Thank you, CNMI!

Since early December we started up the Homecoming planning for our soldiers who are returning home from a long 18-month deployment to Iraq to support “Operation Iraqi Freedom”. It’s been a long and hectic month and a half of planning and hard work.

Mainly it’s just been trying to have the whole community involved, together with the immediate family members, in showing our support and gratitude to our soldiers for all their sacrifices, to the Echo Company and to all of our CNMI soldiers! God bless our troops!!

Together with Rita Chargualaf (president) and the officers of CTF Network, myself and the members of the Yellow Ribbon Committee and Cil Blas our FRG leader, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all those volunteers who helped make and post up all of our 2,000 plus yellow ribbons around the islands (Saipan, Tinian and Rota). There are so many to thank and too many to list down, but you all know who you are, so thank you all for your hard work and dedication to the cause. Job well done!

Thank you also to all the other family members who have participated in posting up more yellow ribbons on their own along Beach Road and around the island…Great job!

To the community members who have also done their share of showing their support to our soldiers, it’s great to go around the island and see everyone show their support to our soldiers. Thank you and God bless you all!

Also, we want to say a big thank you to everyone who participated in our “Sponsor a Banner” project. Without you all this would not have been possible. God Bless you all!

To all our sponsors and volunteers who helped make our Homecoming event a success!

A big thank you to Rosal’s Printing (staff and management) for their hard work and great job on the banners, t-shirts, pins and everything else they’ve been doing to help with the Homecoming.

Of course we can’t forget CUC. A sincere thank you to all the CUC linemen, management/staff and of course Gary Camacho for all their hard work in helping post up all our banners! Despite the strong winds, you did a great job! Safety first! God Bless!

Last but not least, a sincere and heartfelt appreciation to our new Governor and Lt. Governor for all your support in helping make our homecoming event for our CNNI soldiers a success! God bless you both!

As a soldier’s wife, I can say on behalf of the families who have loved ones serving in the Armed Forces and the families of our fallen heroes, thank you to everyone who have shown their love and support by displaying it through ribbons, banners, and flags around the islands. Your gratitude will not be forgotten by our soldiers returning home and the ones who continue to fight for freedom thousands of miles away and in the hearts of those who love them here at home.

Thank you, Olomwai, and God Bless you all!

Tania Fleming Mesa
Chairperson
Yellow Ribbon Committee