Coffee Roasters honored for helping America Troops in Afghanistan

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"Well accept this award with great honor in a humble matter, plus we also accept this award on behalf of the customers at Island Joes Gourmet Coffee Roasting Company, who have helped us send a cup of sunshine to the men and women who keep America a safe place to sleep at night," stated Joe D. Wells, founder of Island Joes Coffee located in old town Key West Florida.

Here is a copy of the letter which was sent with the flag, which flew in a battle mission in Kandahar, Afghanistan, along with the award certificate.

Dear Joe

I would like to thank you on behalf of all the A Co 1-285th ARB soldier for everything you have don for us. I thought that flying an American flag in one of our Apache Longbow Attach Helicopters, during a combat mission, in honor of you & Island Joe's Coffee Company is the least we do to show our sppreciation.

It has become a traditionhere in Kandahar, Afghainstan for soldiers to fly flags for their family and loved ones. I thought it would mean something to you, especially knowing where it has been.

When the pilots got back from the mission that night, the stated they thought they were in World War III. Acutally one of our aircraft sustained damage to the front windshield from RPG shrapnel. The same aircraft had returned with the Forward Avionices Bay (FAB) door blown open from the same RPG explosion. Both aircraft that were on the mission had been fired upon by a DShK (Russian anti-aircraft weapon which fires a 12.7 mn / 600 rounds a minute) and small arms (AK-47s). That night they also had 7 known Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) fired at them. Not on RPG hit either helicopter!

Well, that's the only damaged we substained! Those 2 aircraft severely "gave it" to the Taliban that night. The DShK (mentioned above) is on longer in existence, to say the least! Both aircraft rearmed twice. This means they took off three time fully armed.

Our combat load (per arming), per helicopter, that night consisited of the following armament ...

* 400 (approximately) rounds of 30 mm high explosive (HE) rounds for the 30mm chain-gun

* 38 rockets / assorted 2.75in

* 4 Hellfire missiles (assorted models)

This should give you an indication on the action your flag saw that night!

The following morning my troops had the windshield replaced within 2 hours. Bot aircraft were serviced, rearmed & back on the flight schedule the very next day (within hours).

We really appreciate everthing you have done for us. I read your e-mail repsonse to my soldiers and they were all amazed. We really appreciated your patriotism and geniune concern. I know you heard TV commercials & people say "Freedom isn't free!" I assure you, it isn't. All of us here are paying for it. Not to mention those serving in Iraq and other parts of the world.

It is Americans like you working in honorable American Companies and Corporations who provide little things, even kinds words that really make a big difference to us here. Knowing that there are people like you & Companies like Island Joes Coffee Company out there, make this feel worth it. I was speaking with a British soldier the other day. I told hime about our correspondence & he was awestruck! He said that no British company would suppor them like you did with us.

Thank you for everthing. I have to run for now. I'll keep in touch. I hope you enjoy the flag and certificate.

Sincerely

SFC Michael J DiNicola