area here at FOB Joyce so other soldiers can read the books I get. I can imagine how beautiful the Cumberland valley is; I had heard about it before in New York. Being from Brooklyn, NY, I often find myself thinking of moving to upstate New York looking for the same views. Finally, I also appreciate the magazines. There is a lot of important things happening in our country right now such as health care reform and the economic crisis that us soldiers want to know more but don't have much access to the news. Thanks."

"I have received your box of books and am quite elated at the selection. I have selfishly taken the ones I intend on reading and the others in my office have done the same. I am a paralegal and work in the JAG office of *******. I wanted to personally thank you for your gift. I am happy your loved ones have returned home. I landed here on Christmas day and will not leave until the first week of December 2010. I have a long way to go and it is depressing when you really think about how long until you return home. I am a mother of 3 children and 4 dogs and miss them so terribly. It is different to be here and only have to worry about work and staying safe. When I am at home, I am the one who makes sure the laundry is kept up, dinner is started at a decent time, homework is done, the heater or air conditioner is turned off during the day, the curtains are opened in the morning and shut at night, dog food bowl is filled up, etc, etc, etc. I now sit here and wonder if those little things are being done while I am away. Again, thank you for your gift. It is much appreciated. "

"I just wanted to thank you all for sending all the books, and my platoon thanks you all for your support. "

"Sue H: Thanks for the books. Great stuff!"

"Ken O: Thanks for contributing the books. Nice selections for our soldiers to enjoy."

"Hello all, Thank you for the books. I didn't expect them to arrive so fast. They will be greatly enjoyed since our book selection is very limited at the moment. Again, thank you for your support and God Bless you all."

"my apologies for not getting around to letting you know that I have received some shipments recently. I have just gotten back from my R&R leave. I received three shipments: one from Judy B., another from Ken O., and the final from I believe Penny C. Once again thank you all for your donations of time, support and of course the books. They are greatly appreciated over here. Have a good day! "

"I just received a package of books from volunteer, Caroline B., dated 25Jan10. Perfect timing, I just finished my last book! Thank you so much. I look forward to reading them. We all appreciate your support out here. Thank you for what you do. "

"We just received another box of books from your organization. Thanks so much for you support. My unit will be redeploying soon. We will be leaving our library of books to the unit that will be replacing us. However, as I soon will no longer be here to receive any more boxes, please halt your shipments. I don't want your organization to pay for shipping and have them come back to you as undelivered. Thanks so much for improving the morale of the 800+ soldiers in our unit while we've been deployed."

"Hey I just wanted to let you know that I received your book and they are much appreciated. Thanks. "

"York Sertoma Club, I recently returned from leave and had several packages. They do help the time go by quicker. Thank you for your support."

"Ann C., I recently returned from leave and had several packages. They do help the time go by quicker. Thank you for your support."

"I would like to take a minute to express my gratitude and appreciation for all of the books that your organization has sent to me and my unit. We all appreciate everything that you and your organization are doing to make life little easier for those of us who are deployed. I just wanted to let you know that you will not need to send anything else to us. We have gotten word that we will be leaving SOON and therefore we are not supposed to receive any more mail after 1 February. Again thank you for all that you do and know that you are making a difference over here."

"Ms Nicholas, et al., My apologies for not writing sooner, but only here at the end of my year-long tour do I find myself with the time and means of expressing my gratitude for your kind gift to my unit. My words truly can not do justice to expressing the enormous comfort we have received from the gift of your books. The thought of some kind soul spending their time to gather, and then send, a piece of home to so distant a land, well, it warms our hearts in ways uncountable. To those of us sent forth to battle, each in our own way, those that would seek to bend these people against their will, the knowledge that there are others safe at home sending thoughts and prayers for our success and safe return is strengthening of our own resolve to make it through the adversities and frustrations that challenge us every day. As we are isolated from most of the major bases here, the ability to find a few moments of peace by escaping into a book is one of the few comforts we have here. It is hard to find a soul here who does not spend the waning moments of their day unwinding with one of the books from our rather well-stocked library. Thank you for the tangible expression of your support. "

"I just wanted to send a note of thanks to let you know that we not only received the boxes of books that you sent but also to tell you thank you. These books are truly a God send for us. I have been putting them on the Battalion bookshelf and they go out as quickly as they come in. We appreciate everything that your organization is doing for us servicemembers who are serving overseas. Words alone will never be able to express our gratitude for what you are doing. Fortunately our time has come to return home to our family and friends who we left behind a short while ago. My brother-in-law will be deploying in a a couple of months and I will make sure that I pass along your website to him so that his soldiers too can benefit from your graciousness. Thank you again for all that you do!!"

"Thanks for the books. They mean a lot to the soldiers in my Company. We appreciate your support. "

"Just to let you know that we received several boxes of paperback and hardback donations recently at the Patient Library. The boxes came from Hampton Bays, NY and Houston, TX. We were very pleased to receive the donations and want to thank all the kind folks for their generosity. "

" Eileen C., Thanks you so much for the books. I really appreciate you taking the time to send them over."

"Hi Chrissy, Sorry that it has been so long since I have written. It has been extra busy here in Kuwait. You might be interested to know that LT Day left for home last week and by now he is with his family. I have been receiving books at a steady rate and the shelves have stayed well stocked. Yesterday I got 5 small boxes in the mail. Thank you again."

"I would just like to send the heartfelt thanks from the Soldiers of the 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion to the Association for the help of Retarded Children Adult Day Habilitation Program. We recently received a donation of books from them through the operation paperback program. The 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, PACESETTERS, is made up of units from across the United States and includes Active Duty, Army Reserves, and Army National Guard Soldiers. We have a unit from Texas, Ohio, Washington, Louisiana, Arizona, Virginia, and our Headquarters is deployed from Ft Riley, Kansas. The 900+ Soldiers in this Battalion truly appreciate the fact that they took the time and energy to provide us with these books. Even though the quality of life continues to improve here, the Soldiers still work long hours, away from Family and friends, and need to be able to "get away" for even a few minutes and reading is one of the most popular ways of doing it. Your gift will continue to provide that break for Soldiers as new forces come into theater and as we exchange books with our sister units in Afghanistan. Again, we thank you for your support and efforts; when the American Soldier and their Families know that they have the support of the nation, it keeps them strong and makes the days go by faster. Thank you and best wishes."

"South Placer CHIP Retirees Group: Thank you for the books, magazines, and care package items!"

"I always have to stop and scan the books whenever I see any. Reading makes the cold lonely nights better for me. Thank You"

"Mike B, Thanks for the books. Nice selection!"

"Mr. Tarpey, I got your box of books today. Thank you very much for your support. I also send out my prayers for your eldest son and my sincerest gratitude that your niece's husband made it home safe. I'm headed out soon, God willing, back to my wife and two children. It's been a long haul that was made bearable from the distractions the books have provided not only to myself but to the rest of my unit. Thanks again."

"I want to thank you for your support throughout this deployment. My unit has received numerous care packages from Operation Paperback and Operation Care Package. My guys have enjoyed receiving them and just knowing that people are still thinking of us out here. We really appreciate your support. I will be leaving in the coming weeks and wanted to pass along my sincere gratitude for your services. If you wish to continue to support my replacement unit you may use the address below. We currently have a good amount of supplies to pass on to the new team. Thank you again! "

"Thanks so much for sending all the wonderful books to my son while he was deployed. He is home now and you can stop or cancel the submission for the delivers. Again I really appreciate your doing this Daniel said it was a big help while he was gone. "

"Kiley D., The books were received as well as the cards from the students. Thank you for the support!"

"Shiela C., The books were received. Thanks for supporting us!"

"Kim V., Thank you for the books and the support!"

"We received a package of books from Dunstable, MA. Thanks for the support."

"Rashid, Thank you very much for the books and for your support! "

"Hi Selena! I just wanted to send my sincerest thank you's for the books you sent me! It was by far the best box of books I've gotten. I can't thank you enough. Your efforts do not go unappreciated."

"Wishing you happiness this holiday season and throughout the coming year. We go home soon, so thank you!"

" Dear Young Women's Club of York, PA: We received your Operation Paperback book delivery just this past week. Since the education center is highly frequented by Soldiers going into Iraq, we here at the education center on Camp LSA, Kuwait kept the books packed up until this afternoon when there was a slight lull in the number of visiting students. Now they have become the newest entry in the base library. They are greatly appreciated by the men and women fighting for democracy and stability in Iraq. Thank you very much for not forgetting the servicemembers far away from home. Merry Christmas from the Arabian desert."

"I would like to say thank you from all of our Soldiers in my Unit. I received 2 boxes of books today (LTC PZ Horton III and Carolyn B). It was absolutely amazing to get a package with that many books in them. I put the books out in our Company area and I am sure that they will be gone in a couple of days. I am going to send a note back to each individual and say Thank You. I truly appreciate all the support you give to the troops. When we have time, it is really nice to be able to get away from all the craziness by reading books. Thank you."

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT AND THE BOOKS."

"Chrissy, we just received a BUNCH of boxes from your folks... WOW!!!! It felt like Christmas, seriously! Unwrapping a dozen or so parcels and finding all great gifts inside, really brought the Christmas season on!!! Plus, the selection was terrific... Really it was what we wanted:> Recent DVD's for adults, lots of children DVD's, and plenty of Christmas tunes to enjoy for this season. Thank you SO very much! Some of your people even sent Christmas greeting cards to us, how sweet! One person even sent us a direct shipment from Amazon, which they paid for and had Amazon ship to our address. Now that's giving in the spirit of faith! It's so funny, cause we were all like, "We're not expecting anything from Amazon for the library... We don't have any new fiscal year money to order anything with"... LOL! Oh, were we pleasantly surprised. THANK YOU to everyone!!!! Please extend our thanks to the following people: Suzanne S. of Miami, FL, Judy D. of Scotia, NY, Nancy W. of Saint Louis, MO, Karol M. of Boscobel, WI, Kent and Gigi B. of Andover, MA, Anne S. of Overland Park, KS, Delores G.of Mountain Home, AR, Dave B. of Allenstown, NH, Sheri H. of Dunstable, MA, Lisa B. of Stephens City, VA, Terry N. of Milford, CT, Gene R. & Pat F. of Palos Verdes Estates, CA, Sara C. of Lake Charles, LA, Syd C. of Ocala, FL, Adele C. plus, Dianne (Denver) and Kathy. Sorry, but we accidentally discarded further info for these two last people (Dianne and Kathy). Thank you again! Please keep the DVD movies (adult and children)coming indefinitely, at a rate of about a box per month. Have a Happy Holiday Season. You've certainly made ours a little brighter! ;o)"

"Selina and Operation Paperback: We just received another box of books that are making the rounds with the team. Thanks for your support!"

"Mr. Jackson, Tuxedo Park Library, Don Wickstand, Rosemary Kkilhoffer, Anna Weaver, Linda Rowe, Kevin Duffy and his eagle scouts, Dan and Shirley Alley, Marge Stacy, and Claire Bryant sent me so many books! Thank you so much! I never realized how many books were necessary until I took these boxes of book to the latrine to share with everyone (After I greedily took some for me as well). We saw a book or two in each stall... people are definitely spending more time in the bathroom with quality reading material. After my roommate yelled at me for having so many books, I saw her walk in the room with 13 books from the bathroom and told me she was sorry, sat down and started reading. Thank you so much for bringing life back to us. this provides such an escape. I can't thank everyone there enough. Also to the men and women who sent me books at the beginning of the tour as well. Thank you so much. My Stephen King collection was stolen from me and now thanks to all your many volunteers, I have regained most of it back as well as collected a few more :) Many of my friends have come back to reading after seeing the selection provided to them. Thank you is not enough for your kindness and generosity. I can only hope that I can still make you proud of us."

"Dear Andersons: Thank you for your generous donation of books in support of the over 1,000 transiting troops, family members, and retirees passing daily through the world’s busiest USO Center at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Not only are these items greatly appreciated, I also want to recognize the time and effort it took to collect and mail them. Happy Holidays from the Ramstein Air Terminal USO."

"Dear Mandy, I received your shipment about a week or so ago. Thank you so much. The books were a great hit and everyone is enjoying them. We are very grateful that there are people like you and your colleagues that are willing to spend your free time to send us things. Thank You so much."

"Ken O., Thank you for the books. They arrived on 24 Dec 09 and were a nice boost for Christmas."

"I just wanted to thank everyone at operation paperback for all the books the troops have received from you this year and wish you all a wonderful and safe winter. "

"Thank you very much for the support that you have provided for your troops here in Iraq. We received your Iraqi Phrasebooks recently and they have been a huge benefit for our company. We were able to provide one to every soldier in our unit and they have been a big help with our understanding of the Iraqi language. Our company has been able to utilize interpreters when we have to speak to local nationals, however I can attest that respect is gained when you can speak in their language. Using just a few phrases in their Iraqi language in many cases brings a smile to their face. I have personally been asked (humorously) to join a local tribe as a result of using a few phrases that have learned from your phrasebook. In the Army we always talk about the "measures of effectiveness" for everything we do, and it is easy to gage the rapport that is built through just a few phrases of their language. Thank you again and Happy Holidays!"

"Mr. T., I want to thank you for a book you donated to Operation Paperback, "...and Never Let her Go," by Ann Rule. I finished reading it and will put it back with the donated books for someone else. I wanted to let you know your donation is appreciated! Happy New Year "

"I'm writing to thank you for the books. I was a little busy and have gotten behind on my thank you letters. So now that I have a few minutes what better time than now. The book selection over here has really grown from all of the volunteers who have sent books. It has been great to see what comes in the mail. I know I enjoy opening boxes and seeing what is in every box. Again, thank you for the books and Happy Holidays!"

"Last week I received a box of books from Mina and friends of The Book Cellar Webster Library (NY). Thanks for taking the time to put together the books and sending them to us. There was a great selection and they're being cycled through our team here. Your work and support for us is really appreciated!"

"I just received 12 Boxes of books!!! I can't thank you enough!! So many people sent me so many books I feel bad I can't write so many thank you cards! I hope you will understand and accept my thank you so very much over the internet! Thank you so much for providing and "out" for us on those rough days:) We all appreciate it so very much. I got the opportunity to share with all my friends and even more. Thank you from all of us at JSS War Eagle."

"I pray that you'll have a blesssed Christmas. Your family is in my prayers. Thank you for everything you have done."

"Thank you for the books that have been sent. I would like to let you know that I have recently received 3 shipments of books. Two I have personally sent thanks to, which are John T and the Women's Book Club of Westchester County. The final one is from Tuxedo Park Library. "

"Nancy, Selina, Wendy, the Volunteers of Operation Paperback, and the employees of BAE Systems, Inc.: Today I received three shipments of books from your organizations and it will go a long way into updating our book selection at the Morale Recreation and Welfare Center (MWR). If you are a fan of romance novels and/or Louis L 'Amour you would be thrilled when you entered our little library here at FOB Kalsu, near the town of Iskandariyah 40km south of Baghdad. If you are like most the guys here you would be hard pressed to find good science fiction, like Warhammer Star Wars, Dragon Lance, and Forgotten Realms. Your generous donation of good books will give many Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines countless hours of entertainment and stress relief. Thank you for thinking of us and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year."

"Hello John I would like to thank you for your shipment of books. I and my fellow troops will get much enjoyment out of them. My best wishes to you and your family during the holidays. "

"John, Thanks so much for the books you sent to FOB Spin Boldak. These will serve a many soldier from our collective recreation tent we have built. Thank you so much again for your kind consideration. "

"I was lucky enough to find out about this website on my last deployment. I want to thank everyone who works here and let them know how much I appreciate you all. The books I got last deployment helped me out a lot. Thank you for supporting the troops and thank you so much for all you do."

"Dear Young Women's Club of York, PA: We received your Operation Paperback book delivery just this past week. Since the education center is highly frequented by Soldiers going into Iraq, we here at the education center on Camp LSA, Kuwait kept the books packed up until this afternoon when there was a slight lull in the number of visiting students. Now they have become the newest entry in the base library. They surely are greatly appreciated by the men and women fighting for democracy and stability in Iraq. Thank you very much for not forgetting the service members far away from home. Merry Christmas from the Arabian desert."

"Sally D, Thank you so much for the books you sent. I really appreciate it."

"Jane P, I wanted to say thank you for the books you sent. They are appreciated."

"Jill, Thank you so much for the shipment of books. I have added them to our growing library available to all 200+ of us here at Kabul. It is so relaxing to go and pick out a book and get your mind off of all that seems to overwhelm you at times. Thanks for helping provide that comfort to us all. "

"I received your package today and I would like to thank you very much. We have a bookshelf in our hallway area and since I am finance we see alot of soldiers daily and I have filled the bookshelf up with all the books I have received. So your books are being shared with a lot of other soldiers here. Thank you again. I am very grateful for your support. "

"Thank you very much for the box of books! They go a long way towards maintaining a high morale and providing entertainment for our soldiers in their "down" time. Our base does not have a very good selection of books available, and when new books arrive, they are quickly snatched up. So, these are very much appreciated. The story - No Ordinary Neighbor - > and picture added a nice very timely and personal touch - I have posted it in our common area for our soldiers to read and enjoy. Thank you for the tremendous thought and generosity! Have a wonderful> winter, a Happy New Year, and a Merry Christmas!"

"Mr. Tarpey, Thank you very much for the books. I received them today. Thank you very much for sending them. I appreciate it. I love to read. The others here pick out the books they want to read and then put on the book shelf for everyone else. Once again thank you. "

"My apologies for not responding sooner, but due to unforeseen circumstances I have not been at my normal fob. Upon return there were two shipments of books and I would like to send out my thanks to the kind people who sent the books for myself and the other soldiers here on FoB Grizzly. Many thanks! "

"To the wonderful volunteers of Operation Paperback:Over the last ten months I have been receiving various books thru your organization which have been enjoyed by all. Unfortunately, my time is up and I have to re-deploy Jan/Feb time frame. Please adjust your "send to" roster to reflect this information. Once again, I and the many Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen and civilians that I have in my company send their many thanks."

"Although I have not directly received books from Operation Paperback I have read many, many books you have sent to soldiers. I can not thank you enough for giving your time and effort to help us. With little usable electricity or venues for entertainment; you have books that can go in your pocket and when you get where you're going or get to the end of the day it is accessible. Please know that you have our gratitude. Thank you."

"Your thoughtfulness in giving us books is very much appreciated. Your wonderful gift will keep on giving as we share the books among ourselves and then pass them on to others. Thanks bunches!"

"Thank you to the many volunteers that have given all the Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen and Civilians that are deployed the opportunity to escape to another world thru the many books that have been sent out. Thank you for YOUR support."

"Thanks Operation Paperback for the box of books you sent us. They are already in our deployed library and in the hands of people wanting to escape from here, even for a little while. Your service is appreciated by all. Thanks again, God bless the USA! "

"Please thank Nancy D. and the employees of BAE Systems, Inc for their recent book donation to the Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa Japan. Thanks."

"I wanted to say thank you on behalf of all the service members and civilians working in Iraq who will benefit from your kindness and generosity. The books and other items sent from all of you show that you are behind them and will never forget the sacrifices they make daily to preserve not only our way of life but putting all on the line for others as well. I once again thank you and hope you all enjoy this Holiday season. "

"Thank you very much for the box of books you donated to share with the troops here in Balad, Iraq! We have received your shipment and are distributing the books to servicemen and women through our canteen here at the Joint Base Balad Red Cross Office, and with the assistance of some of our volunteer servicemembers, including them in care packages to some of our troops in outlying areas and on missions. The books you donated will go a long way toward brightening the days of many of those serving their country far from home. Thank you again!"

"I first want to thank you so much for supporting my Company through Operation Paperback. The Soldiers and myself have much appreciated the books and magazines we have received over the last year and change. Words cannot describe my gratitude and I cannot write enough Thank You cards. I am writing to you to inform you that I will be leaving Korea, so you can remove me from your address listing. Thanks again for everything. "

"Please thank Jamie V. for the recent book donation to Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa, Japan."

"We just received a BUNCH of boxes from your folks... WOW!!!! It felt like Christmas, seriously! Unwrapping a dozen or so parcels and finding all great gifts inside, really brought the Christmas season on!!! Plus, the selection was terrific... Really it was what we wanted: Recent DVD's for adults, lots of children DVD's, and plenty of Christmas tunes to enjoy for this season. Thank you SO very much! Some of your people even sent Christmas greeting cards to us, how sweet! One person even sent us a direct shipment from Amazon, which they paid for and had Amazon ship to our address, now that's giving in the spirit of faith! It's so funny, cause we were all like, "We're not expecting anything from Amazon for the library... We don't have any new fiscal year money to order anything with"... LOL! Oh, were we pleasantly surprised. THANK YOU to everyone!!!! Have a Happy Holiday Season, you've certainly made ours a little brighter! ;o)"

"Thanks Chrissy, we just received a couple more boxes which I will fly to our outstations next week. "

"Thank you very much for the box of books you donated to share with the troops here in Balad, Iraq! We have received your shipment and are distributing the books to servicemen and women through our canteen here at the Joint Base Balad Red Cross Office, and with the assistance of some of our volunteer servicemembers, including them in care packages to some of our troops in outlying areas and on missions. The books you donated will go a long way toward brightening the days of many of those serving their country far from home. Thank you again! "

"Just wanted to drop a line thanking you for the continued support and the books. Most recently I received a package of books from Lidsay H, or at least she signed the letter. The books that I don't keep for myself, I take over to the MWR and let them place them on their bookshelves. That way more soldiers have the opportunity to share in the support of your organization. Thanks again for all your support, and the Books!"

