Massachusetts Minuteman - Fall 2010 - STATES - The National Guard

We Are Not Just Here Hauling Gear
Story and photos by 2nd Lt. Allison M. Turner,
1166th Combat Heavy Equipment Transport Company
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – The main effort of the
1166th Combat Heavy Equipment Transport
Company, 164th Transportation Battalion,
Massachusetts National Guard, is the withdrawal
of equipment from Iraq and to support the
war in Afghanistan. This is not all we do. The
1166th CHC is also part of 164th Transportation
Battalion, Massachusetts National Guard. Our
Soldiers come from many different backgrounds
and have a variety of talents that they bring
together to create an extraordinary company.
Our Soldiers owe a good deal of that success to
the overwhelming and continuous support from
our hometown communities. In gratitude for that
support, many Soldiers have helped an 8-yearold
boy named Clay Ray-Cook. His story has
touched their hearts. Clay, son of Christine Ray-
Cook and Clay Cook, is a close family friend of
Staff Sgt. Jessica Biggins.
After four weeks of what his doctors thought
was bronchitis, Clay was diagnosed with
leukemia – a cancer of the blood or bone
Clay Ray-Cook, an 8-year-old boy fighting leukemia,
is supported by the members of the 1166th Combat
Heavy Equipment Transport Company, Massachusetts
National Guard.
marrow and the cause is unknown. When Clay
first found out, he wrote in one of his blog entries:
“The doctors said I needed some new blood
because mine was not doing its job anymore.”
In response, the 1166th brought a group of our
Soldiers together for a company picture and held
up letters that spelled out “Clay is Our Hero.”
Clay saw this picture one morning before surgery
and it simply brightened his day. When the
Soldiers heard how he enjoyed the picture, they
felt it wasn’t enough and wanted to do more.
Although support and love from family and
friends is always a tremendous help during such
hard times, it often isn’t enough. As many
people know, medical treatment for cancer can
be very costly. To help with the expensive
medical treatments, many of our Soldiers have
made generous donations to a fund set up in
Clay’s name. Now they feel the satisfaction of
giving back to the community.
Our mission focus involves more than the
successful withdrawal of equipment and
support of the war, we also strive to give back to
the communities that we live to protect.
If you would like to get involved and give your
support to Clay and his family, e-mail Staff Sgt.
Jessica Biggins at JessB1058@yahoo.com for
more information. ✯
The Nation’s First 9