The USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)
This is the second deployment we have supported the USS Geo. HW Bush (CVN-77). We supported her during an earlier deployment to the Gulf. In March 2015, we visited the ship at Norfolk NS to have the opportunity to bring them some goodies and see our Sailors!
Other Operation Overlord ships include: the USS Laboon (DDG-58), the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and the USS Leyte Gulf (CG-55).
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We've adopted another Super Carrier!
The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
Operation Overlord comprises Adoptees on other ships as well!
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We've adopted another Super Carrier!
The USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
Operation Overlord comprises Adoptees on other ships as well!
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| The USS George H W Bush (CVN-77) passing the Rock of Gilbraltar on 27 February, 2014, on her way to the Middle East. Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon has adopted her and already started her off with 400lbs of gourmet coffee from Coffee Associates of Edgewater, NJ, and sent her a carton of DVDs for the fun boss to use on movie nights and its library. Now AaSP is gearing up to support its 18 depts, 8 squadrons and staff units. HooYah! |
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Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon was recently invited by the USS George H W Bush's Command Master Chief, CMC David Carter, to visit the ship prior to deployment. AaSP had offered to "adopt" the ship as part of our Operation Overlord, which had been very successful when we adopted the USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN-69) when she deployed to the Middle East last year.
AaSP's President Alan K and Treasurer Allan V both drove down to Norfolk, VA, after they returned from Afghanistan and a Super Bowl party at Walter Reed NMMC. Additionally, we invited our good friends at Unilever Military Sales, Kurt Hall and Dave Byrnes, to join us. Unilever was integral and instrumental in the support of the IKE and we thought they would enjoy meeting some of the Sailors aboard the Geo HW Bush.
For this brief visit, we brought 400 lbs of freshly-roasted gourmet coffee, courtesy of our buddy William Callas of Coffee Associates in Edgewater, NJ. Aircraft carriers run on coffee and so we brought enough to get all the departments and air squadrons going! Additionally, we brought some Xbox games from Microsoft and Mike & Ikes candy from Just Born.
AaSP has adopted the entire ship. And the USS George H W Bush is currently deployed to the Middle East. We wish her fair winds and following seas on this important deployment!
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USS Dwight D Eisenhower Change of Command ceremony marks an end to a chapter in our Operation Overlord support.
July 19, 2013 -- For more than a year, Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon has been supporting the USS Dwight D Eisenhower and her crew. AaSP has a special relationship with this Super Carrier. Back in April 2012, AaSP and the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders embarked on her decks and brought an Xbox Madden football tournament (the X Bowl), a USTA "Ike Open" tennis challenge complete with tennis court, a TRX fitness challenge, a country band Brother Gravity and the First Ladie of Football variety show on board. Then in June, just prior to her deployment, AaSP, along with the Cheerleaders and Sneaky Pete's Oatstanding Beverages and Sheila G's Brownie Brittle, sent the crew on their deployment with fun and plenty of goodies.
After a shortened deployment, the IKE returned to Norfolk, VA, for a Christmas break. Then, in 2013, she set sail again for the Middle East. All the while, AaSP and her benefactors and supporters took care of the ship's crew and her aviators. Coffee, coffee machines, iced tea sticks for water bottles, AXE personal care products and other goodies -- even some gloves for the jet mechanics -- were all part of our support. AaSP supported 35 departments on board ship and eight air squadrons. It was one of our best Operations in the history of Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon ... supporting her crew of over 5,000.
On Friday, Capt. Hitchcock turned over command. The ship will rest in port now for a while and be refreshed and updated. Our efforts for Operation Overlord has already turned to the USS Nimitz and will to other ships. But it will be hard to duplicate the family connection we have to the IKE. Thank you Skipper and Command Master Chief Snaza, Fun Boss, Fit Boss and Carrier Wing 7 for a great ride! An honor and a privilege!
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| We have special spot in our hearts for the jet mechanics, the guys who keep the planes flying. Here they show off some great AXE gift sets that Unilever Military Sales provided us. They seem pretty happy! So glad you like them guys! AXEcellent! |
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from one of the IKE's jet mechanics: From all of us on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower AIMD IM2 Jet Shop, thank you very much for sending us some much needed AXE shampoo and gel. Words cannot explain how excited I was to see my favorite cookies--Samoas! We took some pictures, they will be coming soon. Thank you once again. JHB
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We recently shipped a boat-load (pun intended) of Girl Scout cookies to our Sailors and Aviators aboard the USS Dwight D Eisenhower. They were from DHL and the Girls Scouts of Nassau County, NY, near JFK Airport. They've been well received and recently, we got a great email and pics from the Air LCPO:
We recently finished up a port visit where we were able to provide the crew with some much need R&R. Upon my return to the ship, my office was packed with Girl Scout Cookies from Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon. Attached are some photo’s of me with my divisions as I presented the cookies to them on your behalf. I assure you they did not go to waste and I was lucky to escape with my fingers attached. From all 650 Sailors attached to IKE’s Air Department, thank you, your organization and the entire support network at AaSP for your continued support of our nation’s finest. Your program is absolutely unbelievable in what you have and continue to accomplish. Best regards with much appreciation, Master Chief DC (name withheld due to OPSEC).
