Letters of appreciation etc

[Simomatra]

We are getting so many emails I have started a separate thread.

UNCLASSIFIED

Hi Bruce

Just letting you know that a second box arrived today. The first box had about 35 pens in it (I did not count them so this is just a guess) this one has 63 pens in it including some made from a 308 calibre round. Obviously not turned from wood. I will be handing them all out over the next few days.

They are very popular with all ranks and now that I have received this second box I will be able to go to those who missed out last time.

Thanks once again

James


.M.PEARCE
CHAP

FSU-6

UNCLASSIFIED

Hi Bruce

I just received two more boxes. A flat Australia Post DVD box and a Western Digital Hard drive box

There were a total of 96 pens

This included a very nice fountain pen that in hindsight I should have sold to the highest bidder. There were three people in the room when it came out and all wanted it and had a reasonable claim on a fountain pen because of their work or leisure activities. Fortunately they were able to come to an agreement without shedding blood.

There were some other unusual pens in these boxes, one with a cap as opposed to the twist models and another with a push button top. Some more of Jenny's pens which are very popular and some interesting wood types that I had not seen before including a number of Quandong pens. All of the pens are excellent in their style and workmanship.

So once again thank you very much for your support of the troops . The pens and you are very much appreciated.

James


J.M.PEARCE
CHAP

FSU-6

UNCLASSIFIED

Bruce,

I have recently received one of your pens, so I am sending you an email in appreciation for your gift. I am currently deployed in Afghanistan as an Aircrewman on the CH 47D's. Our mission is to conduct resupply to the FOB's and Direct Assaults when required. We operate both in Winter and Summer with temperatures ranging from minus 10 to 50 degrees Celsius sometimes above 10 000 feet which makes for challenging work. Your efforts are appreciated and I hope you pass on my thanks to all involved especially the people who have produced such fine pens.

Regards


Daniel Carter
SGT
Aircrewman Supervisor

Mr Sanders,

I wish to thank you and your colleagues for the beautiful pen I have recieved whilst on my deployment.

Please pass on my thanks. The effort that is shown, and the support we recieve from back home is much appreciated.

Cheers,


TPR Dave Pata`
CP OPERATOR

UNCLASSIFIED

Mr Sanders,

I was fortunate to be approached by our Chaplain (James Pearce) this week and offered one of the hand made pens from Woodwork Forums Australia. I would like to thank all of those involved in making the fine quality pens and acknowledge the hard work that is involved in crafting the pens for the Deployed Troops. Additionally, I would also like to thank Boronia Vietnam Veterans Association and Timberbits Pty Ltd for their input into the project and pass on my appreciation for the thoughts of everyone towards all of our Troops both at home and abroad. It is often the little things like letters and care parcels that assist the Troops in realising the support from home remains strong and the gesture from your company is amongst those and greatly appreciated.

Regards

Mark



M. Jeffery
Captain

UNCLASSIFIED

Mr Sanders,

I would like to pass on my sincere thanks to yourself and the Woodwork Forums organisation for the donation of beautifully crafted pens. I received one yesterday evening care of Chaplain James Pearce and am impressed with the quality of the work and style of the pen.

I would like to thank you and the Woodwork Forum for your thoughts and wishes for current serving Australian Defence and Public service personnel deployed around the world.

Best regards,

D. MAGUIRE
CAPT

[PenTurner]

Thanks Sam, great to read, received a reply from the OUTER EASTERN MELBOURNE VIETNAM VETERANS, I wrongly referred to them as Boronia Vietnam Vets---SORRY:-:-:-, anyway they are very pleased with the results, Amos:):2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:
Hi Amos,

On behalf of our Sub-branch Committee, I would like to sincerely thank you for the excellent work and support that you, and your associated Woodwork Forums, provide to our troops serving oversees. I’m sure that they really appreciate the lovely pens.

Our Sub-branch was thrilled to be able to assist you with our small donation in 2012 to help you purchase pen kits.

[cookie48]

Sam. Thanks for putting this thread on. It is great to get letters like that.

[Simomatra]

UNCLASSIFIED

Good afternoon Bruce,

I have written this email to thank you for the hand turned pen I received. Please thank Jenny for me, as the pen will be a much treasured keep sake and one of the great memories I will have of my time in Afghanistan.


With thanks.

