Give the Gift of Light to the Troops This Holiday Season
Thursday, January 22nd, 2009
stacey bent asked:
SunNight Solar, a renewable energy company based in Houston, is hoping to spread a bit of light to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan this holiday season.
The company has put forth a call for support from its loyal customers and the American people. The group challenge is to help provide a solar flashlight for every serviceman and woman serving in the region. Donors will have the opportunity to purchase a light for the troops at www.warlights.com and to select a non-profit military support group from a list of approved recipient partners at the company’s website. Recipient partners include, Adopt-A-Platoon, Military Mom In Action, Operation Care & Comfort, Operation Troop Aid, Soldier’s Angels and The Hugs Project. The non-profit organizations will include the donated lights in holiday care packages they are preparing this season.
Highlighting the need of the troops were letters from military personnel, explaining that batteries… and light…are often hard to come by in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. Several letters came from medical personnel, working to save the wounded in volatile situations. While the US government certainly provides an abundance of conventional flashlights to the troops, as one serviceman wrote in, “Batteries are often hard to come by (okay nearly impossible) in the battlefield setting, so an alternative would be an absolute God send…” SunNight’s rechargeable batteries have an estimated life of 3-5 years even with daily use, so the soldiers would benefit both from the flashlight’s dependability and alleviation from problems associated with carrying around extra batteries, if any can be found.
One soldier writes, “My team and I are currently stationed in Iraq on a forward operating base that does not have street lamps or significant illumination. It is pointedly called the “Dark Side” of FOB Warrior. We have to use flashlights for everything (especially bathroom… port-a-johns have spiders and scorpions). It’s a real pain burning through all the batteries too. Such a waste when we get 12 hours of blazing sunshine everyday! I haven’t seen clouds in months!”
A Marine writes, “I have spent 11 months in Iraq and am currently on my 4th year of a 5 year contract. One of the most difficult things to do in Iraq is not what you think it would be. It’s not the 125 degree heat, it’s not being away from your family, and it’s not constant layer of sand that is on everything. One of the most difficult things is trying to find decent indoor plumbing. Now you might be wondering what all of this has to do with a flashlight. Well when was the last time you saw a light bulb hanging up in the top of a port-a-john? Never, right? Well that is truly the main downfall of the port-a-john. …Because at night, you are out luck if you don’t have a good flashlight on you.”
While the initial cost for a solar flashlight is slightly more expensive than the typical conventional flashlight, when factoring in the cost of battery replacement, the overall cost savings (and benefit to the environment) are huge. A soldier concerned about the environment writes, “I try to set an example in my personal life through conservation–reduction, reuse, and recycling–whenever possible, however the nature of my career makes it fairly environmentally unfriendly. I regularly search for ways to offset the large carbon footprint and energy expenditure necessary to fuel the defensive gears of our nation.”
A US Air Force pilot points out in a humorous tone, “If I had the time to sit and crank a flashlight or shake it enough for legitimate illumination, our tax dollars certainly wouldn’t be getting a very good value”. But in closing, he leaves the folks at SunNight with the chilling reality that, “the room lighting feature would be great for illuminating a dark corner of a poorly lit tent on a cold Afghanistan night. “
The founder of SunNight Solar, Mark Bent, is a former US Marine and State Department official who has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan so these responses hit hard.
SunNight Solar opened its doors for business in 2006 with a unique combination of goals. Close to the company’s core are deeply rooted humanitarian values which are expressed through its various social programs. The safety and welfare of women and children rank high on the company’s list of priorities. “Ideally”, says Bent, “We’ll gain enough support for this program to be able to provide a light to every service man and woman….with some surplus for the troops to distribute as gifts to the women and children living in these war torn areas.” Having served our country himself, Bent says that a “positive conclusion in Iraq and Afghanistan depends as much upon our national kindness as it does our force.”
For more information about SunNight Solar and its programs, please visit: www.sunnightsolar.com.
Bill
SunNight Solar, a renewable energy company based in Houston, is hoping to spread a bit of light to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan this holiday season.
The company has put forth a call for support from its loyal customers and the American people. The group challenge is to help provide a solar flashlight for every serviceman and woman serving in the region. Donors will have the opportunity to purchase a light for the troops at www.warlights.com and to select a non-profit military support group from a list of approved recipient partners at the company’s website. Recipient partners include, Adopt-A-Platoon, Military Mom In Action, Operation Care & Comfort, Operation Troop Aid, Soldier’s Angels and The Hugs Project. The non-profit organizations will include the donated lights in holiday care packages they are preparing this season.
Highlighting the need of the troops were letters from military personnel, explaining that batteries… and light…are often hard to come by in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. Several letters came from medical personnel, working to save the wounded in volatile situations. While the US government certainly provides an abundance of conventional flashlights to the troops, as one serviceman wrote in, “Batteries are often hard to come by (okay nearly impossible) in the battlefield setting, so an alternative would be an absolute God send…” SunNight’s rechargeable batteries have an estimated life of 3-5 years even with daily use, so the soldiers would benefit both from the flashlight’s dependability and alleviation from problems associated with carrying around extra batteries, if any can be found.
One soldier writes, “My team and I are currently stationed in Iraq on a forward operating base that does not have street lamps or significant illumination. It is pointedly called the “Dark Side” of FOB Warrior. We have to use flashlights for everything (especially bathroom… port-a-johns have spiders and scorpions). It’s a real pain burning through all the batteries too. Such a waste when we get 12 hours of blazing sunshine everyday! I haven’t seen clouds in months!”
A Marine writes, “I have spent 11 months in Iraq and am currently on my 4th year of a 5 year contract. One of the most difficult things to do in Iraq is not what you think it would be. It’s not the 125 degree heat, it’s not being away from your family, and it’s not constant layer of sand that is on everything. One of the most difficult things is trying to find decent indoor plumbing. Now you might be wondering what all of this has to do with a flashlight. Well when was the last time you saw a light bulb hanging up in the top of a port-a-john? Never, right? Well that is truly the main downfall of the port-a-john. …Because at night, you are out luck if you don’t have a good flashlight on you.”
While the initial cost for a solar flashlight is slightly more expensive than the typical conventional flashlight, when factoring in the cost of battery replacement, the overall cost savings (and benefit to the environment) are huge. A soldier concerned about the environment writes, “I try to set an example in my personal life through conservation–reduction, reuse, and recycling–whenever possible, however the nature of my career makes it fairly environmentally unfriendly. I regularly search for ways to offset the large carbon footprint and energy expenditure necessary to fuel the defensive gears of our nation.”
A US Air Force pilot points out in a humorous tone, “If I had the time to sit and crank a flashlight or shake it enough for legitimate illumination, our tax dollars certainly wouldn’t be getting a very good value”. But in closing, he leaves the folks at SunNight with the chilling reality that, “the room lighting feature would be great for illuminating a dark corner of a poorly lit tent on a cold Afghanistan night. “
The founder of SunNight Solar, Mark Bent, is a former US Marine and State Department official who has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan so these responses hit hard.
SunNight Solar opened its doors for business in 2006 with a unique combination of goals. Close to the company’s core are deeply rooted humanitarian values which are expressed through its various social programs. The safety and welfare of women and children rank high on the company’s list of priorities. “Ideally”, says Bent, “We’ll gain enough support for this program to be able to provide a light to every service man and woman….with some surplus for the troops to distribute as gifts to the women and children living in these war torn areas.” Having served our country himself, Bent says that a “positive conclusion in Iraq and Afghanistan depends as much upon our national kindness as it does our force.”
For more information about SunNight Solar and its programs, please visit: www.sunnightsolar.com.
Bill