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A great email from the Operations Department, recvd 5 June 2013. Thank you crew!!!:
Dear Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon,
We have received the cookies you have sent. Wow! There was a lot! We have distributed them throughout the Operations Department here aboard USS Dwight D Eisenhower. The Thin Mints brought smiles to all of our faces. It has been a long deployment, it wasn't just the deliciousness of the cookies that won the smiles, it was the fact that someone cared enough to send them. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Operations Department, USS D D Eisenhower (with lots of signatures all over the card!!!)
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| The IKE is back on the high seas on deployment. We sent them some TRX Force Kits for the Air Squadrons and also two others, which the Command Master Chief raffled to ship's departments. The winners were Supply Stock Control Division and Engineering Electrical Division, shown here. |
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Welcome Home IKE!
The USS Dwight D Eisenhower returned to the U.S. for the holidays.
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| Operation Overlord
Supporting the USS Dwight D Eisenhower and the Sailors in the Carrier Group
Our Coordinator: "Fun Boss" Sara D
Additional Contact: CMC Gregg S
Operation Overlord also supports the USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Strike Group, which includes both the USS Iwo Jima and USS New York
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Click below for latest Operation Overlord "Wish List"
for the Sailors, Aviators and Marines.<--- click here --->
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| USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7)
Our Contacts:
Chaplain (CDR) Robert E
Chaplain (LCDR) Cerino B
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| USS New York (LPD-21)
Our Contact: Chaplain (LCDR) Michael A.
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Operation Overlord has begun!
This past April, Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon visited the USS IKE with folks from Unilever, the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders, US Tennis Assoc, Ten Gun Design, TRX Fitness and Brother Gravity country rock band. The team put on a "happening" event as a way of saying "thank you" to the Sailors and Aviators aboard ship.
The Latest:
DEC 19 - The IKE comes home to a grand welcome in Norfolk, VA, for a Holiday leave. We are so happy our Sailors and Aviators got to come home for Christmas. They will be going back to the Middle East in the near future. Welcome Home guys!!
SEPT 6 - Thanks to Jack Daniels Motors for purchasing Mechanix gloves for the jet mechanics aboard the USS IKE. They donated 30 pairs and the gloves have already been shipped! Thanks Colleen and the Jack Daniels team! (See pix above of the team and gloves.)
AUG 30 - Coffee Associates gourmet coffee and Lipton Tea and Honey tea stix are being handed out to the Sailors aboard our ships (see above for pics from the IKE); we've also sent a ton of Xbox 360 games, thanks to our Special Friends and partners at Microsoft Xbox 360 (Thanks Kyle and Rob!). We also were donated $$$ in honor of Alan K's Mom and these are going to Op Overlord. Consequently, we've already shipped Keurig machines to all three ships! And more stuff to come!
AUG 3 - We shipped a couple hundred pounds of gourmet coffee from Coffee Associates out to the ships. The IKE, IWO and New York are all getting some coffee for their Sailors and Marines. Thanks to Bill C for his generosity! He matches our purchases pound for pound! Plus he donates on his own too. You can't beat that for patriotism!
On Monday, June 18, Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon, along with the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders and Sneaky Pete's Beverages, brought more joy and goodies to the ship. This time, two pallets of Sneaky Pete's nutritious/delicious juices, Sheila G's Brownie Brittle, Coffee Associates gourmet coffee, some NY Giants 2011 yearbooks and a new espresso/capuccino machine donated by Bryan Cave Law Firm for the seven Aviation Squadrons. Additionally, one of AaSP's volunteers, Nancy D'Uva, donated a small capuccino machine for the "Night Dippers" Search and Rescue squadron.
It was a great day to visit the crew again and wish them luck and safety on their upcoming deployment. AaSP has created Operation Overlord (named after the famous D-Day WWII Operation under Gen. Dwight D Eisenhower) and will be supporting the IKE during her long deployment overseas.
We want to thank Pete S, his wife Sandy and son Nicholas for their generous donations and taking the time out of their busy schedule to be with us. We also thank Bill C of Coffee Associates for his ongoing generosity of our Warriors. They need good coffee on board and Bill is there for us ... and for them! And of course, thanks Anne N and the Administrative Angels, Vinnie A and all the great folks at Bryan Cave Law in NYC and throughout the US for their incredibly successful campaign to raise money for the IKE.
Now the IKE has deployed. Our aim is to support the major departments on board ship, as well as other ships in the Strike Force. We'll need your help! If you would like to support Operation Overlord and contribute to the well-being and help keep morale high on board, please let us know!
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| Washington Redskins Cheerleaders arrive on the USS Dwight D Eisenhower on Monday, June 18, 2012, to visit the Crew and hand out goodies and photographs for their send off. They deployed 48 hours later. |
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| AaSP President Alan Krutchkoff presents a new espresso/capuccino machine to the Air Wing aboard the USS IKE with Capt. Hitchcock and the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders looking on. The machine was donated by Bryan Cave Law, a large multi-national firm with strong ties to Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon. The employees at 7 Bryan Cave offices raised money to take care of the IKE during the X Bowl this past April and will be supporting them during their new deployment. |
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