ABIS Bradley Darvill


A copy of an email from Amos

Sam, a little while ago I sent a pen to one of our Vets on the Forum, and he said, thanks, you are only the second person to say “thank you”. That really touched my heart, and made me sad to realize how unappreciated some of our Vets were treated. Amos

[Simomatra]

CJTF-82-DCG-FD 8 May 2012
Mr Bruce sanders
Coordinator Pens for the troops
NSW< Australia


MEMORANDUM TO WOODWORK FORMS
Subject: Personal thanks from Brigadier Christopher A. Field
1. Thanks for the presents of handmade pens from the members of the Woodwork Forums Australia, the Outer eastern Melbourne Vietnam Veterans association and Timberbits P/L of Sydney.
These little bits of morale are very welcome in our current location of Kandahar Airfield as part of Operation slipper.
2. The care and attention that you have put into these scriveners’ implements is evident. You are commended for your efforts in offering these professional gifts to deployed Australian Troops.

the letter has been cleared of all addresses etc

[Simomatra]

UNCLASSIFIED

Dear Bruce,

By way of introduction, my name is Michelle, and I'm a FLTLT Administration Officer with the RAAF. I am currenly deployed and received one of your pens from our resident Chaplain. The pens went down a treat and we all loved them. I keep mine in my pocket and it goes everywhere with me! Your generosity is very much appreciated and goes a long way to keeping morale high amongst my comrades.

Thanks again and kind regards,

Michelle

UNCLASSIFIED

Hello, my name is SGT Andrew Reid and wish to say thankyou for your beautifully decorated pens. I also wish to say how appreciative we are to your kind words.

With kind regards

SGT Reid
MLH TP SGT

[PenTurner]

They so encouraging to read, Amos:):2tsup:

[Simomatra]

Good Afternoon Bruce,

My name is Adam and I received one of your lovely pens from our Padre last week. I would like to thank you for the thought let you know that it will definately get put to good use.

I am a Leading Aircraftsman in the RAAF and am currently deployed to the Al Minhad Airbase in the UAE. My deployment is from March until October. I am part of the Air Load Team so it is my job to unload and re load cargo from Australian and Coalition aircraft that transit through Al Minhad. Al Minhad is the forward operating base for Australian Middle East operations so we are reasonably busy and have to ensure that troops in Afghanistan have all the supplies they need to operate, as well as send cargo back to Australia as required. It is getting quite hot here at the moment with temperatures around 50 degrees, so it doesn't take much to get a sweat up at the moment.

Thanks again for gift.

Regards,
Adam Mason

[Ironwood]

Thanks for posting these emails Sam.
It is great to read them.

[Simomatra]

UNCLASSIFIED

Bruce,

Recently I was lucky enough to receive a very impressive looking and well-made handcrafted pen.

I will use it in the knowledge that it has been provided by people who value the sacrifices of our servicemen and women.

Thank you very much for this gift; it is much appreciated.

Regards,

Evan

E.S. ARMSTRONG
CAPT

[Simomatra]

UNCLASSIFIED

Dear Bruce,

I am a Federal Agent, current deployed at Kandahar Airfield at Camp Baker with the Australian Defence Force. Myself and my colleague received one of your organisations pen from Chaplain James Pearce and I would like to pass on my thanks to you and your group for making such a unique and special item for troops deployed overseas.

The pens truly are very special and will be put to good use here and back in Australia when we return.

Once again, thank you to all concerned for their time and effort to support those deployed overseas.

regards


Federal Agent Stuart Campbell
Australian Federal Police

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: FOUO

Dear Bruce,

I was recently given the opportunity to receive one of the finely turned
wooden pens that you have donated through the "Pens for the Troops"
program, facilitated here at Kandahar Airfield by Chaplain James Pearce.
I would like to thank you and all the other people involved in this
program for your support and kind donation in support of the troops.
Spending six months (and sometimes more) in Kandahar is not entirely a
pleasant experience, but it IS rewarding work and I do think we are
making an important contribution to a country that really has been
destroyed from over 30 years of war and crime. But while it might not
always be a pleasant experience our days are made much brighter when we
receive care packages and other donations, like your pens, from people
we don't know. Family and friends send packages but there is something
particularly nice about receiving something from a stranger.

So, thank you once again, for the work that you and your organization
are doing on behalf of the soldiers, sailors, and airmen/women currently
working here and in the various other operational environments we find
ourselves.

Sincerely,

Mal Stewart
Lieutenant Colonel
Australian Army
Kandahar Airfield (KAF)

[Simomatra]

UNCLASSIFIED

Dear Bruce,

My name is CFN Clare Kelly, I am part of the Rotary Wing Group currently on deployed on operation in Kandarhar Afghanistan.

Our main job is to keep our Helicopters flying so the Aircrew can complete there tasking and support to the operation.

I can't thank you enough for your lovely pens that was gifted to us, everyone is raped with them.

Chaplain James Pearce had great pleasure handing them out.

