Old MARPAT finds new life

1/5/2011 By Lance Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot , Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Marines wondering what to do with old Marine Pattern digital camouflage uniforms got their answer from volunteers at The Great Escape.

Hayley Denissen, a recreation aid with The Great Escape, used hundreds of unserviceable MARPAT uniforms to create stockings, pillowcases, blankets and toys.

Denissen is shipping MARPAT stockings, stuffed with various toiletries and gifts, and blankets to Marines deployed in Afghanistan. Families of deployed Marines can pick up the remaining gifts, like purses, toys and pillowcases for use on the home front.

“It’s a little part of daddy or mommy,” said Denissen.

Families with deployed spouses can pick up mementos of their loved ones at The Great Escape anytime.

Denissen organized about 50 volunteers from several churches and elementary schools to help sew the different MARPAT accessories and donate phone cards, toiletries and snacks for the care packages going to Afghanistan.

“There’s a lot of stuff in there that Marines can use, and the use of [camouflage] is cool,” said Lance Cpl. Steven Froehlich, a crew chief with Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 161 and one of the volunteers. “Marines are going to love this stuff.”

While care packages have been a staple of military deployments for years, the creative use of MARPAT material offers a new presentation.

“We’re trying to do more interesting things for care packages,” said Denissen.

Denissen plans to ship the care packages to Afghanistan using the http://anymarine.com, a service volunteers use to send personalized care packages to deployed Marines.

Volunteers like Denissen select an individual Marine or unit based on the needs of the Marines. Marines registered on the website provide a description of their unit and a “wish list” from the potential recipients.

There is another crate of donated MARPAT camouflage waiting for volunteers to transform it into anything they can imagine.

“We’ve already started for next year,” said Denissen.

She explained that the volunteers are asking for prepaid international phone cards, first-aid kits and travel-size toiletries to fill the care packages.

For more information, contact Hayley Denissen at The Great Escape, (858) 577-6171.

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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif.-Hayley Denissen, a recreation aid with The Great Escape, examines a blanket made from unserviceable camouflage material before sorting it for shipping at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Jan. 4. The gifts, including stockings, pillowcases and purses will be shipped to Marines in Afghanistan and to their families back home., Lance Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 1/4/2011 7:14 AM
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif.-A rocking horse made from unserviceable camouflage material awaits shipping, along with a large collection of stockings and blankets at The Great Escape at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Jan. 4. Volunteers used the material to make an assortment of gifts that will be shipped to Marines in Afghanistan, as well as their families back home., Lance Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 1/4/2011 7:15 AM
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif.-Volunteers examine the fruits of their labors with Hayley Denissen, a recreation aid at The Great Escape, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Jan. 4. Volunteers used donated unserviceable camouflage material to make stockings, blankets and pillowcases for Marines in Afghanistan and their families back home., Lance Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 1/4/2011 7:28 AM
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif.-A blanket, bibs and signed card await shipping at The Great Escape at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Jan. 4. Students from Hearst Elementary School helped make blankets and stockings from unserviceable camouflage material for Marines deployed to Afghanistan and their families back home. , Lance Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 1/4/2011 7:31 AM
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif.-Hayley Denissen, a recreation aid with The Great Escape, shows off a table full of gifts made from unserviceable camouflage material at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Jan. 4. Denissen, with the help of about 50 volunteers, sewed stockings, blankets, toys and pillowcases for Marines deployed to Afghanistan and their families back home., Lance Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 1/4/2011 7:32 AM