"Just sending you a confirmation on receiving the first shipment of books from you. Awesome, of course. Thank you very much, most of them are already gone! I appreciate your service to us. Hope your Holidays were good and happy. Thanks."

"Thank you for all of the support to our unit. However, we have enough books to last us for a long time. I am requesting that you take our unit off the list for a bit and I will let you know if we need to be added back onto the list. Thank You and have a nice Thanksgiving."

"Thank you for all the great books that I have had shipped to me. I have more then enough books for me and the company I am with. I would like to have my name taken off the list so that other soldiers and get these great books also. Thank you very much. "

"Thanks so much for the wonderful support your organization provides. The books are wonderful. I would like to thank Wendy H. for her great package, and Jessica F. for being so generous with hers. It is a treat to receive the books!!! Please let them know how much their kindness and generosity means to those of us overseas!! I (and my fellow soldiers) am really appreciating our "library" more and more as the days go by! Please let your group know how much their gifts mean!! Thanks so much."

"Good afternoon, I got your box today. I wanted to drop a line to send the thanks of not only myself, but my comrades here with me that appreciate the books as well. It means a lot to have people that support us so much back home, thanks again!"

"Dear Col. H., Thank you very much for the box of books you donated to share with the troops here in Balad, Iraq! We have received your shipment and are distributing the books to servicemen and women through our canteen here at the Joint Base Balad Red Cross Office, and with the assistance of some of our volunteer servicemembers, including them in care packages to some of our troops in outlying areas and on missions. The books you donated will go a long way toward brightening the days of many of those serving their country far from home. Thank you again!"

"Just a little note to let you know that we have received 5 boxes of books over the last few days. Thank you!"

"Just writing to let you know your shipment arrived safely to Iraq, and will enhance the 1-227th ARB Reading room. "

"Happy Holidays, I (We) have just received the latest installment of books sent by your organization and like the others, they are greatly appreciated. The irony is that we had just finished putting up a Christmas Tree and my entire section was really reveling in the holiday spirit and what should come to our door? A box of books. They were as excited as I was. Perfect timing. It was like Christmas came early. Thank you for your wonderful support. I (We) genuinely appreciate all that you do and the books. Happiest of holidays to you and yours. "

"Happy Holidays, I (We) have just received the latest installment of books sent by your organization and like the others they are greatly appreciated. The irony is that we had just finished putting up a Christmas Tree and my entire section was really reveling in the holiday spirit and what should come to our door? A box of books. They were as excited as I was. Perfect timing. It was like Christmas came early. Thank you for your wonderful support. I (We) genuinely appreciate all that you do and the books. Happiest of holidays to you and yours."

"Greetings from Iraq, I just wanted to thank everyone for the books they have been sending. The soldiers here have been appreciating the books. We have built a library here at the Brigade Aid Station and daily people come through only to grab books. It's been a well received change of pace for the troops. Thank you so much for your generosity. "

"I am so thankful for the books that your groups have been sending. They are well received and everyone has been enjoying the variety that are sent. The women (and some of the men if it be known) have appreciated the romance that you have included in some of the boxes. I have received boxes from Wendy H, Tillie N, Dale R, Selina F and Sue S!! It was great and I do wish to have each and everyone know how much their gift means. It is so nice to be able to "escape" into another place and time and lose yourself from what you are doing or is going on around you. To each of you, I thank you for your thoughtfulness in giving these books. It is so very much appreciated!!"

" I want to thank you for shipping books to our service members. I have received your books from the 211th HHD Commander. I am building a place for the troops to relax and get away from the stress of being deployed. Your gift has allowed me to give the troops something that will let them escape from the heat of Iraq and into a story. Thanks. "

"Hello- My name is Eric M, programming librarian for USAG Ansbach, here in Germany. I want to tell you that the books you have sent are a very kind gesture and the children are going to love them. Thank you so much for everything!"

"Sara, Thank you for your generous contribution of books to the Warrior Transition Battalion, Fort Campbell, KY. Books often give the Soldiers an escape from daily life in the army. Our unit is a unique unit in which the Soldiers are temporarily in our unit, whether wounded in combat or injured stateside. We greatly appreciate your support, contribution of books and consideration for the Soldiers. Have a great day and do contact us with any questions."

"Fellow Book Lovers, Thx so much for the books!"

"I wanted to send a thank you letter to you and let you know I have been really excited to receive all the books I have, but I think I have all that I could use at the present time. I mean I have read so much of what I have gotten, but now I don't have anywhere to put the rest of the boxes I get and other soldiers here aren't really big on reading, so if possible could we please remove my name from the mailing list for now? I have 7 boxes that are full and I don't have any space left for more. Like I said I really do enjoy them but I don't think I would know what to do with any other boxes. Thanks so much!"

"I would like to take the time to personally thank you for the gift of books that you have so graciously donated to our library here. I would like for you to know that these books were well received and have found a wonderful home. I am thankful for groups like yours that take the time to make our lives that much easier. "

"Hi there, I just wanted to take the time to say thanks for taking the time to collect all the books. I see your sticker on a lot of them and I LOVE TO READ!!! So - Here's a shout out from COB Adder - Tallil, Iraq. Thanks a ton! You've made my nights happy and a lot of other soldiers as well. Take care and have a great Turkey Day!"

"I just wanted to write and let you know that I received two shipments of books over the last couple days. Thank you so much! I am forwarding them to our unit chaplain who has a free "troop store" as well as a take one, leave one book area. Thanks again."

"I just wanted to say thank you so much for the box of books you have sent me. I just received it today and I was so happy. Now I have enough books to read for the whole year. Thank you for all you guys do and how you support the troops. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."

"I just wanted to share a special thank you with all of you who have sent me boxes! It has been a pleasure receiving all the books i have. I now have enough books to last me the rest of the year. Thank you so much"

"Thank you so much for sending me the books. I have been sharing them with my fellow soldiers. We appreciate what you do. We have more than enough books to last us for the rest of the deployment so you don't have to send us anymore. Have a great day!"

"I just want to start off by saying thanks for all the books that ya'll have sent here. My entire company is enjoying the books. They are being passed around the company and even to other units that are here. Ya'll are doing great things for us back home and we really do appreciate it. Getting the books makes the deployment that much more tolerable. Thank you once again."

"I just wanted to let you know we got your package of books. Thank you! We all appreciate your donation. Thank you again. "

"Oh my goodness. You have outdone yourselves, my husband has already received a shipment and said there were numerous books. He has started a library there and these will be wonderful additions. Thank you, thank you, thank you. "

" I would like to let you know the books you guys have sent arrived and would like to thank you for them. We all appreciate the thoughtfulness and all of your dedication to helping the Soldiers."

"THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE BOOKS!!! The Soldiers are really enjoying choosing and reading from the variety of books you have been sending. The comic books are also a big hit with Soldiers who don't like reading traditional books. Personally, I am elated for all the Anne Rice books, Neale Donald Walsch books and the books on various religions. I wish I could read all of them at the same time. Also, some of the Soldiers were wondering if you could send some children's books (2-12 ages.)"

"I just received 5 boxes of wonderful books from you. You don't understand how thankful I am for these. This is my second tour in Iraq and I learned from the first one how lonely it can get some times. These books are what we need over here. They can help us get our mind off of what is going on around us, and simply relax and enjoy them. I wanted to thank Selina, Kathy, Wendy, Hayner Public Library and everybody that is a part of operation paperback for what they have done. These books will go to needy soldiers who are just looking for an escape. Being just outside Baghdad, our days are full of surprises, but knowing there are people back in the states who care and are supporting us like this makes everything worth it. Thank you again from all of us here in Commanche Company 4-9IN. "

"I received multiple boxes of books and everyone was excited to help me open them up and look thru them! It was like an early Christmas. Our book selection has improved and now we have some more entertainment due to this. It is always great to relax with a good book. I've already written up thank you letters to people who sent boxes. Hopefully I haven't missed anyone. Whoever sent us books though, pass along a thank you. "

"Just wanted to send a note to say thank you and that we just received the most recent shipment of books. Thank you for everything."

"Thanks for the package, I don't read motocycle magazines, but one of my friends here did and really loved them. I'm orginally from upper east Tennessee, so your home sounds familiar to me. I'm also with the 2nd Infantry Division, just stationed out of Fort Lewis. Thanks for the package and the thoughts."

"I received 2 boxes with books in them mostly mysteries. I'd like to thank the people who sent them and say that quite a few of my buddies are enjoying them as well. Thank you for your support."

"I just wanted to thank you so much for everything you have done for us here. These books mean so much to us over here. The ability to escape into a good book is something that many of us need and truly appreciate. Again thank you so much. "

"I just wanted to say thank you. I received some books from you and have shared them with others here and we greatly appreciate them =)"

"I would like to thank Operation Paperback for the outpour of support. I have sent each contributor thank you letters as their "support" arrived to us here at FOB Sharana Afghanistan. We appreciate the support, however we have received so many books that I would like to withdraw my name from the list please. We have received so many different books and we are building a library to hold all these books, however even as we build shelves, we have to build more just to hold the books. Thank you for your time and your support. God Bless America."

"To whom it may concern: I have been receiving books from you for several months now and first off I would like to send thanks to all the volunteers that have sent me books. It has made my and many of my Marines time more enjoyable and gave us something to do with our downtime. However we are getting ready to leave theater soon and I am requesting that you stop sending books as I will have nothing to do with them when I return home. If you require any further information please don't hesitate to contact me. Again I appreciate your support. "

"Just a note to let you know that we received 2 small boxes of books yesterday. Thank you."

"Thank you for the books. It's a great stress reliever for me and my Soldiers. We've used the books to set up a morale and welfare center and we plan on sending some of the books to outlying areas where resources are scarce. Again, thanks for the books. "

"Kathy D.: Rec'd the Brian Haig books and the others are authors I have not read so this will be good. Many thanks to you!"

" Mary Beth M, Thanks for the eclectic group of books that you mailed to me. The Pam Brown Thursday Morning Book and Culture Club in Orindo, CA sent 3 boxes of books that I distributed out to various groups of soldiers where I am stationed. Thanks so much for the effort that was taken in getting the books to us to enjoy! It was very much appreciated!! "

"I have arrived safely back home and plan to visit family next week. Thanks for your support while I was deployed."

"Your paperback books were received at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Thank you for sending them. "

"Selina F, I just received your box of books today. Thank you very much. I really appreciated you sending them out. And thank you for sending so many Tom Clancy books. I love to read his books. I have already started in on one of them. I have also set others out so the other soldiers here can get a chance to read them as well. Thank you once again for taking time to send them to me. "

"Many thanks to all those who donated books. We recently received a couple of boxes and the troopers here were like kids on Christmas morning, some of them excitedly grabbing for books they had not read in several years. Many found new favorites as well as rediscovering past classics."

"I would like to thank you very much for the two shipments of books that have been received for the troops here at FoB Grizzly. They are much appreciated and will see many hands as when one person is done with them they will go to the MWR for redistribution. The shipments received were from Selina F. and Patriots Colony Library. Many thanks. "

"When I went down to get the mail this morning someone should have yelled INCOMING! because I was buried under boxes of books. Thanks again Operation Paperback!"

"We at the Salerno Army Education Center in Afghanistan thank you for your continuing support. With your help we have been able to maintain a bookshelf stocked for our troops' educational and personal development. Not only that, but the kind letters from your donors provide a warm sense of home. Keep 'em coming. Operation Paperback is an astounding victory!"

"Thank you for all the books. I have received so many books that I cannot even read them all. I pass them along for others to read though."

"Chrissy we have more than enough books for this year. Let me contact you again next year to see if we need to start up again. Thanks much."

" Just wanted to say that I have received the books that everyone has so generously donated. I have placed them in our MWR for the enjoyment of all soldiers of our unit. Your participation in Operation Paperback is greatly appreciated. Our work here as medics can often result in long, emotionally draining hours. I love to unwind with a good book after shift; it helps to take my mind off all the days events. Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone for their contributions. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. "

"I would really like to thank each and every one of you for supporting our crave for knowledge and entertainment here in Iraq. It has really brightened the lives of all the Marines and everyone around us. If you were to be around some of us, you could hear the discussions constantly going on about which book someone is ready and discussions on the plot of others. It's nice to get away from our reality with a good book in hand. Thank you so much for what you do, and continuously supporting us. We love you all and wish you all the best!"

"I received your box of books today. Thank you very much for sending them. I am looking forward to reading them. I have already started one of them. Books are really the only way I can kill time sitting around over here. You have helped me out a lot. Thank you very much for your support. I have already passed some on to other soldiers here and will do so with the rest of them after I am done reading them. Thank you very much. "

"I have now received three shipments of books and magazines. I am extremely thankful for everything your organization is doing for us. It means so much to hear from people back home and how much they support us. Again, thank you so much. "

"I have now received three shipments of books and magazines. I am extremely thankful for everything your organization is doing for us. It means so much to hear from people back home and how much they support us. Again, thank you so much. "

"While I was in Iraq, I really appreciated the reading materials sent by Operation Paperback members. Now that I'm back home, I'm signing up to be one of the folks sending packages."

"Thank you to all of the volunteers that continue to send us books. I have received numerous packages with a wide variety of great books. I continually get asked when the next box will be in!!! We appreciate everything you do for us. These books provide a much needed break to the hectic and long days. Please keep the books coming. Thank you again and God bless your organization!!"

"Thank you for all the books that you sent us. I have shared them with others too because I received so many. Thank you for all that you do."

"Thank you very much for your donation! The books you sent were greatly appreciated. I love to see such a wide selection of reading material in a place where there’s not much else to do, because it encourages everyone to find a book that interests him/her (and a lot more people would learn their spelling and grammar!) When I leave here in December, I will forward many of the books back to my boat, the USS Harry S. Truman. Its tiny library is in desperate need of an update to continue serving the 5,000+ crewmembers on board. Thank you again for the package; it really makes a difference to us over here when we receive love and support from back home! "

"Thanks for all the books. I am stationed at Babil Provincial Reconstruction Team near the ancient ruins of Babylon."

"We received your kind donation of books for our patrons here at USAG Hohenfels. Thank you for thinking of us- I am sure they will be enjoyed by many!"

"I received two boxes from Operation Paperback. Just wanted to say thanks."

"Thanks for your quick response and support. Any books that you send will really help us 'connect' with home and will be passed around from Soldier to Soldier."

"We have received several more shipments since the last email...the guys love you all for it. I'll continue to send updates for shipments as mission requirements allow. Thanks again."

"I am the chaplain assistant for the unit that you have been sending books(4-23 IN). I am the one who normally puts them away. The Soldiers here really appreciate these books!!! SGT Jonathan Martin "

"On behalf of my company and myself I would like to thank you all for your support. All of these books are helping time go by faster for soldiers in Iraq. We appreciate it. Thank you once again. "

" Please thank Doris and Art A. of Zim, Mn for their recent book donation to the Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa, Japan."

"Thank you so much for the American Heritage magazines sent to us in response to an Operation Paperback request. I've already taken two of the four boxes down to our laundry room where they've been gobbled up by the soldiers here. Yeah, south central Pennsylvania is quite beautiful. Two years ago right now I was riding a bicycle across our great nation. Because I had previously served with the PA National Guard in Iraq, I ended up heading north and crossing your fine state on HWY 30. Lucky for me I had plenty of army buddies across the state as I was facing some cold November rains/snow. Thankfully the precipitation was light and I was able to arrive in Philadelphia the day before Thanksgiving to celebrate the holiday with a childhood friend. But don't let the PA National Guard business confuse you. I was born, raised and spent most of my adult life as a Californian. I was called up from the inactive reserves and placed with A Co. 1-110th in Iraq. Pennsylvanians are pretty good people. Of course mine were mostly of the Pittsburgh ilk. I'm sure there's a big difference between Steelers and Eagles fans. Thanks again for thinking about the troops. I, of course, wear nothing but Hawaiian shirts as an Army Education Center employee here in Afghanistan but your magazines are being read by those in uniform. Nice to be among the troops again without having to do the job they do. I was infantry and don't care to carry a weapon any longer. Hope you're having a beautiful Pennsylvania fall, "

"My name is Spc. Arnal P. I would like to thank you and your organization sincerely for all the books here that I have recieved. I think I've got enough books to last me the rest of the deployment now. A little about the guy you sent books to. I am a Combat Medic with an infantry battalion which is part of the 3rd Stryker brigade of the 2nd Infantry Div. here near the Iran/Iraq border. We are doing a few missions a week here. Its pretty quiet so the books help pass the time during the long drives to and from in our Strykers. Also back in the barracks. Our FOB is an old Iraqi base. The accomodations are slightly better than tents. We have ac which helps alot. Once again I thank you for all your books. My guys and I will enjoy them. I am an avid reader. Thank you. "

"Just got another shipment of books from Lubbock, Texas. Thanks for sending, we appreciate it. "

"Dear Teri, We have received your gift of DVDs and on behalf of the troops here, and the USO I want to thank you and your organization for your thoughtfulness and generosity. These DVDs most certainly create a diversion for the men and women who put in so many hours and often arrive at the USO exhausted. We now have an extensive library of movies that very often means we are able to fulfill a request for a particular title. Sincere thanks to you and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Unit!"

"Thank to all who have been sending me books. The other service members also appreciate you. "

"I have received 2 shipments of books from you, the latest just last week. The guys love you for it…undoubtedly brought a smile. Thanks again for your support. "

"Hi Salina, My fellow soldiers and I thank you for the box of books. We should be good for a while and this is truly a wonderful operation which is greatly appreciated. I found a book, Mortal Allies by an author I have never before read and totally enjoying his books. If anymore come your way could you send to me if possible...his name is Brian Haig. Again thank you so much."

"to Denise & Randy B. for their book donation! Please let them know how much we appreciate their support of our wonderful troops. P.S. It's still hot here!"

"Dear John, Sorry I did not write back right away. I moved from Camp Bucca to Camp Cropper and started two new jobs...busy, busy, busy. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate all the books you personally mailed to the troops. It meant so much for me to be able to go to the MWR and look through the thousand (or more) or so books at Camp Bucca alone and pick one from one of my favorite authors. Just about everyone I picked up was from Operation paperback. Your book was the only one with an email address on the back so far but I promise to email a thank you if I see anymore. You are right about Camp Bucca, we did close that down and there was a piece on the news about us. I saw it on the FOX news ticker one morning in the Chow Hall. Thank you for all you do to support us. It means a lot to know there are good people out there that think about us in our missions overseas. "

"I have been meaning to get this out earlier. I wanted to thank everyone who has generously taken their time and money to send these books. When I signed up for the program I was a bit skeptical about people sending things to people that they do not know. I now am a true believer that there are still people in this world who care about those who do this job. When I got the first box of books I was amazed about the amount of books I had received. What started out to be a few books for my platoon turned into a rather large library of books for my company to read. "

"We appreciate your taking the time to send us care packages."

"Dear Volunteers who've been supporting the tiny FOB of Shank- If you can believe it, I think we might be at capacity for books here. I can't tell you how generous you all have been. I just got the last box from the Alleys and I was nearly sacked by a SGT trying to snag the Dan Brown novels. Yeah, things can get rough here! We are getting ready for our unit swap, and I'll be out of here soon. As much as it pains me to say, I think we have all the books we need and we've left plenty for the next unit following behind us. Our libraries are well stocked thanks to your generous donations. I can't thank you enough. Please remove my name from the list. I'm sure you'll see FOB Shank come back up on your roster, but (finally) my Soldiers and I are going home. All the best and thank you again."

"Ms. Diane W: Just time for a very quick note, but did want to write and thank you for the two parcels of reading materials that you kindly send to us on September 21st. I see where you have added Andrew's name to the shipping label and I will insure that he is aware of the need to open and display those magazines and books as they arrive. Thank you again, Diane, for the great serivce to seafarers and servicepeople here at Diego Garcia. It is deeply appreciated. All the very best and advance Happy Holidays. I hope to hear from you again early next year."

"I am sorry that it has taken me so long to respond to everyone. I have received the last 4 boxes of books that you have sent. Life is busy here sometimes, but I wanted to at least let you know that we did get them and they are being enjoyed by everyone in and out of the office. We are starting to get a sort of "book swap" going and they are being rotated out well. Thank you all again for everything."

"Hello there, Just a quick note to say thank you for the care packages. They really do make a difference and brighten the day when we receive them. Thank you again"

"Sir, I would like to thank you on behalf of my platoon for the box of books that you sent! We were all very excited to choose which book to start with! I personally chose, "Paint it Black" by P.J. Parrish. I'm having a hard time putting it down! We appreciate the support of wonderful patriotic citizens like you! Thank you again!"

"Ms. Katherine F, I would like to thank you on behalf of my platoon for the box of books that you sent! Everyone is so excited to go through the books to pick one each time we receive a new box. We all appreciate the support of wonderful patriotic citizens like you! Thank you again!"