We are for ever losing pens as soldiers either putting them down and forgetting to pick them back up, or leading them to someone and not getting them back, so what is great about your pens is that they are all different so we can always find our pens if we accidentally leave them some where, or spot the person who has forgotten to hand yours back to you.

You would not believe how the smallest things can cheer up a soldier so once again we can't thank you enough, they write beautifully and from all of us could you please thank your works for there efforts.


Kind regards,

CFN
Clare Kelly
Aircraft Life Support Fitter

[Simomatra]

Four letters have arrived in the mail see attached

[PenTurner]

Sam, these are wonderful letters, it makes my heart glad to read them. Amos:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup::)

[Simomatra]

Another hand written letter received this morning, this is all wonderful stuff as Amos has said.

[Simomatra]

And yet another

UNCLASSIFIED

Gday Bruce,

I am just writing to express my gratitude to The Woodwork Forums Australia, for the pen I received from the Camp Baker Chaplain, Padre James Pearce.

Please pass on my thanks to all those involved with the production of not only mine, but all of the individual pens. I know that their work is definately appreciated by all of us here on the receiving end.

The idea behind creating each pen different to the next, is a great one. Every one loves to have 'one of a kind' of something.

Thank you again.

Kind regards,

Jason Hoare

CPL
Avionics Supervisor
Rotary Wing Group 7
Kandahar Airfield
Afghanistan

[Simomatra]

UNCLASSIFIED

Dear Bruce

Please pass my thanks to all your members who contributed towards the
Pens for the Troops.

It was greatly appreciated to receive a gift from members of the public
who appreciate the effort and work being conducted by deployed troops.
In particular, the pens are great pieces of workmanship and are items
which myself and other members can appreciate for many years.

Thank you for your support.


Regards,
Alister




A.J. Auld
LEUT, RAN (AUS O-3, OF-2)
Staff Officer Aviation Planning
RC(S) HQ CJ3 Aviation
82nd Airborne Division
KAF, Afghanistan

[cookie48]

Sam.
It is great to read all these letters. Thanks for doing the hard yards.
Cookie

[Simomatra]

UNCLASSIFIED

Hello Bruce
I am humbled by your donations to the troops, it is a tremendous feeling receiving such a personalised gift from back home; something that has taken considerable time to, not only organise but the make from scratch. I'll keep it for ever and use it with fond memories.

Thanks again and happy turning.

Cheers
Cam Kerr

[Simomatra]

A letter of thanks I received in the mail this morning

[Simomatra]

Another letter received this morning from Afghanistan.

If you haven't looked we are now on Facebook

Pens for the Troops | Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pens-for-the-Troops/176548512472339?ref=tn_tnmn)

[Simomatra]

Hi, I'm currently serving as part of the Australian contingent in Afghanistan at Kandahar, and my padre recently gave me a hand turned timber pen from the Woodwork Forums turners.

I'd just like to say thank you very much for this pen. I'm not a woodturner my self, but my father is a very keen turner, and I'm sure he'd be very interested to see your work, and I'll direct him to your website.

Thanks again.

Simon

Australian Contingent

KAF

[Simomatra]

Letter from Brigadier Field

[cookie48]

Hey when you get a Brig writting we must be doing the right thing. Well done to all and special thanks to Sam for doing a lot of hard yards for our troops.

[Simomatra]

UNCLASSIFIED

Bruce;


I am assigned to the 205th Coalition Advisory Team, Kandahar
Afghanistan. I am one of just a few Americans (upstate NY) assigned to
this Australians team. Your groups pens arrived here today and have been
well received.

Last year I lost my dad to a short respiratory illness. While he never
turned pens he was an avid woodworker. Dad made many beautiful, detailed
raised panel clocks, jewelry boxes and larger turned items over the
years. Dad loved his woodshop, collecting tools and woodworking
equipment. Like Dad, I also love woodworking and understand the amount
of time and effort that goes into this type of work, most people simply
don't understand.

Thank you and the folks who bought the materials, spent the time to make
the pens and to send them here to Afghanistan.



Respectfully;,


Scott Cleaveland
LTC, EN
205th Coalition Advisory Team

Hi, I'm currently serving as part of the Australian contingent in Afghanistan at Kandahar, and my padre recently gave me a hand turned timber pen from the Woodwork Forums turners.

I'd just like to say thank you very much for this pen. I'm not a woodturner my self, but my father is a very keen turner, and I'm sure he'd be very interested to see your work, and I'll direct him to your website.

Thanks again.

Simon

Australian Contingent

KAF

[PenTurner]

Definitely some wonderful letters. Amos:):):2tsup::2tsup: