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Fort Eustis military members make care packages for deployed soldiers

Roughly 400 packages will go to troops serving in Kuwait and South Korea.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Sergeant Alejandra Guzman knows the feeling of missing out on holidays with family. 

But care packages sent to her while deployed made home feel a little closer.

“It is the most uplifting thing we get,” Guzman, who is in in the 688th Rapid Port Opening Element of Fort Eustis, said.

One of the most memorable packages she says she received came from the non-profit organization Troopster, which sends essentials to troops away from home.

“We got letters from an elementary school," she said.

 "And there was a little girl by the name of Mila, and that happens to be my mother’s name also. She wrote ‘Thank you for your service.’ To me that was like a message from home almost.”

Now, she packs the same box she once received for servicemembers overseas.

 Veteran Chelsea Mandello started the non-profit after she retired from the U.S. Navy.

“When I was on my seventh deployment, I realized that there was a really big need for personalized care packages,” Mandello said.

Thursday morning, military members with Fort Eustis, Dominion Energy and contractors from E. G. Middleton company packed roughly 400 boxes with snacks, essentials and a note from home.

“Our hope and desire through Dominion Energy is that when the troops open those boxes, it just lights up their hearts and their smiles,” said Dominion Energy's Fort Eustis and Fort Story Base Manager Kimberly Lawers.

They hope to give those deployed a Christmas at sea where they're reminded that they’re not forgotten.

“We do care about y’all, and we have y’alls back at the end of the day,” Guzman said. 

The boxes will head to military members serving in Kuwait and South Korea.

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