AL ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq -- Far removed from the everyday comforts of home, the Marines and Sailors of Marine Wing Support Squadron 374, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing serving at distant outposts here were treated to the ultimate delight recently when a variety of ice cream was delivered to their collective doorsteps.

Dubbed "Operation 31 Flavors" by 3rd MAW commanding general, Maj. Gen. James F. Amos, the mission found life during a visit with Capt. Valerie L. Hodgson, Korean Village detachment officer-in-charge, MWSS-374.

"('Operation 31 Flavors') came about during a trip I took to Korean Village a little more than a month ago," the general explained. "I was talking to the Marines and asking them how things were going, so I could get a read on if they were happy or if there was anything they needed. After talking with them, to be honest, I didn't get a single Marine who said anything negative."

Ever persistent, Amos added that he asked Hodgson numerous times during his visit if there was anything her detachment needed, which she repeatedly declined. Finally, as he prepared to board his flight back to the 3rd MAW command post, the general's question hit bull's-eye.

"She looked at me and said, 'Sir, send us some ice cream,'" Amos recalled. "I said, 'Captain Hodgson, you've got it. You're talking to the right man.'"

According to Hodgson, a 35-year-old Anaheim, Calif., native, the time frame in which the frozen delicacy arrived was surprisingly swift.

"When the general came out here, it was early in spring and I figured it would take him a good long time to resolve any logistical hurdles with getting it here," she said.

"I knew that ice cream would be a huge morale boost in the heat of the summer, so I figured that by the time it got here, it would be summertime and the ice cream would arrive just in time. I did not expect to get the ice cream here as quickly as it did," she added.  

The operation was divided into three phases and in addition to speed, it called for massive coordination, said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Samuel F. Pamoleras, food services officer, 3rd MAW.

"We used resources that we have in Kuwait to make this happen," he said. "We negotiated with the public warehousing company down there and received a total of 10 pallets of ice cream, with 80 containers each.

"We were able to get it palletized, put on dry ice, get it shipped to Al Asad, (Iraq) and put it into cold storage within a matter of a few days," added the 34-year-old San Diego native.

"From there, we had to figure out which aviation assets we were going to use so that we could have a quick turnaround and the ice cream would be received on the other end in a timely fashion."  

The "other end" comprised of the three outlying areas of Iraq known as Mudyasis, Korean Village, and Al Qaim; each containing personnel who knew very little, if anything, about the special deliveries they were soon to receive.

Once the unexpected treat was distributed during evening chow however, the Marines and Sailors of MWSS-374 seemed both shocked and thrilled.

"This is pretty nice from where I'm sitting," commented Lance Cpl. Justin H. Hastings, automotive mechanic, MWSS-374 and 23-year-old Portland, Ore., native. "We haven't had anything like this out here before."

"The ice cream I just ate was wonderful," offered Pfc. Dustin M. Hawkins, motor transportation operator, MWSS-374 and 19-year-old Houston native. "After a hard day's work, any food is good, but this is awesome."

"I think it makes the troops and (noncommissioned officers) feel good about what we're doing out here," added Cpl. Michael D. Rice, nuclear, chemical and biological specialist, MWSS-374.

"It shows that our leaders have actually seen a difference in what we've done out here, so they're rewarding us with the ice cream," said the 22-year-old from Indianapolis.

"(Our leaders are) definitely paying attention," agreed Hodgson. "Being in a remote area, I think it's easy for people to forget about us, but clearly they did not because they worked so hard to get this ice cream out to us. Having ice cream out here is a reward for the hard work that the Marines and Sailors put in everyday." 

According to Lt. Col. David R. Leppelmeier, commanding officer, MWSS-374, reaching out to his Marines and Sailors in remote locations is something that is enjoyable for everyone involved.

"They know I care about them, and want to get out to see them more since they have a little tougher scenario than everyone else because of location. They get a kick out of seeing us and they really appreciated the general's gesture with the ice cream," said the 44-year-old native of Babylon, N.Y.

"There are two miracles in the desert we performed: One is ice and the other one is ice cream," laughed the MWSS-374 commander.

"It really warms my heart to do something like this for our Marines and Sailors," expressed Amos. "It's only a small gesture, but just doing it brings a smile to my face."