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Tinker woman collects golf clubs for deployed Airmen

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Air Force Base Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE --  "FORE!!!"
   A golf ball soared off the balcony and across an artificial lake toward the horizon. Tech. Sgt. Adam Carr of the 72nd Comptrollers Squadron held the golf club. Deployed to Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq, he stood on a makeshift green elevated to the height of the stone railing at Al-Faw Palace.
   A photograph of Sgt. Carr's after his shot was sent to his wife, Angela Carr, a contractor for Northrop Grumman at Tinker's B-2 unit.
   Within a few days, Mrs. Carr received a telephone call from her husband requesting one of his clubs from home be sent to him, as somebody had broken the last golf club on site. Although she initially agreed to request, Mrs. Carr said she and her co-workers brainstormed a bigger and better idea that would benefit all of the deployed Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors at Camp Victory.
   "When you find ways to help each other out and take care of each other that just shows how much you love someone," Mrs. Carr said. "I like to bend over backwards for him."
   Mrs. Carr e-mailed Northrop Grumman employees and a point-of-contact for the Department of Defense employees asking if they wanted to donate extra golf clubs to the troop at Camp Victory to help them pass time.
   "I sent it out (July 23) and by the end of the day, I had responses from a ton of people," Mrs. Carr said.
   By the end of the week, Mrs. Carr said she had collected three golf bags filled with clubs, plus two full sets from the Tinker Golf Course. An additional 12 to 18 loose clubs were also donated. In total, she had more than 75 individual pieces. Among them were left-handed clubs, drivers, irons and custom clubs.
   Northrop Grumman also donated baseball caps, golf tees and golf towels.
   "Sgt. Carr's golf game is in dire need of practice and lessons. I figure that he is in need of a way to relax and golf can sometimes provide relief or at least a good laugh," said Staff Sgt. Erik Snyder, 72nd CPTS budget analyst, who helped ship the supplies to the area of responsibility. "Before, they only had a couple of clubs, but a lot of golf balls. We need to even the ratio and allow more people to relax utilizing the wonderful sport of golf."
   Firstt Lt. Peter Eshenour, 72nd CPTS deputy financial services officer and supporter of Mrs. Carr's collection, agreed.
   "A deployed member's stateside unit is really part of their extended family," the lieutenant said. "It's vital that we do all we can to facilitate our troops deploying and succeeding at performing the mission overseas."
   Northrop Grumman and Mrs. Carr are among those with the 72nd CPTS who helped pay for shipping. The golf accessories shipped in early August.
   "In a matter of a work week, it went from a crazy idea to a collection," Mrs. Carr said. "My husband was ecstatic when I told him and he was like 'You're kidding me.'"
   Sgt. Carr deployed to Iraq in mid-May. He is scheduled to return to Tinker in early December. The clubs and accessories are expected to stay behind for the next deployed troop, Mrs. Carr said.