Teaming Up to Provide Troops' Care Packages

Teaming Up to Provide Troops’ Care Packages

I’m KayDee Gilkey with today’s Open Range.

Oregon Cattlemen’s Association in partnership with the Oregon Beef Council provided a special delivery of Oregon beef jerky to troops stationed abroad that arrived before Christmas.

The initial request came from U.S. Marine Corps First Lieutenant James Nash. He is a tank commander and is currently serving in Afghanistan. He has been there since July and is hoping to come home at the end of January.
His father, Wallowa County rancher Todd Nash, shares more about the special care packages and the welcome it received from the Oregon troops.

Nash: “One of the boxes of individually wrapped jerky packets from Painted Hills Natural Beef and he said that there was quite a frenzy over that when it arrived. He handed it out to his fellow troops and said it was gone in 48 hours but that everyone really enjoyed it. Anything that comes from home or from our industry -- and beef in particular. Jerky is one of the most requested items from those guys oversea. It is something they can throw in their pocket. My son says, ‘Imagine something as masculine and tough as a tank rumbling across the desert and then try and imagine the guys inside eating granola bars. It just doesn’t fit, we need jerky.’”

Since the initial two care packages have sent to two different groups of Oregon troops, there has been more interest in sending additional care packets.

Nash: “Just to let them know that there are people here at home thinking about them and it is really appreciated.”