Cookie Monster Shipper Hits Troops for Girl Scout Treats

Soldiers who crave Girl Scout cookies hit with $20 online fee 
FOX NEWS
Perry Chiaramonte
Published February 18, 2015

“It sounds like they are running a scam,” the official said. “It's common knowledge that people ship Girl Scout Cookies to soldiers all the time.

America’s soldiers and sailors already risk their lives fighting for freedom, and now it turns out they pay a hefty surcharge to indulge in one of the most uniquely American traditions: Girl Scout cookies.

A policy the youth organization blames on its shipper charges a $20 premium for shipment of online orders to residents of Hawaii and Alaska, as well as "orders delivered to military addresses." And the extra charge applies whether the cookies are destined for fighting men and women on a base in Afghanistan or one in North Carolina, a quirk that has some members of the military enraged.

"It’s totally outrageous,” said retired Army 1st Sgt. Christopher Lenker, who brought the price police to the attention of FoxNews.com. “I’m not sure how charging our military so much more is really necessary.

An eagle-eyed vet noticed the fine print stating that service members would have to pay hefty premium fees for Girl Scout cookie delivery.

"I think their policy really stinks," he added.
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Bypass the cookie monster and try other ways of getting the troops their favorite treats!

Can Girl Scouts donate cookies to military personnel serving overseas?

Girls may participate in a council-approved "Gift of Caring" or "Cookie Share" program that allows girls to collect donations of cookies for military personnel serving overseas. Any gifts in quantity to military overseas should be coordinated through the military or related personnel at both the place of origin and the place of receipt. Large shipments should be coordinated by the local Girl Scout council to assure that the cookies arrive where intended. Gifts should not be sent to U.S. bases or bases overseas where USA Girl Scouts Overseas (USAGSO) is involved in product sales. Girl Scouts should observe council jurisdiction when selling or marketing product for a gifting program.

Girl Scouts of Nassau County's Operation Cookie
SOLDIERS LOVE GS COOKIESWOW! Thanks to the efforts of our Nassau County Girl Scouts, 62,020 boxes of Cookies were donated in 2014, that’s an increase of 22% from 2013. Over the past 9 years, Girl Scouts of Nassau County with the help from DHL has shipped over 560,000 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies® to our servicemen and women in Iraq, Afghanistan and surrounding areas. In 2014, Cookies were also delivered to our local Marine Base in Garden City and the Coast Guard station at Jones Beach.

Support our local National Guard, Coast Guard, military personnel overseas, at home and in our local VA hospitals. These Girl Scout Cookies® come from community members who purchase cookies for our Troops rather than for themselves through our program, Operation Cookie. Please help us by donating to Operation Cookie or asking someone you know to donate one or two boxes of Girl Scout Cookies® to GSNC’s program. Thank-you for your support.

Air Force Veteran Reduced to Tears, Coach Apologizes

Report: Malzahn apologizes to veteran after alleged player harassment 
CBS Sports
By Jerry Hinnen
College Football Writer
February 18, 2015

Gus Malzahn reportedly apologized to veteran Ashley Ozyurt. (USATSI)

Gus Malzahn has reportedly issued an apology to an Air Force veteran and current Auburn student whose Facebook account of being verbally harassed by two Tigers players has gone viral.

Ashley Ozyurt, 25, spoke to television station WTVM on Tuesday night, identifying herself as the writer of the post on the "Service Dog Memes" Facebook page. Ozyurt uses her service dog, she told WTVM, to help her deal with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after a sexual assault during her time in the military.

According to the Facebook post, two Auburn players whistled and made kissing noises at her service dog as they traveled to class, and when Ozyurt asked them to stop, they allegedly responded with verbal abuse and profanity.

