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USTRANSCOMs Colonel Jack brings a reminder of home to troops in the field
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Since he was going to be handing out certificates of commendation for USTRANSCOM (United States Transportation Command)plus doing some other stuff overseas, Julie Wier said, I decided to contact the St. Louis Corporate Headquarters of Jack-in-the-Box restaurants.
I asked if they would be willing to donate some of the Jack Antenna Balls for the troops, Julie Wier continued. Two days before Colonel Jack was to leave, I got a call from the [Jack-in-the-Box] Earth City offices and arranged to drive there to pick up 600 donated antenna balls.
Col. Wier, a U.S. Army reservist currently on active duty in the USTRANSCOM Sustainment Branch, is in charge of the program that oversees installation of additional armor on more than 40,000 of our military vehicles in the combat theater.
In late November, Col. Wier packed his uniforms and $117 in foam-orb-filled-excess baggage and headed for Southwest Asia to thank those responsible for installing the armor and to help spread holiday cheer.
Wier visited facilities in Kuwait, Qatar and Djibouti in Africa. Because of elections being held in Iraq at the time, he was unable to stop in that country. Instead, he gave certificates and Jack-handouts to personnel in Northern Kuwait who later distributed them in the field.
Julies idea was to remind the guys of back home--something they were familiar with, Wier said, something that relates to transportation, and (when) she saw the reindeer antenna balls she thought, thats transportation and I said, Youre right.
When I passed them out, Id say, As long as you get the goods there safely and on time, whatever mode you choose, its acceptable, Wier continued. And I would hand them the reindeer ball and theyd, smile.
Wier has many photographs from the trip showing the antenna ball ornaments hanging on various Christmas trees including one in the Kuwait airport. But his favorite is one given him by the flight crew that ferried him around on his trip.
I have pictures from these guys who flew me into Djibouti, Wier said. I gave them each an antenna ball for their effort, and when they came back to pick me up, they had it fixed to the middle of their windshield.
According to Julie Wier, the restaurant chain was happy to donate the holiday antenna balls. They came with a personal message from the giant-round-headed Jack himself, via Kathleen Finn, a Jack-in-the-Box spokesperson. Sending thanks, gratitude and support to all our troops overseas, Jack said. If I could send a case of tacos, Id send that, too.
According to Colonel Wier the reactions to the antlered objects he handed out were the same. Everyone broke out in a smile because they knew the connection, he said. The antenna ball just made them smile. Its a little bit of home, and thats what its all about.
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