 "Photo: Courtesy of Marian Watt")
In July 2004, Operation: Quiet Comfort was founded in Michigan with the initiative of providing support to the nation's wounded troops abroad and in the United States and to the caregivers that take care of them.
Tracy Branigan, a records analysis and coordinator at the university, said she has been a member of OQC for the past two years.
"It's one of those organizations that puts me in a position where I'm comfortable with the amount of volunteer work that I'm doing," Branigan said. "It also pushes me to ask myself what else I can do to help our wounded troops."
Marian Watt, president of OQC, said the founder, Lori Pate, started out by sending regular care packages to troops through the Web site AnySoldier.com.
"One of her care packages was sent to a captain in a hospital," Watt said. "He asked her if she would be interested in sending packages to the wounded troops. That was when she realized that this was something that was really lacking."
She said when Pate received the message from the captain, Pate made a decision.
"She said, 'This is it. This is our opportunity to show our soldiers that we are going to treat them right and take care of them - no matter what,' " Watt said.
Marty Horn, president of Any Soldier, said he chose to partner with OQC soon after OQC was officially established as a non-profit organization.
"We have a very direct focus," Horn said. "We are about helping the troops in the field and Operation: Quiet Comfort is about helping the troops that are hurt. We find that to be an incredible important thing."
Choosing to affiliate themselves with OQC was done carefully, he said.
"Our reputation rests on who we support so we wouldn't partner with them if they we didn't think they were terrific," Horn said. "We have troops that write to us and tell us about their injured soldiers," Horn said. "We immediately notify Operation: Quiet Comfort so that they know right away where a problem is so that they can help."
In a second interview, Watt stated in an e-mail message that OQC tries to help all the troops that come to them for help.
"We have 64 units that have support overseas right now - and to this date, whenever a unit has come to us and asked for our support, we have never turned one down," she said.
For the last three years, OQC has been developing hospital and medical personnel contacts where the troops were stationed to send them "go bags," small backpacks with items such as a grooming kit, stationery, CD player and batteries, CDs, books, DVDs and five to six cards from their supporters all over the nation.
The exact number of go bags shipped out in the past year is not certain, but the total shipping expense for shipping overseas totaled more than $20,000, Watt said.
She said one way OQC is asking students to get involved is by writing letters to senators to pass a bill that lowers the shipping rate for packages going to soldiers who are overseas.
Other ways students can support OQC is by saving up Pepsi Points and donating them. They are used to purchase CDs to include in the go bags.
Branigan said writing a card out to a wounded soldier also makes a difference. When a wounded soldier receives a letter of inspiration or a simple "thanks," it does something to the morale of the soldiers abroad.
The Four Freedoms Gratitude Quilt is another project that OQC is proud to acknowledge, Watts said. The name originated from Franklin D. Roosevelt's Four Freedoms speech: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from fear and freedom from want. Each quilt is composed of six-inch denim squares with signatures of gratitude and motivation for the injured troops.
During her time in OQC, Branigan said she has made and donated six Four Freedom Gratitude Quilts to be sent to the troops.
Any old denim that students wish to donate is gladly accepted and can be dropped off at 850 Library Avenue, Suite 200, she said.
"This year OQC is almost 1,000 members strong," Watt said. "We're all online, all over the U.S. and we even have one member in Japan."
Cristina Conciatori, a member of the OQC board of directors, said she has worked with OQC for the past two and a half years.
"My personal goal is that one day there is no longer a use for Operation: Quiet Comfort in the sense that there are no soldiers who are suffering and wounded," Conciatori said. "In the nature of war, I know this can never happen, but that's why Operation: Quiet Comfort exists - to support our wounded troops."
Watt said volunteering with OQC does not require registration, however, people can register to receive newsletters and updates on the progression of the organization on their public Web site, OperationQuietComfort.com.
"We are not asking people to support the war, we are asking people to support the troops," Watt said. "We are asking Americans to support these young men and women for setting their lives on the line."
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