"Hello, Just wanted to let Seale P., Madeline M., and the NOPL staff know that 2 boxes of books arrived for us here in western Afghanistan. Thank you so very much!! These books are more than appreciated over here – they take our minds off of the everyday grind and give our minds some exercise. We all thank you so very much for the time, effort, and expense that you have gone to in order to make our lives better. At this point, our storage space is maxed out, so these boxes should last us for awhile. Thank you again for all that you do. God Bless. "

"Thank you, thank you, thank you....that was a lot of magazines(that you mailed to us on September 8th of this year) and we are most grateful. We have moved some of them along already, with more to follow. That was very generous and thoughtful of you and we are most appreciative. There is a real need for those kinds of periodicals here on DG and it is really a pleasure of ours to be able to serve as a distribution point for those who find the time to stop by and pick up a few publications. Recreational opportunities are, of necessity, somewhat limited here on DG so we enjoy being one of the few places where folks can plan ahead to drop in, relax and "re-create". Thank you for helping to make that possible for "USS". "

"On behalf of the soldiers and families of 2-8IN, 2BCT/4ID I would like to thank all of you for the generous donation of books. Our unit is over 900 soldiers strong which in turn means over 500 families. The books that you have provided will go to children throughout our Battalion. Your generosity has given each of our families several books to enjoy. Thank you to Tara and Eric, Shelia, Kent and Gigi B., Millie, Terry Nolan, Charmine, Bertha H, Rita and Spencer O, and all of the other anonymous donations."

"I am the Recreation Supervisor at Camp Virginia, Kuwait and have just received a box of books with both of your letters/email addresses enclosed. We have set aside an area with 4 bookshelves and 2 couches for the Soldiers to relax and enjoy the books that are donated by groups such as yours. Many of them, my staff and I enjoy as well and return in order to make recommendations to the transitioning Soldiers! Thank you for your generous support of the fighting men and women of the United States Armed Services!"

"Dear Marisa: You aren't perhaps, in any way related to Marisa Tomei, my favorite actress? I thought not, but just on the remotest chance, I thought I would, and should, ask. Very much wanted to write and thank you for the large box of varied magazines that we received from you and Operation Paperback in today's mail. Many of those magazines went into immediate circulation and we are most grateful for your thoughtfulness and generosity in sending them our way. We are, in the words of Men's Journal(September 2009 - Page 52), the 2nd "hardest place on earth to get to" so care packages like this from OP are most welcome and appreciated by the thousands of people who currently call this place home. Thanks again, for the magazines, your accompanying letter, and the thought that went into your parcel to "USS". "

"My team and I have received so many packages in just the last few weeks. Some of them books and others with supplies that are badly needed, things as simple as Q-tips or deodorant. Of course lots of candy and snacks, everyone here is smiling just a little bit more because of this. Thank you to all of you that find it in your hearts to help and keep us smiling. God Bless you all and your families whether they are military or prior military, deployed or home or even civilian."

"Dear Operation Paperback volunteers - Thank you very much for the many boxes of books you put together and sent for me and my unit. What began as an effort and a desire to provide a few books for my battery was met with great response from you, and has become a library with over 300 books that gets lots of walk through traffic from Soldiers from our entire battalion. It is great to have such a selection readily available, and know there is still so much support back home. Please pass on thanks to the following: Karmen Ray, Janet & Bruce of Cloud's Meow, New Rockford (ND) Public Library, Ruth Ray Mount Holly Springs, PA businesses, Book Junkee (York, PA) South Placer California Highway Patrol Retirees Group, Friends of the John. F. Germany Public Library, Walter Knapp, Louise and Spencer Forman, Sue Hirsh, Renee Benjamin, Brevard Brush Strokes, Melbourne FL"

"Thank you so much for your support in sending us all the wonderful books. Our Soldiers are finally home with their families and have had the opportunity to enjoy some quality reading! We are honored and humbled by your support and truly appreciate all you have done for us."

"Mr. Donald C. (USMC Ret), Thank you very much for sending the books, and for your own service. This must be at least the tenth box I have received and been able to share with Fox Company. Southern Afghanistan is still quite warm this time of year, and the Taliban are still up to no good, but rest assured our Marines are thwarting their very presence everyday and we are winning. The books help provide something to take our minds off of the daily grind. I’m sure you understand. Thanks again. "

"I just received your books for the "United Through Reading" program. Thank you very much for your support! If you need other information, please, let me know. Ciao and have a wonderful day."

"Ms. Alison H,(Agent 006) I find myself intrigued by the handle "Agent 006" - there is no doubt, an interesting story behind that title. Very much wanted to write nad thank the Ford Fiesta Movement for the generous donation of magazines that we recently received from all of you. Here at Diego Garcia, contemporary periodicals are in very short supply as there appears to be no budget for that item at the island library, so your publications were most welcome and appreciated. In addition to our expression of heartfelt gratitude, we are also inclined to ask, pray tell, what it is like having Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles as a home address? All the very best."

"I received the books and I thank you all very much for your support as well. The books will keep me company on my spare time out here in the desert. "

"Hello, we just received the paperback books you sent. Thanks so much for your support. "

"This is ICFN Miller from the USS Rushmore, I have received my shipment of books. Thank you very much. We appreciate all your donations and support."

"OP Paperback- rnWe received your shipment of paperback books and wanted to pass along our gratitude. Our guys are extremely appreciative. We are stationed amidst NATO forces and they consistently comment on how well we are supported from those back in the States (I think they are jealous ;). Thanks for taking the time and offering such a wonderful program. rn"

"Dear John, My name is Katie S. and I am currently stationed in Iraq at Camp Bucca. I went to the library the other day to get another a book and picked yours. I just wanted to say thank you very much for providing books for Soldiers. I hope I enjoy The Conspiracy Club. Many Thanks. "

"Thank you for the books. My soldiers enjoy them and it gives us a constructive outlet. We appreciate your support and the effort you do to help the troops. Thanks again. "

"Thank you so much. My roommate and I appreciate it so much!! Thank you again for all you do for us!! by the way.. I ran out of thank you cards but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been sending me books. I now have a HUGE collection of Stephen King to get through and my friends have a huge collection of Dean Koontz to get through... brand new books that have just been released were also sent to us. Thank you so much for that!!! You don't know how good it feels to slip away from this reality into a new one... Thank you!! "

"I just wanted to send an email to let you know that I received the box of books that was recently shipped by Louise and Spencer F. I appreciate all that you do, and am sharing the books with other Soldiers in my unit as well as enjoying them myself. Take care!!"

" Dear Ms. W.: Have to admit, I am at a loss of words....as a Boston-bred, blue-blooded left-of-liberal of the Kennedy/Kerry/Obama/ban all guns orientation, I don't have a lot of use for "Guns and Ammo" and Rifleman magazines...to say nothing of Gun Tests and Combat Handguns, but, but, but, having admitted to as much, ....many, many of our patrons here at Diego Garcia do, so we take pleasure in putting them out on display for the reading pleasure of our merchant mariners and active duty military personnel who frequent our seafarer's facility on a daily basis. We are an equal opportunity, non-profit, social welfare seafaring organization and anything that pleases our many patrons, pleases "USS". Thank you for taking the trouble to ship that large box to us and we thank you for your generosity and thoughtfulness. "

"Ms. Renee B.: Thank you most kindly for the DVD that you sent our way late last month. We have a small movie viewing concession back in our Seamen's Center lounge and our seafarering patrons and staff should much enjoy viewing this selection. It was very kind of you to remember "USS "and we thank you for your thoughtfulness. It is most deeply appreciated."

"Just received two more boxes of books from Don W.in Dunstable, MA and from Dan and Shirley B. in Red Lion, Pennsylvania. We have a wide collection of titles now and appreciate everything you have sent. Hope all is well in the States; morale is high with the Marine Corps in southern Afghanistan!"

"A big thanks to Susan and Robert L. for their books, they are on the shelf today."

"I was very happy to receive the box of books. Thanks! "

"Bertha H. and Operation Paperback, Thank you for the shipment of books and magazines. I received them yesterday. There is a good selection and variety to choose from. I chose a few and placed the rest in our morale tent so that others in my unit can go through them and also have the opportunity to read them. I really appreciate you sending them. Thank you for going through the trouble of collecting them and sending them off. It's nice to know that we are appreciated for what we do. Thanks Again."

" I would like to give you all a personal thanks for your support from myself and the soldiers of my team here in Afghanistan. We are always grateful for morale boosting packages that help our soldiers reconnect with home. It is the support of citizens like yourself that make our efforts toward peace in this nation a little easier to bear. May all of you have continued blessings for the things that you are doing to help us. Thank you again. "

"Ms. H., Thank you, and the friends and neighbors of Murtle Beach, for your generous donation of books. The wide variety of novels is a wonderful treat for my Soldiers. We truly appreciate your constant thoughts and prayers. Thank you for your continued support! "

"Mr. Roy C., Wanted to be sure to write and thank you for the magazines that you so kindly sent on the 24th of August, followed by a large box of books on the 25th! That was most thoughtful and generous of you Sir, and I wanted to take a moment or two and express our appreciation for your kindness. The books and magazines that we receive here are made available to local US merchant mariners and active duty military personnel, and the occasional "trooper" on his way through to Afghanistan. All our patrons are most welcome, as are your books and magazines. Here at Diego Garcia, we don't have access to a Stars and Stripes bookstore, and the local military library has almost no budget for periodicals, so these donations are much appreciated by our patrons. Again, our deepest thanks for your thoughtfulness. "

"Please thank Mr Winston C. of ******, NE for his book donation to the Camp Schwab USO."

"Thank you folks for the book donation to the Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa, Japan. They will make a nice addition to our reading room."

"Dear Folks: My apologies, I have been without my Chief Financial Officer for the past month and the work is just without end, so where possible I need to double up a bit to make sure I cover all of the bases in some capacity. We had the good fortune to receive both your boxes of magazines in today's mail from Operation Paperback and I wanted very much to write and thank you for your kindness in remembering "USS". It was most thoughtful of you both and the patrons of this seafaring center will be most pleased with your gift. The publications you so kindly sent are very difficult to find in this part of the world so we very much appreciate your generosity in sending them to our mariner's center. Thank you ever so much for your efforts on our behalf - they are most welcome. All best wishes to your both this holiday weekend. "

"Ms. Bekki S.: Thank you most kindly for the truly wonderful box of magazines, books AND DVD's that you so kindly sent to us earlier (8/10/2009) this month. The DVD's are always most popular with our patrons, and the nature of the magazines and books is something that will appeal to many of the seafarers and US Navy personnel who use this Center on almost a daily basis. We are most grateful for your thoughtuflness and generosity and note that this is at least the third time that you have mailed to us in the last three months! That certainly ties any record we are keeping! We hope that we are in no way an inconvenience to you and thank you again for your frequent acts of generosity."

"Dear Diane W.: Thank you very much for the latest large parcel that you sent our way - the Washington Post, Reader's Digest and many other publications were very much welcome and appreciated - most are already in circulation here on this small island. These magazines are always very popular with both our US Navy and civilian mariner patrons and we thank you for your generosity in sending them our way. As to your inquiry - VCR tapes, audio cassettes and music CD's would also be most welcome anytime. The island population is quite diverse - four different English speaking cultures here so we are able to find a use for any media that comes our way. We appreciate your continuing interest in our well-being and hope that this finds both you and Don well. "

"Dear Mr./Ms. W: My apologies, I can't quite make out the name on the postal receipt but I did want to write and thank you for your kindness in sending us the "Steven Spielberg Taken" television miniseries. There are many people here on Diego Garcia who will enjoy watching that here in a our Seafarer's Service Center, so I thank your for your generosity and thoughtfulness in sending it out to us. We much appreciate the trouble that you went to to mail it to us, so from all of "USS", our deepest gratitude is sent along to you."

"Ms Sue M. and Operation Paperback, Thank you for the shipment of books and magazines. I received them today. There is a good selection and variety to choose from. I chose a few and placed the rest in our morale tent so that others in my unit can go through them and also have the opportunity to read them. I really appreciate you sending them. Thank you for going through the trouble of collecting them and sending them off. It’s nice to know that we are appreciated for what we do. Thanks Again "

"Thank you for your support. I and my Paratroopers appreciate EVERYTHING you wonderful people do for us. I am the Platoon Sergeant for a 21 man Scout Platoon. We are stationed in a remote part of Western Afghanistan. All I can say is WOW ! I received 19 boxes of books for my Platoon Area. And believe me they are being passed around as quickly as they are read. We have established an area for a library. I may have to put up a building if it continues! We do not have any sort of PX facility here so almost anything is welcome. I do want to tell you personally how much it heartens myself and the rest of my Platoon how much you support us. I have a lot of new Soldiers on their first deployment and you can see it in their faces how much it means to them that America Supports Them. Thank you very much for everything and anything you do for us."

"Thanks very much for your donations."

"I would like to thank Operation Paperback and all of its volunteers for the great program of support they provide. Me and my soldiers will have hours of enjoyment provided by the many books and magazines that have been sent our way. Thank you so much for what you do in support us in our efforts. "

"To everyone from OPB: Hi, my name is Nikki. I'm in the Army and I like acronyms. Thank you for the generous donations of books! Not only did my Soldiers set upon them like a bunch of journalists at a free buffet, but I've been getting visitors. Word travels fast on a little base, and, as soon as word hit that there was a new shipment, there was a line outside my CP. I'd crack open the box, sort them into genres, and try to avoid getting run over by one of my platoon leaders, who I think can actually "sense" new books. The last shipment to arrive, from COL Winterle, was great! I might be a rough and ready Air Assault kind of gal, but even the tough girls need chick lit every now and then! Thank you. This is deployment number four for me, and having something like this to look forward to makes all the difference in the world. Being able to share books with other Soldiers, knowing that it provides a distraction from the daily rigors and monotony of "groundhog day," means more than you'll ever know. You guys are great Americans, and thank you again for all the support. We can't do this job without awesome folks like you!"

"To everyone from OPB (Hi, my name is Nikki. I'm in the Army and I like acronyms), Thank you for the generous donations of books! Not only did my Soldiers set upon them like a bunch of journalists at a free buffet, but I've been getting visitors. Word travels fast on a little base, and, as soon as word hit that there was new shipment, there was a line outside my CP. I'd crack open the box, sort them into genres, and try to avoid getting run over by one of my platoon leaders (who I think can actually "sense" new books). The last shipment to arrive, from COL (R) Winterle, was great! I might be a rough and ready Air Assault kind of gal, but even the tough girls need chick lit every now and then! Thank you. This is deployment number four for me, and having something like this to look forward to makes all the difference in the world. Being able to share books with other Soldiers, knowing that it provides a distraction from the daily rigors and monotony of "groundhog day," means more than you'll ever know. You guys are great Americans, and thank you again for all the support. We can't do this job without awesome folks like you!"

"I have just received your books and I wanted to say thank you on behalf of me and my shipmates. We will be enjoying the variety of books you have provided. Thank you for your donation we appreciate your generosity. "

"Good afternoon Operation Paperback! I wanted to say Thank you :) Today I received a couple of boxes with paperbacks! Thanks!!!! :) Have a great afternoon!"

"Thank you so much for your generous donation of books. The wide variety of novels is a wonderful treat for my Soldiers. We truly appreciate your constant thoughts and prayers. Thank you for your continued support"

"Hello. I just wanted to pass along that we received a box of books from "Friends of the Amherst Library". We appreciate the books and they will be used to the fullest. Thank You. Please remove my name from your directory for Operation Paperback. Take care."

" We at the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group received two shipments of books today and were humbled by your generosity. The selection was fantastic and will continue to entertain our Airmen long after I have returned home. I sincerely appreciate everything that your organization does for our deployed service members and want to remind you that it is our honor and privilege to serve a nation of supportive citizens such as yourself and your staff. Best of luck to everyone at Operation Paperback and please keep up the great work. "

"Greetings! Thank you so much for the books. I received them and appreciate them very much! I will be sure to share with everyone!"

"Thanks so much for sending the boxes of books. I think I have received about 10 boxes now. Just now got email capability in southern Afghanistan – literally today. Living conditions are rather Spartan, but I did manage to write a hand-written note for each box. Hopefully the senders received those. The books have been great and enjoyed by the Marines. Thanks so much "

"I would like to remove my name from your mailing list. Due to my team's mission winding down, we will no longer be able to accept mail. Thank you so much for your support and time. God Bless and God Speed."

"I have received many books through Operation Paperback. Please take my name and address off the mailing list, as I have too many. Thanks again!"

"I just wanted to write and let you know we received our first shipment of books. As soon as I opened the box, the other K-9 handlers were diving in, it took less than a minute for the box to empty. The candy at the bottom was a welcome treat as well. On behalf of the Mad Dog Kennels, I want to extend our gratitude. I wish you could have seen the smiles on the soldiers and sailors faces when they saw a box full of books. Christmas definately came early for the dog teams. We hope to receive more books if possible, as I know we will read all of these in short order. Again, thank you for the support you have shown. Receiving packages from home reminds us that there are people out there who have not forgotten about us. Thank you and God bless. "

"Dear Mrs. H, Thank you for the box of military books I received in the mail today. For me reading is a great diversion that can go on any patrol or mission in my pants cargo pocket to absorb when down time does come. I brought several books on deployment in my tough box, but after several months overseas, my supplies were beginning to run low. I shared several of the books with the other men in my platoon. I know gathering all the books, putting them in boxes and placing them in the mail takes time, energy and effort and I am thankful to be the recipient of your generosity. If you find any classic novels, biographies or poetry books, I would be grateful to receive them and read them. Again, thank you for all the acts of kindness you send overseas. "

"Dear Mr. Tarpey Thank you for your very complete letter describing the Operation Paperback program. I am so grateful to you for explaining the program to me and for the opportunity to help our soldiers in such a positive way. I have signed up as a volunteer and am also contacting other librarians to see if they would like to help in this effort. I hope you will let me know if there is anything else that I could do related to this project or to any other effort in which you think I might be helpful. "

"Good afternoon and Greetings from Afghanistan!! Thank you so much for the box of books that you sent to myself and my troops. They are greatly appreciated as they provide a nice distraction from deployment life. "

"Your box of books arrived today and I just wanted to take a minute and Thank you for your support it is very much appreciated by everyone. We have quite a few Soldiers that look forward to the books arriving, this is a great program. Thanks again for thinking of us, we are almost completed with our tour here also, the last will be home in December for Christmas, can't wait to get back home to a normal schedule again. Take Care. "

"From all the service member and the USO staff here we would like to thank Ms. Haywood, Bruce and Beth and Operation Paperback for this donation. The troops just loved seeing our reading area stocked with books. It definitely helps pass time and create the peaceful environment they are looking for to at least try to forget that they are at war. Again Thank You All for your donation and God Bless."

"I wish to thank you for the books that you have sent me. They were a nice surprise. We had been sent to another FOB for several months and when we returned here, there were some boxes with my name on them. So my platoon and I were able to find some books to read, especially since we are in the 1 month window to deploy back to the states. A lot of us have sent our personal effects home already So for some of us we can enjoy a diversion or at least a half a one. So from me and my platoon THANK YOU for your support."

"I just wanted to let you know we received the children's books sent from volunteers of Operation Paperback in Dunstable, MA 01827. Thank you so much for helping us to expand our children’s collection! "

"I’ll be heading home from deployment in just a few days and wanted to thank you one last time for your extraordinary generosity and support while I and my chapel team was down range. I just received boxes of books from both Bobbie G. and Sue H., and these wonderful selections will be passed on to troops going into harm’s way as they traverse the troop processing station I serve at. The wonderful contributions of your organization and its generous members have meant so much to so many people at my base during this deployment. Many thanks for the tremendous outpouring of support, love, and literature!"

"On behalf of our battalion let me thank you for your kind donation of assorted books for our soldiers here in Korea. We are currently in our fifth month of a twelve month deployment to Korea and we are all missing our families we left behind. I am the Executive Officer of the Battery and I am very grateful for all your support from back home. Thank you so much and I hope soldiers everywhere continue to have the opportunity to benefit from your generosity."

"Thank you,for the books. We received them today (quick delivery!) and I have placed them in our crew library. We are Texas-based crew and are in the fourth month of a six month deployment. Our ship, USS SCOUT, is a minesweeper and we operate in the Central Arabian (Persian) Gulf. So you can put some faces to our name, I’ve attached a picture of our crew taken on the fantail of our ship during a recent visit by R. Lee Ermey, the actor. Our homeport is Ingleside, Texas and we are looking forward to returning to the Lone Star state soon. We appreciate your time and efforts at Mustang Engineering to send us these books. It helps to make our efforts worthwhile when we know the folks at home are thinking of us."

"I just recieved Bertha's Operation Paperback shipment. It was full of many great books and I can not wait to dig in. Your support keeps soldiers like me going. especially through the hard times. Thanks a bunch."

"Thank you so much, all the fine volunteers of Operation Paperbck, for the wonderful program that you have set up. I have shared many of the books that were sent to me with sailors from my squadron and I have donated many books to the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT Library. Also, next week we are scheduled to pull into the United Arab Emirates. The USO has set up a fine library there and I will also donate some of the books so that other sailors can enjoy them when their ships pull in. I will also partake in reading a couple of the books in the collection. Thank you so much!!! "

"I have received many boxes filled with paperback books since I wrote to you over a month ago. I am sorry that it has taken so long to write back to you, but I have been pretty busy. I appreciate everyone's support. and now I have just enough books to get me through the rest of my deployment. Thank you so very much again."

"One more box just received, from Michael B. Please pass on my thanks to him!"

