By Amy Jennings
Fresno State students have pooled resources to send care packages to the Black Knights, a naval air squadron stationed on the U.S.S. Nimitz in the Red Sea.
The squadron and the Nimitz were sent to the Red Sea in early September when the U.S. seemed on the verge of becoming militarily involved in the Syrian civil war, said LauraBare, whose cousin is the wife of Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Fulwider of the Black Knights.
Bare said the family heard that the carrier and its sailors’ tour would be extended while the situation in Syria remained uncertain.
“They probably won’t come back this year,” Bare said. “We were told maybe Thanksgiving, then maybe Christmas and maybe the New Year. It looks like it’s going to keep being pushed back.”
For the months spent overseas, the Knights receive government rations, but Bare said she decided to put together a project to help the Black Knights cope with their extended time away from home.
“They were on a 16-month tour, getting ready to turn around and come home, and then this conflict in Syria came up,” Bare said. “They got orders to stop where they were.They do not have any specific orders; they are there in case something needs to be done.”
Galina Shablian, a fellow Fresno State student and friend of Bare, said she decided to help Bare get the word out about the Knights to other students through social media and word of mouth.
“I have explained to students our current situation with Syria and have asked for their support to help our brothers and sisters protecting us,” Shablian said. “Having been at sea for 16 months and then being sent right back must be heartbreaking.”
The past few weeks, Bare said she encouraged the Fresno State community to send anything from nonperishable food items to handwritten letters to show appreciation for the squadron and the other sailors.
“A lot of guys on the ship broke down once they found out what students were doing for them and to know there were other people thinking of them besides family,” Fulwider said in an email relayed by Bare.
Bare said the men and women on the carrier have yet to receive any packages because they had to be repackaged. She said so far she has sent 10 boxes of about 20 pounds and four larger boxes so far.
“My family donated some things and then my church, University Presbyterian gave a couple of monetary donations,” Bare said.
The past 16 months of rarely getting to communicate with family, the Knights are low in spirits knowing this will continue to be a problem, Bare said.
“Things on the ship for the first week after we heard about the delay have been really hard.Sixteen months away from family is really difficult,” Fulwider said.
Bare said she will continue to send packages to make their stay as comfortable as possible.
“Everything you guys are doing for us has made this delay a little bit better,” Fulwider said.“It’s been really hard on all the families looking forward to us coming home.Receiving packages like this from home is really comforting.”
Once the squadrons are back from their tour, they will throw a welcome back ball for families and friends.This year, even though the date of the ball cannot yet be determined, the squadron plans to invite the students who donated to them while they were delayed near Syria.
Bare said she plans to take a picture with all the students who donated to the project.The Knights told Bare that they will enlarge the picture to hang on a wall to remind them there are people thinking about them while they are away.
For information about how to donate, contact the Fresno State sorority Kappa Alpha Theta through its Facebook.
Jeff Jennings • Oct 9, 2013 at 1:37 pm
A great grass roots support effort for our service personnel. One that we should all get behind. A Very well written article by a talented writer.
Michelle • Oct 9, 2013 at 8:58 am
It amazes me how wrong all this information is!
Scott • Oct 9, 2013 at 8:19 am
Thank you so much Fresno State students. You are so awesome! My daughter deployed on USS Lawrence in January and moved over to the Nimitz before the Syria situation. Long deployment. People have no idea what these packages mean to our sailors and marines on those ships. These packages will have a huge impact on their morale.