Staff SGT Donald Wayne West, Jr., enlisted in the United States Army National Guard on September 11, 2001. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Company A of the 150th Combat Engineers served active duty Aug 29, 2004, until Dec 30, 2005. SSGT West returned to college in January, 2006. He married Lauren Ritchie June 9, 2006, at Seaside, Fla., and they have three children. SSGT West completed military service at Camp Minden, LA on Aug 23, 2009.

Monday, July 18, 2005

Day 180 - Shoes and News


Groups from Louisiana and Mississippi recently sent hundreds of shoes to Wayne, to be distributed to local Iraqi children. Here's news from Wayne received during the night:
THE SHOES CAME IN YESTERDAY!!!!!!!! I passed them on to Major Toplin, who is in charge of all the welfare missions. He was very excited and said he would be sending a thank-you note to Aunt Janet!!!!!!!!!! Just thought you would like to know.

I asked Wayne to confirm whether the shipment also included the shoes sent from Amanda Hudson, who lives in Mississippi.

After work today, Myron and I will travel to Little Rock’s KUAR Public Radio station to participate in a Radio Open Source show about the 150th Battalion. Broadcast from Cambridge, MA, on WGBH 89.7, other guests will include Amanda Jones of Lucedale, Mississippi, whose husband Randall and brother-in-law Ben are both serving in the 150th, as well as our own SFC Kevin Kelly from Iraq.

Check your computer to make sure you're set to listen to the show live on streaming media at 6 p.m. CST tonight!

Anyone who wants to can CALL the show at 1-877-673-6767, and make a comment on the air! Very exciting. Afterwards, the show will be archived and podcast through their website.

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