"Auburn University condemns any behavior that is demeaning to those with disabilities," university communications official Mike Clardy said in a statement. "We're investigating the reports and will take all appropriate action once all the facts are known."
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Wheelchair Bound Vietnam Veterans Gone Fishing

Off-road wheelchair with gun rack allows Vietnam vet to hunt and fish again
ABC
By Robert Richardson
Updated: Feb 17, 2015

CALHOUN COUNTY, Ala. - After two decades of putting other veterans first, a Vietnam veteran in Calhoun County got a surprise from an unexpected source.

Ken Rollins received an all-terrain wheelchair Monday from the Birmingham-based non-profit Support Our Soldiers. It has tank tracks instead of wheels, and unlike his regular electric wheelchair, it does not need pavement to work outside.

"I've always been on the giving end, and so for somebody to do this, wow," Rollins said.

"I get a lot more out of doing than I put in it. It's a blessing you get when you're able to help somebody by making a phone call or something like that."

Rollins was in the Army during the 1960s, and served two tours of Vietnam. He said exposure to Agent Orange resulted in peripheral neuropathy, which makes it hard for him to walk.

After his retirement from the military, he worked in the music industry for a few years before coming to Calhoun County to take a job at the Anniston Army Depot. Rollins then became a veterans advocate and serves on the state board of Veterans Affairs.

"Veterans in need seem to come to me. This was a blessing out of the sky," he said about getting the wheelchair built for outdoor activities.

"All of a sudden I get a phone call and it's from a fellow over at the VA hospital in Birmingham who had helped me with my power chair. He told me this foundation possibly had some track chairs available."
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Wounded Warrior Games in Germany

This is Warrior Transition Battalion,not to be confused with Wounded Warrior Project. The military also has their own programs for the wounded.

Wounded Warriors compete in time trials
DVIDS
86th Airlift Wing
Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart
February 17, 2015

Participants compete in the air rifle portion of the European Regional Warrior Games time trials on Vogelweh Military Complex, Germany, Feb. 12, 2015. The time trials is a competition to see how warriors stack up against their fellow brothers-in-arms on the track and field.
(U.S. Air Force Photo/Airman 1st Class Michael Stuart)

VOGELWEH AIR BASE, Germany - The Warrior Transition Battalion-Europe hosted the European Regional Warrior games time trials for wounded warriors across Europe on Vogelweh Air Base, Feb. 12.

The time trials is a competition to see how warriors stack up against their fellow brothers-in-arms on the track and field.

“A big part of the Warrior Transition Battalion is adaptive sports, which is a part of our recovery process,” said Army Staff Sgt. Ollie Knowland, Warrior Transition Unit wounded warrior. “Every day, the unit does different things to help us recover and this event is one of those efforts.”

Wounded warriors from Baumholder, Kaiserslautern, Wiesbaden, Stuttgart, Vilseck and Grafenwoehr came out to compete in the events.
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Fort Bragg Soldiers Receive Distinguished Service Cross

Soldiers receive Distinguished Service Cross for incredible valor
Army Times
By Michelle Tan, Staff writer
February 17, 2015

Staff Sgt. Jeffery Dawson, second from the left, of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, earned a Distinguished Service Cross on Tuesday for heroism in Afghanistan. (Photo: Patrick A. Albright/Army)

Sgt. Bryan Anderson heard the bombs explode. Three deafening booms ringing almost simultaneously.

Without a second thought, he sprinted 300 meters toward the explosions.

"I wasn't concerned with my life," said Anderson, a medic. "I was concerned that I had buddies who were bleeding out back on the compound."

For his actions on that night in southern Afghanistan, Anderson on Tuesday received the Distinguished Service Cross, a valor award second only to the Medal of Honor.

Also presented with the DSC was Staff Sgt. Jeffery Dawson, an explosive ordnance disposal technician who, despite limited visibility inside a compound heavily seeded with IEDs, relentlessly and repeatedly cleared the way to retrieve his fallen and wounded teammates.

Receiving the DSC is "so surreal," said Dawson, who belongs to the 28th Ordnance Company, an airborne EOD unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
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