" My last thank-you note to your organization before I pack up and head for the States! I’ve just received two very wonderful shipments of books from Ryan F. and wanted to thank him for his generosity. Please convey my appreciation to him and to everyone in your extraordinary group that makes this mission possible! "

"Thanks alot for the shipment of books. You guys are doing great things out there! "

"Just a quick note to let Selina F. know I received the books you sent through Operation Paperback in Dunstable, MA. Thanks for thinking of our battalion. We are actively engaged in improving the conditions here in Iraq, and appreciate your sending us a little mental diversion from the rigors of the battlefield."

"I have received many great books recently thanks to your efforts. My soldiers and I have all enjoyed them a great deal. We were passing around the same 15 or so books and now we have our own little library to choose from. However, we will be leaving Iraq soon and I am asking that you stop sending books to my address. I am really bad about giving thanks to people that have sent me packages. I really do appreciate it though. It means a lot to all of us. THANK YOU! "

"How truly blessed we are to have Chrissy and Operation Paperback supporting our troops. I personally cannot thank you all enough for your sacrifices to bring an extra special touch of HOME to our deployed soldiers who are out of our reach. First please let me extend my deepest appreciation for your continued support and messages of strength and love from home during this deployment to IRAQ. I know our soldiers anxiously await for mail to arrive. I took over as the (Family Readiness Group Leader) FRG Leader for our unit at the end of December and have been settling into this task at hand. It will be my pleasure to answer any questions and work with you in the support of our soldiers. Currently, our troops are scheduled to return between the end of May and early June. The official cutoff date for mailing packages is set at April 24th, as any mail posted past this date may not be received. I hope you have the new zip code that was changed in November. However, for verification please let me know if you have not received notification. The soldiers here continue to work and provide relief, security and comfort to those in the community where they serve. I have provided a few links below about our soldiers and the wonderful job they do while helping others. Starting next month we will begin preparing the barracks and gathering items for our welcome home packages for our soldiers to return. Many volunteers and sponsors are working together to assist in providing letters of support and contributions upon their return and we are excited that the end is arriving soon. Please let me know if there is any further information you would like or if you have any additional questions as I will be happy to answer them."

"I received a package from you today. And, I wish to say thank you. I can't begin to tell you how much books help us pass through the time out here in Iraq. Personally, my job is not hard, but as a father, being away from my daughter is the hardest thing I've ever done. And, I do everything I can to make time go by faster so that I can hold her again. Thank you so much, from all us in our platoon. "

"I just received a box of books from Ilva Sue M. and wanted to say thank you to her and all the other volunteers behind your very wonderful organization! I’ll soon be returning home, but will distribute each and every book I don’t take with me to other troops. You all have been an inspiration and a source of great goodness to many people down range with me, and I thank you again for your kindness and generosity!"

"I just wanted to let you know that we got your shipment of books a couple of days ago. We absolutely loved them! I already left a thank you note on your site, but wanted to make sure I sent an email so that you would know that we got the books. You really made our day. Thanks a Million. "

"Thank you, Chrissy...we really have a bountiful supply of paperback books now. Thank you ever so much. "

"I wanted very much to write and thank, Sally and Selina F., and the employees of TDP Customer Service and United Concordia for the large box of books we received today. We are most grateful for your kind donation and thank you for your generosity and kindness. The books will be placed in a paperback library that serves to meet some of the needs of sailors, airmen and merchant mariners assigned to the small island of Diego Garcia which is "smack dab" in the middle of the Indian Ocean(a long way from here to anywhere). We are most grateful for your thoughtfulness and ask that you accept our deepest gratitude for your noteworthy efforts on our behalf. We are most grateful. With all best wishes in this rather difficult New Year."

"Dear Ms Truett, Your book donation was received July 24th at the Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa, Japan. Thank you, the books will make a nice addition to our reading room."

"Dear Ms. Ferris Very much want to write and thank you for the large box of both books and many magazines that you kindly sent our way on July 25th at some serious expense. We were most grateful to receive the box just this week and have put the books and magazines on display for our many seafaring patrons who daily visit this seafaring center in the middle of the Indian Ocean. This is a new service to our customers and many of them really appreciate it because the local library receives few periodicals and there is no Stars and Stripes on this island. We very much appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity and thank you for thinking of "USS". "

"Received a shipment of books from Mr. Don W. the other day, wanted to say Thanks for all of the support, it has been a great experience. Thanks so much for all you guys do."

"We just received your care package of books and we just arrived in Iraq. It was very nice of you all to send the books. It really helps on down time. Thank you very much. "

"On behalf of myself, Chaplain (CPT) V., and the entire 50th Signal Battalion, thank you so much for your latest shipment of books. We truly appreciate the kindness of volunteers such as yourself(s)who work hard for our troops in harm's way!"

"Friends of the Amherst Library and Disabled Veterans of Loraiu (OH), Thank you so much for your generous donation of books. The wide variety of novels is a wonderful treat for my Soldiers. We truly appreciate your constant thoughts and prayers. Thank you for your continued support! "

"Mrs. Bernstein, Thank you very much for the books you sent me."

"Katy L. and Operation Paperback, Thank you for the shipment of books and magazines. I received them today. There is a good selection and variety to choose from. I chose a few and placed the rest in our morale tent so that others in my unit can go through them and also have the opportunity to read them. I really appreciate you sending them. Thank you for going through the trouble of collecting them and sending them off. It's nice to know that we are appreciated for what we do. Thanks Again."

"We just got 4 more boxes. I think that is enough to hold us for quite a while. Thank you again for all your help."

"Thank you for the books you sent to my FOB earlier this week. I have passed a couple of the text out to friends, but mostly I have placed them on the crate next to my bunk and in my MRAP so I can always have a book to read when the day's mission is complete. Thanks in advance for the generous books I have already received and for the books you may send in the future. Myself and a few friends go through the titles quite quickly, so we look forward to receiving more classic novels, biographies, history titles and poetry books."

"Hello. I'd just like to write to pass on my thanks to those volunteer senders who have taken the time to pick books off my request list and send them to me via Amazon, or another book vendor, directly. I'm afraid they have a habit of not putting the sender on the packages, so if you could let them know their picks have been excellent, I would very much appreciate it. "

"Jane and Bruce, Thank you for the books!! I have shared them with my fellow Soldiers and we are all enjoying them."

"I would like to take the time to tell you how much we appreciate the books that you guys had sent to us. We have been so overwhelmed with books that we need to cease shipments. The response to our request was just awesome. The address that you have sent them to is: ****** Thank you guys for everything. Any help in this matter will be greatly appreciated. You guys really made one of our Chaplains wishes come true. "

"Please let Don W. know that we received the donation of books today. Thanks for thinking of our troops. It's hot today. 129 degrees and it's humid. Thank goodness for generators and air conditioning!"

"In the last month, I have received numerous packages from volunteers, and it has been absolutely wonderful. I now have a nearly complete Clive Cussler collection, an astoundingly full Piers Anthony collection (considering the man's written nearly 150 books), and my W.E.B. Griffin collection has grown as well. The other books in the packages have been very nice as well. I've picked up several new authors and started a library for the company. Thanks so much to all your volunteers. It is making this tour go by so much quicker. God bless you all."

"Hello, I just wanted to let you know that in the last two days I have received 3 boxes from Ms. Chrissy H., Heather W. and Jene A. Thank you very much. Two of these are assisting me greatly in my medical studies. The other box was wiped out by my fellow soldiers before I even got to go through it. Thank you very much."

"Dear Gigi And Kent: Wonderful to hear from you again and thank you most kindly for the lastest "box o' magazines" that you so kindly sent to us in this week's mail. It was an excellent selection and we are most appreciative that you have chosen to remember "USS". Couldn't help but notice the Boston magazine with the lengthy article on the Red Sox... always most welcome and interesting to those of us who call the Bay Area home... and there are many of us here who do. Again, our thanks for your thoughtfulness. Best wishes to you both."

"Marilynne, Just wanted to send a quick Thank you for the books you had sent. With a Company our size, everyone always finds something interesting to read. It is so great to receive all that we have, there are quite the range of interests in the Company and it's rough keeping them all happy and entertained. Thanks for your help, giving the troops that outlet. Appreciate the support, we are done counting months and are close enough to start counting the days. Looks like we will have some home for Thanksgiving and the rest just before Christmas. We are all holding out hope that the up coming elections will be the start to a good future here in Afghanistan. Again, thanks for your support and we will be home soon. Take care."

"Thank you for the books. I received them and am reading them as well as sharing them with other Soldiers. I appreciate all you are doing to support us here."

"Wow!!!! I received 10 medium boxes today. I stocked up the racks with three for now. This is great. Thank you so much. They came from Malaga Cove / Friends of the Library."

"Hi my name is Yuting K. and I have signed up to receive books. Did I get a lot of books. I share with my fellow soldiers and we have a book shelf, but there's just too many books. I appreciate your great service, but I would like to remove my name from the site. Thank you again for all you provided."

"Thanks so very much. The Troopers and Officers are really going to be surprised and I tell you they are all very thankful."

"Dear Binnie: Thank you ever so much for that large box of magazines that you shipped to us on the 24th of last month. Always very much appreciated and we always welcome contemporary magazines because there is no source for that on this island. The magazines will be enjoyed by many of our seafaring patrons here at the Center. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness and generosity in posting them to "USS". All the very best."

"Dear Ms. Laura S: Very much wanted to write and thank you for the very large box of books, DVD's, magazines and more that you were so kind to send us a few weeks back. The selection was excellent and our seafaring patrons here at Diego Garcia will very much enjoy the "care package" that you so thoughtfully sent to "USS". Here on DG, we don't have access to modern magazines - even the local library has almost none, so we are very dependent upon the kindness of strangers like yourself for our reading pleasure. We greatly appreciate your generosity. Just as an aside, while working at the World Trade Center from 1993 to 1995, I briefly lived on the upper East Side of New York, somewhere around 80th Street, and may be familiar with your part of the city. What I REALLY enjoyed most was the proximity to Central Park. I think you reside in a great part of the city and hope this finds you well. Thanks again and all the best. "

"Thank you for your books. We received 2 boxes in the last day and they are already being issued out to the troops. Thank you again for your support. It really means a lot to the men and women here in Kabul."

"I have receive three (one of which was large) boxes of books in the last several days. Thank you."

"Dear Priscila Very much wanted to write and thank you for the large box of excellent DVD's that you kindly sent to us a while back and arrived here at the Center just yesterday. We serve a large number of both merchant marines and military personnel and these videos will allow us to entertain them well during their brief opportunities to relax here at the seafarer's center. Much appreciate your generosity and thank you again for thinking of "USS"."

"I just received two more boxes from your organization. These were from Dunstable, MA and Royal Oak, MI. Each time we get a package it's like a bunch of ants coming out to get food. The office has people filing through here to get a look, to pick up, or just to comment on ones they had read and forgot how good they were. It's definitely uplifting to receive. Thank you for it all. "

"I received some magazines from Sally D. today. Thank you very much for the magazines. I really appreciate it!! Thanks again for supporting us that are deployed. "

"I just wanted to finally get back to you and say thank you for the support and books provided by your network. To date, in just over a month, I and my unit have received books from 6 different sources from all over the US, for a total of approximately 200 books. These books provide a boost to our morale, and serve as a reminder of how much support remains back home for deployed US Forces. Keep up the great work. Thank you!"

"Dear Binnie: Just a short note to thank you again for your kindness in sending such an interesting supply of magazines which arrived here just yesterday. We have several seafarers here from the Baltimore area so we think of this as a gift with them in mind. We very much appreciate your going to the time and expense to mail these out to us and they are most deeply appreciated by our many patrons and seafaring clientele. Thank you again for your thoughfulness."

"Mr & Mrs D James - I just wanted to write a thank you for sending us the video "Blackbeard the Pirate," which arrived with yesterday's mail from the US. We operate a multi-service center here in the Indian Ocean, and welcome both seafarers and service members every day of the year. I am sure that many of our regular patrons will very much enjoy viewing the video you so kindly sent to us. Thank you very much for your generosity and all the very best. Tom U. "

"Just sent off a few notes to the folks who sent the books, we could use one or 2 more deliveries. We are adding another group of people over the next month or so. Thanks again."

" Well, you've definitely given us some mental escape!!! We just received two more boxes from you, one from the Tampa library system and one from MA. Thank you."

"I recently received a box of books sent by Don Wickstrand. It was a very nice selection and will provide my soldiers with several hours of distraction. Thank you."

"I have received two large boxes of books, 2 smaller boxes of books, and 1 envelope with 3 books in it. Thank you."

"Hello from Iraq, If you are reading this e-mail you have most likely sent a personal or "Any Soldier" care package to me or those in the 84th Engineer Battalion over the past 9 months. First, thank you for the outstanding support, prayers and packages. Second, our deployment is drawing to a close, and I must ask you to mail no packages after September 15. I cannot guarantee that anything mailed after that date will make it through the mail system before we head back to beautiful Hawaii. This means that you'll have to hurry to package that gold bullion you've been meaning to send for some time now. If you are part of a team that wishes to continue supporting Soldiers, I have included Chaplain Peppers' e-mail. He will gladly receive your continued support. Contact him directly for a correct mailing address. Again, on behalf of the officers, NCOs and Soldiers of the 84th Engineers, thank you for your faithful support. With less than 90 days left in theater we covet your prayers for safety, success and a joyful reunion with our families and friends."

"Just a quick note to say thanks for the books that got handed down to us from another unit and thanks I took one! God bless you all! "

"Chrissy, Andrea and All -->> I've just finished one of your books. Do appreciate all the support from home. It comes in many different ways but everything we receive is deeply appreciated. I'm the senior liaison officer for the Prime Minister's National Operations Center here in Baghdad. In my fourth month (on my second tour) and depart @ Mother's Day 2010. Looking at our library, at least I don't have to worry about running out of books. Best wishes."

"I received another box of books today, thank you."

"We love receiving books and have so many interested in reading. It's a great break from reality, an easy way to escape for a few hours when you have the time. Thank You so much for all of your support. It is greatly appreciated. We are looking forward to finishing our tour here and getting back to the states. It has been too long. Thanks again."

"I wanted to send a quick note saying that we received your most recent package of books and really appreciate your support. We look forward to heading home in the next two months! "

"I wanted to send a note to say that we received the latest shipment of books from the Patrons of the Summer Gazebo Readings. We really appreciate your support! "

"I just wanted to say thank you for the books. We just received your shipment and it was greatly appreciated. Reading has always had a way of taking people's minds off what they are doing and your support in doing this helps us all along. We'll keep devouring the books as you keep sending them. Thank you for all your help and support. "

"Thanks Chrissy, The Marines and Soliders out here really appreciate your help."

"to Kathy L. D. and Operation Paperback employees: Thank you so much. I just received your package today and I was thrilled to find Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I love fantasy books so much but it seems like all I have been getting is murder mystery books and I don't like those. So I was very happy to get this box. Thank you so much for sending them. It really made my day. "

"to Faye T. and Operation Paperback workers: Thank you! I got the first package about three weeks ago. I hadn't gotten a chance to write to y'all till now. I thank you for the books they will definitely help around here. Thanks for all that you do."

"Please thank the following folks for their book donation to the Camp Schwab USO, in Okinawa, Japan: Association for the Help of Retarded Children and Art and Doris A. from Zim, MN. "

"Thank you ever so much! I have now received three shipments of books from your organization and they are greatly appreciated! The most recent was a shipment of westerns from Binnie Syril Braunstein. The reading material is a very welcome escape from our work! May your families and work be blessed!"

"Hello. I just received your package of books in the mail today. Thank you so much. I will be passing the books out tomorrow. A lot of people are really excited about the generous contribution you gave to all of us. Keep up the hard work. You are definitely making a difference to a lot of soldiers. Thanks again. "

"I just received a package of books today and the assortment of books was fantastic. The timing of the package was perfect because I'm having a lot more free time on my hands lately, thank you!"

"Thanks for the support. Myself and the Unit were so grateful for your support to us and many others."

"Thank you so much for the wonderful books. My troops and I try to find time so that we can get a little reading done while we're here in IRAQ. There is a book case filled with all different kinds of books. I appreciate all your help. Have a great day!"

"Elin and Operation Paperback, Thanks you for the shipment of books. I received them today. There is a good selection and variety to choose from. I choose a few and placed the rest in our morale tent so that others in my unit can go through them and also have the opportunity to read them. I really appreciate you sending them. Thank you for going through the trouble of collecting them through your Church. It’s nice to know that we are appreciated for what we do."

"Thank you for the military books you sent to my COP earlier this week. I have passed a couple of the text out to friends, but mostly I have kept them for myself by placing them on the crate next to my bunk and in my MRAP, so I can always have a book to read when the day's mission is complete. Thanks in advance for the generous books I have already received and for the books you may send in the future. Myself and a few friends go through the titles quite quickly, so we look forward to receiving more classic novels, biographies and poetry books."

"Calling all supporters! I sincerely thank you for the support that you have provided and/or continue to provide to my Marines and Sailors. Alas, my journey out here must end. We have worked our unit to make it possible to reduce in size. That removes the requirement for a company headquarters while we reduce to a detachment size of about 75 Marines and 1 Sailor. I feel terrible for leaving part of my company behind, but some of us have to go or we won't ever get out of this place! Although, I have spent the better part of two years here, I think I am due to relax for a bit (probably not likely). "

"Dear Operation Paperback Supporters, This e-mail is to let you know that your shipment of paperback books to the USS Cape St. George (CG 71) arrived safely. The books will be placed in our ship's library for use by all of the ship's crew. We are very grateful for your continued support. Blessings! "

"Dear Sir/Ma'am, Thank you for your generous donation of books. We would like to thank everyone who volunteered and donated to the cause that provided us avid readers with much entertainment. Myself personally when I find a good book, I stay up late into the night because I don't want to miss a minute of the story. I always find myself so enraptured with books that I tend to feel like I was back at home sitting at the local Barnes & Noble or at one of the other bookstores. Reading is a favorite pass time for many of us here since there are no movies and dust gets everywhere so electronics go bad fast. But a book never fails you even in a dust storm which we have many of here. The novels also fit perfectly in our side cargo pocket of our uniforms. Thank you again for thinking of us and bringing us some job and a world for escape even if it's just for a few hours."

"Operation Paperback and "The Book Cellar" New York, New York, On behalf of D Company 1-1148 Infantry, I would like to extend our thanks for the books and magazines you sent. The package got here fine and a few books even went out on the road that same day. It is nice to be able to read a book or magazine to take our minds somewhere else for a while. We appreciate your support for the mission and for the soldiers. Hope this e-mail finds all of you well. Take care. p.s. Unfortunately you sent those books to a die hard Red Sox fan. No worries though, we still have a few Yankees fans in the company. GO SOX!!!"

"I just wanted to email you and thank you for the generous amount of books you have shipped. I received the package this evening."

"Thank you so much for all the books. I have been keeping busy with them and I also have been sharing them with my group. They make our time go by faster. I would like to say thank you very much for your generosity and I appreciate it. Thanks again,"

"I would like to thank everyone for sending all the boxes of books. I received 3 boxes so far. Thank you from Taji, Iraq."

"Folks, Thanks for the box of books from the Friends of the Mahopac Public Library in Mahopac NY. We are in the middle of a major exercise with a 300+ rotation of troops every two weeks. Needless to say the Library is down a shelf of fiction, mystery, science fiction and fantasy. So... your books are a "godsend." Thanks again for all the support."

"Operation Paperback, Hi. Thank you so much for the packages with books. I just received it. What a great treat for me! I can't thank you enough for support and it's people like you who lift our spirits and boost morale. Attached are recent pictures of me taken on Easter Sunday. I'm serving on a forward-deployed ship, which means we're out to sea often for the majority of the year and we tend to run multi-operations often simultaneously daily. I am proud to serve. All the best to you."

"I received your shipment of 7 books. I'm pretty excited as this will be the first book I read. The selection was perfect and I can't wait to start. Several of the other books were snatched up quickly by other Airmen. Thanks again, I greatly appreciate your support and wish you all the very best."

"David & Lee, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your book donations. I received your box today and I brought them over to the waiting area where I am sure they will be gone by nightfall."

"ON 8-1-09, SGT David M. wrote: Thank you, I have received three boxes of books from your organization and supporters. All three boxes have been picked over and are being enjoyed. We are currently in the process of building a library where the books can be returned to for others to enjoy. Thank you again. We do appreciate it very much."

"On 8-1-09, Ralph B. wrote: Thank you very much for your support and help. Any and all distractions at the end of the day make being away that much more bearable."

"On 8-1-09, SGT. David M. wrote: Mr. T.: First, your box of books has arrived and been thoroughly picked over. When the pack of book vultures has had their fill, they will be returned to a library we are building so that others may enjoy them and some quiet time. Thank you very much. I assure you your generous gift is being enjoyed and if I can can pry them away from everyone, LOL, I will get to enjoy them too. "

"In early July received a box of books packed by Beth and Brian Grove. Since then I have distributed batches of these books to my soldiers who are at several locations in Iraq. We appreciate your gift. Thank you."

"Please send a "Thank You" to Jamie V. for the book donation to the Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa, Japan. Thanks."

