Hawai’i coffee farmers donate Kona coffee to Soldiers

By Sgt. Jerome Bishop

2nd SBCT PAO, 25th Inf. Div., MND-B

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Every morning, thousands of Soldiers wake up to a steaming cup of “Joe” – whether it’s black as midnight or mostly cream and sugar, it’s part of their daily routine.

In association with the Hawai’i Gathering of Eagles organization, coffee farmers from the Big Island of Hawai’i launched “Operation Warrior Wake Up” to provide Hawai’i-based Soldiers deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom a little taste of the isles.

Spc. Darryl Lindsey

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Spc. Darryl Lindsey, a native of Atlanta, enjoys a cup of freshly brewed Kona coffee before mounting up on his Stryker for a mission. Lindsey is a member of the personal security detachment working with the Military Transition Team, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Tank Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division. He is assigned to 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.

(U.S. Army photo by Capt. Ron Geronimo, 2nd Sqdn., 14th Cav. Regt., 2nd SBCT, 25th Inf. Div., MND-B)

Sgt. Joseph Gillette

Da’ Kine

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Sgt. Joseph Gillette, a native of Aurora, Colo., proudly displays Kona coffee donated by Hawai’ian coffee farmers before leaving on mission. The Hawai’i chapter of Gathering of Eagles donated home-grown coffee from the Kona region on Big Island of Hawai’i. He is a gunner assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.

(U.S. Army photo by Capt. Ron Geronimo, 2nd Sqdn., 14th Cav. Regt., 2nd SBCT, 25th Inf. Div., MND-B)