Sold/Expired Lights for Soldiers? Perfect Testbed?

I have been lurking here on this board since I have been in Iraq and finally signed up because of the wondrous illumination that many of you have illuminated me upon. Through this I even bought a gift fit for a king for my wife from lummi, a wee for her EDC.

Now on to why I am posting. I would like to apologize if this is not the appropriate forum for this. I am a medic in an MP CO here in Iraq and through a few discussion with my buddies we were talking about how much we use flashlights here. From going to the toilet, to out on missions. I mean we use them every night and even during the day when we have a generator go out. I must say that the conditions here are not the most ideal. I am from Hawaii and must say that I prefer that climate to this one. Average temperatures are 120+F during the summer and well I have yet to see a winter here but where we are I hear there is alot of rain. We are difficult on our equipment though we maintain it well. Here is what I am proposing:

1. If anyone would like to donate a light that a soldier could use I would be happy to make sure that they are handed out to people in our unit. If you would like to send more please feel free there are many soldiers here who have not received any packages from home. We are in an area where supplies are not given on a regular basis as bare bones as one could guess. We still take Combat Showers because of the shortages. The internet is our only real luxury.

2. We are the perfect test bed for your product. If you have a product that you would like to see how well it holds up to the real world rigors of a combat environment send it our way. In return we will review the light on a short term and long term through everyday situations a soldier finds himself in giving you light an ultimate test from the elements to regular use.

If anyone is interested in any of the proposals please feel free to PM me. Thanks for your time and interest.

Sincerely,
Stephen Fry
57th MP CO
Camp Gary Owen, IRAQ

could you post some photos of the day to day life on the base?
Thanks for your service!

God Bless You, Doc!

Give us some guidelines on what kind of stuff you need.

Can you get cells?

Do you have the ability to recharge cells?

Big Lights? Little Lights?

Long throwers? Floods? Area lights?

Indeed, this is a most generous community - even if it's not a "field test" of a new product, I'm sure you will soon be inundated with more lights and supplies than you know what to do with! I'd be happy to put together a care package so long as I knew it was going to be appreciated and used. Given that we can no longer ship to "any soldier/marine/sailor/airman/etc.", it's nice to have contact information for someone deployed overseas. Would you mind posting or PMing your shipping address/APO/FPO?

Oh, and as Griff mentioned, we LOVE photos!

Some more information about us and our needs.

We currently are deployed from Schofield Barracks, HI to Camp Gary Owen. Located near the Iran Border in the Al Amarah District, Maysan Province in Iraq. You could say the south east part of Iraq. We are a Military Police Company and our missions very greatly, without going into detail think of what normal police do and add many jobs to that.

Our main threat on Gary Owen is Indirect Fire and at night that involves some light discipline. Think at night when it is dark it is so dark here you cannot see your hand in front of you face kinda dark. We can use personal flashlights but no type of lamps and the such to guide our way.

We can get batteries, the most common types CR123 , AA, AAA, C, D, 9v, ETC. Though when and where we get them can be a crap shoot. We do not have the capability to recharge batteries at this time. Please if you send a flashlight include some batteries to help out. If you are sending a rechargeable battery and charger please make sure that it can run on 110-220V power.

I have spoken to various soldiers assessing what you could send to help us out. I am going to include these in light groups to make it easy to understand in the order of precedence.

50 lumens or less (general) -

Every soldier could use a light of this type. Especially at night when doing everyday things one would take for granted. Like going to the shower, going to the toilet, going to the gym, going to eat, and just generally getting around. I would ask that the battery types stay with the most common types in this category. The smaller type lights are going to be the most appreciated. IE: clip and lanyard mounts, so the soldier can easily transport it or have a place to put it while doing certain things. Light markers are going to be a plus in this category to be able to find the light easily. Most EDC lights should do well. Good battery life a very good plus. This light will be used 7 days a week! These are not given to soldiers at all.

50 lumens or less (specialty) -

Red LED - To use in a Vehicle at night or in a tactical environment. Each truck could use a couple of these to make things easier on the soldiers. Mounting systems can be Magnetic w/swivel, clip or lanyard.

Blue LED (Medical) - as a medic these are more appreciated in the same type of mounting systems above.

Please try to keep lights above within the EDC style or size.

100 - 200 Lumens (Tactical) - Can be any type of tactical light taking major or rechargeable batteries. If you are sending this type please send a clickity aluminum or better body so soldiers can mount on there weapon in a tactical situation.

Long Throwers - Floods Higher Lumens - Each truck could use one of these types of lights.

Please excuse me now for being vague on some sensitive information such as our mission and other things. In Closing anything that you send will be appreciated. Most of the soldiers as I said above would do well with the EDC type of lights. I will make sure that soldiers get what you send since they are my patients as well and there physical injuries will be greatly lessened being able to navigate in the dark. I will also take pictures of them with there lights as you have said that you love pictures.

I am including my APO address below. APO shipping can be done USPS. The cheapest way to send something is through a large flat rate box is $10.95. It will take approximately 2-3 weeks to reach our post and another day to get them handed out depending on missions. Mail only comes here once a week.


Stephen Fry
57th MP CO
FOB Gary Owen
APO AE 09331


If you are interested in send some other small items any soldiers can use are wet wipes, books, magazines, and playing cards. Please no romance novels

Thank you again for your time and we appreciate all your support. Please enjoy some photos from the recent weeks we got here in July. I will take some photos of everyday life life for the soldier during there down time to post on here to.

Our PAC Clerk hard at work.


One of the Squads Hooch.


One of the Medics grabbing chow during our once a week lunch chow.


Our AAFES Trailer. Some small items can be found here when in stock.


Just imagine using these for a year!

More to come thank you for your support!

The NiteCore D10 would probably cover most of your needs.

As an Iraq vet (Desert Storm, attached to the 24th Infantry Division from Ft. Stewart, Ga.) I greatly appreciate your sacrifice and mission. I will be calling tomorrow to order 10 Fenix EO1's as a starter for you. Will try to get them with cells, and shipped directly to your unit, C/O yourself, instead of having them come to me, first. Long runtime, cheap to feed, abuse proof and simple. Throw on a 550 cord lanyard and you're good to go. Keep up the good work, and know that we appreciate your service. Army Strong!!!
Greg

So far I've got a small pile of stuff collected from around the house:

a dozen new CR123s
a dozen industrial Duracell AAs
a pile of magazines (gun rags, popular mechanics, four wheeler, etc.)
a pile of DVDs and CDs (mixed genres)
a kitten named Nermal

How do you guys feel about dry snack foods - granola bars, oreos, etc? Maybe powdered drink mix (gatorade, iced tea, etc.?) Nice to get a taste of home, and that stuff won't melt on the slow boat over to the sandbox. How about sugarless gum, or dip/snuff? Can that stuff be sent over?

My wife and I will head to the big used bookstore and pick up a few good books to send your way, too, as well as some travel sized toiletries and such.

Oh, yeah - if someone offers up an E series Surefire, I can toss in a red beam filter for it.

Stephen,

I was just thinking that you should probably start this thread over at the Marketplace, possibly in the Fundraiser/auction/giveaway forum. I would PM a moderator and find out for sure where the best place for such a thread would be, both for the sake of exposure, and fitting into the structure of CPF and CPFM.

-Joe

Put up some pictures.


(reserved for More Pictures)

Thanks Again.

I'm really sorry ladies and gentlemen... but I am going to have to close down this thread. I know, I know... I'm a Scrooge... but I know that most of you understand. CPF Policy #10 has been in place for a couple of years now. There is a reason it was created. Some of the "old-timers" around here will remember why.

Sorry...