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GySgt Ed Walsh
- U. S. Marines -
Iraq
GySgt Ed Walsh
(Address not available or expired.)
Make a donation, please. Click HERE AFTER you get an address.
(This address has been requested 0 times.) (NOTE **)
APO/FPO: FPO AE (Note 1*)
Added here: 20 August 2004
End date: 03 Dec 2004 (Note 3*)
Contact for approx number of Males: 50, Females: 0 (Note 5*)
Unit is from: (Note 6*)

02 Jan 2005:
As we enter into 2005, YOUR Marines of 2d Force Recon Company are continuing combat operations throughout the theatre. We've dealt a significant blow to the insurgent activity in our area of operations and have been commended from all our higher headquarters for our missionsin the Al Anbar Province and other critical areas throughout Iraq.

The outpouring of support from back home has been absolutely amazing and although I've made every effort to try to personally write to everyone who has sent us letters, cards and care packages, I find myself unfortunately overwhelmed. In lieu of a personal letter to each of you, I hope that everyone will accept my most heartfelt appreciation and the deepest gratitude of all the Marines and Sailors of 2d Force Recon Company. Your support has kept our morale sky-high and you've all helped the war effort more than words could ever say. We've shared all our care packages amongst ourselves, and have even distributed them to adjacent units as well.

As the point man for this effort, I've been blessed to "meet" literally hundreds of amazing people across our country, and I consider myself lucky to have had this experience. My Marines have been absolutely amazed at the support, and on a daily basis, I hear them saying how much it means to them that people from back home care so much about us, even though we've never met in person. There are hundreds of letters, pictures and cards hung on our "support wall" and the care packages we receive have made every day like Christmas for us. There is no way to thank you all enough, but please know that we are eternally grateful..

It is through the gracious efforts of Marty and the entire "anysoldier" staff that our unit has been supported so well by all of YOU, and a HUGE thanks belongs with those efforts. Marty is a true American hero.

My communications will unfortunately become less frequent, as our plans to return home come closer. I wish I could meet every single one of you who has supported us, and although I cannot, please know that this deployment would have never been as successful without the efforts of all of YOU who have stood by our side. The Marines and Sailors of 2d Force Reconnaissance Company are lucky to have such great Americans supporting us. It's people like all of you who make our country so great.

As I stated before, we've respectfully requested that no more mail be sent our way, and would request that other units receive your gracious support. I will continue to give updates and photos as time permits.

Best of everything to all of you in 2005.

Ed Walsh

25 Dec 2004
Merry Christmas to everyone!

We're enjoying Christmas today with a special meal and calls back home. Last night, some Marines from around the camp actually went around caroling.

Thank you all for your efforts in bringing a bit of "home" to all of us over here this Christmas season.

Happy Holidays to all of you, from all of us.

Gunnery Sgt. Ed Walsh

24 Dec 2004
Well, Santa came in the form of mail call and we must have been on his "good" list. We received a lot of packages, and just in time for Christmas!!! What a great treat for us all!!

As always, the support and generosity of all of YOU has been amazing. We're truly humbled and extend our warmest holiday wishes for you all.

The support we've received, especially during the holidays, has been nothing less than awe-inspiring and you all have done more for us than you will ever know.

Happy Holidays from YOUR Marines and Sailors of 2d Force Reconnaissance Company, may the season be filled with health and happiness for you all.

Gunnery Sgt. Ed Walsh

23 Dec 2004
Just wanted to let you all know how YOUR Marines of 2d Force Recon Company are doing.

We had our holiday "block party" and it went well. Our menu was
predominantly comprised of items we've received from all of you, and your efforts and support have made our holidays as close to "home" as possible.
We can't thank you enough.

With Christmas upon us, I decided to play Santa myself. During a raid mission, I took several of the Beanie Babies and toys many of you have sent in the care packages. During insert, and extract on the mission, I dropped the toys in the yards and doorsteps, so when the kids awake, they'll be surprised to see gifts. They may know nothing of Santa, but they'll surely
appreciate the gifts. Granted, our version of Santa may have a sleigh and reindeer, but I had an armored Hum-Vee and a machine gun.

Your support, especially during the holiday season, has continued to amaze me, and I cannot thank you enough. As a reminder, we'd respectfully request to have large shipments to us stop on New Year's Day. I will still continue to update you on our situation, and I will continue to be in awe of the exemplary support we've received from all of you. Your patriotism and generosity will NEVER be forgotten.

Have a great holiday everyone!!!

Gunnery Sgt. Ed Walsh

19 Dec 2004
I just wanted to share some exciting news with all of you--- It SNOWED here today!!!! We actually had a small flurry and some of those large snowflakes, so that definitely added a new twist to our deployment.
The temperatures have been in the mid teens at night, and we just recently got a couple heaters in our living area, so things are going well.

