KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The modern soldier has so many ways to keep in touch with their loved ones while serving in Afghanistan like email and Facebook. But there's still one form of communication that will forever be a favorite of the men and women of the 101st Airborne: Mail Call.
You can reach your soldier's ear through the telephone, their eyes through the computer screen, but the way to a soldier's heart is still through the good old fashioned mail.
Each day, family, friends, even strangers send hundreds of packages to the soldiers of the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade. The Kandahar Mail Room gets even busier around holidays like Mother's Day.
Sgt. First Class Stephanie Carl made stops by the mail room each day, waiting for a special delivery.
"I ordered my fiance's wedding ring probably about three and a half, four weeks ago, and I'm waiting for it to arrive" said Carl.
One day, Sgt. Carl had two pieces of mail, but neither was ring-sized. But one was a package from her mother.
"My mom sent stuff for chicken chili," Sgt. Carl added enthusiastically.
Most forget that many items that are easily found on a standard trip to the grocery store in America qualify as first class delicacies in Afghanistan.
"Cooking back home is my stress reliever. To be able to cook out here relieves stress and it helps boosts morale," Sgt. Carl added.
In need of a boost is Carl's colleague, specialist Jennifer Anderson, who was waiting for a mother's day package from her husband and children.
And yet the disappointment is easier to tolerate because a fellow soldier's joy is their joy too.
"Out here you share everything. You're a team and that includes sharing care packages," said Carl.
They are packages that reconnect soldiers with the homes they so badly miss and they're from the people they're missing even more.
"The rest of the world doesn't stop. Families still have lives to live and that's challenging for us sometime," added Carl.
Carl won't be home for a few more months, but on the good days, home comes to her. And so she'll keep checking, waiting and hoping until what she's looking for finally gets here.
"The fact that the ring is on its way out here is symbolic for me, in my life, in our new life together," Carl said.
