This is a rough draft of an article that Dennis Taylor is writing about the Freedom Pens Project. It was sent to me for comments. I think it would be more appropriate if everyone associated with Freedom Pens had an opportunity to respond with your comments. Denis interviewed several people gathering information about the Freedom Pens Project, the following will be published but I am not sure where or when.
[Freedom Pens Article]
[TITLE – TBD]
How do you express your concern – your gratitude – your love for our fighting men and women engaged in Middle Eastern wars half a world away? How do you say …? We care. We miss you. We want you back home. We’re proud of you.
Different people, different organizations answer in different ways. But for legions of ordinary, everyday citizens engaged in the Freedom Pens Project (www.freedompens.org), that answer is expressed in the form of hand-crafted wooden pens. These beautiful wooden pens, accompanied by brief messages of support from the artisans who make them are sent, free of charge, to military morale training centers and medical cores for distribution to our troops serving in harm’s way.
Participants range from school kids in shop classes all around the country who receive free pen kits from the project for fabricating the pens, to thousands of men and women hobbyists and professionals who manufacture and fund the pens from their own resources. Some, like Willis “Tuffy” Holland of Greeley, Colorado, who has personally made some 2400 of these pens over the past three years, are themselves ex-military. An Army artilleryman during the Berlin standoff, Tuffy is unassuming about his contribution noting that it’s a small thing, but that he takes great pride and joy in sending the pens to our troops overseas. Many others having no military background whatsoever are equally devoted to the effort and equally gratified by their involvement in it.
Ultimately, of course, history will judge the merits of these wars. However, for those engaged in the Freedom Pens Project, this is not the issue. For them, involvement in the project is uncomplicated and direct: they simply want our troops to know we care. That we miss them. That we want them back home. And that we’re proud of them. Freedom Pens are their way of expressing these thoughts and hopes.
In fact, the unity of purpose possessed by all those involved in the project in spite of diverse opinions on the war itself fairly mirrors the current attitude of most Americans and marks, perhaps, a transition to an increasingly sophisticated public understanding of our participation in wars around the globe. Whether this will translate into increased reluctance by the public to support foreign wars in general, remains to be seen; but certainly one of the more salient points of this heightened consciousness is the clear recognition that it is our politicians, not our military or our troops, who commit us to the wars that put America’s blood and treasure at risk.
The Freedom Pens Project traces its beginnings to an idea originally conceived in 2003 by Keith Outten of the Saw Mill Creek Woodworkers Forum. At the time, he was trying to think of a way to show support for the troops. Having served in the Navy during the Vietnam War era, he was keenly aware of how poorly troops in that war had been supported, and he wanted to be involved in sending a positive, supportive message to our troops in this conflict. Although the idea for sending hand-made wooden pens derived from a prior, but much smaller project of similar nature, it was the sheer size and scope of the Freedom Pens Project combined with the necessity for maintaining long-term continuity that sets it apart from anything preceding it.
Four years later, the Freedom Pens Project has involved thousands of contributing individuals who have produced over 73,000 pens for dispersal to our troops. Keith, widely acknowledged as the sustaining force behind the effort, states the project has grown beyond his wildest expectations. He attributes its continued success and longevity to the simple fact that the basic idea behind the project resonates so strongly with those involved. They know they are sending these pens to the very best this country have to offer. Be they soldiers, sailors, airmen or marines, they are our sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, fathers and mothers.
They’re only pens, right? Sure. But for the troops receiving them, they are more than simple writing tools. Their true value derives from the knowledge that each of these pens is a unique, one-of-a-kind effort by some citizen back home who really cares about the troop receiving that pen. Someone back home took the time to make each and every pen; took the time to think about what he or she was doing and why he or she was doing it. Each is a small, tangible but very powerful expression of support from some individual citizen to some individual troop in harm’s way.
Thousands of these pens have been distributed by now, but a typical response comes to us from 1st Lieutenant Steve Gieser (Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division). His unit, located in the southeast portion of Baghdad is involved in conducting patrols looking for “bad people” and weapons caches as well as helping at the community level in setting up contracts for essential services, providing medical support at the local clinic, meeting with community leaders on town needs, and insuring that fuel at gas stations is accurately delivered and properly priced. In short, they are helping in rebuilding safe, clean, functioning communities.
Of the pens he says, “Everyone loves the pens! Seriously, the men enjoyed examining each one, knowing that they could have only one. A few of them keep the pen on them 24/7, even when they go out on missions; it is always in his little pen-holder on his left sleeve of the ACU (all combat uniform) jacket. Mine is on my desk, I use it everyday w/ my work.”
He continued by saying,”Thank you and we do feel the encouragement from the people back home. We know that we are cared for and prayed over; it is clear that the support is for the Troops, and not the war and the political leaders. Thankfully, people are able to distinguish between the Soldier and the political agenda.”
He concluded by saying, “It will be a grand day when all our Troops will be back under their own rooftops with their families!” Certainly all Americans including those involved in the Freedom Pens project share in this abiding hope. But until that day arrives, those involved in the Freedom Pens Project will go on making the pens and bringing smiles of joy and appreciation to our troops in harms way.
Author: Dennis R. Taylor
Woodstock, IL
Date: 26 September 2007
Pictures
1st Lieutenant Steve Gieser of Manhatten, KS (Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division) shows off his Freedom Pen.
Left to right. PFC Jason Smith of Bolingbrook, IL and 1st Lt. Josh Hunsucker of Orinda, CA (Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division) show off their Freedom Pens.
Left to right. SSG James T. Davison, Jr. of Cotteyville, KS and 1st Lt. Ryan M Hamel of Westfield, MA (Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division) show off their Freedom Pens.
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