All of YOU great Americans have been so generous that it's amazing. We've received so much mail that the post office guys know us by name now!! Words cannot describe how much it means. I wish you could see everyone's faces when we share the boxes, it's like kids at Christmas. We have our area decorated with gifts you all have sent and it truly adds a touch of home for us here.

Although I will try to keep updating this until we leave, I'd like to request that mail to us stop right after the New Year. That way, we won't have any mail floating around in the postal system when we leave Iraq.

I cannot express how much your support has meant to the Marines of 2d Force Reconnaissance Company during Operation Iraqi Freedom-2. You've ALL touched our lives and you have our deepest gratitude and respect.

We continue with our missions against the enemy and have had further engagements throughout the theatre.
YOUR Marines remain ready and focused for anything.

Happy Holidays to all of you, our new friends. May the new year bring you all the best of everything.

13 Dec 2004
I'd like to thank each and every one of the great Americans who has been so absolutely kind and generous to the Marines of 2d Force Reconnaissance Company during our deployment thus far. Your support has been awe inspiring and truly shows the patriotic fibre our nation is made of.

The letters and boxes are absolutely amazing and I wish I had the words to tell how much it has meant to us, especially during the holidays. Time away from family and friends is never easy, but each of you has helped to bring a touch of home to us.

Our missions continue 24/7 and we continue to engage the enemy on numerous occasions. We've dealt a heavy blow to the insurgent activity in our area of operations and will continue to do so. Several of our Marines have been recommended for decorations as a testament to the bravery, courage and professionalism that they've shown during ground combat operations.
You would all be proud of them.

I would like to request that the great people of this site direct their support to other units, as we are more than stocked up on everything. We will be "streamlining" our gear soon and would like other units to benefit from the sincere generosity we've been blessed with. It has made this deployment far more bearable, and we can't imagine what it would have been like without you all.

I'd like to continue to update you all on how we're doing, and send pics from time to time as well. The Marines of 2d Force Reconnaissance Company have made several new friendships across the nation that we will never forget.

I wish each and every one of you reading this a happy holiday season. YOUR Marines in Iraq are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,

Ed Walsh,
Al Anbar Province, Iraq

29 Nov 2004
Sorry it's taken so long to update, but I'm sure if you watched the news, you know it's been kinda busy for everyone. The Marines of 2nd Force Recon Company have been conducting combat operations throughout the theatre and have engaged the enemy on numerous occasions, emerging victorious.

The support we've received from the American people has been literally amazing and I would like to thank everyone for their support.

On November 10th, we had the opportunity to celebrate the 229th birthday of the Marine Corps, a very special day for us. Although the ceremonies were pretty basic, it was still great to celebrate "our" day, regardless of how spartan the conditions were.

The cold weather has hit us head on and we're in what the Iraqis call "100 days of wind" The name says it all. The highs have been in the mid 40s with night temperatures in the mid 20s.

Thank you, once again, to everyone who has supported us and to the great people who help run this extraordinary site. Please accept my heartfelt thanks and the appreciation of all YOUR Marines at 2nd Force Recon Company.

Several people have asked for specific requests and I just would like everyone to know that we appreciate EVERYTHING we get. Since its cold, soups are always a hit! After Halloween, we have more candy than we know what to do with. For those who have asked about sending clothing, black and tan are the colors we wear and anything warm is great. Just understand that we are thankful for anything we receive and find it especially heartwarming that everyone has been so supportive.

Best wishes to everyone and may the upcoming holidays be great for you all.

06 Nov 2004
Things have been very busy for us all, and the cooler weather is definitely here. We've had a couple of huge rainstorms, but that beats the scorching heat, so no one seems to complain about muddy boots or being soaked.

The support we continue to receive is amazing and our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone back home who has helped.

With the election over, our next milestone is the Marine Corps birthday on November 10. While we won't be able to go to the ball with our dates in their gowns, our thoughts definitely will be there.

Everyone in the states would be, and should be, proud of their Force Recon Marines for their extraordinary performance of their duties and their successes on the battlefield. Our intense training has paid off, and we're prepared for whatever missions may lay ahead.

Take care and thanks to every one.

Ed Walsh

26 Oct 2004
Hey everyone, just a quick update to let you know how YOUR Marines of 2d Force Recon are doing. Things have been busy but we've been doing some great things.
We're ready for any mission that comes our way and the missions we've been doing have been very successful.

We finally got some rain and it flooded our living area. It was funny though because the cleanup afterward looked like a bunch of grown men playing in the rain like kids. Boys will be boys.

The support we've received from everyone has been out of this world and it means more to us than I'll ever be able to write.

It's cooling off a lot here, and the nights get down right cold. We're looking forward to the upcoming Marine Corps birthday (Nov. 10th) and the upcoming holidays as well.

Thanks again for all you do. I'll try to send some pics next time.

