CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti -- The Military Affairs Committee of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce in North Carolina showed Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa troops its appreciation by donating two Microsoft X-Box game consoles, four games and six controllers.
Retired Marine Col. J.C. Hardee, the committee's president, said, "We wanted to provide something to the (troops) in CJTF-HOA they could use, especially in their off-duty hours."
The camp is home to nearly 1,800 service members who are here to defeat transnational terrorism in the Horn of Africa region.
According to Marine Col. Mark S. Davis, task force chief of staff, the game systems will be given to the camp Morale, Recreation and Welfare section.
"When the temperature outside is 105 degrees and the heat index is almost 130 degrees," Davis said, "it's great that the troops here have something to do during their off-duty hours to keep them out of the heat. We're very appreciative to the Military Affairs Committee for their donation."
The purpose of the MAC is to help facilitate good relations between the civilian and military communities in the Jacksonville and Onslow County area.
Hardee, of Clayton, N.C., stated, "MAC also donates food and money to (troops), especially during the holidays."
Every year, the committee hosts five fish fries that are free to the service members in the Jacksonville and Onslow County area.
"We plan to make future donations to other deployed units, like the MEUs (Marine Expeditionary Unit)," said Hardee. "We feel it is important for MAC to support our troops because we understand their importance to our community."