Stryker Brigade News

The Army private's buddies were envious of the homemade beef jerky, snacks, magazines and newspapers he received, which inspired Charron to extend her family's hospitality to the 40 members of her great-nephew's unit.

"I sent Justin a letter asking him to get a list of the names of the men and women in his unit and have them make a 'wish list' of things they needed but couldn't get there," Charron recalled. "The items they wished for made me sit and really think of how much I take for granted."

Items on the troops' lists included hard candy, sunblock, reading material, compact discs, foot powder, packets of pre-sweetened drink mix (such as Kool-Aid), white socks, brown T-shirts and "any bath products that smelled good," Charron said...

"One of the things Justin had requested was flea powder and flea collars for dogs, for the sand fleas that are in their beds and clothing," Charron said.

"I asked if (the company) could donate those, but (the spokesman) said no, they were not for human consumption. But she had a solution," the Ludlow woman said.

The company substituted lavender-filled, palm-sized pillows hand-made by Susan Sutter of Kirkland, Wash. Sutter is the mother of Army Sgt. Jacob R. Herring, 21, who was killed in April when his patrol was attacked near Talafar, Iraq.

The lavender is a natural repellent for sand fleas and other insects and the pillows are small enough for soldiers to put them in their pockets, Charron said. Each one is accompanied by a note written by Sutter, she added.