Air Force Theater Hospital

Photo By Sgt. Jason Mikeworth | Marine Lt. Col. Ronald Gulliams speaks to Pfc. Tamara Aponte at the Air Force Theater Hospital at Logistical Support Area Anaconda, Iraq. Gulliams has spearheaded a drive to have small comforts of home donated to injured servicemembers at the hospital.  

11.02.2005

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

Sgt. Jason Mikeworth
207th MPAD
4 October 2005

A Marine with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force has spearheaded a drive to provide a wide variety of comfort items to wounded servicemembers being treated at Air Force Theater Hospital at Logistical Support Area Anaconda.

Marine Lt. Col. Ronald Guilliams, a liaison officer with the 2nd MEF has been helping to collect donations of uniforms, T-shirts, flip-flops, blankets and pillows. Hygiene products and underwear are also on hand for wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen in need.

Often times when military personnel are wounded, their uniform is cut away by medical personnel during the course of treatment. These servicemembers then arrive at LSA Anaconda with little or nothing to wear, said Air Force Col. Eli Powell, commander of the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group and Air Force Theater Hospital at LSA Anaconda. Clothing and hygiene items are available through the regular supply system for the hospital, but the donated items hold more meaning for wounded personnel, he added.

"It makes them feel so much better about the sacrifices they've made out here at the tip of the spear bringing democracy to this area," Powell said. "This is a means for the American public to stay in touch with their heroes and feel like they are contributing to the war effort."

Guilliams began making lists of things wounded personnel would like after visiting several wounded Marines.

"As one of the senior Marines on base, I was over here checking up on the wounded. As I would come through, the doctors and nurses would express to me certain things they were short and could use," Guilliams said.

Guilliams and his wife, Denise Guilliams, have helped organize the Simpson United Methodist Church in Evansville, Ind., in an ongoing effort to collect and send other comforts of home to the wounded. Some church members make blankets. Others donate pillows, snacks and toiletries. All of the donations are made based on the lists Guilliams collects at the hospital. The items are then distributed to any patient in need, including some injured Iraqi army soldiers.

Maj. Steve Lai, a liaison officer with the 29th Brigade Combat Team, was inspired by Guilliams to coordinate with his own hometown church.

"I originally became aware of the need for things that are useful here at the hospital from sitting next to my co-worker, Lt. Col. Guilliams," Lai said.

Lai and his wife have been able to create a group at Hope Central Church in Mililani, Hawaii, to gather donations for the hospital in what they have dubbed "Operation Uplift."

"This little project that our church people have put together with the expressed intent of being able to share love and aloha in putting together these small items," Lai said. "They didn't waste any time putting together these boxes and sending them to me out here."

Guilliams was also able to coordinate with the Marine Corps to issue some uniforms to Marines at the hospital.

"We were able to check uniforms out from the MEF, almost 200 pounds of uniforms, and brought them over from Camp Fallujah," he said. When some Marines felt self-conscious about the lack of name and service tags, Guilliams paid to have the tags created and sewn on the uniforms.

"It's part of who they are," Guilliams said.

The donations have been well received by servicemembers in need. Pfc. Tamara Aponte, a gunner with the 249th Gun Truck Company, said she was grateful for the show of support from the American public.

"When I got here, my uniform and [Individual Body Armor], they had to cut them off me, so I came here with nothing," said Aponte, who was injured when an improvised explosive device detonated near her M1083 Standard Cargo Truck. "Thanks to these generous people I've had a change of clothes everyday."

Aponte also acknowledged the difficulty some may have finding resources to donate items.

"It makes me feel grateful that there are people out there that support what we're doing, taking the time out of their busy schedules to provide us with things." she said. "I know times are hard these days and not everyone has extra money, but all of these Americans are pulling together and doing this for us. We appreciate it."

• Date Taken: 11.02.2005
• Date Posted: 11.02.2005 15:12
• Story ID: 3576