Package a welcome relief from rations

Lance Cpl. Ian Voss

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a letter from 20-year-old Marine reservist

Lance Cpl. Ian Voss of Newport Beach to family friends dated March 7.

Voss, a graduate of Newport Harbor High and a student at Orange Coast

College, was stationed in Kuwait at the time the letter was written,

but has since moved to an unknown location in Iraq. His mother,

Marsha Steinbrenner, shared the handwritten letter with the Pilot so

the community could get a glimpse of Voss’s military tour.

Dear Chris and Ken,

Thank you very much for the care package. I haven’t have anything

to eat but MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat), which is food that is

processed in a bag you could drop from an airplane.

We have had a problem with the mail system, and our address has

changed, which I wrote below.

Last night I couldn’t find my deck of cards and I wanted to play

poker. It is amazing to know that you knew I needed cards.

You enclosed my favorite gum. I love that baking soda gum because

we are low on water out here, so sometimes brushing our teeth is not

an everyday thing.

I really enjoyed everything else. I think it was gone before I

could open the box. I passed it among my tank crew.

Right now, we are experiencing one of the worst sandstorms in

Kuwait in a long time. You can barely see your hand in front of your

face. We live in these large tents that were put up by the Kuwaitis.

Today, we met some of the British Royal Marines. They are very

nice people. We spent the afternoon before the storm climbing on

their tanks and equipment.

Thanks again for everything and thinking of me. Hopefully talk to

you soon.