Small groups of volunteers including personnel from the Los Angeles North Army Recruiting Company, Los Angeles Police Department, local Marine Corps Poolees, the 195th Wing of the California Air National Guard, and of course, Operation Gratitude’s Blue Shirts gathered on separate days to help assemble 18,000 care packages being shipped to deployed troops.

In January 1991, I sat in the desert of Saudi Arabia deployed with 2nd Battalion 10th Marines from Camp LeJeune NC for the Gulf War. As a young Second Lieutenant, I was a little scared—but most of all I missed my family as I spent my first holiday season away from them. I know our COO, Paul Cucinotta, who spent four Christmas holidays away from his wife and four children over his 27 year career feels the same way—as do the other veterans and military spouses on our team who spent hundreds of birthdays, special occasions and holidays separated from their loved ones.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Operation Gratitude Announces Appointment of Retired Marine and Nonprofit Leader, Kevin Schmiegel, as New CEO. Founder and...