"Greetings, I have received your shipment of books. I cannot thank you enough for providing such a service to the troops. We truly do appreciate your gratitude. I have passed around all of the books and it seems like everyone always finds something that they will enjoy. I am personally reading 3 books I cannot put down. "

" On 7-31-09, James N. wrote: Wanted to say thanks again. I have received a few boxes since I last emailed. I am overwhelmed and pleased at the support from the people from around the country that send books. Keep up the great job you do. Thanks again."

"On 7-31-09, SGT Thomas T. wrote: Thank you Very Much for the donation of the Books. I appreciate them very much and I am sure the other troops will too. I received the box that you sent. Yours was one of four boxes of books that I have received thus far. I picked out a few of them, and donated the rest of them to the MWR facility here. They have some shelves there that were kind of bare. Again, Thank you for your support, and the books. "

"Thank you very much for all of the books that were sent to me. I and my troops enjoyed reading them. When I return overseas, I will contact you again and have more books sent out so my Marines and I can enjoy them."

"On 7-29-09, SPC Ciji L. wrote: I would like to thank you for all the books you have sent. I am redeploying soon, and I need my information removed from your mailing list. Thank you!"

"The current shipment of books that I just received is greatly appreciated. We will continue to read the wonderful books you all have supplied us up until now. "

"ON 7-29-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Binnie: Thank you ever so much for your second shipment of magazines to USSDG in as many months. We are now sharing these with the island community (the Chapel, Medical Clinic and island Library) because the Operation Paperback response has been so ....overwhelming. We thank you most kindly for your repeat donation and are most grateful for your generosity. All the best from all of "USS"."

"On 7-29-09, Thom U. wrote: We are now busy keeping the island supplied with periodicals...the island library, medical clinic and chapel. Our thanks to one and all at Operation Paperback for the many, many mailings to "USS" over the last two months..and more!"

"On 7-30-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Dan and Shirley: Just received this week - thank you most kindly for the very large box of paperback books which you shipped to us on the 16th of last month from Red Lion, Pennsylvania. These books will be put to very good use by sailors and civilians living on the small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. We are most grateful for your kindness and generosity and are very appreciative of the efforts you went to in shipping this "care package" to "USS". Kindly rest assured they will be put to good use. All the best from all of "USS" here on DG."

"Ms. Bernstein: I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and the members of Temple Bat Yam for their book donations. Hundreds of Soldiers, Sailors and Marines transit through Ali Al Salem Air Base on a daily basis. They must wait hours upon hours if not days to transit back home or into Iraq. It is a great comfort and diversion to have your books available to read. On their behalf I thank you all."

"On 7-27-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Ms. W. Very much wanted to write and thank you and the Friends of the Chesire Publlc Library for your generous donation of paperback books, DVD's and magazines - many of them as a matter of fact - that were received here over the weekend at Diego Garcia in the ******. The June 23rd posting of this donation to USS is most deeply appreciated and will provide our patrons with entertaining diversions which I think they will very much enjoy. We are without a Stars and Stripes bookstore here on the island, and neither the Ship's Store nor the local public library stocks current publications or periodicals, so this generosity is very much appreciated by many here on this island. We thank you again for your generosity and appreciate your remembrance of "USS". All the best."

"On 7-24-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Pablo and Charlene Just wanted to take a moment of your time to thank you for sending us the box of used DVD's which we just most gratefully received here at the USS Center at Diego Garcia today. That was very thoughtful of you both and we wanted to write and thank you for your kindness in mailing so many movies to us here - we will most certainly enjoy them and thank you for your generosity in sending them to us. Just as an aside, I attended Mackinac College on Mackinaw Island in 1968-1969 and was wondering if it was anywhere close to Waterford...but I think the Mackinac postal code was 49759...which means it would be far from Waterford. Thank you nonetheless and best wishes from all of "USS" to all of you. "

"On 7-23-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Ms. V. Just wanted to take a bit of your time to thank you for the kindness and generosity in sending us those Reader's Digest magazines earlier this month. That was most thoughtful of you and deeply appreciated by many of us here on Diego Garcia. While we have alot to see and do here on DG, we don't have much in the way of current or contemporary periodicals and your gift will be much appreciated by those merchant mariners and US Navy personal here who use our Seamen's Service Center. We thank you for your efforts on our behalf and hope that this note finds you well in *******...one of our favorite towns in Northern California. My best."

"On 7-22-09, Nathan A. wrote: Thank you very much for sending me the books. I’m enjoying the ones I haven’t read before and passing the rest on to others. "

"On 7-22-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Mrs. W.: Thank you kindly for your letter of July 6 and the many magazines which accompanied that letter to "USS" here at Diego Garcia. It was nice to hear from you again and we much appreciated all the publications which are now in circulation here on the island. You have been a very strong supporter of our request for reading material and we are most grateful to you for that. Thank you again for your support and our best regards to both you and Don. "

"On 7-21-09, Sivi S. wrote: Good morning, Just to let you know I received both packages from you safely and I'm really enjoying reading all the books (of course I share). Thank you very much. "

"On 7-20-09, SGT John M. wrote: I have received all book shipments without any problems. We appreciate getting them. Thanks."

"On 7-6-09, MAJ Lashaunda J. wrote: Thank you for your kindness and generosity. The soldiers appreciate all the reading material that we've have been receiving over the last few months. At this time, we are going to have to discontinue the receiving of books. We have run out of space at our MWR and work areas to store the books. Thankfully, books are now covering all of the book shelves. We have even been able to send some of the books out to areas that do not have a MWR. Again, thanks! "

"On 7-6-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Don and Diane: Very much wanted to write and thank you for the large parcel of magzines that you sent out to us on the 22nd of last month...a review of our postal files indicated that was the second parcel of magazines that you sent us last month - and that was very much appreciated! We now have a goodly supply of magazines in large part thanks to the kindness and generosity of people like yourselves and we very much want to write and tell you how very much that is appreciated by all of us here on Diego Garcia. We are most grateful for your thoughtfulness. With all best wishes."

"On 6-30-09, 1LT Kellen H. wrote: Ms. S., All of Bravo Battery 4-5 would like to thank you and Operation Paperback for your support during our deployment. The books, candy, newspapers and magazines have been immeasurably beneficial to the morale of our soldiers, especially during our field exercises when we've had to fill hours of waiting. It helps to know there are people back home thinking of us when we're working in a country that is new to almost all of our soldiers. Our time in Korea is growing is short, and we are all looking forward to returning home. As such, we would like to request you suspend sending us the books. I will definitely put our relief in contact with you and your organization. I know they will appreciate what you do just as much as we have. Again, thank you all so much."

"Onn 6-30-09, SSG James R. wrote: I am with ******. Our unit is currently deployed to Korea. We are here for one year without our families. Our Command has received numerous books from your organization, which they distribute to the Soldiers. I just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate it, and how much your support means to us. For a brief moment the books help take our mind off missing our families, and the day to day stresses we deal with. Thank You!"

"On 7-4-09. 1LT Renato D. wrote: Thank you so much for all of the books that you and the volunteers sent to us. We really appreciate it very much. I received the sixth or seventh box yesterday and all of the books are great. I think the books that we have should be enough for the entire tour. I think I counted about almost 30 books per box, so that's about 210 books, which should be more than enough for our small battalion to read. Again, thank you so much for all of your dedication to help out and make our lives a little more comfortable and also thank you for giving us an escape during the lonely nights. Thank you so much and God bless you all."

"On 7-3-09, CPT Ruchika C. wrote: Beverly B: Thank you for the books and your support! It means a lot to me. It makes it worth doing all that we do here. I love the Suze Orman book. It could not have been better timing to receive that book. I have started reading it already and I received the package last night. I do have some tough decisions to make and I am hoping that this book will be helpful in the process. Thanks again and God Bless!"

"On 7-1-09, PFC Ashley R. wrote: Hello All, This is PFC R from the **** at TF Gateway. Your volunteers sent me books from the Operation Paperback organization and I just wanted to say thank you so much for all of them. It helps make time go by so much for the personnel that get stuck here in Kuwait before their flights go out. Again, thank you so much for the support. "

"On 7-1-09, PFC Ashley R. wrote: Ms. A., First off I would like to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the books you sent. When I put young adult into the description of the type of books I like, not many people know what that means. But the books you sent were perfect! I’ve wanted to start the A-List series for a while now, so it was great to get those as well. I love the TV show Gossip Girl, but have never read the books, so I’m SOOOO looking forward to it. Any books that are like these are wonderful, I would appreciate it so much! Again, thank you so much for your support, your package definitely made my day. "

"On 7-1-09, PFC Ashley R. wrote: I just wanted to say thank you so much for the books that you sent me. I did receive them and they were all so great. I keep some of the books, but most of the time I donate them to the personnel that are flying through here and get stuck for a few days. Reading helps the time go by. Again, thank you so much for the support, we appreciate it so much! "

"On 7-1-09, PFC Ashley R. wrote: Ms. H, I just wanted to say thank you so much for the books that you sent me. I did receive them and they were all so great. I keep some of the books, but most of the time I donate them to the personnel that are flying through here and get stuck for a few days. Reading helps the time go by. Again, thank you so much for the support, we appreciate it so much! "

"On 6-28-09, CPT Ruchika C. wrote: Selina: Thank you so much for all the books you sent. I have put them in our library for everyone to enjoy. It is the little things in life that matter here and these books are a great way to get away from the tasks here. I will be reading quite a few of them. The combination of books was great! Thanks so much again. Take care."

"On 6-29-09, Marie B. wrote: Hello, I received the books. I just want to say thank you for sending me books. I love to read and I am enjoying reading them and sharing them with the other soldiers. Once again thank you for the books. "

"On 6-28-09, Cynthia C. wrote: Just wanted to say Thank You to Kris E. for the book shipment. The selection was great!!! "

"On 6-28-09, SSgt Maceo S. wrote: Hello I really appreciate your support for sending the books & magazines. Your kindness makes being away from home a little better. "

"On 6-28-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Ms. B.: I very much wanted to send a note to you and thank you for the box of magazines and books which arrived here a few days ago from your Operation Paperback branch in Stephens City. Here on Diego Garcia we don't have access to most current magazines, so when Operation Paperback sends us a "care package" like yours, it is always much appreciated. We frequently share our parcels with the "Chapel in the Palms" which makes an effort to distribute reading materials to different parts of this small island community when it becomes available. We are most grateful for your donation and thank you for the time, trouble and expense that you went to in sharing these current periodicals with "USS". All the best from all of "USS" here on Diego Garcia."

"On 6-28-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Ms. G.: On behalf of the Seamen's Service Center here at Diego Garcia, I wanted to write and thank you for the kindness of the "care package" which arrived from Mountain Home, Arkansas just yesterday. The inclusion of books, magazines, snack bars, candy and tea bags is very much appreciated by all the military and civilian mariner personnel who call this island "home" at this point in time. Diego Garcia is thought to be a "hardship posting" by many of the people stationed here so gifts like this are most welcome and appreciated. We thank you again for your kindness and very much hope that all is well at the Senior Citizens Center - it was most kind of you to remember "USS"(United Seamen's Service Center)."

"ON 6-27-09, Col Michael S. wrote: Well, I am horribly embarrassed to have to write this. I did make a good-faith effort to get everyone a personal letter. However, leave, TDY, and an increasing work load have kind of precluded me from doing it. We got some boxes of books in several months back and I simply have not had the time to write everyone. Please relay my apologies to all the kind folks who were thoughtful enough to send the books-they are much appreciated and please forgive my discourtesy in failing to thank everyone personally."

"On 12-11-08, Col Michael S. wrote: Hello and a big THANK YOU to all the folks who sent us books! The Salah Ad Din Provincial Reconstruction Team really appreciates your thoughtfulness! I have a thank you note on the way to all the donors, but the mail may be slow due to the holidays, and I wanted to express our thanks. Again, we are grateful for your thinking of us!"

"On 6-27-09, CPT Jason W. wrote: Good Morning, I just wanted to drop a note to say thank you for the books!! I just received them, and was happy to find that I hadn't read most of them before. I know I will enjoy them, and I will also make them available to all my troops in the S-1 Shop. Thank you for all your continued support and prayers!! "

"On 6-26-09, SPC Refino P. wrote: Howdy (:p) We are just doing our job m'am. Honest it's just our job. Yes, the books lend a great reprieve from what's going on with family issues at home and whatever else that has been nagging at our minds. It's a mini vacation. I don't mean to laugh at the howdy or make fun of you but you are one of the few people that use that greeting. I find it funny. But I wanted to write back to thank you once again but this time it came from my brother Onate. So thank you from us."

"On 6-25-09, Marie B. wrote: I love reading the books. Thank you so much for supporting us here. "

"On 6-25-09, MAJ Ted W. wrote: Thank you for all you do and have a great week! I have a few to read myself as soon as I break away from work."

"On 6-25-09, Terry B. wrote: Your recent shipment just arrived today....thank you for your continued support. Tom K. has returned to the US and will no longer be working here so if you don't mind, you can take his name off the mailing address in the future. Our book library is quite large now and you could cut back on our shipments to allow shipments to other more needy installations. We really appreciate all the hard work that goes into pulling your program together and can assure you that your books are making a difference with the troops."

"On 6-25-09, James N. wrote: To everyone at Operation Paperback, thanks for the books you sent. We truly appreciate everything that you all do for the troops over here. The books you sent will get a lot of hours of use. Because of your support, time over here will pass more quickly, which is good for us. Thanks again."

"On 6-25-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Ms. D.: On behalf of the seaferers and military personnel here at Diego Garcia, I wanted to write and thank you for the generous donation of paperback books, CD's, Videos, DVD's AND magazines(quite a large selection there!) that you kindly sent to us here at the Seamen's Service Center earlier this month. It will be most appreciated by the patrons of this Center and we are deeply grateful for the time, energy and expense you invested in sending them to us here on this small island. Again, our thanks and all the best to the people who helped you in Nebraska(my predecessor here at USSC was also from a small town in Nebraska and is a real upstanding and supporting individual). All the best."

"On 6-24-09, Chris L. wrote: I wanted to let you know that I will be departing theater soon and wanted to let you know so you could remove my name from your list of those requesting books. I greatly appreciate all the books I received from your organization. They were shared and spread around the FOB for all to enjoy! Thank you!"

"On 6-24-09, Linda H. wrote: Please take me off the book list. I have plenty of books to read now. I appreciate everyone that sent me books. "

"Onn 6-22-09, Cynthia C. wrote: Mr. T., Just wanted to say Thank You for the book donation. We received them on June 22 looks like an excellent selection and I'm sure they will be enjoyed by everyone who reads them. Again Thank You and May God keep your family member safe during his duty in Baghdad."

"On 6-23-09, LT Joanne D. wrote: Volunteers, Thank you so much for your generosity to my Soldiers and me. The five boxes I received today are absolutely wonderful! Your thoughts and kindness are greatly appreciated! "

"Thank you very much for your shipment of books. Our soldiers will greatly appreciate them! Thank you again!"

"On 6-23-09, Chaplain Douglas C. wrote: David, Thanks for the books that you sent. You guys responded quickly and we really appreciate it. Would you hold off in sending any more while I work on passing these out? You guys are great - Thanks again,"

"On 6-23-09, Juan R. wrote: I received the box really fast! And very good selection. I took the ones I was going to read and told my platoon sergeant where I was putting them in the MWR tent so the other soldiers could get a hold of them. Thank you very much for the service you are providing voluntarily to the troops, you are good people. "

"On 6-23-09, SPC Refino P. wrote: I would like to thank all of you who sent books to us. It helps in taking the mind off deployment when we have down time. I really thank you again from all of us here."

"On 6-22-09, MAJ Ted W. wrote: Thank you for your generous donation of books to the Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB), Fort Campbell, KY. We received three boxes of books. The books are greatly appreciated and will be utilized and checked out by our Warriors in the BN dayroom and at numerous clinics which the Warriors go for appointments. A good book can take you to another place and open your mind to possibilities which you were unaware of in the past. Have a great week!"

"ON 6-22-09, LT Joanne D. wrote: Volunteers of Operation Paperback, Thank you so much for your two packages of wonderful books. I received a box sent by Susan C. and I am not sure about the other individual who sent a book. Your support and prayers are greatly appreciated. Thank you for your generosity. "

"Hello again from Okinawa, Japan. Please let Selina Fansler know that we received her book donation at the Camp Schwab USO."

"On 6-21-09, Gary C. wrote: Your organization has provided myself and my fellow soldiers with many books and it has been appreciated. I am going to be relocating and would like to cancel the shipments of books to my address please. I will not have a good address to forward them to. Thank you."

"On 6-21-09, PFC Ashley R. wrote: This e-mail is concerning a few packages to confirm that we have received them. I would just like to say thank you so much for all the support! I work with many transients going up north and we set the books out for when they are stuck here for a few days and many military personnel and civilians appreciate it so much! I of course have taken many of the books back to my room to read for myself, and donated some to our little library we have at the education center. I have received packages from volunteers: Selina, Bertha H., Louise L., Karen M. Once again, thank you so much for the support. "

"On 6-21-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Ms. Marcie P: Very much wanted to write to thank you for the HUGE box of magazines, CD's and a DVD that you sent us earlier this month and arrived here just this past Friday(that was FAST!). As a one time resident of Mackinaw Island, Michigan, I love to hear from people from that part of the world and deeply appreciate the trouble and expense you went to to mail us this very heavy box. That was most kind of you. Here on Diego Garcia(an island four times larger than Mackinac Island) we don't have access to most magazines, so your gift was exceedingly kind and much appreciated. We will share the contents of that box with seafarers and airmen who call this island home from time to time, and the large number of Filipino and Mauritian workers who are employed here, Again, thank you very much for your thoughtfuless, and all the very best to you. "

"Onn 6-21-09, Marie B. wrote: I received the book, thank you very much.. I am enjoying my time now reading the books and sharing them with the other soldiers. Thank you for sending them. "

"On 6-18-09, SSG Ryan E. wrote: Your organization and all of the many volunteers have blessed us by keeping us in their prayers and thoughts by sending us the thousands of books and reading material to include gifts and calling cards have absolutely created a better atmosphere for our soldiers and continue to bridge the gap of entertainment enjoyed by the many soldiers who benefit from your and the volunteers thoughtfulness. It is the great consideration and effort each person displays that develops and changes the world. Please accept my thanks for all you have and continue to do for U.S. Soldiers... May God richly bless you.. "

"On 6-18-09, LT Joanne D. wrote: Kathy R. and Booklet Paperbacks, Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to put together this wonderful package for my Soldiers and me. We truly appreciate your dedication, prayers, and support. I am working to encourage a lot of my Soldiers to read more often as a great way to occupy their off time. I put the books out yesterday for them to take and this morning I noticed that several were already taken. Thank you again and we hope to hear from you again soon! "

"On 6-18-09, Hortencia L. wrote: Greetings, In support of the troops, the Patient Library received a box of book donations from Houston, Texas. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. "

"On 6-18-09, Thom U. wrote: Friends of the Belmont Library I very much wanted to write and thank you for the large box of DVD's,.music CD's and magazines which arrived here at the United Seamen's Service Center at Diego Garcia just yesterday. It was a very valuble shipment and we are very pleased with the generous donation. With it, we will be able to keep our civilian mariners and US military personnel well occupied in a variety of ways during their time away from their scheduled duty hours here at "DG". This is not the first shipment that we have received from "Friends" and we are most grateful for your thoughtfulness and generosity. Our deepest thanks for all that you have done for "USS" here at Diego Garcia."

"On 6-18-09, SPC Melissa M. wrote: Hi, I would just like to say thank you for the 5 boxes of books I received. It was good to read something new. So again thank you."

"On 6-18-09, 1LT Renato D. wrote: Thank you so much for everything that you're doing for us. We really appreciate it very much. I received the first package yesterday with lots of wonderful books. Any books or magazines work for us, but I will get with my Soldiers and other leaders if they want to read anything specific. On behalf of my unit please offer our special thank you to everyone that's involved with your organization; tell them we appreciate their hard work and thank you for praying for us everyday."

"On 6-18-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Ms. Barbara Y: Thank you most kindly for the large box of magazines you sent us earlier this month and arrived here on Diego Garcia, just yesterday. We are without a Stars and Stripes outlet here, and the local library is unable to stock current magazines, so this selection that "Troop Support Operation Paperback" has sent to us is extremely important and much appreciated by all the Navy personnel and civilian mariners who frequent our Service Center. We deeply appreciate the initiative and thank you for your generous gift. With all our best."

"On 6-17-09, MAJ Ted W. wrote: Thank you for your generous contribution of books to the Warrior Transition Battalion, Fort Campbell, KY. They are greatly appreciated."

"Thank you very much for the support of the books that you sent my Company. The Marines and Sailors enjoy the variety of books that we have now in our library. This was excellent! I have letters going out to you all within the next day or so as well. Thank you!"

"On 6-16-09, Linda H. wrote: Dear Friends, Thank you so much for the books. I received them just today. I will tell you a little about myself. I am 56 yrs old and have husband and two sons, I am from Kansas. I work for AAFES and I volunteered to come over here to take care of the troops which has been a rewarding experience for me. Camp Virginia is a transition base. We get the troops coming out of combat and going home. So thank you again for the books. When I finish with them I will give them to the USO here. "

"On 6-15-09, Patricia D. wrote: My son has asked me to request his name be removed from the Operation Paperback list. He deeply appreciates (and plans to acknowledge) the book donations he has received so far. However, it's "too much of a good thing". A few days ago, he received a huge box of so many books (60-70) at once that it literally took almost all the available space in their MWR area. There isn't room for any more at this time. Their forward operating base (FOB) is primarily tents, with only a couple of plywood "shack" style buildings under a concrete dome. There isn't a dining facility, and they eat field rations. They are 8 to a sleeping tent in bunks, so there isn't any personal space to store anything, either (no wall lockers or anything like that). This is not the Iraq you see on CNN. So please remove his name from the list as soon as possible. Thank you for the work that you do, and again, please let the volunteers know how much we appreciate them. rnrnThanks very much."

