Operation Waypoint

This unit is deployed a long way from any civilization in Iraq.

Hey Ed, sorry it took so long, but didn’t forget, took a new one, this was just before we left Jalalabad for a Combat patrol to Naray, Pakistan Border, and again, it was hot, 135 with 85% humidity that day, and yes, 8 hours in the heat and sweat, The GPS performed great!!!! a plus sending out a water resistant GPS! LOL, Dean

Ed, yes I did, and it works great, haven’t had a problem with it yet, instruction were right to the point, the unfortunate part of being an ETT ( Embedded Transition Team) member, is that we get the used equipment while we roll with the ANA, which is truly sad, but when I have to take out our old M1114’s with no Blue force Tracker, the GPS goes with me for sure, anyways, thanks again, Dean

Article written by John B Raughter

>
> Taylor Benson had requested GPS systems from you awhile ago, and we got them probably a month ago. We all appriciate the kind gift and we took this picture especially for you. Thank you again for the support.
>
> SGT Elizabeth Nyquist
>
> P.S. The people in the picture are;
>
> (bottom row) SGT Elizabeth Nyquist, SGT Taylor Benson, PFC Casey Sankey, SSG Rohan Bryan, SPC Miranda Behle, SGT Jaris Ilaug
>
> (top row) SPC Jesse Garza, SPC Vincent Trombello, SPC Justin Wells, SPC Chad Neyens, PFC Chelsea Ziemer, SPC Lauren Syverson

Spc. Amanda Remarke, of the MP company from Harrisonville, MO has been trained in the use of the Lowrnace iFINDER GPS unit & will help train the rest of the company. The company will be heading to Iraq later this Summer.

Hello all, my team just returned from the field to find a new GPS reciever, i want to personnally thank you and let you know it was recieved in great shape, instructions were very useful too. i will send out pics on the next mission and give it a whirl, again, thank you very much!

CW2 D. Gray

Minnesota Legionnaire Leads GPS Donation Effort For Troops

Up near Saint Cloud, Minn., Ed Meyer is busy helping our troops find their way around Iraq. Hmm. He must be using gigantic semaphore flags, right? Actually, Meyer is equipping soldiers headed to Iraq with their own global positioning system (GPS) receivers. They come in mighty handy when you’re on patrol and don’t know the local language. GPS is a navigation/location system that works off 32 satellites orbiting the Earth. They transmit signals that give GPS users their exact locations - even altitudes. It only takes a few seconds to get the info, and it’s usually accurate within a meter or so.

Meyer says he’s received plenty of help from fellow Legionnaires at Post 621 in St. Augusta. In turn, they’re also getting support from other Legion posts and community organizations - even a Lions Club as far away as Donna, Texas. Plenty of inquiries are coming in to Meyer about his “GPS Technology Aids Troops” project.

“Some of these people have sons and daughters serving in Iraq,” Meyer says. “The soldiers who go over there do not have their own GPS receivers. They can’t read any of the road signs, which are often wrong.” Thus, troops have to depend on military GPS units that are often carried in Humvees and other vehicles.

He tells a story about how one lead vehicle in a Baghdad convoy took a wrong turn, using a standard-issue GPS. Sgt. Gaylan Heacock was in that convoy, carrying his Ed Meyer-issued GPS. It turned out the convoy was headed into a very dangerous sector. The officer in charge turned to Heacock and shouted, “Use your GPS and get us out of here!” They did.

An Army veteran, Meyer is a retired professor from Saint Cloud State University. He was working part-time at the local Gander Mountain sporting-goods store when a former student called him up; he was deploying with his Minnesota National Guard unit to Iraq and wanted some advice on what kind of GPS receiver to buy. Meyer talked it over with his store manager, then bought three GPS units.

Just before Christmas 2006, Meyer got together with three soldiers and their company commander and taught his first seminar on how to use the GPS. After that, word started to spread about helping keep America’s warriors safe by giving them their own GPS receivers. Meyer remembers a Korean War veteran who attended one of his seminars. “He teared up right there during the session,” Meyer says. “He wondered how many lives might have been saved from ‘friendly fire’ in Korea if GPS receivers had been around.”

So far, St. Augusta Legionnaires have donated about 60 GPS receivers to soldiers - mostly Minnesota Guardsmen - heading for Iraq or Afghanistan. The precious, life-saving devices are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each GPS receiver costs about $160, including a data chip for Middle East geography. Post 621 is providing most of the funding for purchases but needs more sponsors.

“We want more Legion posts and other groups to get involved and raise funds for this project,” Meyer says. “We’ve got soldiers over there driving around with wounded buddies, getting lost in the desert for a couple of hours. We need to get them more of these GPS units.”

Send donations to the St. Augusta American Legion Women’s Auxiliary, 1894 247th St., Saint Cloud, MN 56301, or call (320) 252-6693. To learn more about the “GPS Technology Aids Troops” project, and read testimonials about GPS receivers from troops who used them, click on the link below.

http://gpsfortroops.org

Justin Schuelke is one of 18 soldiers from this unit that received GPS units & the middle east chip from the St Augusta American Legion Post 621 Auxiliary.  Justin will train the other soldiers.

Know that support like this certainly makes us proud of where we come from and whom we protect and serve.  The USA continues to amaze me with their solid backing of troops who serve worldwide.

 Thanks as always Ed; you and the supporters are extremely beneficial to morale! 

GySgt J.A. Yerges