Ed Walsh
2d Force Recon Co.
Al Qa'im, Iraq

14 Oct 2004
It really means the world to the guys out here and we appreciate it more than any ofthem will ever know. I appreciate your steadfast support of the military guys and gals as well, you're one hell of an American and a hero in your own right.
Thanks,

Ed Walsh

20 Aug 2004
We are currently living in a run down building, but our ingenuity is making it rather comfortable. We have 220 power but are converting it. Our unit's mission would clearly keep us off the front page of the news, but anyone can look up Force Recon on their internet search engines to see what we do. IT's hot now, but in January the weather will be down right cold over here. With regard to what items to send, I can only say that anything would be appreciated. There are a few people who have portable DVD players and CD walkmans are pretty much common gear. Snacks are great, but no hygiene gear. Thankfully, gracious people have stocked this place up with all sorts of gear like that and I would hate for it to be wasted. Snacks are great as are canned food, and beef jerky is always a hit. As I stated before, anything would be greatly appreciated, the thought itself is the most important.

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Be sure to change the "ATTN" line to "ATTN: Any Female Marine if your package is for a female!

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A supporter said it perfectly, "I mean, these guys and gals have other things on their minds, y’know? Like...oh, STAYING ALIVE?"

(NOTE *): Effective 1 May 2006 this web site added a major layer of security to our contacts' information. This change is necessary to protect our troops and ensure that Any Soldier will continue to operate.
The ONLY changes are that the addresses of our contacts are now hidden and the number of addresses you can get are limited. You may obtain addresses simply by clicking on the link provided and correctly filling out the form, the address will then be emailed to you immediately.

(NOTE **): The number shown is how many times a form was submitted requesting this address. This does NOT necessarily mean that this contact will be helped by that many folks. Rule of thumb is that anything 5 requests or less may in fact be no support at all. No way to tell exactly unless the contact lets you know in his/her update how much support they are getting.

(Note 1.): Note that postage to APO AE and FPO AE (E = Europe) is only to NY where the connection to the APO/FPO (APO = Army Post Office)(FPO = Fleet Post Office) is, or to San Francisco for APO AP and FPO AP (P = Pacific), so you don't pay postage all the way to Iraq/Afghanistan. You might consider picking contacts closer to your mailing area to help cut the cost of mailing. If you live on the East Coast, pick "AE", West Coast, pick "AP", Midwest, well...uh, Thank You for your Support! ;)

New with us (December 2005) you might notice "APO AA" and "FPO AA". This is for units in the Caribbean/South America. Normally. However, due to the nature of some units they may be in Iraq but have an address showing "FPO AA". Mail addresses to "AA" goes out of Miami, Florida.

(Note 2.): Why are military addresses weird? There isn't a street address or city. What gives? Correct, just about everything about the military is weird to civilians. Military units are very mobile, they move around a lot, often they even become part of another unit. The APO (Army Post Office) and FPO (Fleet Post Office) assign APO and FPO numbers as needed, they are NOT static. An APO/FPO number may be for a large unit, or a location. An APO/FPO number for Baghdad today may be for Frankfurt tomorrow.

(Note 3.): The "Expect to not mail past" date is only an approximate and is one of the least reliable things on this web site. It is because of this that you must check often before you send anything to this unit. There are a few reasons this date is not reliable, to include: it IS the Military, we ARE dealing with the APO/FPO/DPO. The only thing that does not change in the military is that things will change. PLEASE NOTE that a Contact is dropped off our active list 30 days PRIOR to their date leaving to help avoid mail bouncing.

(Note 4.): (Removed for OPSEC reasons)

(Note 5.): The lines, "Contact with approx number of Soldiers:" and "Approx how may Female Soldiers:" have NOTHING to do with unit strength. They are approximately how many other Troops the Contacts believe they can get packages to. This helps you understand that you should not send 100 packages to someone who only deals with 10 Troops.
Don't forget that if your package is for a female Soldier, be sure to change "ATTN: Any Soldier®" to "ATTN: Any Female Soldier".

( Note 6.): This is simply where the unit this contact is from. This is NOT a true picture of the folks in the unit as most all units are made up of folks from all over the United States.) A "Composite Unit" is one made up of other units and is usually temporary for a particular mission.

( Note 7.): Updated APO/FPO/DPO mailing restrictions> courtesy of Oconus.com (gone now) (Note: About Restriction "U2": "U2 - Limited to First Class Letters", Box "R" is for retired personnel that live overseas and are still authorized an APO/FPO box. Their address will be something like Box 3345R. Doubt you will see anything like that in Afghanistan or Iraq or ...)(Please Note: Sometime in August 2013, Oconus.com changed the code on their page and our form doesn't work with them anymore, so a link to their page is the best we can do, sorry.)

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Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that all product photographs, descriptions and specifications on this website are accurate. However, inadvertent errors may occur, and changes in design or materials, due to our continual effort to improve products, may result in some change in specifications before subsequent publications are issued.
Any Soldier® reserves the right to modify or change specifications without notice.