"On 6-15-09, Chelsea C. wrote: I would like to thank everyone for all the books, magazines, personal hygiene items, and GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!!!!!!!=] We have not received mail for almost a month so I got like 8 boxes of books at once last week and I could not have been happier. Reading is my favorite past time and the only thing I can escape to here. I literally read a book a day sometime 2 days depends how busy I am!!! I'm so excited about the collection of books I don't know where to start!!! Again thank you so much!!! "

"On 6-13-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Don and Diane W.: We were the grateful recipients of a large number of magazines which you so kindly sent us on June 4th and I wanted to write and thank you for your generosity It will be much appreciated by our seafaring clientele who are always looking for recent publications because we are without a Stars and Stripes Bookstore and the library does not stock periodicals at this time. The magazines, upon arrival ealier today, were immediately placed on display in our dining room where patrons can help themselves upon arrival. Thank you again for your kindness and all best wishes from "USS". "

"On 6-12-09, Thom U. wrote: Syd C.: Thank you most kindly for the recorded music discs, magazine and .....popcorn! It is all very much appreciated and I apologize for the postal costs...that was expensive(can we reimburse you?). These items go over big with our seafaring community here at Diego Garcia. And our deepest gratitude to OperationPaperback for making all of this possible. With all best wishes."

"On 6-11-09, LT Daphne M. wrote: Thanks for ALL the support and all the books! We are ALL enjoying them and I am sharing them with everyone. I hate to ask but could you remove my name from the list. I love all the books I am getting but I am getting A LOT of them and it is getting difficult. I APPRECIATE them VERY MUCH though and I thank your volunteers A LOT for all the assistance!"

"On 6-11-09, SPC Timothy C. wrote: I have received a lot of books and the Soldiers in my unit greatly appreciate it. We have more than enough books for the duration of the deployment. If you could remove me from the mailing list so other troops can enjoy the books. Thank you so much and God speed!!! "

"On 6-11-09, 2LT Renato D. wrote: Thanks for the rapid response and we the ****** Battalion, are very honored and humbled to accept your care packages. We really appreciate your kindness and hard work in order to make a difference in our Soldiers' lives. I will be sending you our photo fairly soon. Thank you again for all your hard work and keep up the good work."

"On 7-6-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Randy and Denise: My apologies if I have incorrectly spelled your last name - I had some difficulty reading it on the postal documents that accompanied your very generous donation of magazines that you recently sent to our Seamen's Service Center here at Diego Garcia. We deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity in sending those publications on to "USS". Here on DG we operate a social welfare center that caters to the island population of 2200 people, so the magazines you sent will be well circulated in the weeks, and perhaps months, ahead. Our thanks again for your kindness and all the very best."

"On 7-8-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Mr. B: Just time for a note to thank you most kindly for the used magazines and popcorn that you sent our way late last month....they reached us here in the ******* in just over a week! We very much appreciate your thoughtfulness and whereas our local library does not stock current magazines, the ones that you were kind enough to send will do very nicely. We thank you for going to the expense of mailing these items to us and trust that this note of thanks finds you safe and well. "

"On 7-17-09, CPT Ruchika C. wrote: Thank you very much to Kathy R. (Bookie's Paperbacks), B. Tate, Tran & Treasure Books, Mountainbrook Library & Superstition Rotary Club (Louise L). We truly appreciate all the books that you have sent us here. They are great! It is a huge variety, so that everyone is finding something to their liking. People like all of you make out time here go by much quicker. Your support is very much appreciated. Thanks!"

"On 7-22-09, Thom U. wrote: Good Morning Bekki! Just wanted to write and thank you most kindly for the many magazines and DVD's that you were kind enough to send us on June 25th. We much appreciated your going to that expense on our behalf and the donation was most welcome and generous. Here in the IO, we don't have access to current publications so your generosity was very welcome. Thank you again for the kindness and all best wishes from all of "USS."

"On 7-28-09, SPC Glenn R. wrote: I'm about two weeks away from leaving Iraq and going home. I should probably be removed from your list. Thank you very much for all of the support sent. "

"On 7-28-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Bryarly: It was a real pleasure to receive your large box of books at the post office today and we are most pleased with your thoughtfulness and generosity. The books are first class and will be much enjoyed by many of our patrons and friends of the Seamen's Center. We thank you too for the expense that you went to to ship them to us and we thank you most deeply for the kindness. From all of "USS" here on Diego Garcia, thank you again for the "gift". All best wishes."

"On 7-28-09, CPT Jason W. wrote: Good Afternoon, Thank you for sending the books. I received them yesterday and look forward to reading them in my down time. I am also sharing them with other Soldiers in my unit, so that we all have opportunity to benefit from your generosity. Thanks again!!"

"I just received a package from First Christian Church from Arlene, TX today and was genuinely surprised to find a box full of classic Asimov's sci fi magazines and it is a collection I probably would have paid for if such an assortment would ever be on sale. Thank you very much for your operation and your literary support for us troops."

"On 7-19-09, Eric S. wrote: Good afternoon. I have been receiving books for six to eight months and we are leaving soon and will not be receiving mail. I would like to thank some people how have sent books over the last few months. To start with Janet L., Sue W., Stu F., and Anne B. When I returned from leave I had four boxes of books waiting for me. I enjoyed them. Thank you for all of your support and being very prompt with books of all varieties. "

"On 7-14-09, LtCol Dan Y. wrote: When I signed up I had no idea just how many books we would receive - thank you for ALL of them! I plan to take a picture with some of the guys in our extensive library in the next few days and send it to you. Happily though, I would like to inform you that our time here is coming to a close and it is probably time to shift the mailings to other service men and women. We have about four weeks left and then it is home to our families - 9 months is a long time but the books make the time pass quickly. So thank you and I hope to be sending you a picture within the week. "

"I received several boxes of late, two large ones were from Alion S. in Bath, ME. Like I have said before, they go as fast as they come in. Thank you. As always I try to sent a letter of appreciation to those individuals/companies who send books."

"On 7-12-09, Robert A. wrote: I just wanted to send a quick note of Thanks! for the books. The books provide a quick getaway when things are a little rough as well as filling the void when I find myself alone. I sincerely appreciate the staff and volunteers for taking the time to reach out to us with the timeless gift of a book. Thank you. rn "

"On 7-12-09, Levitica B. wrote: Thank you so much for the books that you sent me. They are exactly the authors that I love! It is very comforting to know that there are people out there that support me. Thank you for making my deployment so much easier. God Bless "

"On 7-12-09, SGT Peter H. wrote: Hello! We just received another box of books! Thanks for your support!"

"On 7-11-09, SGT Peter H. wrote: So far we have received three large boxes of paperback books from your organization. We have just finished building our book case and the books have been very well received. Thank you for your continued support!"

"On 7-11-09, Linda H. wrote: Do me a big favor and let everyone know how much I appreciate all the books. Thanks again."

"On 7-11-09, Randy K. wrote: Thank you very much for your books. I have received them and enjoy them. I have passed them out to the guys and gals of VFA-192 forward deployed from Japan on board the USS George Washington. Everybody here is proud and appreciates your support. Again thank you. "

"On 7-9-09, Thom U. wrote: Dear Mr. and Mrs. John M: I wanted to be sure to write you a very grateful letter of thanks for the many CD's and DVD's that you were kind enough to send our way on the 9th of June. The contents of your "care package" was most welcome as many of our patrons enjoy "Classic Rock" music, and the playing cards and US Flag decals were also items we could find use for. A most interesting package that will keep many of our seafaring patrons pleased for months to come. We thank you again for your kindness and generosity. All the very best from all of "USS". "

"On 6-4-09, LT Jammal J. wrote: Please pass my sincere thanks along to Tom M. for the books."

"On 5-26-09, MAJ Lashaunda J. wrote: Thank you for the books. The soldiers appreciate your generosity and kindness. God Bless You all at Operation Paperback. "

"On 6-10-09, MAJ Lashaunda J. wrote: Volunteers of Operation Paperback: Thank you for the books. The soldiers and civilian deployed at Bagram AB, Afghanistan greatly appreciate your kindness and generosity. "

"On 6-10-09, SGM David C. wrote: Al C. and Staff, Good morning from Iraq, and thank you for your generous donation. I am an avid reader and I so appreciate your thoughtfulness! I have traveled throughout Iraq and have read a few paperbacks during my travels. I pick up a book here, and swap it with another somewhere else. One thing I have noticed is that I see your label "Operation Paperback" on a lot of the books here. I'm not sure if you're familiar with Basrah or not, but it's a base we took over from the British. Some of the basic life support items here are not established yet. There is no USO, and no MWR facility yet. Our PX is not much bigger than a large double wide. So gifts like this from> home mean a lot to us, and your support of our troops is amazing. We have a book shelf in the hallway between our buildings where your donation will be placed for all the soldiers to enjoy. Keep up the great work, I know the troops appreciate it."

"On 6-9-09, LTC James B. wrote: Dear Mr John T: I have just picked up a book you have donated to our service men and women serving in combat. You are kind and generous to have done this. I acknowledge you and I am grateful for your support. You need to know, your contributing this, like you have, matters. Something as simple as a free book on a shelf in our MWR center, (Morale, Recreation & Welfare), makes our service just a little bit easier here. This simple Email seems, well, inadequate. Nonetheless, I Thank you for supporting your American soldiers. "

"On 6-8-09, SPC Timothy C. wrote: I am still receiving boxes of books. They are greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support. "

"Thank you for all the wonderful books. My unit has appreciated them a lot. Right now we have a lot of books to last us for awhile. Thank you for all your support!"

"On 6-4-09, PFC Laronnia S. wrote: Hello, thanks for all the books that you guys have been sending me. These books have been a stress reliever and made time go by super fast, on that note, I will be leaving here and heading home in a few months!! I thought I would just let you know in case you send me more books, so they will not just be sitting here. I am truly appreciative and thankful for everything. You guys are the greatest!!"

"Please thank the folks at AHRC- Suffolk, Ronkonkoma, NY for the books donated to the Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa, Japan."

"Thank you for the books. Especially tailoring it for our women (10 of them). They needed something that might suit their reading needs. Appreciate the support a lot! Thank you!"

"Please let Tom M. (of the Genesee Community College) know that we received his latest shipment. All of the books about Texas should appeal to our Army guys from Ft. Hood. On May 28th, we took our big thermometer outside - it measures up to 140 degrees. In the sun, the needle went as far past 140 as it could! The wind was blowing and it felt like a hair dryer was blowing on you. Thanks again. "

"On 5-30-09. PFC Russell F. wrote: My name is PFC Russell F. and I want to thank you for all the books. I have run out of room to put all the books, so if you could take me off the mailing list I would appreciate it. I have filled up our MWR and have provided books for our whole battalion. Thank you again. "

"On 5-30-09, Special Agent Miguel L. wrote: I am writing this letter for SA Dan W.; who you have been sending books to. SA W. left this week for home and is no longer deployed in country. As a soldier I wanted to thank you for your generous support and appreciate your valuable dedications to "The Troops." I too have shared books that you have sent with Dan, but I too am preparing to go home soon. I will be delivering the extra books to one of the MWR buildings here on Camp Taji, so that I can share your gifts with other soldiers on post. Thank you once again and if you can kindly remove Dan W., at *******Iraq, it will be appreciated."

"On 5-28-09, Thom U. wrote: Just wanted to write and express our gratitude for the large box of music CD's and magazines which arrived here today at the United Seamen's Service Center at Diego Garcia in ******. We were deeply pleased to receive the gift and will put it to good use entertaining the air force and navy personnel who are among our most frequent patrons. We also serve American merchant (civlian) seafarers and their guests at this location and much of what was received today will be shared with the USN "Chapel in the Palms" which is very much apart of our island community. Again, our deepest gratitude for your kindess and generosity. It is much appeciated by one and all here on Diego Garcia. "

"On 5-26-09, Cpl Matthew M. wrote: I have received the box of books that was sent to me. I would like to say thank you for supporting us out here."

"On 5-24-09, SPC Rob B. wrote: I have been receiving your books since we got deployed here in northern Iraq. Please receive my sincere thanks and know that they all have been put to good use by plusing up our library here on FOB Sykes. We are currently in our last two months of our deployment and I believe that we will probably not be able to field the books much longer soon. I will be more than happy to foward you guys a contact with the relieving unit. I'm sure they'll probably be likely to continue on with the operation. Again thank you so much for everything you guys did while we were here. "

"On 5-22-09, SGT. Sean O. wrote: I would just like to say thanks to the New Oxford Area Library for the 22 paperbacks I received yesterday. My fellow soldiers and I are stationed at a remote outpost far from a major base. These books will definitely help raise our morale and keep our spirits lifted. Thank You "

"On 5-22-09, Bettie S. wrote: Please pass along our thanks to Kimberly G. of Dunstable, MA. Please let her know it was a great selection - we seldom get inspirational books. I think it's about 120+ degrees today in the sun. Thank goodness we're in the shade here at the USO! "

"Please thank the South Woods Middle School 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, their families, friends, and the New York Community for their book donation to the Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa, Japan."

"Thank you so much for the box of books. My group and I appreciate it very much and thank you for all your support while we are out here. The box did arrive without any problems. Thank you once again."

"On 5-19-09, 1LT Brian B. wrote: I want to thank you for the books. So far, I have read many classics that I would otherwise never have been able to get my hands on. I cannot thank you enough for the distraction that you provide, it is both a great escape and a lot of enjoyment letting the mind escape into the world of Schindler's List or the Good Earth."

"On 5-19-09, MAJ Lashaunda J. wrote: Thank you for the books! The soldiers here at ******, Afghanistan appreciate your kindness and generosity. "

"On 5-19-09, TSgt John S. wrote: I just received a box of books from you kind folks. The person who sent the box was Bobbie G. from Dunstable, MA. Please tell him thanks they were real nice. Thanks from Kuwait."

"ON 5-18-09, SGT Jamie M. wrote: I just wanted to let you know that I received your package today. I would like to thank you for your support. We have a big shelf in our Aid Station where we put up all the books we receive so that everyone has to oppportunity to read them. The soldiers are really enjoying the variety of books that we have been receiving. Hope you and your family are well. Take Care and Thank You again. "

"On 5-18-09. PO2 Marco S. wrote: I am Petty Officer Marco S. here at FOB Rushmore. I have recently taken over the MWR center and that includes the library. We recently received a shipment of paperbacks from your organization and a woman by the name of Janet L. Thank you Janet and all the volunteers that help out in your cause. We do appreciate these books, our soldiers, myself included, love to read and are always looking for a good read. Thank you for your thoughts and your efforts."

"On 5-17-09, SSG Nevlin H. wrote: Thanks to everyone at operationpaperback for your support, prayers, and concern. Special thanks to Col. Bennett, Thomas and friends. We'll will be headed home next month and our replacement will the the ***** once again thanks for your support."

"On 5-17-09, Tamara S. wrote: Thank you for sending my daughter books. She said she got so many that she shared them with everyone! I just wanted you to go ahead and take her off the list now as she will be headed back shortly. Thank you! "

"On 5-15-09, 1SG David C. wrote: Wanted to thank you for the support, appreciate you taking the time to think of us deployed over here in this great place. We have just reached our fifth month here in country, almost over the hump. It has been busy which helps the time go by fast, but it also is getting warmer as it gets busier. It's nice to have a book to get you away for just a little bit of time. Thanks so much for your support in doing this. Hope all is well in the states with you. I have a two week break coming up can't wait to get home and see everyone and also see some green. It will be so nice. Thanks. Take care."

"On 5-12-09, SGT Benjamin M. wrote: I have gotten 3 boxes of books so far and they have been great. I will try and have picture to upload to you soon of where they went and who is reading them. Best wishes and Thanks!"

"On 5-11-09, Lt Col. Bryan H. wrote: On behalf of the 125+ members of the Afghan National Army Air Corps Advisor Group, let me thank you for your shipment of books. They make a nice addition to our shared library. The ability to grab a book to de-stress and relax greatly enhances our quality of life here. It is the kindness of strangers such as yourself that reminds us of the support we all have back home. It is that support that keeps us going in the tough times. Thank you for the time and effort you sacrifice to brings us such peace. "

"On 5-8-09, Nathan A. wrote: Thanks much for the books. They look good. Here in Iraq having something fun to read helps make life more enjoyable. "

"On 5-11-09, Lt. Col. Bryan H. wrote: On behalf of the 100+ members of the Afghan National Army Air Corps Advisory Group, let me thank you for your recent shipment of books. They are a fine addition to our now fully stocked library that will continue to bring peace for years to the several rotations of advisors to come. The time and effort you put into this project is greatly appreciated."

"On 5-11-09, Nathan A. wrote: Thanks for the books. They look good. Here in Iraq having something fun to read helps make life more enjoyable. The first night I thought I'd start one of the books (The First Apostle) and I ended up staying up late (a bit later than I should have!) to finish it. That book was actually my favorite genre, the historical thriller type or basically any historical fiction (not so much a mystery book reader. "

"On 5-10-09, 1SG David C. wrote: Just wanted to thank everyone for all the support, we have received, it has been great sharing everything with all the troops here. You all bring some sunshine to our day and it definitely helps so much, to take a break and get away with a good book. Hope all is well with everyone, we are just passing thru our fifth month here, can't wait to make it home. Thanks again for everything."

"I received another (large) box today. This one was from Selina F of Newville, PA. Thank you. I will be mailing her a thank you note as well."

"Thanks for your book donation to the Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa, Japan. Some great books like the last shipment we received from you."

"On 5-8-09, SGT Ivie I. wrote: I recently received the package of books that you sent to me through Operation Paperback and I would like to let you know that I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am an avid reader (it's the only escape I have out here) and so seeing a box of books was an unexpected surprise. I would also like to thank you on behalf of the other soldiers who will read the books after I do. It is always nice to know that there are people back home thinking about us. Again, thank you so much! "

"On 5-8-09, Nathan A. wrote: Thanks much for the books. They look good. Here in Iraq having something fun to read helps make life more enjoyable. "

"On 4-28-09, 1SG David C. wrote: We received multiple boxes from a few different organizations, just wanted to take a minute and thank everyone for thinking of us. I was very surprised to see all the support we had received in such a short time. This is a great program you have and wanted to let you know it is greatly appreciated by *** Company and *****, Many thanks go out to the following: Our Lady of The Angels Bradenton, Florida, Sandra D of Helotes, Texas, Don W of Dunstable, Mass, Louise L of Gold Canyon, Arizona. I attached a few photos. They were a big hit. Thanks again for all of your support."

"On 5-7-09, SSG Carrie B. wrote: I just wanted to thank your wonderful organization for all the books I have received. The books were a varied assortment that many soldiers enjoyed. I am moving to a different camp soon and request that packages to myself be cancelled until I get to my new destination and can send you another request for books. Thank you again for all your support and morale boosting books. Thank you and God Bless."

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and The Friends of the Library for their book donations. Hundreds of Soldiers, Sailors and Marines transit through Ali Al Salem Air Base on a daily basis. They must wait hours upon hours if not days to transit back home or into Iraq. It is a great comfort and diversion to have your books available to read. I was pleasantly surprised during mail call to see several large boxes of books headed my way. On their behalf I thank you all."

"On 5-6-09, 1SG David C. wrote: Just wanted to say thanks for the books you sent. They arrived today and are very much appreciated. Books are great and can be shared by so many. The ones you sent were very popular and didn't last long. Thanks so much for taking your time to think of us. Used magazines are great too if you ever get any of them at your donation drives. We are going into our fifth month here of our 12 month tour. We have gotten thru almost half of our R&R leaves already. I have mine coming up the 11th. I can wait. Looking at spending it in Florida at Disney World. Thanks again for all your support."

"On 5-4-09, SPC Timothy C. wrote: I received the books safe and in good condition. Thank you so much and I really appreciate it all. Your support is greatly appreciated and the guys and gals are loving the books."

"On 5-2-09, SPC Brown wrote: I am letting you know that we have been receiving your packages and do appreciate your work. I was also the one who requested childrens books so we could have the soldiers read them to their children either over skype or by video camera. Thank you for sending the children's books for it has helped us support our troops in this area. If you want to hear more about what is going on in our world let me know. Until then thank you so much for what you do.rn"

"On 4-30-09, LCDR Jimmie W. wrote: Mr. M, Thank you for the books, they have been received."

"On 4-30-09, LCDR Jimmie W. wrote: Thank you for the books. I have received several packages and have been sharing them with my fellow troops here in Baghdad. You can stop sending books to me, I have enough to last until I return back to the states. Thank you again for your support. The books are wonderful and help to past the time here in Iraq."

"On 4-28-09, 1SG David C. wrote: Received another box of books, yesterday, just wanted to say thanks to Mr. Ross H, for thinking of us. Thanks for all your support, this is a great organization, these are so popular with the troops and because they can share them with others makes them even better. Appreciate all you do for all Soldiers."

