Air National Guard receives supply drop from Girl Scouts

by Senior Airman John E. Hillier III
Air National Guard Public Affairs

7/9/2014 - JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. -- When a natural disaster strikes, the Air National Guard is among the first to respond with supplies and equipment, but July 2 the men and women of the Air National Guard Readiness Center here had the rare chance to be on the receiving end of a supply drop when 1,500 boxes of Girl Scout cookies were delivered here as a thank-you for their service.

The cookies are part of Operation Cookie Drop, a project of the Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson Council, which serves the lower Hudson River valley, New York, just outside of New York City.

People throughout the community purchased the cookies specifically for donating to service members during the Girl Scouts' annual cookie sale.

"This event was an opportunity for people to take a few minutes away from their desks and come appreciate what someone else did for them," said Master Sgt. Shane Richardson, first sergeant. "I wanted to be sure that everyone at the ANGRC received a box because we're all here supporting the mission and somebody took the time to do this for us."

Richardson will also be delivering cookies to Air National Guardsmen working at the Pentagon and Arlington Hall.

Operation Cookie Drop began as a reaction to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and has grown in size and scope since. Girl Scouts take an active part in the project, loading the delivery trucks and including personal thank you messages inside cases of cookies.

"The girls are thrilled to be involved in helping their country, and servicemen and women," said Allison Bergman, Operation Cookie Drop chairperson. "This is a way of life for many - to thank a soldier for their service."

This year, the project is expected to deliver more than 90,000 boxes of cookies to service members across the nation, on ships at sea and to deployed locations around the world. They also donate cookies for the United Serves Organizations events, the Wounded Warrior Games, and Honor Flights for New York WWII veterans.

"As New Yorkers, we can't thank [the National Guard] enough for helping us in our time of need," said Bergman. "Thank you, for all your service and sacrifice. Thank you for supporting our servicemen and women. Stay safe, stay strong, and know we are always behind you."