Local Mother Requests Help So Deployed Soldier's Can Call Home

Hello Everyone,

We are looking for your help to buy 200 $20 International calling cards for our adopted Soldiers from the 4th Sustainment Brigade, now in Afghanistan. Our son, SGT Matthew Scott Patton, who served in this Brigade, committed suicide May 13, 2013, after serving five years and a one year deployment to Afghanistan. The Commander, now Tim to us, and his Chaplain, helped John and I begin and continue the grieving process by obtaining the information we needed to understand what happened to Matthew, provided emotional support anytime we needed it, allowed us to speak with 400 of their Soldiers about suicide prevention, and created the Hall of Honor for Soldiers like Matthew, who die from means other than those sustained in combat. They have done a lot for the Patton family and we have dedicated ourselves to helping their Soldiers, in fact, all Soldiers.

Some of these Soldiers do not have the resources to pay for calls because all of their pay is needed to care for their Families here. So, these phone cards will help Tim’s Soldiers call home during the holidays, when a child is born, when there is a family emergency, or if they simply need to talk to their Families. If we receive more than 200, it would be wonderful because then these courageous Soldiers can make more calls home.

John and I pledge to purchase 10 cards. We would like to send the phone cards to Afghanistan by December 1st. You can mail the cards to 36 Acacia Rd or better yet drop by with the card yourself, so we can thank you in person. We would like you to allow us to put your name on the card that we will send with the phone cards. Please help us help Tim’s Soldiers reach out to their Families who wait in fear everyday for their Soldier to return home safely. John and I understand this through experience….it is very hard waiting for those calls and to live in constant fear.

Thank you and with much gratitude,

Lynn and John Patton