Written by Asia
Continuing with its efforts to thank American service personnel Operation Gratitude will deliver another new motorcycle on Sunday June 5th to a Marine infantryman recently returned from Afghanistan.
His new ride, a Victory Vegas 8-Ball Motorcycle comes as promised in the organization's milestone 600,000th Care Package assembled in December, 2010.
Operation Gratitude annually sends over 100,000 care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in harm's way and to Wounded Warriors in Military hospitals and Transition Units. The organization's mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service member's face and express to our Armed Forces the appreciation and support of the American people.
The milestone package was delivered on Christmas day by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James Amos, to a Lance Corporal with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, who at the time was serving a seven-month deployment in the deadly Sangin district of Afghanistan's Helmand province.
The name of the Marine who received the 600,000th care package will be revealed at the event on June 5th.
The 3/5, also known as "Dark Horse Battalion," experienced heavy combat throughout the deployment, with 25 of its men killed and more than 150 wounded. The 600,000th package recipient, along with his 3/5 comrades, returned to Camp Pendleton in April. The Marine, who received the package containing symbolic keys attached to a letter describing the bike, was recently promoted to Corporal and will join the Operation Gratitude volunteers and guests at the armory to receive the motorcycle generously donated by Victory Motorcycles.
They will join hundreds of volunteers at the armory to assemble care packages for the 5,000 crew members deployed aboard aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, named in honor of the 40th President of the United States.
Victory Motorcycles' External Relations Manager, Robert Pandya, will make the presentation. Pandya believes the motorcycle is a symbol of thanks to the men and women who serve in all branches of the Military.
Care packages will also be assembled and shipped to the crew of guided-missile destroyer USS Preble and guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville, both currently serving in the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.
"Victory Motorcycles is proud to be part of the 600,000th Operation Gratitude package," said Pandya, adding, "While our motorcycle represents the chance to explore the freedoms of the open road, it is the hard work and sacrifices of our troops around the world and at home that give everyone in America that opportunity."