"Greetings from the Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa, Japan. The books shipped by Karen P. were received today. Thank you. I see some of my favorite authors in the shipment."

"On 4-27-09, SSG Nevlin H. wrote: Hello, How are you? I want to thank you and others at operation paperback for all your concern and support. It is people like you that keep our morale high during long times away from home. My unit's time here is coming to an end. we should be returning in june and we are all happy about that. Once again thank you."

" My name is Linnea and I'm a soldier deployed in Afghanistan. We received the magazines you sent! Thank you so much. Not only does it provide hours of good reading for us, it gives us a little part of being back home. Reading is such a great release for us. It also means a lot to us over here to have the support of the people back home. A lot of people thank us for the job be do over here, but I thank you for your support! You have really helped raise the moral of the soldiers of Delta Company. Thank You, SGT Linnea B "

"On 4-21-09, 1 SG David C. wrote: Just wanted to pass you a quick note to thank you, for your support and all the support you provide all Soldiers. Your package arrived yeaterday. It was great to get some books and goodies. It is so hard to keep everyone happy and with so many different personalities, I feel like a cruise director. You make my job easier providing the support that you do. If you get any more requests from this area, you are more than welcome to link them up with me. It would be nice to share between each other. That way work is not doubled. Thanks again. "

"On 4-27-09, PFC Jennifer L. wrote: Hello! I've received soooo many shipments of books from you but am just now getting a chance to email you to let you know I received them. I received a box from the Sandra Day O'Conner Student Council in Helotes Tx, One from Don W., another from Carol V. and one from the Association for the Help of Retarded Children Adult Day Habilitation Program. I received 2 more boxes from 2 other people but the papers I kept in my pocket got ruined when I accidently sent the pants to the wash without checking my pockets... (don't tell my husband I did that, he'd give me a hard time because I always lecture him about that very thing!) Sadly, I'm leaving Bagram for a little while and can't find anyone else who wants to take the responsibilty of sending the books to the other Fobs. So, I'm requesting that you stop sending the books to me temporarily. I will let you know if I return. Until then please know that you have completed 3 different libraries in 3 different locations and we greatly appreciate it. All the shipments have just been wonderful and they brought smiles to our faces! I love knowing that if I get deployed here again, there will be a library waiting here and at 2 other Fobs thanks to operationpaperback.org. Your organization is wonderful!"

"On 4-27-09, SSG Nevlin H. wrote: I would like to thank you all at Operation Paperback for all your prayers and support. Special thanks to Norma J. (club 340), Selina and Jami L., our tour will be ending in less than two months and we all can't wait to come home. Thanks again for all the books. We love you guys! Take care and God bless."

"On 4-26-09, MAJ James B. wrote: Thank you for the donated books for our chapel library. They will be made available to our Soldiers. Donators: Sandy S. and Wendy H. God bless."

"On 4-26-09, Megan F. wrote: I would like to thank you for all the books we have received. However I would ask that the packages stop. We already have received way too many and are a very small fob. Thank you for all of the generosity. "

"Thank you for all the support you have shown. The books you have sent have been something we in Iraq look forward to. There aren't many luxuries that time allows us here and when do get time, reading a good book can take your mind off of a lot of the stressors we encounter. I would like to extend thanks from all of us. Keep up the great work we appreciate it and it is helping us stay mentally fit to fight this war. May God bless everyone involved with Operation Paperback."

"On 4-25-09,, 1 SG David D. wrote: Thank you for the books. My soldiers appreciate your thoughtfulness and support, and you can rest assured that these books will get lots of use. My soldiers travel on occasion and have a tendency to pick up or drop off books at different bases throughout the country, so the wealth will be shared. Thank you, and God bless. "

"On 4-20-09, Hortencia L. wrote: Recently, the Patient Library has received numerous boxes of book and other item donations for the patients of ****** Medical Center. The donations came from as far away as Amherst, OH, Lima, NY, Myrtle Beach, SC, Las Vegas, NV, Rush, NY, and Hampton Bays, NY. We appreciate the thoughtfulness of all the kind people from these areas, as well as the support for the troops. Thank you. "

"On 4-24-09, SPC Joelene H. wrote: I would like to thank everyone at your organization for the boxes of books we have received while we have been deployed to Iraq. We are coming to a close of our deployment so we cannot accept any more shipments of books, however, we will give your information to the incoming unit in case they would be interested in receiving books. "

"On 3-13-09, CPT Rosa G. wrote: To the Rotary Club of Gilmer County and Friend of Gilmer County Library; To Linda S.;To Barbara W.; To Stephanie M.; This display of such kindness motivates me to such an extreme that I just want to thank you for your great display of support for the troops. We received the shipment of books today and I wish I had a camera to take pictures of the smiling faces of my Soldiers when we distributed the books to all of the bookworms. They wanted me to relay their thanks for this generous gift. I cannot begin to express my gratitude for your support and kind words. The difficulties that young Soldiers go through on these long endeavors away from their loved ones takes an enormous toll on their morale. It is only through the kind and warm hearts of citizens like yourself that warm our days on the coldest trials we go through. The impact you have made will always be remembered by the Tomahawk Soldiers of ******* Company. Please accept our heart-felt thanks for this great support. "

"On 4-23-09, SSGT Donna R. wrote: I would first like to say Thank you to all the groups and individuals who sent books to me and my organization. I am scheduled to leave soon and would like to make a request to stop the shipments. My position is being downsized so there will be no one that can take over for me. Again my whole organization sends their thanks and appreciation for all the support and books we have received. Thank you. "

"On 4-23-09, PS1 Marcie F. wrote: Thank you so much for the box of books that I received. I love to read and I usually do not have enough to read while we are underway. But these will provide many hours of enjoyable reading time. I’ll make sure to share them with all of my shipmates here onboard. Thanks again for sending them to me. Have a great day. "

"On 4-22-09, SFC Sean C. wrote: I received the books you sent. Thank you so much for taking the time to think of all of us over here. My Soldiers over here in Iraq loved them. God Bless you and your family and thanks again!! "

"On 4-21-09, Baqi B. wrote: On behalf of the soldiers of this Forward Operating Base in Iraq, I would like to extend my most sincere appreciations and gratitude all of you for your generous support in such a critical time We did receive your books, magazines, audio, video cassettes, CD'S and as forth. Our library is perfect now and it contains loads of reading materials. My deployment period is over and I am returning back to the States next month. If you still wish to continue sending us stuff, kindly send it to the care of : Books for Library", same address. However, the library is adequately full. Again, Thank you very much. I have your address and I shall send you a picture of the library in future. "

"Thank you for the paperback books. The troops enjoy the books. They can wait for a flight to the base/post/fob (forward operating base) or a flight to home from hours to 4-6 days or longer, with nothing to do. The books help kill the boredom. I just talked to two solders who have been here for five days waiting to get out. Again thank you."

"Received another box of books. As usual the racks were empty when I went to restock them. Thank you."

"On 4-20-09, Kalyn S. wrote: I am so grateful for the box of books you sent over in support of the troops. We often find ourselves in much need of diversion over here on ******* Korea. Services are just now starting to expand to meet the needs of the growing population of troops on this post. I placed the books you sent on a shelf at one of two locations currently on base for paperback swap. Two months ago the shelves were bare and now they are regularly refilled. I feel blessed to be able to support the troops in this way with the help of Operation Paperback volunteers such as yourselves. Many thanks for all you do."

"On 4-20-09, Captain Edward H. wrote: My unit has received 6 huge boxes of books in the past week and I know the Marines in my unit all appreciate your support and have been reading the books that have been sent. I personally wish to thank you because I know it helps raise the morale of our Marines not only through the books, but knowing people back home support them. Thank you for the support!"

"On 4-18-09, Tom K. wrote: Thank you for your program Operation Paperback and your fast response. The troops enjoy the books. They can wait for a flight to the base/post/fob or a flight to home from hours to 4-6 days or longer, with nothing to do. The books help kill the boredom. I just talked to two solders who have been here for five days waiting to get out."

"On 4-19-09, Bill G. wrote: Thank you so much for the kind generosity displayed by the individuals at Operation Paperback. As of yesterday, we have received 38 CLEP books/study guides. These books/guides have had and continue to have a direct impact upon Soldiers and Airmen as they seek to further their educational goals. With the exception of the shipment received yesterday, we have sent e-mails to everyone who has donated CLEP books/study guides. (I will send an e-mail tomorrow to thank our most recent donator). I will be departing Iraq soon, sometime around the second week of May. My replacement is CMSgt Mike D. and he will be here through September 2009. His address is the same as mine. Due to the large number of Soldiers and Airmen here at ***** Air Base, Iraq, we could always use more CLEP book/study guides. Ms. Honeywell, you and your organization, Operation Paperback are making a difference in the educational pursuits of our Soldiers and Airmen. Thank you!! I appreciate your time and efforts in supporting our men and women of the United States Armed Forces."

"On 4-18-09, Daniel B. wrote: Dear Friends with Operation Paperback, Thank you very much for the books you keep sending us. Just yesterday we received another shipment from you. We put them up in the education center the moment they got in. Kind regards from Africa. "

"On 4-18-09, Eric S. wrote: Thank you for the last shipment of books they were great. Please do not forget the history and fantasy books. We have enjoyed most of the books you have sent I can not tell you how much it has helped fight the boredom we get here at times. "

"On 4-17-09, TSGT John S. wrote: Thanks so much to your group and Selina F. I received my box of books today and I was amazed by how many I got. Tell her a job well done, especially the Jimmy Buffet books. I'm just surprised to no end. You guys did something real good today and that was to make me smile for a change at mail call. Thanks for everything. Can you or someone send me a post card of your area. I know my wife will be glad to hear that there are so many nice people still out there who will do for others. Once again thanks sooooo much."

"On 4-15-09, Lt. Col. Bryan H. wrote: On behalf of the 120+ members of the Air Corps Advisory Group here in Afghanistan, let me express our appreciation for the boxes of books your members recently sent to us. The selection was a great addition to our community library. The response was amazingly fast. We have now received well over 100 books in the six different shipments. Rest assured that these books will bring great comfort and enjoyment to many rotations of advisors to come in the next few years. It is the support of our families and folks like yourselves that helps us get through the rough times during our tours of duty. I just can't express how much it means to all of us to have you giving of your time and energy to bring us much needed diversions from the daily grind and pressures we face. Once again, thanks for all that you do."

"I received three different packages of books, yours and two more with about the same amount of books. As usual I have already stacked them in the racks. There was only about 3 books left in the waiting area from the last big box. As always, thank you."

"On 4-13-09, Bryan B. wrote: Mina G. and friends of the Book Cellar Webster Library: From the world of Iraq, I would like to thank you for sending all of those wonderful books. I have shared and they will definitely get their usage. Thank you very much for your support. Without people dedicated to helping us like you, these deployments might drag out. Thank you again."

"On 4-11-09, 1LT Jeffrey D. wrote: We just received your first shipment of books! Thank you so much for your support. Let me tell you that the Soldiers of **** Infantry were very appreciative. On behalf of Lt. Col Mark O. and the rest of the battalion, we'd like to extend our warmest thanks. Please keep the books coming as there are over 700 Soldiers that would love to get their hands on some reading material during well-earned down time. Thanks again!"

"On 4-10-09, Kalyn S. of the American Red Cross wrote: Thank you so much for the books. Both boxes have now arrived. The first box arrived last week and the second box arrived yesterday. The selection of books is wonderful. The soldiers will definitely snap them up fast. We actually have books to grab in 2 locations now, one at the library and one at the USO office. We do have a base library, but it currently leaves a lot to be desired. As this base expands though over the next several years the library will hopefully expand to catch up with the population. In the meantime the books from Operation Paperback will keep everybody happy and caught up on the latest novels. Thank you for all you do. I know that you probably don't always get thank you notes from everyone you assist, but from my experience with the troops I know that it is always appreciated even if they don't express it. Many thanks. "

"On 4-12-09, Bettie S. wrote: Thank you so much for the box. The books are already on the shelves. We have been getting an average of over 500 troops per day lately. We can never get too many books. Please know that we really appreciate your time and effort. FYI - a thunderstorm is on the way. In the desert! I could have stayed in Alabama and gotten that type of weather. Thanks again. "

"Your most recent package reached me safe and well. Thank you so much. I love to read. I love the job that I do, and appreciate your thanks, your prayers, and the wonderful books. They are greatly appreciated."

"We received some of your books with the sticker 'Operation Paperback'. The soldiers really enjoy the paperbacks, making it easier for them to put in their backpacks when traveling. Reading is a great outlet for easing the mind. Thank you and God Bless."

"I received my second box of books today. Thank you so much. I already brought the box over and filled the book carousels. The first batch from just last week was already gone. Nothing but bare wire racks. As I stated when I made the initial request - we see about a thousand Soldiers a day transitting through here at ***** Air Base. There is a short fairly accurate, albeit dated, article if you look us up on> Wikipedia. The article is mostly about the Air Force side of the base, I am on the Army (a/k/a LSA) side where the waiting happens. Thank you again, it really helps the Soldiers pass the time when they are waiting and waiting to fly out. If you keep them coming you will continue to let Soldiers temporarily transport themselves to somewhere other than this hot dusty desert in the middle of nowhere."

"On 4-6-09, Vicky A. wrote: Dear Volunteers and Supportive Citizens of Operation Paperback, We wish to thank you for your wonderful contribution to our troops and their families who are stationed at our overseas location in Greece. We appreciate the effort you give to provide us with the best quality of material you send us, the enthusiasm you show in immediately tending to the troops’ changing needs, the heartfelt notes you include in the shipments, and the interest you take in hearing feedback from us. Our little library is flourishing because of you! The books, the DVD’s, and the variety in children’s material is all wonderful and simply above and beyond our expectations! We especially love how flexible you are to our changing needs due to the limited space we have available. Please keep up the wonderful outreach program! We wish to mention by name and give a special thanks to the following contributors: Steve and Jacque R. *******, NY Pat S. *****, MN Linda L. ******, MA Sherry O. *****, PA Paul L. *******, PA Dale G. ******, PA Paul R. ******, TX Frances H. Thank you so much all of you and last but not least a very special thanks to Ms. Chrissy Honeywell who is such a wonderful Point of Contact and so very helpful! Thank you kindly. "

"Onn 4-5-09, CPT Barbara B. wrote: Thank you very much for the books you sent. I have read quite a few books already and I've only been here for 4 months so now I have more to occupy my free time with. I love reading and it does help the time pass quicker especially on those slow days. I am a physical therapist and work here at the ****** Hospital in Baghdad. The soldiers are keeping me busy, whether it is because of back pain from wearing their body armor or from other overuse injuries because they have been working out or running a little too much. I enjoy working here, even though it is hard to be away from my friends and family. I am not married and don't have children so it is a little bit easier than those who do. I am glad I can take part in supporting the soldiers who are out there doing more dangerous things than I am. We have been seeing a decrease in number of patients at the hospital which is great. But that's why we also have more free time to read and watch movies and do other things. Hopefully this year will pass quickly and I will come out from the deployment with good experience and sense of accomplishment as we get ready to turn this place over back to the Iraqis. We have definitely come a long way in the years we have been here. Thank you again for the books. "

"On 4-5-09, SSG Robert H. wrote: I am writing to tell you that my term in my current unit is about up. Although I will miss my co-workers and other staff from this place I am dearly, I ESPECIALLY will miss YOU ALL: the supporters of the guardians of freedom, the families of the brave, and a country that remembers not what we are doing here, but why we have to be here. Your contributions and gifts made me smile daily, regardless of the situation. THAT, I assure you, is a much needed emotion in this area of the world; that it was shared by us all is an understatement. It is with a heavy heart, however, that I must ask you to stop your support for this unit. We will always be grateful for all of your help and assistance in creating a state of morale for this deployment station. The "Leisure Library" or "Team Room" would not have been created had it not been for every single one of you. With the office supplies, DVDs, games, letters, cards, as well as the snacks and candy, our lives in this area have been fruitful; our students and neighbors are grateful as well as they are the main benefactors of your glorious gifts. Since there are several changes affecting this region after my departure, though, there will not be a single contact that I can pass on to you. You all have changed the lives of the Service members here, and you definitely have changed mine. Please feel free to contact me at *****if you wish. I would enjoy continuing the friendships and bonds we have created during this joint endeavor. Again, thank you SO much. You are in our thoughts..."

"A quick note to let you all know that I have received a couple of shipments already. Have gotten behind on my emails. Don't know if you need to know who I have received books from, but here are the names. Selina F., Kathy W., Wendy H., Bertha H., Thanks."

"On 4-3-09, Yudelca R. wrote: Thank you! We received two shipments of paperbacks today! :) Thank you! "

"On 4-3-09, SPC Stephen B. wrote: Thank you so much for the packages. The children books were perfect and I know soldiers will love them!!! I couldn't ask for anything more, your gifts are wonderful. Thanks again for supporting the troops of my battalion. I will hopefully send out another email of appreciation soon."

"On 4-3-09, LT. Jammal J. wrote: I am writing to say thank you to the volunteers of Operation Paperback, specifically Donna D. and Susan M. of Waterford, WI, for their shipment of books. "

"On 3-31-09, Jeffery T. wrote: Thank you all for your kindness and for sending us so many books. We have received over 14 boxes and out shelves are full. Could you please hold off sending us anymore books? I just want the crew to have a chance to read what we got in before I rotate them out. Thank you again for your kindness. "

"On 3-31-09, SGT Tim A. wrote: This is just a note to let you know I have received your books. Thank you very much for sending books to me. It really helps pass the time. Thank you "

"On 3-30-09, Kalyn S. wrote: Many thanks for the box of books that came in yesterday from your organization in Dunstable, MA. The books are very welcome in our collection here at **** Korea. The base now has 2 book exchange locations where people can swap out books. The shelves are finally starting to fill so that we have a good selection to choose from. I have been restocking them with the books received from Operation Paperback. Thank you for supporting the troops. Believe me, it is greatly appreciated."

"On 3-30-09, MAJ Sebastien J. wrote: Just wanted to say that I received your latest shipment of books. Thanks so much for the great variety of books and dvds. They really help us pass the time here especially now that our entertainment options have so recently been reduced."

"ON 3-29-09, Brian W. wrote: I am home now back in the US and would like you to stop sending books to me overseas. I appreciate all the reading material you have sent to me over the past year in Iraq. I have read it and passed it along to other soldiers. Thank You so much. "

"On 3-29-09, Lt. Col. Dan Y. wrote: We received FIVE boxes of books today! Although we appreciate ALL of the care packages we receive, I don't think there has been this much excitement about any of the care packages we have received to date! There are Marines, Sailors and Soldiers here and it was fantastic opening the boxes and seeing all the GREAT possibilities. Even better was finding common favorites and hearing about other guys "Must Reads." I have attached a picture of my team with LtGen Z. when he came for a visit (he is PA native - we received books from a library in Newville PA, and I am a CA native - we also received books from Palos Verdes, CA) I will post a picture of us (US Army included) with the books in a few days but I had to say thank you right away. So - Thank You!!! Your support is appreciated more than any e-mail could ever express. Semper Fi. "

"On 3-27-09, SMSGT William N. wrote: Greetings from Iraq! Great news, we just received the book donations you sent and what perfect timing too. Our CLEP/DSST testing program has increased significantly this past deployment rotation and our current stock of study reference have been in short supply. The new book titles you sent will greatly assist our folks in reviewing fundamentals prior to taking the English Composition tests available. On behalf of the men and women of FOB ****** Iraq, I would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for all your support. Your contributions have made a significant impact in allowing our airmen and soldiers to continue to pursue their educational goals. "

"On 3-26-09, Katerina M. wrote: USNSE Larissa Library would like to thank: Kristin C., Greg K., Gisele C., Linda L, Don & Diane W., Sergeant Suzanne S, Bekki S, Barbara W, Anita G, Sue H, Selina F. for your kind offer of books and DVD. Thank you."

"On 3-24-09, 1LT Ryan S. wrote: Thanks again so much for your gifts of books. There are so many Soldiers here in Korea separated from their families and sometimes it seems the only activities open to them is to go out on the town and be crazy. It’s encouraging to see some of them looking through and borrowing books to read. Additionally, we often have to take long rides in buses and vans with nothing to do but try and sleep or read and it certainly helps to have a selection of books to choose from before a long trip. Thanks so much on behalf of the Soldiers."

"On 3-24-09, MAJ James B. wrote: I just received your books. Thank you and God bless."

"On 3-23-09, LT Jammal J. wrote: Thank you for the books. I’ll add them to the bookshelf, in our building, for people to read as they please. Thanks again. "

"On 2-8-09, Col. Paul B. wrote: Dear Mike D.: On behalf of the Counterinsurgency Center for Excellence (COIN CFE) **** Iraq, I would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU for your gracious support and generous gifts. The Books you sent us improved morale and greatly supported our quality of life here in Iraq. Here at the COIN CFE we strive to provide the best world class counterinsurgency education to all coalition force leaders by providing the very best, most relevant and timely information to enable the precise execution of our primary mission. As we focus our attention on supporting and defending our freedoms, your unwavering support and generosity truly play an integral part in the accomplishment of our mission. Thank you again for your outstanding support and generosity! "

"From CW3 Cory B. in Iraq (3-23-09)I am stationed in Balad, Iraq and have read a couple books recently from our Chaplain's library that had your stickers on them ... I just wanted to say "Thank you" for your efforts and your support!"

