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Seasoned Vet
Group: Community Supporter
Last Login: Yesterday @ 2:25 PM
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This Chaplain has a really big heart
November 21, 2003
Chaplain arranges steak dinner for 800 close friends
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ga. — A Fort Benning, Ga.-based chaplain, determined to do something special for troops serving with him in the desert in Iraq, served a steak dinner this week to 800 of them.
Maj. Ray Koop e-mailed his wife in August looking for ideas on how to improve morale among the Army’s 11th Aviation Regiment.
“I want to have a special day for the soldiers,” he said in the e-mail. “Can you help?”
Shirley Koop, a licensed therapist, hunted down a meat supplier who agreed to sell prime cut steaks at cost — which even at the discounted rate totaled about $4,000.
In mid-September, an anonymous donor surfaced with the money. A week later, a total of $5,500 in donations had rolled in, covering the cost of baked potatoes, steak sauce and other extras.
Dining staff for the regiment — which is stationed somewhere north of Baghdad — built grills which were used to cook the steaks sent to the desert earlier this week.
Koop, who served at Fort Benning’s family life center before being deployed, handed the soldiers gifts after the special meal — mostly books and CDs.
“I believe only God could pull this thing off,” Shirley Koop said.
------------------------------------------------------------ Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. ------------------------------------------ 
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Trooper
 
Group: Past PNET Supporter
Last Login: 3/5/2006 3:25 PM
Posts: 595,
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OUTSTANDING!!!
Ain't nothing like a great piece of meat sent from home!
Now, that's some support!
    
hooahmedic
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Detachment Sergeant
Group: Past PNET Supporter
Last Login: 8/7/2008 5:06 PM
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Now that's the way to take care of the troops! Chaplains are good for morale boosting/upkeep, and Major Koop appears to be doing a great job at it. I'm sure the troops really appreciated the effort, and have a better attitude as a result.
 ALWAYS OUT FRONT
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