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| LIFE IN SOLERA | APRIL 2023 | 43 When Solera first started sending care packages, our troops were fighting in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The soldiers were doing one year tours, not the nine months they do now. Many were only home for a little over a year, and then back again they went. There was a time that the Army was requiring their soldiers to do 15 month tours. I recently received an email inviting me to attend one of these service member's retirement ceremony. This email was a "mass mailing" so it went out to lots of people. The fact that it was being held on the east coast prevented me from even considering it, but it was nice to be thought of. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Jason Colon is an E-9, the highest rank you can have as a Non-Commissioned Officer, "NCO." He has served our country for 30+ years. We were first in contact with CMSgt Colon in 2015, when he was serving in Kuwait. We supported him and his Airmen during his one year tour. Then for two years in Kosovo. In 2019 he went back to Kuwait again. The included photo was sent along with the invitation to his retirement ceremony. We also supported another E-9 service member over a long period of time. We first started supporting Army Command Sergeant Major Gregg Phillips, in Iraq in January, 2009. He was the commanding NCO of the Army Corps of Engineers for the southern half of Iraq, on this one year tour of duty. When his one year was up, he volunteered to do a second year. He was put in charge of the engineers for the entire country. When that second year was about to expire, he received word that the United States would be leaving Iraq, altogether, in six months. He again volunteered to stay and see his engineers through the close down. He served our country two and a half straight years in Iraq. When we have all our flags flying on the special holidays, please note the flag that is attached to the light standard, just to the left of the automatic door to the Mail Room. Below the flag is a plaque with CSM Gregg Phillips' information. He sent Solera a flag in appreciation of our support. On a special note: We have recently surpassed 5,000 care packages sent. ~ Jesse Donardt SUPPORT OUR TROOPS VETERAN ASSISTANCE Billy (Mitch) Mitchell is a resident and Veteran who has voluntarily worked with individuals and the Veterans Administration to assist Veterans in obtaining benefits. If you are a Veteran and want to know which benefits you may be eligible for, contact Mitch at (951) 797-0800. The Flags were raised on March 28 for Viet Nam War Veterans Day. There are no occasions to raise the Flags in April. Thank you to those few dedicated resident volunteers who are up "at the crack of dawn" on these special days to put up and take down our flags. Contact for the Flag Brigade – Nick Gercis, nick.gercis@gmail.com. Jesse Donardt is a resident of Solera and someone who cares for our troops overseas. Jesse collects things that our troops need and enhances the morale and well-being of these troops worldwide by shipping care boxes containing items specifically requested by them. Please support Jesse and the SUPPORT OUR TROOPS program. Jesse can be reached at (951) 845-9028. To all veterans, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE! Billy (Mitch) Mitchell is a resident and veteran who has voluntarily worked with individuals and the Veterans Administration (VA) in order to assist veterans in obtaining veteran benefits. If you are a veteran and interested in finding out which benefits you may be eligible to obtain, contact Mitch at (951) 797-0800. FLAG BRIGADE Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Jason Colon

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