"(3-23-09) I have received numerous books out here in Iraq. My tenure here has ended, so please discontinue sending books to me. "

"(3-22-09) Dear Operation Paperback, We received a box of books from the University of Nebraska School of Medicine and another box from the South Placer retired California Highway Patrol officers group. We are returning home at the end of this month (just a few days!). Thank you for all the support. I will pass on your information to the crew relieving us, but for now, please suspend any more shipments, if possible. Again, my Sailors truly appreciate your thoughts and efforts and enjoyed all the books."

"(3-21-09) Thank you, I have recieved four shipments of paperbacks and we greatly appreciate it. I had to pick out a couple of good reads and then I donated them to our MWR so that more soldiers have a chance to read them. Thank you so much for the much needed escape of novels."

"First of all, I want to thank you on behalf of OPERATION PAPERBACK and all the folks who will be able to take advantage of your generosity. Having earned my undergraduate degree with the help of CLEP, I fully appreciate its value. As a veteran of nearly 40 years of military service, I can testify to the value of college degrees. Again, thank you very much. "

"(3-20-09)Thank you for the box of books. I have only had the chance to look at them so far, but hopefully soon I can read some and pass them along to the other females. We always appreciate books because our small ship's library usually has only military books. So thank you for the romance novels. Please pass my thanks on to the Operation Paperback staff there. Thank You! "

"I just wanted to take the time out of my day to send a note of thanks for the books your organization sent me. I just received them today. Me and the rest of my coworkers here in COB Speicher Iraq appreciate the support you all give us...it really does make a difference. Again thank you."

"I wanted to thank you for your package. I just received it today. It was surely the highlight of my day. You couldn’t have been more spot- on when it came to the selections for the books. I will share the books with members of my squad since we do have some down time every so often. You have a great program and I commend you for all the great services that you provide. My moral has been lifted and from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU! "

"I wanted to say thank you! Today we received 4 boxes with paperbacks and textbooks! Thank you very much! You guys are amazing! Thank you! :)"

"Thank you so much for the books, also the wipes were a God send. I appreciate the support of everyone at Operation Paperback. We have very little acess to books here and the few books they do have are at least $20. Now not only do I get to read but I can share with my fellow soldiers. I just want you all to know that your efforts make a great impact on us deployed soldiers. "

"Thank you very much for the books you sent. I have read quite a few books already and I've only been here for 3 months so now I have more to occupy my free time with. I love reading and it does help the time pass quicker, especially on those slow days. I am a physical therapist and work here at the ***** Hospital in Baghdad. The soldiers are keeping me busy, whether it is because of back pain from wearing their body armor or from other overuse injuries because they have been working out or running a little too much. I enjoy working here, even though it is hard to be away from my friends and family. I am glad I can take part in supporting the soldiers who are out there doing more dangerous things than I am. We have been seeing a decrease in number of patients at the hospital which is great. But that's why we also have more free time to read and watch movies and do other things. Hopefully this year will pass quickly and I will come out from the deployment with good experience and sense of accomplishment as we get ready to turn this place over back to the Iraqis. We have definitely come a long way in the years we have been here. Thank you again for the books."

"Thank you very much for the books you sent. I have read quite a few books already and I've only been here for 3 months so now I have more to occupy my free time with. I love reading and it does help the time pass quicker, especially on those slow days. I am a physical therapist and work here at the ***** Hospital in Baghdad. The soldiers are keeping me busy, whether it is because of back pain from wearing their body armor or from other overuse injuries because they have been working out or running a little too much. I enjoy working here, even though it is hard to be away from my friends and family. I am glad I can take part in supporting the soldiers who are out there doing more dangerous things than I am. We have been seeing a decrease in number of patients at the hospital which is great. But that's why we also have more free time to read and watch movies and do other things. Hopefully this year will pass quickly and I will come out from the deployment with good experience and sense of accomplishment as we get ready to turn this place over back to the Iraqis. We have definitely come a long way in the years we have been here. Thank you again for the books."

"Thank you so much for the books that you sent. I received them today. I love to read. I love books. The books that you sent are great and will keep me entertained for weeks during the few hours of free time that I hope to get. One of the things that I really liked upon signing up to your program was to be able to select the type of books that I enjoy. I was not expecting to receive a full box of books. There is only one book that I have already read (which shows that you did send books that I enjoy), but no worries, since there are plenty of soldiers here who I can share books with and who also love to read. Thanks again!"

"To the Rotary Club of Gilmer County and Friend of Gilmer County Library; To Linda S.; To Barbara W., To Stephanie L. M., This display of such kindness motivates me to such an extreme that I just want to thank you for your great display of support for the troops. We received the shipment of books today and I wish I had a camera to take pictures of the smiling faces of my Soldiers when we distributed the books to all of the bookworms. They wanted me to relay their thanks for this generous gift. I cannot begin to express my gratitude for your support and kind words. The difficulties that young Soldiers go through on these long endeavors away from their love ones takes an enormous toll on their morale. It is only through the kind and warm hearts of citizens like yourself that warm our days on the coldest trials we go through. The impact you have made will always be remembered by the Tomahawk Soldiers of ***** Company. Please accept our heart-felt thanks for this great support."

"Greetings from Bagdad! My name is CPT Nicky B. and I just wanted to thank y'all profusely for everything that you do for the troops at home and abroad. I can personally attest to the wonderful feeling of showing up for work and having a package waiting for me to rip into! The paperback books that I have received have been a god send. Sometimes you just need to take time out of your day, relax a little and decompress with a good western themed book, my favorite of course! I have been in country for several months now and have a 19 month old baby girl and a 5 week old baby boy at home, not to mention the most wonderful wife a man could ever dream of having, taking care of business at home. I miss them tremendously but this is my job, this is what I do and if we do not, who will? I am a very proud American and I love my country, that’s why I do what I do. If it were not for folks like you at Operation Paperback, things would be much more difficult to bear!Sure, you are not a weapons manufacturer or anything like that, but there is more to fighting a war than weapons and STUFF! MORALE is how wars are won, high morale to be more specific and your program helps to lift Soldier's spirits and elevate their morale so they can take on the tasks that face them every day. Again, I want to thank you for all that you do for the troops and trust me, Soldiers know who supports them and who does not, and they know that Operation Paperback is a program that is made up of folks who care about them every day, whether they are in harms way or just relaxing and reading a good book! Thank you and God Bless."

"Thank you very much for the shipment of books. We will enjoy them."

"Wow. I just arrived at my office and found 10 boxes of books! We've had to build a bookshelf to fit everything. Thank you so much. The response from your volunteers is overwhelmingly generous."

"Thank you so much for the books you sent me. I am a commander of an Apache helicopter company stationed in Iraq and interested in learning more about the Middle East. The book you sent me on UAE and the novel 'Tears of Sand' were perfect. It is a pleasure to have the escape of reading out here, and I greatly appreciate your time and efforts to enable that escape. Myself and the troops thank you for your generosity and thoughtfulness. We miss everyone back home and can't wait to come back!"

"I just got another box of books from volunteers in Belmont, California. What a great selection. I was amazed by the amount of books about the Middle East - a wonderful help to learn about the area. There are tons of books that will last us all well through the deployment. My guys tend to spend a lot of time playing video games. Perhaps with these books I can convince them to get off the computer a bit. :) I love the novels as well - a great escape. And my CHU's (Containerized Housing Unit - our little portable room to live in) dirty ugly walls are now covered with beautiful National Geographic pictures. How did you guys come about with this idea? It is really a nice way of helping out the troops."

"Thank you for doing this! It is going to be great having some new reading material. We are currently deployed to the Kunar Province in Afghanistan. We have some of your books already because I found the great label you include in the ones you ship. I have been here 4 months and the selection is getting a little thin. While there are 21 of us, we share the camp with the Army's ****** Infantry Regiment - that makes for a lot of readers. I believe every military person should read Catch-22 and Slaughterhouse 5, but that is just me. Other personal favorites are Carl Hiaason, David Baldacci and of course James Patterson (we are missing the last book of the Alex Cross series - Criss Cross). Thanks for your support! "

"Thank for the large shipment of books. Many were from authors that I am working on other works of their. Many new authors and a few books I had already ready but loved so I see you got my selection just about right. Thank you. "

"Thank you so much for the shipment of books you sent to me. The variety was wonderful and everyone in my office is enjoying the new selections (our selection was pretty limited before). Thank you again for your support. God Bless."

"We received a wonderful box of books from the staff and patrons of the Homewood Public Library. Thank you so much!"

"Thank you for all the support you're giving the armed forces. Books here are a way to unwind and I am so grateful for the efforts made by yourself and all others included. I can't thank everyone personally but know that my prayers go with each and every one."

"Volunteers of Operation Paperback of Durnstable, MA: Thank you so much for the books you sent me. I am a commander of an Apache helicopter company stationed in Iraq and interested in learning more about the Middle East. The book you sent me on UAE and the novel 'Tears of Sand' were perfect. It is a pleasure to have the escape of reading out here, and I greatly appreciate your time and efforts to enable that escape. Myself and the troops thank you for your generosity and thoughtfulness. We miss everyone back home and can't wait to come back!"

"I wanted to say thank you for the many books that you have sent to me. Many are books that I am looking forward to reading and I have passed a large number out to fellow Soldiers as well. I would especially like to say thank you to Mina G. and "Friends of The Book Cellar, Webster Library" in New York. You are doing a great thing and it is greatly appreciated. Thank you."

"Please remove me from your list as I am leaving the service. I appreciated all the books that I received. I shared them with many of my shipmates and they were enjoyed by all. Thank you to you and everyone that kept us in their thoughts."

"First, allow me to Thank you on behalf of many of our soldiers for all the wonderful reading material your organization has sent over! Things like this truly raise the morale of our soldiers in hard times. We've recently received your latest shipment of books, again Thank you, and although our organization has greatly benefited from your hard work, we would like to ask this to be our last shipment. Again Thank You for all you do on the Home Front for our men and women in service."

"Hello, and greetings from Iraq! My name is SPC Jonathan K., and I am the Chaplain Assistant for the ****** Battalion. On behalf of the battalion chaplain, CH(CPT) Kirby V., myself, and all the Soldiers, I would like to thank you for your latest round of paperback books, and pass along the word to "keep 'em comin'!" The Soldiers greatly appreciate what you do!"

"Thank you all for the paperback books. These will last the Soldiers a long time. I got so many books that I was able to share some boxes with other Ministry Teams that fall under us to give to their units. Again, your continued support and generosity is greatly appreciated. Take care and God bless."

"Selina F: Thank you very much for the books you sent. I have read quite a few books already and I've only been here for 3 months so now I have more to occupy my free time with. I love reading and it does help the time pass quicker especially on those slow days. I am a physical therapist and work here at the ***** Hospital in Baghdad. The soldiers are keeping me busy, whether it is because of back pain from wearing their body armor or from other overuse injuries because they have been working out or running a little too much. I enjoy working here, even though it is hard to be away from my friends and family. I am not married and don't have children so it is a little bit easier than those who do. I am glad I can take part in supporting the soldiers who are out there doing more dangerous things than I am. We have been seeing a decrease in number of patients at the hospital which is great. But that's why we also have more free time to read and watch movies and do other things. Hopefully this year will pass quickly and I will come out from the deployment with good experience and sense of accomplishment as we get ready to turn this place over back to the Iraqis. We have definitely come a long way in the years we have been here. Thank you again for the books."

"As the Vice President of ******, I would like to thank you for supporting us in our endeavors. I would like to especially thank Lillie N., Tom and Diane S., and Sandy S. for taking time to collect reading books that are beneficial to students and community members throughout ******, Iraq. The books are being used in the American Corner of **** University, *****, Iraq to help the students better understand English in preparation for future student and faculty exchanges to **** State University. ***** University has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with **** State that will enable Iraqi students to study abroad starting in fall 2009. Once again thank you for all of your support and for becoming partners of the ******** Foundation Non Profit Organization. We hope to continue to work together on future projects."

"I received your shipment of books today and I wanted to say thank you. As soon as I received the package I let my fellow shipmates go through the box to pick out books they would like. I am so glad there is a program like this out there. Right now I am currently deployed on the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT and have been since September 08. We are currently scheduled to return sometime in April 09. I spend most of my free time reading books and it really made my day to see a whole new box of books arrive. There are so many books that I will share with my shipmates. I will read some and pass them around. After I am finished with the books they will be donated to the Ship's Library so other Sailors can also enjoy the books. Please let me thank you again and I will be forever grateful for your generous donation and support. "

"We received another shipment today. It was sent by Carol V. and what a wonderful shipment it was! We loved the books and magazines. Thank you so much."

"Thank you so much for the books. I think that you all are doing a great job. Keep up the good work. "

"On 2-27-09 PFC Jennifer L. wrote: I'm emailing you to let you know we received a full box of books from J. Dolch. Thank you so much! The books truly mean the world to us. They give us something entertaining to do, so thanks again. We really appreciate it."

"On 2-26-09 Devin W. wrote: Thank you very much, you all are an outstanding group and have helped many soldiers and many more to come. My own unit thought I had some book store or something but many others in my very unit got the same kind of care packages. We loved them as they kept coming and well by the end of April I hope to have read all the books I hand picked out of the collections sent to me. Then I will be sure to have passed them on to others. Thanks again. You are all outstanding. God Bless you all!!!"

"On 2-25-09 Kalyn S. wrote: Many thanks to you and the Friends of the Bartram Trail Library for the box of Operation Paperback books you sent. It arrived yesterday. I will add them to the book exchange shelf we have here. It was down to just 6 books so this is good timing. The box had a good variety so there should be something for everyone. I am sure that the books will be much appreciated by the soldiers here. We all wish we were there in Florida with you enjoying the sunshine. Korea is absolutely freezing right now. Many thanks for your support."

"On 2-24-09, Captain Larry F. wrote: Thank you so much for the donation of paperback books. We received them today. We really appreciated the variety of books that you sent. The troops that process through our base will greatly appreciate the opportunity to take a “good read” with them either to the field or to home. It really helps pass the time for them, as military travel is often a “hurry up and wait” proposition. Again thanks for the books we are truly appreciative of your support. "

"On 2-23-09, SGT. Tuyen N. wrote: We here in ***** have received your books and are very thankful for them. We also received three other boxes from your fellow operation paperback members. Once again thank you for all of your support. "

"On 2-23-09, SSG Juanita V. wrote: I am very appreciative of all the reading material that you have been sending to me and the Soldiers. There are some really GOOD books in the packages and I have definately shared with my comrades. I just wanted to say Thank you for all you had any part in helping the Soldiers out over here. It helps keep our mind off of a few things when we have a good book to curl up with. You guys are all wonderful and we appreciate everything. Once again Thank You."

"On 2-23-09 Noel wrote: Dear Joan Y. and members of the Operation Paper Back, I would like to extend my thanks for sending me these wonderful books, and the rest from start to end of this deployment, I enjoyed them all, while I slowly awaited for my tour to end here in the beautiful sandy desert of Iraq. Most importantly, you kept me occupied, and made me feel great about knowing that someone out there has feelings, and someone cares. and knows that when the time has come, all good things come to an end. I appreciate your support, your thoughts, and prayers until my next deployment. I thank you, my wife and kids thank you, my co-workers and other subordinates thank you as well, as we share these books that you have sent me, and countless others. We'd love to tell you and your family thank you..... my tour has ended, and thanks again for all your dedication, and hard work....God Bless "

"On 2-23-09, SGT Tuyen N. wrote: Thank you! We have received three of your boxes full of interesting books to read. I really do appreciate all the support that your organization is giving us. Once again thank you so much. "

"On 2-21-09 Jose A. wrote: On behalf of the USO and the troops that serve our country, I would like to thank you and your staff for sending us the books. It's a great donation and it gives the troops the opportunity to get away from the day to day difficulties. Thank You and God bless."

"On 2-21-09 CPT Kurt L. wrote: I am writing to thank you for the books you have been sending me. I have been putting together a library for the soldiers on our Fire Base. We have limited sources of entertainment where we are located and your books have given the soldiers something to occupy themselves with. On behalf of the team, we really appreciate your gifts. Thanks again."

"Hope this e-mail finds you well. I just received your shipment of books and can not wait to dig in. Thank you for all the support. It makes the good and bad times that much better."

"Hope this e-mail finds you doing well, Tammy D. I just received your operation paperback shipment. You support of the troops keeps us going especially through the hard times. Thanks a bunch."

"“Greetings from Iraq: One of our soldiers, SPC Joshua S., recently received a few boxes of books through Operation Paperback. He is one of our best medics, and is currently not available to write you, so I am sending this email. On behalf of all the soldiers in our company, I would like to thank you for this generous donation. I understand that these books were a gift from the folks at the United States Security Assistance Command and the Army War College. Please share with them our gratitude, and let them know it was an definitely a morale booster. We are putting together a book shelf, and whatever we can't hold at the barracks, we will send up to the MWR, so that other soldiers on FOB ****** can read these books too. Once again, thanks and God bless you.” "

"My platoon in Iraq has received several shipments of books from your organization and we are very thankful for your help and support. We hope you are having a wonderful spring and best wishes to you."

"“Hi: I just wanted to let you know that I received the huge shipment of books today. Thank you so much for your support. These should keep me occupied for a while. Thanks again!” "

"Thank you for the books that we received here in Iraq. The books, and your time and effort to send them to us, are much appreciated! "

"“I just wanted to say thank you for the books. I got one I wanted for awhile and can’t wait to read it. Thank you. I’m sure the soldiers will find something interesting to read.” "

"From SFC Dan T. in Iraq (03.26.08): “Good morning: My name is SFC Dan T. I recently received a shipment of books from United States Security Assistance Command and would like to send each and everyone that donated a book thank you from myself and the other soldiers here. We will put them to good use, I assure you. We circulate the books around and even turn them in to the library when we are done with them for the follow on unit. Your donations and time spent getting them to us are well received and appreciated. Again thank you all for the kind donations. I’m personally am excited to get into the books and get my mind off things here.”"

"From CDR Mary S. (03.26.08): “Chrissy and Frances: Thank you very much for your support to our library. I truly appreciate the generous contributions as they have helped to build the selection we offer to the military members as well as their families. We are well on our way to having a tremendous summer reading program this year because of your efforts. Now that our stock has increased so significantly we are running low on space to store the wonderful books, videos and DVDs. We definitely want to continue receiving your contributions, however, if it is possible to reduce the number of shipments you send to us to about 1 to 2 boxes per month that would be very helpful.” "

"From MGYSGT James M. in Iraq (03.26.08): “I want to take a few moments to thank you for the time and effort you are all putting in to send these care packages to military members over here. I'm so glad that there are so many people back home supporting what we are doing over here. Thanks again.” "

"From LTCOL Paul K. in Iraq (03.25.08): “Hello: I received a shipment today from Ms Barbara A. Thank you very much! I will send her a note separately to thank her.” "

"From SPC Nicholus S. (03.25.08): “Thank you I will be sure to pass the books you sent to my friends.” "

"From SFC L. R. in Afghanistan (03.25.08): “Greetings from Afghanistan: I just wanted to say thanks to all of you who showed your support to the men and women serving in the military overseas. My team received the reading material you guys sent and are glad that there are people/organizations such as yours that give their support to military service members serving far away from our family and loved ones. In behalf of *****, here at FOB ***** in Afghanistan, thanks for your support and care packages, hope to receive more from you "

"From Chaplain (CPT) Vince G. in Iraq (03.25.08): “Selina and Operation Paperback: Thank you so much for your generous support of our soldiers. It absolutely thrills me to be receiving the boxes through your organization. When I asked for Christian books, I wondered if that would be possible. I have been overwhelmed! I thought that I would at least be able to send a few books over to the places where the soldiers are, instead I am distributing boxes. It is such a wonderful treat for the soldiers and for myself. Being able to give a soldier a book that addresses their area of concern is truly a blessing for my ministry. Operation Paperback has been a ministry multiplier for our unit! Thank you so much for your support and the genuine care of the supporters. I often get personal notes in the boxes that are written to encourage and thank us. It really is uplifting to know that so many Americans are supporting soldiers so seriously. I am so grateful for your generous support.” "

"From PSSN Troy N. (03.25.08): “Hello Chrissy and all at Operation Paperback: I received the package yesterday and it was such a great thing as we have just pulled out for a long spring deployment. The choice was great and very in tune with what I asked for. The other guys also send their thanks as pretty much everybody in my department is either reading a book or has one in their back pocket. Again, thank you so much for what you are doing and it really is making a difference.” "

"From PFC Kristen H. (03.25.08): “Just writing to let you know I have received all the books you've sent me. I've just been really busy lately so it was hard to write back!! I was wondering if you could find and send “Gone With the Wind” and the “Diary of Anne Frank,” but if you can't then don't even worry about it. Thank you for all you've done so far!! I really appreciate it!” "

"From 1LT Joseph B. (03.23.08): “All: Thank you for the books that you have sent me. We pass them around the troop all the time. People like you are hard to come by, and deserve more than we can ever give. These types of organizations that support the soldiers are of great value. You are the true heroes of America and are what we have stood for, for all this time. America has come together regardless of their political stand to support the people of America. Thank you for all that you do and all the support that you continue to give.” "